What Is the Concept of Blood Building?

I opened Instagram the other day and the account @qifoodtherapy was at the top of my feed with this colorful dish (tap the post for the recipe):

Here’s how the caption started: Blood Building Recipe

‘Hmm…What’s blood building, and do *I* need to build MY blood?’ is the question I started asking myself. 🤔 

So here’s the Traditional Chinese Medicine crash course on blood building I gave myself from reading through that Instagram account:

• Blood is not just the 🩸 stuff coursing through our veins — it’s our life force (a type of Qi), and we must eat the type of foods that contribute to healthy blood

• Blood deficiency is caused by eating foods that lack nutrients, overeating, overstressing, and holding onto other poor lifestyle habits; it can affect mental and emotional health, clarity, energy, sleep, hormones, and much more.

• Blood building, therefore, is the goal, and here’s a post that shows the types of foods that are conducive to building good blood:

Now That We’ve Discussed Blood Building, What about Blood Giving?

When you think about altruism, you might picture yourself giving something precious of yours for the benefit of others, often without expecting anything in return. This selfless act often leaves you with a deep, internal satisfaction of having done something good.

However, imagine a scenario where your act of kindness not only benefits others but also has potential benefits for you. This is exactly what happens when you donate blood.

🩸 Research has shown that regular blood donation can help in reducing blood viscosity and modifying your lipid profile¹ , which are important factors in lowering the risk of heart diseases. Essentially, when you donate blood, you are helping your body manage its blood and cholesterol levels better. The process of donating blood regularly can increase the levels of high-density lipoprotein (good cholesterol) and decrease levels of low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol), total cholesterol, and triglycerides in your blood. This adjustment in lipid profiles promotes a healthier heart and circulatory system.🩸

So next time you're considering a way to give back to the community, remember that donating blood provides a unique opportunity to do good for others — but for yourself too.

Find a blood donation center near you »»

Hilary Duff brought acupuncture into the public conversation this week, captioning the below Instagram post with “Pretty slow week around here. And gently trying to give baby the eviction notice.”

But does acupuncture actually help with the induction of labor?

A 2024 meta-analysis of 17 studies and over 3,000 female participants suggests that yes, “there was a statistically significant increase in the spontaneous onset of labor rate favoring acupuncture vs no acupuncture.”²

Interestingly, there was not a significant difference in spontaneous onset of labor between acupuncture and “sham” acupuncture (which is acupuncture usually on ineffective points that help to reduce study biases). The reasons for this phenomenon are complex, and the analysis’ authors allude to the fact that sham acupuncture “might not be a completely indifferent procedure because neural and dermal effects occur each time a needle is inserted into the skin, independently of the depth or the site.” 💡

Biiiig fans of Young Living’s Thieves Chest Rub over here — an alternative to the other over-the-counter mentholated topical ointments at your local pharmacy. It’s pretty much the only type of rub we use on the kiddos’ chests when they have colds and coughs.

If you haven’t ordered from Young Living before, you can get 20% off your first order here. (Disclosure: We’re a Young Living Brand Partner, which means we may earn a small commission if you purchase through our link.)

👂🏻👂🏼👂🏽👂🏾👂🏿👂🏻👂🏼👂🏽👂🏾👂🏿👂🏻👂🏼👂🏽👂🏾

As a subscriber of The Pressure Point Pulse, you get 50% off your first ear seeds kit from our acupressure brand My Ear Seeds (the best deal we have out there!). Just use code PRESSURE at checkout.

Shop ear seeds kits »»

Source:

¹ Bukar, A., Erhabor Amos, T., Obi, O. S., Akinola, A. S., Waziri, G., Thomas, M. J., Aghatise, K., Fredrick, C. C., Osakue, O. E., Erifeta, G., Osadolor, H. B., & Olaniyan, M. F. (2020). The inconspicuous health benefit of blood donation. Global Journal of Transfusion Medicine, 5(1), 63-67. https://doi.org/10.4103/GJTM.GJTM_14_20

²Zamora-Brito, M., Fernández-Jané, C., Pérez-Guervós, R., Solans-Oliva, R., Arranz-Betegón, A., & Palacio, M. (2024). The role of acupuncture in the present approach to labor induction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American journal of obstetrics & gynecology MFM, 6(2), 101272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.101272