What your tongue says about your health

Tongue analysis and diagnosis

Tongue analysis and diagnosis is an ancient health assessment technique that is still used in Chinese medicine, by Ayurvedic practitioners and by modern day doctors too. The idea behind tongue analysis and diagnosis is the belief that certain external parts of the body, such as the tongue, eyes and fingernails, may express what is going on inside the body; may act as a kind of map or barometer of an individual’s general health. “A healthy tongue should look like a kitten’s tongue or a young baby’s tongue: symmetrical and evenly pink”, says Dr Vasant Lad.

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According to Ayurveda and Chinese medicine practitioners, the different parts of the tongue correspond to different organs in the body and can therefore reflect the toxicity level in the gut, show potential food sensitivities or a weak digestive system, point to mal-absorption of nutrients and reveal the health of other organs in the body.

Modern doctors are more apt to describe tongue disorders and diseases as being either congenital, that is something that you were born with, or acquired through infections and inflammation, autoimmune disorders, etc.

Take both into consideration when you examine your tongue.

Start here

Take a look at your tongue in the morning before brushing your teeth.

Shape

According to Ayurvedic practitioners, an indent in the tip of the tongue can indicate either physical or emotional issues of the heart. A deep line in the centre of the tongue can indicate emotions that have not been dealt with or spinal issues.

Modern doctors point out that most tongue shape disorders are congenital.

Shading or colour

A healthy tongue should be evenly pink as this shows a healthy flow of blood to the tongue. In Chinese medicine a red tongue or tip of the tongue is attributed to too much stress and worrying, a pale tongue is associated with malnutrition and a purple or bluish tongue is associated with body fluids and circulation problems.

Modern medicine points out that certain systemic diseases such as scarlet fever may be the cause of a red “strawberry” tongue while a black hairy tongue may be attributed to eating a soft diet, poor oral hygiene, smoking and antibiotic use.

Markings and texture

A healthy tongue should be symmetrical with flat taste buds, free from bumps, lines, cracks, patches, tongue lesions and fissures. Teeth imprints around the contour of the tongue are associated with an unhappy digestive system, inflammation or too much salt in the diet, according to Ayurvedic practitioners.

Modern medicine attributes a fissured (cracked, creviced) tongue to some form of trauma or injury. Fissured tongues have also been associated with Down syndrome, psoriasis, Sjögren and Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. Irregular patches on the tongue that look like a map is known as geographic tongue (benign migratory glossitis), but the cause is unknown.

Wetness

A healthy tongue should not be too wet or too dry. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that a red, shiny, wet tongue is a signal from the body indicating that it does not have enough fluids for healthy gut functioning or to produce a healthy coating.

Coating

A healthy tongue should have a thin, transparent odour-free coating without foam, hair or fur. Excessive tongue coatings usually point to a poor diet and overburdened or sluggish digestive system, according to Ayurvedic practitioners.

Medical doctors agree that poor diet may cause nutritional deficiencies, especially of iron, B vitamins, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid. This may commonly cause atrophic glossitis or smooth tongue. They point out that many systemic conditions may manifest in the mouth and coating of the tongue such as oral candidiasis (overgrowth of yeast) due to antibiotic and corticosteroid use, diabetes or immunodeficiency as in HIV and Aids.

Tackle the problem

Try the following if you are stuck with any of the abovementioned symptoms.

Change your diet

Eat fermented foods such as sourdough bread, sauerkraut, pickles, kefir or yogurt and avoid large amounts of raw fruit and vegetables. Soups, broths and steamed vegetables flavoured with herbs and spices will help warm the system and improve digestion.

Drink probiotic beverages such as drinking yogurt to repopulate the digestive tract with beneficial bacteria. Take digestive enzymes that are needed for food digestion and increased mineral absorption.

Scrape off the muck

Buy a tongue scraper or use a spoon to scrape off all the muck (bacteria and toxins) that has accumulated during the night. Do this before you floss and brush your teeth.

 

Sources
Andreeva, N. 2014. Ayurveda Life: what your tongue says about your health. Retrieved from: http://www.prana.com
Reamy, B. et.al. 2010. Common tongue conditions in primary care. Retrieved from: http://www.aafp.org
Tongue disease. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongue_disease
Washington, A. 2012. What is your tongue telling you about your health? Retrieved from: http://www.youngandraw.com
What your tongue is telling you about your digestion. 2012. Retrieved from: http://bodyecology.com