The Lifeblood of Wellness: Unveiling the Secrets of Blood in Eastern Medicine
Jul 16, 2023Episode 43
Sheri Davidson
Have you ever wondered how Blood, the life-giving elixir coursing through our veins, impacts our physical health and mental and emotional well-being? Join me on this enlightening episode as we delve into the fascinating realm of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and explore the concept of the vital essence of Blood. In TCM theory, Blood is much more than a physical substance flowing through our veins—it holds profound significance for your health and well-being.
Have you ever wondered how Blood, the life-giving elixir coursing through our veins, impacts our physical health and mental and emotional well-being? Join me on this enlightening episode as we delve into the fascinating realm of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and explore the concept of the vital essence of Blood. In TCM theory, Blood is much more than a physical substance flowing through our veins—it holds profound significance for your health and well-being.
Hello wellness friends. Welcome back to the wellness inspired podcast, a place where you can find inspiration, motivation and empowerment in the pursuit of a wellness lifestyle. I'm your host, sherry Davidson. I'm a wellness coach, acupuncturist and herbalist in Houston, texas, and I am deeply passionate about health and well-being. And, as always, I'm here with my co-host, finn. And if you're new to the podcast, finn is my terrier mix, rescue dog, trail runner and loyal companion. He is also a therapy dog and greeter at element five acupuncture and wellness. And we have an exciting episode for you. Today we are going to delve into the ancient wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine to promote holistic health and well-being.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
In TCM, four vital substances are considered fundamental to the functioning of the body and mind. These vital substances are interrelated and work together to maintain balance and harmony. The major vital substances in TCM are chi, blood, jing or essence and body fluids. In this episode I'm going to focus on the lifeblood of wellness, your blood. But before we jump in, I want to mention I'm planning a European wellness riverboat cruise in 2024. My friend, tammy Haroka, is a travel concierge and friend. She has also been on the podcast. We talked about wellness travel, of course, but she's helping me plan this wild adventure, and I have yet to commit to a river. I am thinking of a seven knot cruise on the Danube River, so we'll cruise through Austria, germany, hungary and Slovakia. There will be active sightseeing, so hiking, biking, maybe some running, if I can manage to do that. There will be yoga, wellness talks, relaxing and locally sourced cuisine. So stay tuned for more details. I already have many people interested and the only marketing I have done is on the podcast, so get ready to grab your spot. Okay, let's do this.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
In Eastern medicine, blood is considered a vital substance that nourishes and sustains our body. But it's not only just the physical components of plasma, red blood cells and white blood cells. It holds a deep significance in our vitality and overall health. So let's unravel the concept of blood and TCM and TCM. Blood carries vital energy throughout the body, nourishing organs, tissues and cells. It is essential for optimal organ function, growth and overall vitality. Blood has a big job. It carries nourishment, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins, antibodies, heat, oxygen and immune cells that fight infection. It also carries waste matter and carbon dioxide away from the body tissue. Now, these functions are very similar in Eastern and Western medicine. However, this is the fun part In TCM, it's not just about the physical aspects but also the energetic and nourishing qualities of blood.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
Allopathic medicine does not recognize this blood-mind relationship. I'm about to explain. You see, blood is essential to our mental and emotional health because it provides the material foundation for the mind. It is responsible for housing the shin, the spirit or consciousness, giving stability, calmness and mental clarity. And when blood is abundant and flowing smoothly, our emotions are balanced and our mind is at ease. Now, if you want to know more about the shin, you can check out Episode 41, the Path to Inner Harmony, exploring the Shin in Traditional Chinese Medicine, because there's some overlap here. How fascinating is this connection to our blood and mind?
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
Our blood connects our physical, energetic and emotional aspects, and there are signs and symptoms that indicate an imbalance or deficiency in blood. So I would like to mention a few of those common patterns. The first one, and most common, is a blood deficiency. In TCM, a spleen deficiency is mainly the cause of a blood deficiency, and it can overlap with anemia in Western medicine, but not always. The signs can include a pale complexion, dizziness, fatigue, poor memory, numbness, insomnia. It can cause irregular menstrual cycles in women, brittle nails and hair loss and the emotional symptoms of a blood deficiency can include anxiety, restlessness and difficulty concentrating. In more severe and long-standing cases, blood deficiency can lead to dryness, like a dry tongue, dry skin, dry hair, dry nails. It can also lead to internal liver wind. I know it sounds wild, but that's how we diagnose. A blood deficiency that causes liver wind can manifest as skin diseases characterized by dry and itchy skin. A blood deficiency that causes liver wind can manifest as skin diseases characterized by dry and itchy skin.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
And here's a story for you. This was a long time ago, but I knew of a woman. She was pregnant and she was in her, I think, her eighth month of pregnancy and she developed severe anemia and one of the signs was she had an all over very uncomfortable body itch. She was just constantly itching itching her arm, itching her leg, itching her head and she just could not stop. And this was the first thing I thought of. I did not treat her. She was very into more allopathic medicine and I can't remember what they did, but I do remember her. Her experience was incredibly miserable, but it was the blood deficiency that was causing the dry and itchy skin, and I think that is a great example of how these two very different modalities start to overlap sometimes. Okay, so that is blood deficiency. So another pattern that we diagnose is blood stagnation.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
Blood stagnation happens when the blood fails to circulate properly and stagnates somewhere in the body. It can stagnate in an organ system and cause patterns like liver cheese stagnation, heart or cold stagnation I'm sorry heat or cold stagnation. It can also stagnate in the tissues and head. So in the tissues, think of a bruise. If there's blood stagnation in the head, think of a headache. A headache that is often described as sharp stabbing or piercing in pain that may be localized or spread across the head. Tcm we usually contribute this to factors such as emotional stress, trauma, chronic illness or poor circulation. So it's believed, when the blood becomes stagnant, it fails to nourish the head properly, resulting in pain. So I do want to also say that just because you have a stabbing headache does not mean that it's a blood stagnation or, I'm sorry, yeah, blood stagnation headache. There are other patterns that it could be as well. So it's crucial to consult with a qualified TCM practitioner for an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment plan for a blood stagnation headache. So I just want to throw that in there.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
The most common manifestation of a blood stagnation is pain. The pain, again, it's usually stabbing and fixed in nature. It could be related to sports injuries like an ankle sprain, torn meniscus, even surgery Could be a torn hamstring. It could also be abdominal pain, especially gynecological disorders, for example painful periods with dark menstrual blood and clots. So that's blood stagnation, and I'm going to give you one more. That's a little less common, but it's blood heat. Blood heat is typically caused by liver heat and it can manifest as feelings of warmth in the skin, skin diseases with red eruptions, again dry and itchy, but sometimes bleeding. Emotionally, blood heat can manifest as anxiety, restlessness and manic depression. So I'm giving you just a general overview of some of these, some of the most general patterns that we use to diagnose, just so you can understand how we think about things and diagnose and TCM.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
So how can we support and nourish our blood? In traditional Chinese medicine? Well, there are several ways to enhance and maintain healthy blood, but first and foremost, a well balanced diet is crucial. Remember when I said that the spleen is the main cause of blood deficiency. Well, it all comes from your diet and, of course, a functioning, optimized spleen and stomach system. It includes iron rich foods like leafy greens, organ meats and legumes can help build blood and support blood production. Consuming foods with vibrant colors, such as beets and berries, can also invigorate and nourish the blood. So, remember, eat the rainbow, not just for your blood, but also for your gut biome. So you want diversity, so there's another reason to eat the rainbow. So, although diet is the best way to support blood production and to support blood in general, there are some specific TCM practices that can support blood health as well. So you got it Absolutely.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
Acupuncture is a valuable tool in TCM for promoting healthy blood circulation and, again, supporting the spleen system so that you're producing blood as well. There are specific acupuncture points and meridians that can be stimulated to improve blood production and blood flow. It can address imbalances that are happening. As well as Chinese herbal medicine, it offers a wide range of herbal formulas designed to toneify and invigorate the blood, depending on what all your signs and symptoms are. But again, you need to consult with a practitioner.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
I think it's fascinating. I hope you think it's fascinating how TCM provides such a comprehensive and interconnected approach to health. It's one of the things I love most about it. I hope you found this information valuable and that you can apply it to your life in some way. So today it's short and sweet and simple. So just remember that blood is a physical component and an energetic and nourishing force within us. By understanding its significance and taking steps towards nourishing your blood through a balanced diet, tcm practices and mindful lifestyle choices, you can enhance your vitality, support emotional well-being and maintain overall health. All right, friends. That's all for today's episode of the Wellness Inspired Podcast. I hope you found this exploration of blood in traditional Chinese medicine insightful and inspiring.
Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
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Sheri Davidson, L.Ac.:
If you're in the Houston area or just visiting and interested in our services acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, zinchiatsu or dry needling therapy. Contact us. You can find out more on our website at element5omcom. That's element5, the number 5, omcom, and again, I'll put the link in the show notes. If you're interested in health and wellness coaching, we can connect in the clinic or on Zoom. Reach out to us and we'll get you on the schedule and, as always, I would love to hear your feedback. I am dedicated to bringing you great content that is inspiring and informative, with an artsy fun at G-SPIN. Thank you so much for listening. We'll meet here again next time and remember, never stop exploring, learning, loving and being you. Bye.