In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is believed that women are fundamentally reliant on blood. A woman’s beauty and health depend on the abundance of Qi and blood, while blood deficiency (xue xu) is considered the primary adversary for women. As work and study pressures increase with age, a person’s Qi and blood may begin to decline, leading to symptoms such as a dull complexion, body shape changes, weight gain, and various conditions related to Qi deficiency and blood deficiency.
Eight Major Symptoms of Blood Deficiency
1
Individuals with blood deficiency have a pale complexion, lacking the rosy hue associated with health;
2
People with blood deficiency are prone to insomnia, known as “blood not nourishing the heart,” which is a common cause of insomnia in modern individuals;
3
Those with blood deficiency often experience forgetfulness, easily forgetting names of people they just met, which is also due to blood not nourishing the heart;
4
Individuals with blood deficiency have pale mucous membranes, such as the color of their nails, lips, and eyelids, which appear consistently pale;
5
People with blood deficiency often feel fatigued. Generally, women enjoy shopping, but those with blood deficiency may feel exhausted after just a short walk, as if their bones are about to collapse. Additionally, they may experience palpitations and dizziness during fatigue;
6
In summer, their hands and feet may feel warm, but in winter, they become immediately cold. Even in air-conditioned rooms during summer, this occurs, indicating that blood deficiency fails to nourish the extremities. Such individuals are sensitive to cold and need to wear more clothing in winter;
7
When squatting for two minutes and then standing up suddenly, they may experience a moment of blackness before their vision normalizes, indicating insufficient Qi and blood;
8
Individuals with blood deficiency have a pale tongue body, lacking the rosy hue.
Use Good Ejiao for Blood NourishmentEjiao (Donkey-hide Gelatin) is known as the “sacred medicine for nourishing blood,” with effects of nourishing blood, moistening dryness, and stopping bleeding. It is effective for symptoms such as blood deficiency with sallow complexion, dizziness, palpitations, muscle weakness, irritability, insomnia, internal wind movement, lung dryness cough, hemoptysis, blood in urine, and menstrual bleeding disorders.
How to Nourish Qi and Blood
TCM believes that Qi generates blood, and blood carries Qi. Sufficient Qi and blood prevent deficiency, while harmonious Qi and blood prevent stagnation. Nourishing Qi and blood cannot be achieved by simply supplementing Qi or blood alone; both must be nourished simultaneously, and the spleen must also be strengthened. Strengthening the spleen enhances digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Ejiao Powder, American Ginseng Powder, and Poria PowderAmerican ginseng (Xi Yang Shen) nourishes Qi and moistens Yin, clears heat and generates fluids. The Qi-nourishing properties of American ginseng enhance the blood-nourishing effects of Ejiao, while its Yin-nourishing and heat-clearing properties reduce the warming nature of Ejiao, allowing the two to complement each other. The spleen is the source of Qi and blood generation, and adding Poria (Fu Ling) strengthens the spleen and aids in transformation, promoting the generation of Qi and blood; additionally, Poria helps to eliminate dampness, preventing blood-nourishing herbs from being overly cloying.