Why Blood Health Is Vital for Your Gut Health
And the difference between “anemia” and “blood deficiency”
At a recent acupuncture appointment, my acupuncturist told me something that initially surprised me.
“You’re someone who is blood deficient.”
Huh? Blood deficient? Like anemic?
I mean, I have been anemic before, when I had the worst of my ulcerative colitis flares back in high school.
I actually have a vivid memory of receiving a blood transfusion at a return appointment after finally leaving the hospital after two weeks of tests, fluids, and a lot of morphine. For that reason, I don’t remember much of the hospital stay now, fortunately, but I do remember this blood transfusion.
I went from being extremely lethargic, quiet and depressed to happily chatting with my mom and sipping on a juice box in a matter of minutes. It felt amazing.
It did definitely give me a new appreciation for the importance of the blood running through our veins, carrying oxygen to every cell.
But… I don’t have active colitis right now. How can I be blood deficient?
My acupuncturist was not referring to me being truly anemic, rather she diagnosed “blood deficiency” based on a few different recurring symptoms we have been working on over the last several weeks and their relation to blood deficiency as defined by traditional Chinese medicine.
This kind of blood deficiency includes symptoms like:
- poor circulation
- cold extremities, even during the summer
- constipation
- gut dysbiosis
- irritability or frustration
- anxiety
- stress
You bet, I have every single one of those fun little symptoms. All of these seemingly unrelated problems ultimately feed into my main issue, which is my dismal gut health. And according to my practitioner, that at least partially stems from this Chinese medicine definition of blood deficiency.
Blood deficiency according to Western medicine (anemia)
When you first read the term blood deficiency, you probably thought of the Western medicine term, anemia.
Anemia refers more literally to a lack of blood cells in the body, typically caused by low iron absorption. It is also a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease, most commonly due to intestinal bleeding and nutrient malabsorption.
So already there’s a clear link to gut health, yet it often goes untreated by conventional medicine. In the story I told earlier, I received that blood transfusion almost as an afterthought, despite having continuously lost blood for weeks beforehand.
People who suffer with anemia may also feel cold, be paler than normal (regardless of skin color), and most commonly, feel extremely drained and fatigued.
Women tend to be more susceptible to anemia to due to menstruation, uterine fibroids, and pregnancy, but it can also be caused by a lack of iron, vitamin b12, and/or folic acid. As with any condition, figuring out the exact cause is essential to treating anemia properly.
Blood deficiency according to Chinese medicine
Blood deficiency in the Chinese medicine sense is a little different from the Western definition of anemia.
It can refer to a literal lack of blood cells, but it also refers to a dysfunction of certain organ systems in the body. For example, a person with blood deficiency may have spleen and stomach dysfunction, which results in a deficiency in the components required to make blood in the body.
It can also refer to an inadequate qi level, or the body’s life force as known in Chinese medicine.
A lack of nutrition, overeating and drinking, internal damage or chronic disease might all be causes of blood deficiency.
This slightly broader definition of “blood” in Chinese medicine is extremely important — it nourishes all parts of the body and is connected to all systems, the heart, the liver, the spleen, the stomach, and more. It is a “yin” substance that must constantly circulate throughout the body to continue producing new, fresh blood.
Once a person is blood deficient, it can take a long time to replenish the blood using herbs and nutrition.
Why blood health is so important for gut health
When you reach a point where you’re blood deficient, by Western or Chinese Medicine standards, it’s not a good place to be.
Less circulation of fresh, nutrient-rich blood and/or qi = decreased organ function = poor digestion, and from there the cycle only perpetuates itself. There are now some studies that actually show that a less diverse microbiome contributes to more stiff blood vessels or atherosclerosis — which then can lead to heart attack or stroke.
The gut needs adequate blood supply to carry out all of its critical functions in the body; digesting food, separating nutrients and toxins, and excreting waste. With less of that oxygen-rich blood, it just can’t operate at the same capacity.
Ways you can improve your blood health
1. Exercise
Exercise promotes circulation, the movement of oxygenated blood in the body. It also causes you to take in more oxygen through the lungs by breathing deeper. This can simply look like taking a brisk 20–30 minute walk each day, where you increase your heart rate but not to the point of overexertion.
2. Eat “blood-colored” foods
Berries, cherries, pomegranates, red leafy greens— emphasize foods that are deep red, purple, and blue. According to Chinese medicine, these are the foods that nourish the blood. Bone broths and grass-fed, organic meats can also be very nourishing for the blood. Cooking foods in a cast iron pan can also be a simple way to add iron to your diet.
3. Deep Breathing
Deep, belly breathing through the nose encourages better oxygen flow to the body and physically moves the diaphragm, which moves the organs in the abdomen — the intestines, stomach, liver and more. Between more oxygen and “massaging” these organs with the breath, this encourages better blood flow. Deep breathing also relaxes your muscles and allows the blood vessels to dilate, encouraging better circulation and regulating the heart rate. Basically, it’s good for everything and you should practice it regularly.
4. Yoga
The movements and stretches in yoga are specifically designed to encourage better blood flow — and chi or qi — in the body. Plus, yoga encourages focused deep breathing, so it’s like a two in one practice for your blood health.
Conclusion
Blood health and gut health go hand in hand, whether you’re looking at it from a Western or Eastern perspective. Personally, I find the Chinese medicine definition of blood more comprehensive and applicable to the health of the many systems of the body.
When you are dealing with gut dysbiosis, it affects so many functions that it really becomes necessary to view the body as a whole organism rather than try to treat the gut separately.
What do you think — have you thought about blood deficiency as a possible cause of your health issues? What are you willing to do to fix it?
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