Hello everyone, I am Doctor Wang. Do you often feel this way: even though you haven't had any serious illnesses, you just feel sluggish all over? Either you're restless and can't sleep, or your stomach is bloated and you can't eat well, or else you're weak in the waist and legs with no energy.

From a TCM perspective, this is likely because the "main thoroughfares" in our body—the San Jiao—have started to get congested.

The San Jiao is not a specific organ; you can think of it as three major zones in our body from top to bottom. It is responsible for transporting qi, blood, and body fluids, coordinating the work of various organs. If any zone gets blocked, the corresponding troubles will arise.

1. If the Upper Jiao is blocked - the heart and lungs suffer,虚火往上跑

Typical symptoms: Tossing and turning unable to sleep at night, always feeling like there's a fire in your chest, inexplicably irritable; constantly getting oral ulcers, with a red tip of the tongue; during the day, you feel short of breath, dizzy, and have no energy to do anything.

How does Traditional Chinese Medicine view it? The upper jiao governs the heart and lungs. TCM often says "the heart governs the mind," and when heart fire arises, the mind becomes restless, naturally leading to poor sleep. "The heart opens into the tongue," so when heart fire follows the meridians upward, the tip of the tongue and the oral cavity become the "heavy 灾区."

Approach to regulation: At this point, one shouldn't just use cooling herbs to extinguish fire, as many are "deficiency fire." The key lies in nourishing yin and clearing fire, calming the heart-mind. You can refer to the 思路 of Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan, which is like bringing "timely rain" to the fiery heart, nourishing the heart's yin fluids (like adding coolant to an engine) while clearing the deficiency fire. Once the heart-mind is calm, sleep naturally improves.

2. If the Middle Jiao is blocked - the spleen and stomach stop functioning, eating anything feels blocked

Typical symptoms: Poor appetite, feeling full after eating a little, with a belly as round as a ball; constantly burping and acid reflux; the mouth always feels sticky and uncomfortable, with a bad smell when you open your mouth; looking at the tongue, the coating is thick and greasy.

How does Traditional Chinese Medicine view it? The middle 焦 (Jiao) refers to our spleen and stomach, which are the "manufacturing plants" for Qi and blood. If it gets blocked, it means the transportation and transformation function is impaired. The food we eat cannot be properly digested and absorbed, all accumulating in the middle, turning into what TCM calls "dampness" and " turbid Qi." Can it not cause bloating? The entire middle 焦 is like a transportation hub, completely paralyzed.

调理思路 (Regulation Approach): To regulate the middle 焦, the focus is on strengthening the spleen and eliminating dampness, allowing the spleen and stomach to start functioning again. At this time, we can draw on the formula of Xiang Sha Liu Jun Zi Wan (Sandalwood Six Gentlemen Pill). It not only helps strengthen the spleen but also promotes Qi flow and dispels dampness, equivalent to both "加油鼓劲" (adding fuel and encouragement) for the spleen and stomach while dispatching "清障车" (clearance vehicles) to remove the "dampness" debris blocking the road, allowing the middle 焦 hub to regain smooth operation.

3. If the Lower Jiao is blocked - the liver and kidneys are deficient, the body's foundation is unstable

典型表现 (Typical Symptoms): The waist is particularly prone to aching, legs and feet feel weak, always feeling tired; there's a buzzing sound in the ears, making it difficult to hear clearly; memory also deteriorates, and nighttime urination is particularly frequent.

How does Traditional Chinese Medicine view it? The lower 焦 (Jiao) primarily concerns the liver and kidneys, which are our body's "energy storage reserves." Traditional Chinese Medicine states, "The waist is the mansion of the kidneys," and lower back pain is essentially the kidneys reminding you that your "energy is insufficient." "The kidneys open into the ears," and if kidney essence is deficient, it's natural for the ears to easily develop tinnitus. This indicates that the body's "foundation" is beginning to waver.

Regulating Approach: The key to regulating the lower 焦 is to nourish the liver and kidneys, essentially recharging the body's "battery." You can refer to the approach of Gui Sha Di Huang Wan. It not only tonifies the kidneys but also enhances the function of nourishing liver blood, effectively addressing both the main "battery" (kidneys) and the backup "battery" (liver). With a solid foundation, a person can be energetic from the inside out.

In summary:

So you see, when you're not feeling well, sometimes you can't just treat the head for a headache or the feet for a footache; you need to look at the whole picture. Identify which "area" is congested and target it to clear the blockage, often leading to twice the result with half the effort.

Finally, a warm reminder: everyone's constitution and condition vary greatly, and what is mentioned here is just a general direction and approach. If you feel unwell, it's best to consult a professional TCM practitioner for syndrome differentiation, so that the regulation can be more precise and reassuring!