Autumn health preservation
not only requires prevention of autumn dryness
but also aims to nourish tendons and replenish blood
to support the heart, liver, spleen, and stomach
When it comes to blood nourishment
do you immediately think of eating red dates?？
However, the symptoms targeted for blood nourishment are different
How can we distinguish between anemia and blood deficiency?
And how should we replenish blood according to the symptoms?
Q
Can red dates improve anemia?
A：The effect is minimal!
In fact, what is commonly referred to as blood nourishment is through supplementing nutrition to promote hemoglobin synthesis, so the most common methods are to supplement iron, vitamin C, and other nutrients.
The reason red dates can nourish blood is that they contain both, but the iron in red dates is of low absorption rate,non-heme iron, which has a minimal effect on improving anemia.
Blood deficiency is a concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Anemia is a concept in Western medicine
The meanings of the two are different, and the diagnostic criteria are also different
The choice of medication is not the same either
Blood Deficiency vs. Anemia
Blood is the red liquid flowing in the vessels, governed by the heart, and in this regard, both TCM and Western medicine share the same understanding.
Blood deficiency:In TCM, blood deficiency mainly refers to a summary of certain specific symptoms in patients, without emphasizing changes in blood components and their quantity.
For example: If a person exhibits symptoms such as pale complexion, dizziness, palpitations, insomnia, pale lips and tongue, pale nails, numb fingers, and in women, accompanied by scanty menstruation, pale color or amenorrhea, and a thin, weak pulse, TCM can classify this as blood deficiency, regardless of whether there is a decrease in hemoglobin and red blood cells.
Anemia:In Western medicine, anemia must involve changes in blood components, meaning that anemia can only be diagnosed when the concentration of hemoglobin and the number of red blood cells in circulating blood are below normal values.
Although the symptoms of blood deficiency and anemia can sometimes be very similar clinically, without changes in blood components, one cannot be diagnosed with anemia.
Note:Blood deficiency and anemia are completely different in concepts, examinations, diagnoses, and treatments, and must not be confused.
In addition to correctly distinguishing
whether one has blood deficiency or anemia
and how to replenish blood according to the symptoms
the following matters should also be noted
Preventing and Treating Blood Deficiency vs. Preventing and Treating Anemia
☆ Blood deficiency:
TCM focuses on nourishing the organs and using food for nourishment, commonly used foods include chicken, duck, pig’s blood, pig liver, fish, lean meat, red dates, longan, brown sugar, etc.
☆ Anemia:
Western medicine primarily focuses on basic treatment and adds blood-replenishing agents.
Precautions:
① Some peopleover-supplement iron, leading to abdominal pain or diarrhea and other digestive symptoms. ② Patients withhypertension or diabetes may worsen their original diseases if they indiscriminately take blood-replenishing medicines like Angelica (Dang Gui) or Ejiao.
Therefore, when feeling unwell, do not blindly supplement; it is essential to correctly determine whether one has blood deficiency or anemia and use medications under a doctor’s guidance.
When replenishing blood in autumn
one cannot overlook duck meat
Duck meat is very suitable for consumption in autumn
TCM believes
duck meat can nourish yin and replenish blood
its nature is slightly cool, with a clearing and nourishing effect
Additionally, pig liver can also be selected
Dietary Support for Blood Nourishment
Duck and Winter Melon Soup
Ingredients:
200g winter melon, 100g duck meat, 30g Codonopsis pilosula (Tai Zi Shen), 10g honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), salt, monosodium glutamate, ginger, and scallions to taste.
Method:
① Slice the duck meat, blanch it in boiling water, and set aside; peel and wash the winter melon and cut it into thin slices;
② Place Codonopsis pilosula and honeysuckle in a pot with water to decoct, then remove the honeysuckle, keeping the medicinal liquid and Codonopsis pilosula for later use;
③ Add duck meat, winter melon, and ginger into the medicinal liquid and cook until done, then season with salt, monosodium glutamate, and scallions before serving.
This dish can nourish yin, support the liver, and clear heat while promoting dampness.
Spinach and Pig Liver Soup
Ingredients:150g pig liver, 100g spinach, 3 slices of ginger, 10g goji berries (Gou Qi Zi).
Method:
① Clean the pig liver, slice it thinly, soak it in clean water until the water is clear, and marinate for 10 minutes with an appropriate amount of cornstarch, oil, and salt;
② Wash the spinach clean, blanch it (to remove bitterness), then cut it into sections;
③ Boil an appropriate amount of water with ginger slices in a pot, add spinach and pig liver, and cook until done, then season with salt and chicken powder to taste.
This dish can generate and nourish blood, moisten dryness, and promote bowel movements.
Image source: Shetu Network
Editor | Li Linxiao
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