What Are Signs & Symptoms of a Blood Deficiency?

• amenorrhea

• anxiety or nervousness

• blurred vision or floaters

• brain fog or poor short-term memory

• brittle nails

• bruising easily

• constipation / dry stools

• depression

• difficulty falling asleep

• diminished night vision

• ​dizziness / lightheadedness

• dry eyes

• dry / flaky skin

• dry and/or thinning hair

• feeling aimless or purposeless

• feeling cold easily

• hair loss

• headaches (dull & worse around the eyes)

• heart palpitations

• light periods

• low energy (chronic)

• low self-esteem

• muscular weakness / soreness

• numbness or tingling in hands & feet

• pale (lips, face, nails, tongue)

• postpartum depression & anxiety

• restless legs

What Causes a Blood Deficiency?

• high stress

• overwork without sufficient rest

• ​chronic nutritional deficiency

• pregnancy

• heavy blood loss

• poor diet

• inability to absorb iron properly

Types of Blood Deficiency:

• heart blood deficiency

• liver blood deficiency

• spleen blood deficiency

How to Treat a Blood Deficiency?

LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS:

→ Rest: Stress and overworking are incredibly depleting to the body. Rest is one of the best ways to replenish. Think in terms of proportions; if your stress is higher than usual, then more rest is going to help you stay balanced. Also, getting adequate sleep every night (7-8 hours) is imperative. If you struggle with insomnia, try acupuncture! We also like this melatonin.

→ Hydration: Make sure to hydrate sufficiently, especially during summer or while in warmer climates. Besides water, herbal teas, soups, and hydrating fruits and veggies (like those recommended for a yin deficiency) are beneficial.

→ Proper Exercise & Movement: While it's important to keep moving to prevent stagnation in the body, too much exercise or high-intensity workouts can actually make things worse. Keep exercises moderate and stick to activities that are enjoyable and lower-impact, like walking, hiking, swimming, or dancing. It's also advisable to work out several times a week - not every day (though light movement every day is great!).

DIET + NUTRITION

→ Supplementation: For more severe cases of blood deficiency, like in anemia, postpartum or for vegetarians or vegans, supplements can help to boost nutrition. We like Floradix Iron + Herbs Liquid Supplement and MegaFood Blood Builder Minis.

→ Dietary Adjustments: It's important to eat regularly, and not too much or too little. Incorporate more red & green fruits and veggies (especially leafy greens), grains, and possibly red meat, as well as the recommended foods below. Cooked foods are preferable to raw foods, and avoiding foods and beverages that may disrupt digestion is recommended. This includes refined sugar, fried foods, dairy, excessive alcohol and possibly spicy foods.

What Foods are Best for Treating a Blood Deficiency?

Vegetables:
artichokes, beets, chives, dark green/purple/red leafy vegetables, dandelion leaf, kelp/seaweed, lotus root, microalgae (spirulina/chlorella), shiitake mushrooms, spinach, taro root, watercress, wheatgrass

Fruit:
apricots, avocados, blackberries, coconuts, dates, figs, goji berries, (dark) grapes, longan, lychee, raspberries

Grains:
amaranth, millet, oats, quinoa, rice

Nuts & Seeds:
almonds, black sesame seeds, pine nuts

Beans & Legumes:
adzuki beans, black beans, kidney beans, peanuts, tempeh

Herbs & Spices:
dang gui (dong quai), da zao, he shou wu, nettle, parsley, rehmannia root (shu di huang)

Beverages & More:
blackstrap molasses, cocoa/cacao, green tea

Animal Protein*:
bone broth, eggs, goat cheese, mussels, oysters, red meat (especially liver & heart), ricotta
​
*Meat is not used in any of our recipes, however, these animal products can be added to any recipe. For blood deficiency patterns, animal protein is highly recommended for replenishment, if there are no dietary restrictions.​