Xue (Blood)

BLOOD XUE

I. Definition

A. Red liquid, rich in nutrition, circulates in blood vessels.
B. Form of Qi, more concentrated; dense form of Qi; inseparable from Qi.
C. Blood carries Qi; Qi attached on Blood; Qi moves and pushes Blood to circulate.

II. Formation

A. Food and water /
B. Nutritive Qi, Kidney Essence and Body Fluid all transform into Blood

III. Function

A. Nourishes and moistens all internal organs and whole body.
B. Material base of immune function. .
C. Can transform into Qi, body fluids and essence.
D. Circulation results in body fluid and nutrients going to whole body.

IV. Blood and Internal Organs (all organs involved in creating and circulating Blood)

A. Heart: governs Blood; responsible for circulation.
B. Spleen: transforms and creates Blood; responsible for holding Blood.
C. Liver: Stores Blood; influences menses.
D. Lung: Zong Qi goes to Heart, then to whole body.
E. Kidney: Stores essence that can transform into Blood; Yuan Qi promotes blood creation and
circulation.

V. Qi and Blood

A. All material; Blood is dense form of Qi; Qi is Yang —Blood is Yin.
B. Qi transforms into Blood.
C. Qi moves Blood. If Qi stagnates, Blood congeals and slows down, resulting in Blood stagnation.
D. Qi holds Blood.
E. Blood nourishes Qi.

VI. Abnormal Blood Syndromes

A. Blood Deficiency

• Not enough Blood produced
• Malnutrition
• Qi deficiency
• Kidney essence deficiency
• Body fluid deficiency
• Too much Blood consumed: loss of Blood due to excess menses, injury, surgery, excess
worry and thinking
• Symptoms: fatigue, pale complexion; scanty menses; infertility; dry skin; grey and falling
hair; pale face and tongue; sleep problems (Shen disturbance); will not tolerate hunger well.

B. Blood stagnation

• Qi deficiency
• Qi stagnation
• Cold congeals Blood, slows down circulation, resulting in purple face, lips, skin
• Injury
• Extreme heat, cooks Blood, makes Blood sticky.
• Symptoms: Stabbing pain due to blockage; purple tongue (due to poor circulation); late
menses, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, clots.

C. Blood Heat

• Heat affects Blood: too much heat in summer; too much heat in house in winter
• Yin deficiency: deficiency heat (false or empty heat)
• Symptoms
• Excess Heat: high fever, profuse sweating; thirsty; very red face and tongue; yellow
tongue coat; rapid pulse; constipation.
• Yin deficiency: low grade fever; afternoon tidal fever; night sweats; hot flashes; red
tongue; no tongue coat; dry skin; thirsty; thin and rapid pulse; malar flush