Today let’s talk about what to do when the body’s three jiaos are blocked. When the upper jiao is blocked, use Bai Zi Yang Xin Wan; when the middle jiao is blocked, Bao He Wan can help; when the lower jiao is blocked, Gui Shao Di Huang Wan comes to the rescue.

First, the upper jiao — the heart and lungs are both located there; the heart governs blood, the lungs govern qi. If the upper jiao is not clear, qi and blood cannot circulate smoothly, leading to insomnia with many dreams, palpitations and shortness of breath, chest tightness and dizziness, forgetfulness, and similar problems. At this time, TCM often considers Bai Zi Yang Xin Wan to tonify the heart and lungs and promote smooth circulation of qi and blood.

Now about the middle burner: the middle burner mainly refers to the spleen and stomach; it is the traffic hub of the body's qi mechanism. If the middle burner is blocked, it's like the road between the upper and lower burners is cut off — abdominal distension, indigestion, and loose or malformed stools appear. At that time you need to unblock the middle burner; Baohe Wan is a good choice to reduce food stagnation and guide out retention.

Finally, the lower burner: the lower burner mainly involves the liver and kidneys, the liver governing tendons and the kidneys governing bones. If the lower burner is blocked, the tendons and bones cannot receive nourishment — symptoms such as numbness in the feet, osteoporosis, cramps, premature graying of hair, and blurred vision arise. At that point you need to tonify the liver and kidneys; Guishao Dihuang Wan can be used and adjusted according to the situation.