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1. Causes of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Constitution – The formation of Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution is a long process, related to various factors such as emotions, diet, age, environment, and diseases. For example:
(1) Emotional depression, tension, introverted personality, burying grievances, leading to long-term stagnation affecting the circulation of Qi and blood;
(2) Excessive consumption of greasy and sweet foods, high blood lipids, or excessive salt intake, or insufficient water intake can make the blood excessively viscous, leading to poor circulation of Qi and blood;
(3) Qi deficiency and Yang deficiency constitution, leading to reduced propulsion function, resulting in slow circulation or stasis of Qi and blood;
(4) Living in a cold environment, causing long-term vascular spasms, leading to slow or stagnant blood flow in microvessels;
(5) Lack of exercise, leading to weakened myocardial contractility and slow circulation of Qi and blood;
(6) Modern research has found that various chronic inflammations can cause local tissue congestion, edema, adhesions, or pathological products to accumulate locally, affecting the circulation of Qi and blood.
2. The tendency of Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution often exhibits obvious characteristics of “inconvenience.” For example: stubborn headaches, depression, cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, cholecystitis, intestinal dysfunction, lobular hyperplasia of the breast, dysmenorrhea, uterine fibroids, malignant tumors, etc.
Traditional and modern physicians have proposed the view that “Qi stagnation and blood stasis lead to numerous diseases,” which is based on practical experience. Medical research confirms that microcirculation obstruction is the basis for many diseases and is also one of the reasons for chronic diseases that do not heal for a long time, hence the saying “long-term illness must have stasis.”
3. Symptoms of Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Constitution
1) Predominantly Qi stagnation: chest tightness with a tendency to sigh, pain and distension in the flanks, stomach, and abdomen, belching, sensation of obstruction in the throat, introverted personality, melancholic, narrow-minded, abdominal pain and diarrhea easily triggered by emotional fluctuations, breast and lower abdomen pain in women, dark tongue color, wiry pulse, etc.
2) Predominantly blood stasis: dark purple lips and nails, skin with purple spots or roughness, localized stabbing or cramping pain that is fixed, or palpable masses, facial pigmentation, dark circles, chloasma, dysmenorrhea with dark purple menstrual blood containing clots, or amenorrhea, purple or dark tongue with spots, sublingual veins with stasis, choppy pulse, etc.
3) Laboratory examination references: twisted microvessels, stasis, localized tissue ischemia or bleeding, increased blood viscosity, elevated venous pressure, localized congestion, bleeding, edema, adhesions, etc., B-ultrasound, X-ray imaging examinations showing increased local density, decreased immune function, etc.
4. Management Methods for Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Constitution
1. Dietary Management
1) Those with Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution should choose foods that promote Qi movement and invigorate blood, such as:
White radish, citrus, garlic, ginger, fennel, cinnamon, clove, hawthorn, peach kernel, chives, yellow wine, red wine, onion, ginkgo, lemon, grapefruit, kumquat, rose tea, jasmine tea, etc.;
Peach kernel, rapeseed, and black soybeans have blood-invigorating and stasis-eliminating effects; reports indicate that black fungus can clear accumulations on blood vessel walls; moderate red wine can dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation; hawthorn or rice vinegar can lower blood lipids and blood viscosity.
2) Those with Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution should eat less salt and monosodium glutamate to avoid increasing blood viscosity and worsening stasis. Foods that can cause gas, such as sweet potatoes, taro, fava beans, and chestnuts, should be avoided; excessive consumption of fatty meats, cream, eel, crab roe, egg yolk, fish roe, chocolate, fried foods, and sweets should be avoided to prevent increased blood lipids, vascular blockage, and impaired Qi and blood circulation; cold drinks should be avoided to prevent affecting Qi and blood circulation.
2. Medicinal Management
1) For Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution, use Qi-moving and blood-invigorating herbs to unblock Qi and blood, achieving the goal of “using unblocking to supplement.”
Herbs such as Chai Hu (Bupleurum), Xiang Fu (Cyperus), Yu Jin (Curcuma), Dang Gui (Angelica), Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum), Hong Hua (Carthamus), Xie Bai (Garlic Chives), Zhi Ke (Bitter Orange), Tao Ren (Peach Kernel), San Qi (Notoginseng), Ginkgo Biloba, etc., are Qi-moving and blood-invigorating herbs that help improve Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution. Famous formulas for regulating Qi and invigorating blood, such as Chai Hu Shu Gan San (Bupleurum Powder to Spread the Liver) and Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang (Blood Mansion Drive Out Stasis Decoction), should be flexibly selected based on the location of Qi stagnation and blood stasis.
Chinese patent medicines such as She Xiang Bao Xin Wan (Musk Heart-Protecting Pill) and Compound Danshen Dripping Pills can be used for initial cardiovascular stasis, presenting symptoms like chest tightness and chest pain.
For gastric and abdominal distension, belching, unsatisfactory bowel movements, or constipation, herbs such as Mu Xiang (Aucklandia), Chen Pi (Dried Tangerine Peel), Sha Ren (Amomum), Bing Lang (Areca), Dou Kou (Cardamom), Hou Po (Magnolia Bark), Da Fu Pi (Areca Peel), Lai Fu Zi (Radish Seed), Da Huang (Rhubarb), Shen Qu (Fermented Wheat), Hawthorn, Gu Mai (Barley Sprouts), and Ji Nei Jin (Chicken Gizzard) can be used, or formulas like Bao He Wan (Preserve Harmony Pill) and Mu Xiang Bing Lang Wan (Aucklandia and Areca Pill) can be used to move Qi, relieve pain, digest food, and promote bowel movements.
If the Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution is accompanied by emotional depression, psychological counseling should be prioritized, combined with liver-regulating and Qi-relieving herbs such as Chai Hu (Bupleurum), Yu Jin (Curcuma), Qing Pi (Green Tangerine Peel), Xiang Fu (Cyperus), Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum), Lu E Mei (Green Plum), and Ba Yue Zha (August Melon). Chinese patent medicines like Xiao Yao Wan (Free and Easy Wanderer Pill) and Yue Ju Wan (Regulate Qi Pill) have good effects in relieving depression.
2) Qi-moving and blood-invigorating for longevity and disease prevention
Renowned contemporary physician Yan Dexin detailed the research findings on Qi-moving and blood-invigorating for anti-aging in “Secrets of Anti-Aging in Traditional Chinese Medicine Through the Ages.” Experiments have shown that Qi-moving and blood-invigorating herbs can extend the lifespan of animals, with effects comparable to the anti-aging function of ginseng. Clinical observations confirm that Qi-moving and blood-invigorating herbs improve memory and sleep, eliminate fatigue, enhance brain function, and improve immune function, opening a new avenue for anti-aging in traditional Chinese medicine.
Since the 1980s, domestic and international medical scientists have conducted extensive research on Ginkgo Biloba, discovering its traditional effects of invigorating blood and resolving stasis. For example, Ginkgo preparations can enhance vascular elasticity, increase blood flow to the brain and heart, and reduce blood viscosity, preventing thrombosis. The protective effect of Ginkgo on the brain is reflected in its ability to improve brain function and prevent senile dementia. Ginkgo preparations can improve symptoms of moderate cognitive impairment, memory decline, and attention deficit, making Ginkgo extract one of the health supplements for anti-aging in middle-aged and elderly individuals.
Ginkgo preparations have significant effects in preventing the common disease of Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution – stroke. They also have certain effects on the rehabilitation of stroke sequelae. Research from the University of Paris shows that continuing to take Ginkgo preparations after a stroke can shorten recovery time and reduce the occurrence of stroke sequelae, especially effective for minor strokes.
3. Lifestyle Management
Research has found that when the body is in a long-term state of Qi stagnation and blood stasis, tissues become ischemic, and cells enter a “hungry” state, accelerating aging. Therefore, for those with Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution, Qi-moving and blood-invigorating have anti-aging effects.
1) In daily life, maintain a cheerful mood to help improve the circulation of Qi and blood. Avoid negative emotions such as anger, fear, and worry that can affect Qi and blood circulation.
2) Engage in physical activities, with the amount of exercise varying from person to person. Each exercise session should reach a level of slight sweating.
3) The body’s moisture is expelled through breathing, skin evaporation, and urination. If water is not replenished in time, it can reduce moisture in the blood, leading to increased blood viscosity and slow circulation. Therefore, those with Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution should drink plenty of water, with a daily intake of no less than 2000 milliliters (about 8 cups).
4) Elderly individuals, due to reduced propulsion function of vital energy, are prone to Qi stagnation and blood stasis. It is advisable to maintain brisk walking exercises. Tests show that the oxygen intake during brisk walking is 8 times that of the body at rest, significantly improving the “blood stasis” state.
5) “Cold leads to Qi stagnation” and “cold leads to blood coagulation”; in addition to keeping warm, those with Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution should not stay in cold environments for too long. The indoor temperature in winter should not be lower than 20 degrees Celsius. In summer, when using air conditioning, the temperature should not be too low, generally maintained around 25-26 degrees Celsius. Daily hot baths are beneficial for improving the circulation of Qi and blood; regular medicinal baths and massages can enhance the effect.
Women who sit for long periods are prone to Qi stagnation and blood stasis.
Many women over 30 who work in offices are susceptible to Qi stagnation and blood stasis. On one hand, they sit for long periods, and on the other hand, they engage in mental labor. Research shows that when the body is in a long-term state of Qi stagnation and blood stasis, tissues become ischemic, and cells enter a “hungry” state, accelerating aging. Therefore, for those with Qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution, Qi-moving and blood-invigorating have anti-aging effects.
Long periods of sitting can compress the bladder meridian located in the buttocks and thighs, causing poor circulation of Qi and blood in the bladder meridian, leading to bladder dysfunction. The kidney meridian is interconnected with the bladder meridian, which can lead to kidney dysfunction. The saying “long sitting harms the kidneys” is based on this principle. Insufficient kidney Qi can gradually lead to both Qi and blood deficiency, resulting in symptoms such as skin itching, pale or dark complexion, insomnia with vivid dreams, irritability, constipation, and scanty menstrual flow. These issues manifest on the face as unsightly spots. The appearance of spots is actually the body signaling that there is stasis in the internal Qi and blood, which is what traditional Chinese medicine refers to as Qi stagnation and blood stasis. Skin spots are often caused by imbalances in Qi and blood leading to blood stagnation on the skin surface.
It can be said that many women over 30 who work in offices are susceptible to Qi stagnation and blood stasis. This is partly related to prolonged sitting and partly because office workers often engage in mental labor, which can lead to excessive thinking and deplete vital energy, known in Western medicine as consuming blood oxygen. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that excessive thinking can harm the spleen, which is the source of postnatal vital energy. When the spleen is damaged, its ability to generate vital energy is weakened, leading to insufficient supply of Qi and blood to the body. Since the movement of blood relies on Qi, insufficient Qi will naturally lead to poor blood circulation, ultimately resulting in Qi and blood stasis.
Additionally, office workers often face intense workplace competition and high mental stress, and emotional fluctuations can cause disturbances, further exacerbating Qi and blood imbalances.
Qi stagnation and blood stasis are also the underlying causes of many diseases and one of the reasons for chronic diseases that do not heal for a long time, hence the saying “long-term illness must have stasis.” Many women experience gynecological diseases, which are often caused by “Qi and blood stasis.”
More alarmingly, prolonged sitting may also lead to infertility. Some women who dislike exercise often remain seated for long periods during work, meals, and driving, maintaining a static posture for seven to eight hours a day. This can lead to poor blood circulation in the lower abdomen and pelvic organs, resulting in insufficient blood supply to the ovaries and hypoxia, or Qi stagnation and blood stasis causing blockage in the fallopian tubes. Furthermore, due to prolonged sitting and physical constitution, endometrial tissue may form endometriosis due to blood stasis, which can be a cause of female infertility. Additionally, once the ovaries are compromised, a woman’s youth and beauty may soon fade, leading to issues such as a barrel-shaped waist, chloasma, dry skin, loss of elasticity, hair loss, dull hair, cervical spondylosis, rheumatism, arthritis, and osteoporosis, all of which are consequences of ovarian decline.
It is recommended to arrange appropriate outdoor activities every day. If you enjoy watching TV, using a computer, or playing mahjong, it is advisable to get up and move every hour, stretching your limbs. Alternatively, you can tap the inner sides of your legs along the spleen, stomach, and liver meridians, especially at the roots of the thighs! The back should also be tapped frequently, as the bladder meridian on the back is the body’s detoxification pathway, and regular tapping can aid in detoxification.
What is Qi stagnation and blood stasis?
Many people have experienced this: after getting angry, they feel chest tightness and difficulty in breathing. This is because emotional distress can lead to temporary “Qi stagnation.” If the Qi stagnation constitution is caused by disease, it may lead to long-term chest tightness, a tendency to sigh, abdominal pain and diarrhea during emotional fluctuations, belching, breast tenderness in women, or a sensation of obstruction in the throat, especially common in introverted and melancholic individuals, with a dark tongue and wiry pulse.
Traditional Chinese medicine theory states, “Qi is the commander of blood, and blood is the mother of Qi”; “When Qi moves, blood moves; when Qi stagnates, blood stasis occurs.” Qi stagnation and blood stasis often mutually cause each other.
Qi stagnation and blood stasis refer to a pathological state where Qi stagnation and blood stasis coexist. The pathological mechanism is generally that Qi movement is obstructed first, leading to blood flow stagnation. Qi stagnation leads to blood stasis, or stasis of blood outside the meridians can obstruct Qi movement, resulting in blood stasis leading to Qi stagnation. It can also occur simultaneously due to injuries such as sprains.
Main clinical manifestations: chest and flank distension, wandering pain, irritability, palpable masses in the flanks, stabbing pain that resists pressure, women may experience amenorrhea or dysmenorrhea with dark purple menstrual blood containing clots, purple or dark tongue with stasis spots, choppy pulse.
Those who are predominantly blood stasis often experience localized stabbing or cramping pain that is fixed, dysmenorrhea with dark purple menstrual blood containing clots, or amenorrhea, and are prone to dark circles, chloasma, purple or dark tongue with spots, sublingual veins with stasis, choppy pulse, and may even have dark purple lips and nails, skin with purple spots. Many cancer patients exhibit characteristics of blood stasis.
Who is prone to Qi stagnation and blood stasis?
Characteristics of blood stasis constitution:
1. Skin may frequently develop unexplained bruises;
2. Fine blood vessels may appear on the cheeks;
3. Unexplained pain may occur in different parts of the body;
4. Dull complexion, prone to chloasma;
5. Prone to dark circles;
6. Memory decline, prone to forgetfulness, often misplacing things. Renowned physician Zhang Zhongjing once said: those who are forgetful must have long-term blood stasis. Our spirit relies on blood for nourishment; blood stasis and insufficient blood supply are the culprits of amnesia.
7. Dark purple lips.
The main causes of blood stasis constitution are:
1. Blood that has deviated from the meridians spills out and runs outside the vessels;
2. Qi stagnation leads to Qi stagnation and blood stasis, where weak Qi cannot smoothly propel blood flow.
Blood stasis constitution can lead to cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, stroke, tumors, and many other diseases, so friends must pay enough attention to blood stasis constitution.
The causes of blood stasis constitution are related to Qi and blood stagnation. Once Qi and blood stagnate, it can transform into cold or heat, or even phlegm and stasis can mix and cause problems. The fundamental method of health preservation is to invigorate blood and resolve stasis. It is best to pay attention to adjusting one’s Qi and blood, eat some blood-invigorating foods or tonics, engage in exercises beneficial to the heart and blood vessels, adjust one’s psychological state, and maintain physical and mental health.
Qi stagnation and blood stasis are prone to blood diseases.
Statistics show that the incidence of leukemia and other types of blood diseases has significantly increased in recent years in China. How do blood diseases occur?
Modern medical research indicates that negative emotions are one of the important causes of blood diseases.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the balance of Yin, Yang, Qi, and blood in the body can maintain normal physiological functions and activities. If emotions are unstable, irritable, and angry, it can disrupt the body’s Qi mechanism, leading to Qi stagnation, which in turn can cause blood stasis, and blood stasis can exacerbate Qi stagnation… Over time, Qi stagnation and blood stasis form toxins in the body, preventing the expulsion of pathogenic Qi, which can infiltrate the bone marrow, causing mutations in the blood generation process and leading to blood system diseases.
According to the theory of meridians in traditional Chinese medicine, the Qi and blood in the human body are like rivers in nature; the principle of “flowing water does not rot” is well known. The rivers of Qi and blood in the human body also need to “flow”; that is, the meridians must be unobstructed. When Qi and blood flow smoothly and steadily without obstruction, blood can maintain a normal state. The principles of the world, physics, and medicine are the same; just as blocked water flow needs to be dredged, so too must obstructed blood and Qi flow be cleared to ensure smooth circulation.
Traditional Chinese medicine refers to the body’s immunity, or disease resistance, as “Zheng Qi”. “Zheng Qi” can defend against the invasion of “external evils” and can also fight against invading pathogens; when the defensive function of “Zheng Qi” weakens, “external evils” can easily invade the body and cause disease, hence the saying “when Zheng Qi is present, evils cannot invade; where evils gather, Qi must be deficient.”
Enhancing the body’s immunity relies on two aspects: one is to enhance physical fitness through regular physical exercise, such as Qigong, Tai Chi, running, and climbing, to maintain a healthy and vigorous physique and enhance disease resistance; the other is to maintain an optimistic mood and a positive attitude towards life. As the saying goes, “Qi generates a hundred diseases.” This means that negative emotions are the root cause of diseases. Therefore, people should learn to maintain a calm mood in daily life, eliminate worries, and avoid excessive joy, sadness, fear, and anger that can harm the body’s organs.
Regarding the external causes of blood diseases, modern medicine identifies various factors such as environmental pollution, nuclear radiation, improper medication, and unknown viral infections. Leukemia viruses can also exist in various animals and be inherited from generation to generation, and once exposed to external triggering factors, they can cause disease. Traditional Chinese medicine also believes that leukemia is a complication of internal toxins under physiological imbalance and external triggers. Additionally, any medication that harms the organs and blood can potentially induce blood diseases.
To prevent blood diseases, one should try to stay away from pollution sources and avoid indiscriminate medication; internally, one should regulate emotions and lifestyle, creating a good mindset and living environment for oneself and one’s family, where “ordinary is happiness, and peace is blessing.”
How to manage Qi stagnation and blood stasis?
The four-character mantra for managing blood stasis constitution is: invigorate blood and resolve stasis.
Foods that can help invigorate blood and resolve stasis include:
1. Red wine contains a large amount of antioxidants that can invigorate blood. The French love to drink red wine, which is why they have a very low incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Drinking a small glass of red wine before bed can invigorate blood and resolve stasis, and also help with sleep. Eating more raisins can have a similar effect; the centenarians in Turpan, known for longevity, rely on grapes and raisins daily.
2. Hawthorn slices have the effect of invigorating blood and resolving stasis, improving blood circulation. You can drink hawthorn slices steeped in water daily. However, be careful: do not drink on an empty stomach; those with excessive stomach acid should avoid it.
Foods that are beneficial for invigorating blood and resolving stasis include: peach kernel, rapeseed, water chestnut, black soybeans, etc. Wine can be consumed in moderation, and vinegar can be eaten more. Congee made with mountain plants and peanuts is also quite suitable. Lotus root, onion, mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, lion’s mane mushrooms, black fungus, kelp, kudzu root, konjac, enoki mushrooms, pig heart, pineapple, tangerine seeds, hawthorn, water chestnut, and emblic are all beneficial. Meat soups can also be consumed more. Foods that promote Qi movement and invigorate blood, such as white radish, citrus, garlic, ginger, fennel, cinnamon, clove, hawthorn, peach kernel, chives, yellow wine, red wine, onion, ginkgo, lemon, grapefruit, kumquat, rose tea, and jasmine tea, should be selected. Peach kernel, rapeseed, and black soybeans have blood-invigorating and stasis-eliminating effects. Black fungus can clear accumulations on blood vessel walls; moderate red wine can dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation; hawthorn or rice vinegar can lower blood lipids and blood viscosity.
Foods to avoid include: salt and monosodium glutamate, to prevent increased blood viscosity and worsening stasis; avoid excessive consumption of gas-producing foods such as sweet potatoes, taro, fava beans, and chestnuts; avoid excessive consumption of fatty meats, cream, eel, crab roe, egg yolk, fish roe, chocolate, fried foods, and sweets to prevent increased blood lipids, vascular blockage, and impaired Qi and blood circulation; avoid cold drinks to prevent affecting Qi and blood circulation.
2. Exercise: Engage in activities beneficial to the heart and blood vessels, such as various dances, Tai Chi, Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade), Dong Zhuang Gong (Dynamic Posture), Longevity Gong, internal nurturing exercises, and health massage techniques, all of which should be implemented, focusing on activities that engage all parts of the body to assist Qi and blood circulation.
3. Medicinal health: Choose blood-invigorating and blood-nourishing products, such as Di Huang (Rehmannia), Dan Shen (Salvia), Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum), Dang Gui (Angelica), Wu Jia Pi (Acanthopanax), Di Yu (Sanguisorba), Xu Duan (Dipsacus), and Chao Wei Zi (Cuscuta).
4. Mental health: For blood stasis constitution, it is important to cultivate an optimistic mood. A happy spirit promotes smooth Qi and blood flow, benefiting the improvement of blood stasis constitution. Conversely, distress and depression can exacerbate the tendency for blood stasis.
Blood stasis constitution can be effectively improved through Gua Sha (scraping therapy). On either side of the spine on the back, two “bladder meridians” are symmetrically arranged. Daily scraping from bottom to top can improve the quality of blood circulation.