Author: Chen Chuxiong
Reviewed by: Qiu Kaifeng
Institution: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
Source: Yixian Pharmacy
It is often said that poor diet and sleep, along with blocked Qi, stem from insufficient Qi and blood. Qi and blood are the foundation of human life; all organs, bones, and even skin and hair rely on the nourishment of Qi and blood. Only when Qi and blood are abundant and flowing smoothly can the body be strong, energetic, and free from disease.
Insufficient Qi and blood correspond to Qi deficiency and blood deficiency in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The consequences of insufficient Qi and blood can lead to reduced organ function and premature aging. Qi deficiency often manifests as cold limbs, pale complexion, spontaneous sweating, dizziness, poor appetite, mental fatigue, and palpitations. Blood deficiency typically presents as a sallow complexion, pale lips, pale gums, dry skin, brittle hair, premature graying, brittle nails with vertical ridges, blurred vision, numbness in hands and feet, insomnia, and forgetfulness.
To address insufficient Qi and blood, dietary supplementation is primary. If dietary measures are ineffective, then consider medicinal treatment. Below, Yixian pharmacists introduce ten foods that nourish Qi and blood.
01
Red Dates (Hong Zao)
Tonifies Qi and blood, calms the mind. From a Western medical perspective, red dates have low iron content and little blood-nourishing value. However, in TCM, red dates are said to nourish Qi and blood because they strengthen the spleen and benefit Qi, with the spleen and stomach being the source of Qi and blood transformation. Red dates can be eaten raw, made into soups like white fungus and red date soup, or cooked in porridge such as red date oatmeal..
02
Black Sesame (Hei Zhi Ma)
Benefits blood, brightens the eyes, nourishes the liver and hair. Black sesame enters the liver, kidney, lung, and spleen meridians, helping the kidney store essence, which generates marrow and transforms into blood. Black sesame can be roasted and ground into powder, consumed directly or added to other foods. Walnut powder mixed with black sesame powder, taken before bed (15-20 grams), can treat dizziness, insomnia, premature graying, hair loss, and weakness in the lower back and knees caused by kidney and liver essence and blood deficiency.
03
Longan (Gui Yuan)
Sweet in flavor, warm in nature, enters the heart and spleen meridians, nourishes Qi and blood, calms the mind. Longan can be prepared in dishes such as longan oatmeal, longan and red date soup, and longan and peanut pork rib soup.
04
Black-Boned Chicken (Wu Ji)
Benefits the liver and kidneys, tonifies Qi and blood, treats deficiency and fatigue. There are many ways to prepare black-boned chicken soup, such as black-boned chicken with red dates and goji berries, angelica and red date black-boned chicken stew, red date and white fungus black-boned chicken soup, and black-boned chicken with cordyceps flower.
05
Black Glutinous Rice (Hei Nuo Mi)
Warms the spleen and stomach, nourishes blood and Qi. Black glutinous rice can be made into blood-nourishing porridge with red dates, longan, yam, and brown sugar; or cooked with red beans to make glutinous rice and red bean porridge.
06
Lamb (Yang Rou)
Tonifies essence and blood, benefits the spleen and stomach, strengthens muscles and bones. There are many ways to prepare lamb soup, such as radish and lamb soup, winter melon and red date lamb soup, and angelica lamb soup.
07
Pork Liver (Zhu Gan)
Benefits the liver and brightens the eyes, nourishes blood. Pork liver is high in iron, which is essential for blood production. Dietary methods for pork liver include spinach and pork liver soup, stir-fried pork liver, walnut and pork liver porridge, and wood ear and pork liver soup.
08
Black Fungus (Hei Mu Er)
Nourishes Qi and blood; moistens the lungs and stops cough. Black fungus is rich in iron and has good blood-nourishing effects. Dietary methods for black fungus include cold black fungus salad, stir-fried black fungus with lily, and stir-fried black fungus with yam.
09
Lotus Root (Lian Ou)
Benefits the spleen and stomach, nourishes blood and generates flesh. Lotus root can be prepared in dishes such as osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root, tomato lotus root stir-fry, and quail and lotus root soup.
10
Black Beans (Hei Dou)
Nourishes blood and strengthens hair. Black beans can be prepared in dishes such as stir-fried black beans with pig trotters, black bean and goji chicken soup, black bean and lotus root soup, vinegar-soaked black beans, and peanut black bean milk.
Others
Such as goji berries (Gou Qi Zi), red beans (Hong Dou), white fungus (Yin Er), grapes (Pu Tao), mulberries (Sang Shen), yam (Shan Yao), brown sugar (Hong Tang), sweet potatoes (Hong Shu), bird’s nest (Niao Wo), fish maw (Yu Jiao), and donkey-hide gelatin (A Jiao).
Although the above foods can nourish Qi and blood, the effect of a single food is always limited. It is recommended to combine foods that tonify Qi and blood for the best results.
As for Qi-tonifying herbs, the main ones include: ginseng (Ren Shen), codonopsis (Dang Shen), astragalus (Huang Qi), and white atractylodes (Bai Zhu). Blood-nourishing herbs mainly include: angelica (Dang Gui), cooked rehmannia (Shu Di Huang), white peony (Bai Shao), donkey-hide gelatin (A Jiao), and fleeceflower root (He Shou Wu). Representative Qi-tonifying formula: Si Jun Zi Tang (Ginseng, Poria, White Atractylodes, Licorice). Representative blood-nourishing formula: Si Wu Tang (Chuan Xiong, Dang Gui, Shu Di, Bai Shao). Ba Zhen Tang combines Si Jun Zi Tang and Si Wu Tang to achieve the dual effect of tonifying Qi and blood, representing a formula for Qi and blood deficiency.
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