35. Blood Deficiencies

Blood deficiencies have two major causes.  Inadequate intake of nutrients and inadequate absorption of nutrients.

Signs of blood deficiency are paleness of lips, nail beds, tongue, and complexion in general, thinness, spots in the field of vision, unusual hair loss, premature graying, and thin dry hair, dry skin and trembling or numbness in the arms or hands.

Disorders associated with blood deficiency are anemia, nervousness, low back pain and headache, and painful or lacking menses.

Foods for healthy blood (and hair)

Hair is a good indicator of blood quality.  Healthy hair is lustrous and thick.  Improving blood quality can treat hair loss and prematurely gray hair. 

Americans have the greatest incidence of baldness.  This is understandable since hair loss is tied to high fat, high protein diets, which damage the kidneys, and creates acidic blood.

To enrich and build the blood through nutrition, there are two general approaches.  Increase digestive absorption of nutrients and add the nutrients that  generate healthy blood.  Both can be accomplished with whole foods.