Ayurvedic Tongue Diagnosis

Ayurveda’s base of knowledge was recorded in a large body of Sanskrit literature that originated in India, called the Vedas. The Vedas are considered to be the oldest written recordings that describe, often in metaphors, ancient principles, practices and spirituality.

In Ayurveda (the 5000-year-old traditional science that was designed to bring the body back into balance in order to heal itself from ailment), one of the primary investigative tools of practitioners for determining the state of one’s health is tongue diagnosis or evaluation of the tongue.

The tongue is the very beginning of the digestive tract.

In fact, Ayurveda suggested that the surface of the tongue reflects an entire map of the body reflecting its overall health. Examining the tongue can offer useful insight into: inner skin, the epithelium governs the delivery of nutrients, the removal of digested toxins, and the beginning of the lymphatic and immune systems.

Healthy inner digestive skin is responsible for:

• hosting of trillions of beneficial microbes;
• where 95% of the serotonin for mood health is derived;
• where 80% of the immune system is found;
• the protective barrier to ward off environmental toxins;
• the delivery of all vitamins, minerals, and nutrients;
• regulates genetic and epigenetic changes to the human genome;
• the source of 70% of the body’s immune system;
• the beginning of the body’s lymphatic circulation;
• the main driver of detoxification;
• creates the environment for the manufacturing of vitamins, hormones, and neurotransmitters.

Healthy Tongue
Before we discuss the “perfect” tongue constitutionally, note that we will all have a tongue that closely reflects our main constitution. For example:

Vata Constitution
The tongue will tend to be thinner, smaller, and a bit rough and dry.

Pitta Constitution
The tongue will be a bit redder in color, medium in size, and slightly dry.

Kapha Constitution
The tongue will be larger, full, possibly light pink, and a bit wet.

Based on the normal variations between body types, a perfect tongue will be:

Pink – not pale, scarlet, or red.

• the pinkish color would be consistent across the entire tongue;
• you would be able to see small cylindrical taste buds on the entire top surface of the tongue;
• it would be not too wet and not too dry, it would be just right—moist!
• you would not see any cracks on the tongue;
• there would be a very thin white coating of mucus on the tongue;
• there would be no teeth marks or glassiness on the sides of the tongue.

Tongue Diagnosis: Looking For Imbalances
Inside of your stomach and intestines, you have intestinal villi and delicate epithelium with a thin layer of mucus lining the upper digestion. This coating helps with the assimilation of nutrients and the breakdown of toxins. The health of the digestive skin was classically evaluated by examining one’s tongue. We all grew up with every doctor’s visit starting with a tongue depressor saying ahhh!

When the intestines become inflamed or imbalanced, they produce excess mucus, which bogs down the villa, negatively affecting their ability to detox waste and absorb nutrients. In this case, the tongue would turn red or become overly wet and mucousy.

On the other hand, if the intestines are too dry as a result of excess stress or dehydration, the villi dry out and lose function, turning the tongue dry, parched, and even pale or cracked. Examine your own tongue and see if you can find one that matches your tongue’s appearance.

Normal

• pinkish
• slight whitish film
• soft
• taste buds clearly defined
• fairly uniform

White

• heavy white coating (build-up of ama (toxins), decreased digestive agni - heat. Agni digests this food and the control centers in the brain are nourished by these fragrant "vapors". This nourishment releases the nervous impulses, which in turn release enzymes and hormones. This stimulates systemic metabolic activity so that the whole body-mind complex functions efficiently);
• bad breath (large intestine digestive concerns, low immunity).

Ama, in Ayurveda, is the accumulation of improperly digested food that can congest the intestinal tract. An “ama tongue” is when the tongue builds up a thick coating on the entire tongue. If the accumulation of ama is on the back of the tongue, it is generally a build-up of toxins in the large intestine, small intestine, and colon. A thick coating on the front and back of the tongue suggests ama build-up in the stomach and small intestine.

A pale tongue suggests that there is a lack of good stomach acid and digestive enzymes needed to properly digest food and deliver the minerals, vitamins, and nutrients needed for optimal health. Sometimes this can also be a sign of anemia.

Dry, cracked

• dehydration, dryness of mucous membranes of the intestinal lining;
• occasional constipation.

This tongue, which generally afflicts vata and pitta types, will have many small cracks on the tongue. A “stress tongue” is also typically dry and often unsteady.
Sometimes you will see a deep crack running down the center of the tongue. This may reflect vata strain in the nervous system or spinal stress.

For the stomach to produce the acid needed to digest hard-to-digest foods, the stomach requires proper hydration. Proper hydration supports a bicarbonate layer of cells that is 80% water and buffers the acids in the stomach. Without adequate hydration, the stomach will not produce acid.

If your tougne is scallapped it indicates that you are low on Iodine-possible thyroid problem.

Bright, red, scarlet, smooth, shiny, purplish

• too much heat or acidity in digestive system (Acid Tongue);
• mucous membranes may be irritated;
• loose stools;
• mucus in stool;

When the tongue becomes red, smooth, and moist or wet, I call this a “movie star tongue.” While it might be pretty, it is not a functional tongue. When there is excess acid in the stomach, the tongue will often reflect that by becoming more red. Due to the hypersensitivity of the stomach lining and perhaps the upper part of the small intestine, the taste buds will contract as if trying to hide and protect themselves. The result is a very smooth tongue that looks like it was sanded down and buffed. Such a tongue will often be moist, which is a reflection of the excess mucus produced in the stomach and small intestine to protect the lining.

The irritated tongue reflects intestinal irritation from stress on the tongue. It can be smooth, wet and pale. The smoothness is because the taste buds are reacting to the stress by contracting or hiding. It is wet because of the reactive mucus production generated as a result of the stress, and its paleness is the result of the stomach’s low production of stomach acid as a way to protect the intestinal wall from further irritation.

The farther back on the tongue you go, the lower in the digestive tract, or other organs, e.g. colon or kidneys are represented on the back of the tongue.

Let's make some actions towards better health!

Caring For Your Tongue
Tongue scraping is the simple practice of scraping the tongue before brushing the teeth. Studies have shown that this simple technique:

• reduces undesirable bacteria in the mouth that compromise gum, teeth, and oral health;
• reduces volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) that are by-products of mouth bacteria linked to bad breath;
• increases the function of taste buds to better taste and digest food;
• changes the environment of the mouth to reduce putrefaction and decrease bacterial load.

Copper may be the best metal to use for tongue scraping because the mouth is loaded with both good and not-so-good bacteria. Copper not only seems to be toxic to the bad bacteria, but it also provides important enzymes that are needed for the healthy microbes of the mouth to survive.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, a holistically simple, practical, and effective way to consume water would be via a copper drinking cup.

Regular consumption of water (at room temperature) is said to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, flush the kidneys, and even stimulates peristalsis. When copper is used it is said to become a decent tonic for the liver, spleen, lymphatic system and is even reported to help with anemia. Copper is also thought be good for hair, eyes, normal aging, and energy production., and even helping melt away fat!

How To Scrape Your Tongue

In the morning, right after you wake up, scrape your tongue. Make it the first thing you do. Even if you wake up in the middle of the night, scraping the tongue followed by a glass of water can reduce accumulating digestive ama (toxins).
With a relaxed tongue, using your U-shaped tongue scraper, gently reach to the back of the tongue and scrape the tongue from back to front. Repeat this 5-10 times, reaching as far back as comfortable, rinsing the scraper after each pass. A slight gag can help bring up some mucus and ama from the back of the throat.
Follow tongue scraping with brushing (with non-fluoride toothpaste), flossing, and a large glass of water.
To complete an Ayurvedic oral hygiene routine, this can be followed by oil pulling – of course, this would require another round of tooth brushing.
Get into the habit of scraping your tongue prior to each brushing.

Not a mention of toothpaste! Excelent ingridiants is black pepper which makes the tongue feel spicy and cleansed. Iodine is also important for killing parasites in your body and mounth. It also help thyroid with hormone production. Which is neccesery to counter all the flouride we igest. Also soda bicarbonate also help with the cleansing.

When you have problems in your system I strongly suggest you set up an appointment with an avyurvedic practitioner in your area. Through changes in diet and lifestyle, along with a process called panchakarma and maybe some herbal formulas, your practitioner would be able to help you with this.