What is Qi and Blood Stasis

Even though Western medicine has developed into modern society and its presence in people's lives has greatly increased, many people still believe in the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine. However, there are many technical terms in traditional Chinese medicine that many people are not very clear about. For example, the symptom of qi and blood stasis is a symptom that many people experience. However, most people do not know which part of the body is problematic after experiencing blood stasis.

1. Symptoms of Qi stagnation and blood stasis

The onset tendency of patients with qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution mostly has the obvious characteristic of "blockage". For example: intractable headache, depression, cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, cholecystitis, intestinal dysfunction, lobular hyperplasia of the breast, dysmenorrhea, uterine fibroids, malignant tumors, etc.

Qi stagnation and blood stasis will lead to a myriad of diseases. Microcirculation obstruction is the basis for the onset of many diseases and one of the reasons why chronic diseases cannot be cured for a long time. Therefore, there is a saying that "long-term illness will cause blood stasis."

Predominantly due to qi stagnation: chest tightness and sighing, distension and pain in the flanks, stomach and abdomen, belching, foreign body obstruction in the throat, introverted personality, melancholy, narrow-mindedness, abdominal pain and diarrhea when emotional fluctuations, distension and pain in the breasts and lower abdomen in women, dark tongue, stringy pulse, etc.

2. Causes of Qi stagnation and blood stasis

Qi stagnation and blood stasis refers to the pathology of poor circulation of qi and blood in the body, which causes blockage in a certain part of the body, as described in traditional Chinese medicine. The causes of Qi stagnation and blood stasis are usually as follows:

2.1. Being depressed, nervous, and introverted, keeping all unhappy things in your heart will cause depression over time and affect the circulation of Qi and blood.

2.2. Eating greasy and sweet food, having high blood lipids, eating too salty food, or not drinking enough water can make the blood too viscous and lead to poor circulation of Qi and blood.

2.3. Qi deficiency and Yang deficiency constitution lead to decreased promoting function, resulting in slow circulation of Qi and blood or stagnation.

3. Dietary considerations for qi stagnation and blood stasis

For those with qi deficiency, they can adjust their constitution through diet.

People with qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution should choose foods that have the function of promoting qi and blood circulation, such as white radish, citrus, garlic, ginger, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, peach kernel, leek, rice wine, red wine, onion, ginkgo, rose tea, jasmine tea, etc.

Peach kernel, rapeseed and black soybean have the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis. Black fungus can clear congestion on the blood vessel walls; a moderate amount of red wine can dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation; hawthorn or rice vinegar can lower blood lipids and blood viscosity.

People with qi stagnation and blood stasis constitution should eat less salt and MSG to avoid increased blood viscosity and aggravated blood stasis.

It is not advisable to eat foods that are easy to cause bloating, such as sweet potatoes, taro, broad beans, chestnuts, etc.; it is not advisable to eat too much fatty meat, cream, eel, crab roe, egg yolk, fish roe, chocolate, fried foods, and sweets to prevent increased blood lipids, blockage of blood vessels, and affecting the circulation of qi and blood; it is not advisable to eat cold drinks to avoid affecting the circulation of qi and blood.

Predominantly caused by blood stasis: dark purple lips, nails, bluish or rough skin, fixed local tingling or colic, or a lump when touched, facial pigmentation, dark circles under the eyes, chloasma, dysmenorrhea in women, dark purple menstrual blood with blood clots, or amenorrhea, dark purple tongue or with bluish spots, congestion in the sublingual veins, and a sluggish pulse.