Jan
16
What Does Your Tongue Say About You?
You might want to grab a mirror before you start reading this post because this discussion is about what your tongue can tell you about your health!
There is an easy and quick way to get a glimpse into your health! Open your mouth and look at your tongue – it shows what going on the inside of your body – from the outside.
Our body is so incredible that it is constantly giving signals, and can be viewed as an overview in different areas. The tongue is one of these examples – the eyes being another. In fact each cell carries the genetics and possibility to be any part of the body! (the more I think about this, the more amazed I am about our body temples!)
The top of the tongue has a high metabolic rate and is replaced every couple of days so it’s a great indicator
Chinese medicine has long since recognised this connection. You will often find a Chinese medicine practitioner asking you to poke your tongue out at them. A lot can be evaluated from the tongue. They’d be looking at size, texture, colour, moisture, movement, veins, shape.
This is a general idea of how the organs are represented:
A change in any of these specific areas can indicate a problem relating to that organ.
Some examples:
Pale tongue can show low iron, and lack of energy
Grey-brown colour towards the back middle area is indicative of intestinal problems
Yellowish green indicative of liver/gall bladder problems
A white coating indicates toxicity and/or an infection
The tip of the tongue is red, it can mean a heart weakness or thyroid problem
Scalloped edges of the tongue (grooved with teeth marks) can be due to sleep apnoea or mineral deficiencies
A cracked tongue can be due to vitamin deficiencies
Spots and mucous on front edges can be lung problems
The thicker the coating on the tongue, the more chronic the problem is.
Small recurring aphthous ulcers are often due to stress
What Should Your Tongue Look Like?
Ideally it should be:
- clear, vibrant, pale-red/pink in colour
- not be thick, or flabby, or thin
- free from cracks and lumps
- have a thin, white coating that thickens slightly at the throat end
- moist, without being wet
So have you had a look at yours yet? What does your tongue say about you? Let me know in the comments below.
