By Sharmini Gana of Collective Evolution
Every person’s tongue is unique, with distinct characteristics that reflect their inner health. Ever been to a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) doctor or an acupuncturist and been asked to stick out your tongue? There is a reason for this. TCM believes the tongue is a microcosm of the entire body and will reflect its excesses and deficiencies. The shape, colour, coating, and texture of the tongue can all indicate digestive issues and body imbalances.
The gold standard: A normal healthy tongue is pink in color, has a light white tongue coating on it, and is proportionate in size to the mouth.
So, what can your tongue tell you about your health?
Tongue Colour:
- A red tongue may indicate heat in the body, such as a fever or a hormonal imbalance that is leading to hot flashes or temperature changes.
- A purple tongue is a sign that the circulatory system is backed up, perhaps from a major injury or pain condition. There may also be inflammation or infection.
- A pale tongue is a sign of a deficiency or a lack of energy. This is common with anemia or after a long-standing disease where the immune system is weak.
Tongue Coating:
- A thick coating reflects a more serious condition and poor gut health.
- A thin coating is normal, but a very thin or absent tongue coating means a lack of body fluids, or it could be a sign that the body is being taxed greatly.
- A yellow coating signals heat and/or infection in the body.
- A grey or black coating indicates that something is very wrong with the body’s health.
Tongue areas correspond to internal organs in Chinese Medicine; much like reflexology, different parts of the tongue correspond to different organs. As a mirror of the body’s digestive system, the tongue can reflect the toxicity level in the gut, show potential food sensitivities or a weak digestion, point to malabsorption of nutrients, and reveal the health of other organs in the body.
Here is a helpful graphic to assist:
Read more here.
Tongue Chart picture reproduced courtesy of AcuMedic Clinic. www.acumedic.com
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