Today, let's talk about the Triple Burner. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Triple Burner is divided into three parts: Upper, Middle, and Lower. The Upper Burner mainly corresponds to the heart and lungs; the Middle Burner corresponds to the spleen and stomach; and the Lower Burner corresponds to the liver and kidneys. You can imagine the Triple Burner as a huge cavity, enveloping all our internal organs.

The function of the Triple Burner is incredibly important. It is responsible for connecting the upper and lower parts of the body and linking the inside with the outside. It acts like a "transport captain," distributing nutrients and vital energy throughout the body and ensuring the smooth flow of body fluids. If the Triple Burner becomes obstructed, the body will develop various minor ailments.

Let's start by talking about the condition of upper jiao blockage. The upper jiao mainly involves the heart and lungs. If this area is blocked, people are prone to chest tightness and shortness of breath, feeling as if a heavy stone is pressing on the chest, making breathing difficult. Symptoms may also include dizziness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), a buzzing sensation in the head, and frequent flare-ups of heatiness, such as blisters at the corners of the mouth or mouth ulcers.

Middle jiao blockage is also quite common. The middle jiao is the domain of the spleen and stomach. If the spleen and stomach are blocked, the abdomen may feel bloated and occasionally painful. Digestion becomes poor, with a persistent sensation of a lump in the stomach. Nausea and acid reflux are also likely, and there may be a loss of appetite—seeing delicious food doesn't spark interest, and one feels full after eating only a little.

Lower jiao blockage also brings its share of problems. The lower jiao corresponds to the liver and kidneys. If this area is blocked, there may be a feeling of fullness and distension in the ribs, as if gas is trapped. The waist and knees may feel sore and weak, making walking difficult. Lower limbs are prone to swelling, with pitting edema when pressed. For men, this may lead to a decline in sexual function; for women, it can cause menstrual irregularities—periods may come early or late—and may also lead to gynecological inflammation.

From this perspective, it seems that the root cause of many illnesses people suffer from today lies in the blockage of the triple jiao. Is there any way to unblock it? There certainly is. Today, I'll share a valuable formula with you—San Ren Tang (Three Seeds Decoction). This formula originates from Wu Jutong’s "Systematic Differentiation of Warm Diseases" from the Qing Dynasty.

Why is it called Three-Nut Decoction? Because it contains three key "nuts" - apricot kernel, cardamom, and Job's tears - along with talc, rice paper plant pith, bamboo leaves, magnolia bark, and pinellia.

Almonds primarily unblock the upper Jiao and lungs. The lungs govern qi, and almonds can diffuse the lung qi of the upper Jiao, allowing qi to flow smoothly. It’s like ventilating a blocked pipe, allowing air to circulate.

Kouren (Amomum tsaoko) has aromatic properties that dispel dampness, specifically entering the spleen and stomach to promote the flow of qi in the middle jiao. The spleen and stomach are responsible for digestion and absorption. When qi flows smoothly, the spleen and stomach can function properly, allowing ingested food to be well digested.

Job's tears have a sweet and mild nature, helping to promote urination, drain dampness, and strengthen the spleen, which facilitates the flow in the lower jiao. When the lower jiao is blocked, dampness tends to accumulate. Job's tears can help eliminate this dampness, thereby promoting unobstructed flow in the lower jiao.

With these three nuts used together, one opens the upper jiao, another frees the middle jiao, and the third promotes the lower jiao, thus unblocking the entire triple burner. The other herbs, like talc, assist the main herbs in clearing damp-heat and expelling pathogenic damp-heat from the body. Pinellia and magnolia bark promote the flow of qi, resolve dampness, disperse stagnation, and relieve fullness, allowing qi to move smoothly and eliminating lumps and bloating in the body. When these herbs are used together, they ensure the triple burner flows freely without obstruction.