Oh, I never had that problem. Most of the time I got left with 1 hearth and was able to heal myself. Although I also think that healing with spamming food is not a game mechanic I want to see in games.

There is a ton of way of how to improve your character. Via clothes (also upgrasable) or via solving puzzle shrines and then trading the orbs for more life and/or stamina.

But it doesn’t matter as you’ve probably already beat it anyway.