What to Eat for Qi and Blood Deficiency: 6 Foods to Tonify Qi and Nourish Blood.

Qi and blood are the foundation of a woman's health and beauty throughout her life, yet many women are prone to issues such as qi and blood deficiency and anemia, which should never be overlooked. It is advisable to learn about foods that nourish the blood and to incorporate more qi and blood-boosting foods into your daily diet to achieve a rosy complexion and better health.

1. Fennel

Fennel is rich in vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, carotene, and dietary fiber. Its distinctive aromatic scent comes from fennel oil, which stimulates the nerves and blood vessels in the gastrointestinal tract, making it effective for strengthening the stomach and regulating qi. Therefore, it is an excellent vegetable to pair with meat and fatty foods. Furthermore, fennel seeds, known as "Xiao Huixiang" in medicinal terms, and the tender leaves are edible. Both the seeds and leaves have the effect of regulating qi. Using the leaves to make fillings or stir-frying them can help regulate qi, strengthen the stomach, and relieve pain.

2. Rose

Roses have the effects of soothing the liver, regulating qi, calming the mind, and soothing the spirit. Adding a few rose buds when brewing tea not only helps regulate qi but is also visually pleasing. Women who don't have the habit of drinking tea can steep roses alone, or place fragrant roses in a vase at home. Inhaling the floral scent can also help regulate qi and calm the spirit.　

Rose Jelly

3. Citrus

Citrus fruits are rich in nutrients, with over 30 health-promoting substances identified, including flavonoids, monoterpenes, coumarins, carotenoids, propionoids, acridones, and glycolipids. Not only are they sweet and delicious, but they also promote qi circulation and soothe the chest. Besides the pulp, the orange pith also has medicinal value. Steeping the orange pith can help dredge the meridians, resolve phlegm, and regulate qi to relieve stagnation.

4. Lotus Root　

Lotus root is slightly sweet and crisp, and can be eaten raw or cooked. It also has significant medicinal value. Every part of the plant, from its roots and leaves to its flowers, stamens, and fruit, is a treasure that can be used for nourishment and medicine. The powder made from lotus root can aid digestion, stop diarrhea, whet the appetite, clear heat, nourish the body, and prevent internal bleeding. It is an excellent liquid food and nourishing delicacy for women, children, the elderly, and those who are weak or frequently ill. The best therapeutic effects are achieved by boiling lotus root in plain water or making lotus root porridge.

Pork Bone and Lotus Root Soup

5. Hawthorn

Hawthorn is a unique Chinese plant that is both medicinal and edible. It can lower blood lipids and blood pressure, strengthen the heart, and prevent arrhythmia. It is also a great remedy for strengthening the spleen and whetting the appetite, promoting digestion, resolving stagnation invigorating blood, and dissolving phlegm. It is highly effective for symptoms like chest and diaphragm fullness, hernia, blood stasis, and amenorrhea. Hawthorn is also adept at regulating qi and invigorating blood, promoting digestion and resolving stagnation, and can also help with weight loss and fat reduction. It is effective whether eaten raw, cooked, or steeped in water. However, consumption should be moderate, and women with excess stomach acid should use it with caution.

6. Radish

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, radish is considered cool in nature, with a pungent, sweet, and non-toxic flavor. It affects the lung and stomach meridians, and can eliminate stagnation, resolve phlegm-heat, promote the downward flow of qi, soothe the middle jiao, and detoxify. It is used to treat symptoms such as food stagnation and bloating, phlegmatic cough and loss of voice, pulmonary tuberculosis with hemoptysis, and nausea with acid regurgitation. Radish also has a strong effect of promoting qi circulation, and can also stop coughs and resolve phlegm, relieve dryness and promote fluid secretion, clear heat and detoxify, and promote bowel movements. It excels at regulating qi, strengthening the stomach, clearing heat, and resolving phlegm. Green radishes are the most effective, followed by those with red skin and white flesh. For women with a cold stomach, radish soup can be stewed with pork ribs or beef.

White Radish and Lamb Soup