Tongues Tell Tales.
The body is very good at communicating with us. It can tell us when it’s out of balance and heading for ill health but the question is, can you read the signs?
The truth is you can learn a lot by looking at the tongue, the nails and even the ear. There are many signs that give us a glimpse into the inner workings of our body and these indications can point to nutritional imbalances, or possible disease manifestations.
The body can give us an insight into the health of the digestive tract, thyroid function, cardiovascular wellbeing and many other systems in the body.
Say argh….
The tongue is directly connected to the different systems of our body and consequently it is a useful early warning system. Many nutritional deficiencies and imbalances will show up in the tongue before those problems manifest in other parts of the body and sometimes even appear before other, more noticeable symptoms, are present.
Go and take a good look at your tongue, grab a mirror and take a good, close look at your tongue. Ask yourself these questions:
Q: What is the colour of my tongue? Is it pink? If not what colour is it?
A: If the tongue is red or beefy that generally suggests a vitamin deficiency, especially the B-vitamins and folic acid.
Q: Is my tongue smooth?
A: A smooth tongue can point to inflammation in the body.
Q: Does my tongue look similar throughout?
A: No, the tongue does not have a uniform appearance. Different areas of the tongue connect to different organs in the body, such as the spleen lungs, heart and kidneys, so learning to ‘map read’ the tongue can tell us a lot about how our organs are functioning.
Q: Does my tongue look like it is too big for my mouth? Does it have indentations on the sides?
A: If the tongue is too large and has indentations on the sides, this can indicate a problem with the thyroid gland.
Q: Are there any cracks, fissures, or crevices?
A: Cracks and fissures covering the tongue can be a sign of an advanced B-vitamin deficiency.
Q: Is there a coating on the tongue?
A: If there is a coating on the tongue that suggests that there is a yeast overgrowth.
Hopefully this is what you see in the mirror. A healthy tongue should look pink, smooth, and similar throughout, without any cracks or fissures and without a coating on it like the picture below.
Want to learn more?
Tells of the ‘Dis-Eased’ Body with Emma Lane
During this one-day workshop, leading naturopathic nutritionist Emma Lane will bring together naturopathic, Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine viewpoints in a way that practitioners can use to identify current and potential health issues.
By being able to read the language of the body, practitioners will be able to identify possible bigger health problems that clients may face in the future and put in place strategies to reduce that likelihood.
During the day practitioners will learn to spot the visible signs of nutritional deficiencies as well as other indicators which, when combined with other data and health information, can help practitioners to accurately uncover their client’s health problems.
This is a must-do course for anyone interested in further developing their knowledge of the body and who wants to gain new diagnostic tools to develop a truly comprehensive picture of a client’s health.
The day includes practical exercises and Emma will share examples from her own client practice. Attendees will take away reference materials and an increased confidence in the diagnosis skills.
Course dates:
2nd May – Wakefield, West Yorkshire
29th May – Texas
2nd October – California