Your tongue colour is a window to your state of health.

"Sticking your tongue out" for the doctor isn't as strange as it may seem as many physical ailments can be manifested in the tongue colour, shape and texture of the tongue.

Note: ORIGIN of TONGUE DIAGNOSIS

• The earliest records of tongue diagnosis were unearthed in ruins from the Yin Dynasty, the first Dynasty of the Bronze Age.
• About 1000 years later, around 500-300 BC., vivid descriptions of tongue diagnoses could be found in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.
• Further developments continued during the Han to Tang millenia with the first and probably the greatest "modern day" applications being noted by the famous physician Zhang Zhong-jing around 220 AD.

So what can tongue COLOUR tell us?

A dark red colour indicates heat and inflammation.

Using our tongue diagnosis chart

A deeper red colour in certain areas will indicate where the heat is located. For example, if the middle of the tongue is darker, this could indicate a problem in the stomach.

A pale white colour shows damp and probably reveals someone who often feels tired, cold and lacking in energy. This could indicate poor circulation, stagnation of the blood or even anaemia.

A blue or purple colour indicates too much sugar in the body, perhaps from too many soft drinks, alcohol, fruit juice, drugs or other chemicals.

A yellow colour is a sign of too much bile in the bloodstream caused by problems with the gallbladder and liver. It could also indicate an accumulation of fat from excessive intake of diary products, eggs and poultry.

WARNING

If your tongue is brown or in the worst case black you have a serious problem with the kidneys caused by a discharge of toxins.

Seek urgent medical attention!

And what about TEXTURE?

• The texture of the tongue can vary from completely smooth to rough and bumpy.
• Grooves and cracks in particular areas of the tongue (check the diagram above) may point to a health problem in that area.
• So a crack on the tip of your tongue may show a problem with your heart or chest.

And lastly to SHAPE

• A thin (when looked from the side) tongue could be indicative of a blood deficiency like anaemia. You may also be experiencing dry skin, brittle nails and you may well have trouble sleeping.
• A thick tongue shows excessive "dampness" in the body which could manifest itself in sinus problems or water retention. You may feel lethargic and depressed.
• A puffy or scalloped tongue is a sign of low energy and digestive problems and your tongue may also tremble from time to time.
• If you see white furry patches on your tongue, this could well be a sign of overeating.

Have YOU checked your tongue in the mirror yet?

So now we've explained the secrets of tongue colour and texture, you hopefully have a clearer view of it's use in facial acupuncture treatments.

Want to find out the secrets of other parts of the face?

The nose is next...

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