Look at the tongue to diagnose health problems. You will get a lot of information about your health. The shape, color, size, and coating variations all tell a story about your health.
As an acupuncturist, many have asked why I look at their tongues. I shall try to explain this ancient Chinese method of diagnosing health problems.
The shape and size of your tongue tells if you are over hydrated or dehydrated. Too much water and your tongue are puffy. If your tongue is small, and short you may be deficient in fluids.
The color is also important. If very red, you have too much heat. If pale, you are anemic of have a cold coming on. If it purple, you have some stagnation in some body organ.
The color and coatings may vary on different parts of the tongue. If the tip is red, her is a problem with your heart. If the sides of the tongue are different, you may have a liver problem. Just beyond the tip, your lungs may be acting up.
The center of the tongue tells a story about your stomach or digestion, and the back of the tongue relates to your kidney.
The thickness of a coating tells how severe your illness may be. A thin coating indicates a mild pathogen; wile a very thick coating implies a deeper problem.
If the coating is dry you need fluids, if it is moist, you may have poor water metabolism. Te color of the coating also tells a story. If it is white you have a cold condition, if yellow or brown, you have excess heat. If gray or black, see a doctor soon. You have a serious medical problem.
Remember drinking red wine, coffee, food dyes, or orange juice can change the appearance of coating on the tongue. Changes occur slowly unless you have a high fever, cold or a flu bug.
The location of changes tell where in your body you have a problem that needs attention.
For those of you contemplating tongue piercing,you must realize that the underside of the back of the tongue is controlled by the brain. Piercing may cause emotional changes and depression . The underside of the back of the tongue is the location of the brain. Piercing this spot may cause emotional and depression changes.
Most important is the location of some tongue changes. As the diagram at the upper left of this blog indicates, you will have a clue as to what part of your body may be having some problems, and you know what specialist to see.