Stick Out Your Tongue And Say...Huh?!

Practitioners of Chinese Medicine look at the tongue as a reflection of the internal condition of the body... When looking at your tongue, factors such as  the color of the tongue body, its size and shape, the color and thickness of its coating, locations of abnormalities and moistness or dryness of the tongue body and coating are noted. These signs reveal not only overall states of health, but correlate to specific organ functions and disharmonies, especially in the digestive system. Not all tongue irregularities are indications of dis-ease, however. Food and drugs may change the coating or color of the body of the tongue. For example, coffee yellows the coating and Pepto-Bismol turns the tongue black. The tongue body is a fleshy mass and has color, texture and shape, all which are important on their own. (To evaluate the tongue accurately, always do the examination in natural light.) A pale tongue body indicates deficient blood, energy, warmth or excess cold. (anemia, fatigue, depression, impotence, incontinence, palpitations) A overly red tongue body indicates excess heat. (constipation, skin issues, angry, high blood pressure) A purple tongue indicates that energy and/or blood are not circulating properly (stagnant). Pale purple means the stagnation is related to cold. (cold limbs, varicose veins, pain, endometriosis) Reddish purple is related to stagnation of heat. (headaches, chest pains) When the tongue is black or grey, it indicates extreme stagnation; if black and dry, that indicates extreme heat stagnation; black and wet is an indication of extreme cold stagnation. Bright red indicates deficient body fluids (can be hormones, enzymes, blood components, etc.) or excess heat. Dark red indicates severe excess heat. (hot flashes, tinnitus, insomnia, irritability, excess sweating) Cracks in a red tongue indicate deficient body fluids or heat consuming the fluids. But if the tongue is pale and cracked, deficient energy or blood is present. Enlargement of the buds on the tongue mean heat or stagnant blood. (stress, PMS, worry) The tongue’s coating is the "furry" surface layer. When the digestive system is in balance, there is an even coating of fur, with a slightly thicker area in the center of the tongue. Thicker coating indicates excess. Thinner coating is related to deficiency. Coating  that is wet indicates excess fluids and/or a deficient metabolism (warmth). Dry coating is a sign of excess warmth or deficient fluids. A greasy coating is a sign of phlegm or dampness in the body. If the coating  looks peeled off or missing, it reveals deficient digestive/body fluids. White, moist coating indicates cold. Yellow coating means heat. However, white coating, resembling cottage cheese, points to heat in the stomach. (heat begins to dry out fluids, leading to congealing) Grey/black fur with a red body is associated with extreme heat; grey/black fur with a pale body is a sign of extreme cold. This is just a basic overview of what a Chinese Medicine Practitioner looks for when asking you to stick out your tongue! Care to know more about your own health and how your tongue reflects this...call me! Kathy E Thomas Lake Premier Wellness Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine 2430 South Bay Street, Eustis, FL 32726 352-323-0795