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(Five Nuts) Warm the Kidney, secure the Stomach, and broaden the Intestines.

Chestnut (Li) [Specifically enters the Kidney meridian; also enters the Stomach and Large Intestine meridians]. It is the fruit of the Kidney. Its taste is salty, its nature is warm, its substance is heavy and solid. Therefore, it can enter the Kidney to tonify Qi. For those whose Stomach Qi is deficient, presenting with weakness in the waist and legs, or whose Stomach Qi is insufficient, presenting with borborygmus and diarrhea, taking this for treatment is invariably effective. (Hongjing said: It is rumored that someone suffering from weak waist and legs went to a chestnut tree, ate several sheng [a unit of volume], and was then able to walk. This illustrates the principle of tonifying the Kidney.) However, it is best to use wind-dried chestnuts and swallow them whole with their juices. (Shizhen said: Wind-dried chestnuts are superior to sun-dried ones; those roasted in fire or fried in oil are superior to those steamed or boiled.) Eating them as powder is superior to eating water caltrop (Eichhornia crassipes) or Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis). If chestnuts are not wind-dried, or if raw dampness has not been eliminated, eating them will aid dampness, generate Qi stagnation, and produce parasites. If steamed, boiled, or roasted and eaten, they cause Qi obstruction and diaphragmatic fullness, which is particularly contraindicated for persons with Fengshui disease (edema accompanied by aversion to wind). If children eat too many chestnuts, it may prevent teeth from growing. Li Xie (the membrane within the chestnut nutlet) can treat wind-pain in tendons and bones, cold accumulation, and pi-masses (abdominal lumps). Chewing it raw and applying it externally can draw out thorns/arrowheads and apply to scrofula, swelling, toxic pain. Li Yi (the thin skin on the meat), burned until carbonized but retaining its nature, can treat fishbones stuck in the throat; blowing the powder into the throat causes the bone to descend. Boiling the shell in water treats regurgitation and Xiao Ke (wasting-thirst syndrome). Li Qiu (the outer spiny husk), when boiled in water, can wash Huodan toxic swelling. Li Hua (chestnut flowers) can treat scrofula. Chestnut bark boiled in water can be used to wash Shashi Xi Du (toxins from sandflies/creeks) and Dan Du Chuang Du (erysipelas and sores). Chestnut root decocted in wine can treat Pian Zhui (unilateral testicular swelling) and Shen Qi disorders. All these utilize its ability to direct Qi downward and resolve toxicity.

(Barbarian Fruits) Enter the Lung and Stomach meridians; generate fluids, quench thirst, resolve alcohol toxicity, and detoxify various fish poisons.

Olive (Gan Lan) [Specifically enters the Lung and Stomach meridians]. It inherits Yang Qi from Earth. Its taste is sour first, then sweet. Its nature is warm, non-toxic. It is the fruit of the Lung and Stomach families. Its function generates fluids and quenches thirst. Chewing it after drinking alcohol is most suitable, hence texts record it can resolve Jiu Du (alcohol toxicity). If one ingests Pufferfish liver and eggs leading to coma and near-death, boiling this in water resolves the poison. Hence, texts also record it can resolve various fish toxins. (Fish die upon eating olive residue; furthermore, using olive wood as oars, fish touching it float to the surface.) It also treats Yu Gu Zhi Geng (fishbone impaction). (Chewing olives to extract juice and swallowing helps expel the bone; if no olives are available, grinding the pits into powder and taking with fast-flowing water is also effective.) Regarding Dou Chuang Bu Qi (measles/rubella eruptions failing to rise) and Dou Zhua Sui Cheng Chuang (eruptions scratched open into sores): (Boiling and eating helps push out toxins and detoxify; grinding into juice and applying eliminates scar marks.) Chang Feng Xia Xue (intestinal wind with bloody stool): (Burn olives to ash, retain nature, grind to powder, take 2 qian per dose, mixed with rice drink.) Er Zu Dong Chuang (frostbite of ears and feet): (Grind olive wood to powder, mix with oil, and apply.) Chu Sheng Tai Du (neonatal fetal toxin): (Ji Xiao Fang records: When a newborn lands, take one olive, burn to ash, grind, mix with 5 fen of Cinnabar (Zhusha), have the infant chew a mouthful of raw Sesame (Zhimai), mix saliva with medicine, wrap in silk like a date pit, place in infant's mouth, wait for one hour of sucking before allowing milk. This medicine expels turbid toxins from intestines and stomach, reducing illness and ensuring sparse eruptions.) Chun Lie Sheng Chuang (lip fissures with sores): (Roast olives, grind, mix with Pig Fat (Zhuzhi), and apply.) Ya Chi Feng Gan (wind-gum disease with pus/blood/parasites): (Grind olives, add a little Musk (Shexiang), and apply.) Xia Bu Gan Chuang (lower jiao gum disease): (Burn olives to ash, retain nature, grind to powder, mix with oil and apply, or add equal parts of Child's Tea (Haiercha)). Yin Shen Zhong (scrotal and penile swelling) and other symptoms: (Equal parts Olive Pit, Lychee Pit, Hawthorn Pit, burned to ash, retained nature, ground to powder, take 2 qian per dose, empty stomach, delivered with Fennel Decoction). None fail to be effective using these, due to its properties of warming movement and astringent contraction. However, this property specifically searches and cleanses fetal toxins; excessive consumption risks vomiting and diarrhea. Its nature gathers Fire and astringes Qi. Used appropriately for Cold Cough, it is beneficial; for Hot Cough, it inevitably causes adverse effects of Heat Qi steaming upward.