What your tongue says about your health.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM, the tongue is a "mirror" of the internal organs, and its color, shape, and coating provide clues to health imbalances. A healthy tongue is pale pink with a thin, white coating, indicating balanced Qi and a healthy digestive system.
Color
🔹 Pale: Qi or blood deficiency → fatigue, low energy
🔹 Bright red: Heat in the body
🔹 Dusky / purple: Qi or blood stagnation
💗 Healthy: Pale red, slightly moist
Shape
🔹 Swollen: Fluid buildup → digestive issues or blood sugar imbalance
🔹 Cracks: Long-term Yin deficiency
🔹 Teeth marks on sides: Qi deficiency or weak digestion
💗 Healthy: Supple, no cracks or excessive swelling
Coating
🔹 Thick white: Cold-damp phlegm
🔹 Thick yellow: Damp-heat phlegm
🔹 No coating / dry: Yin or fluid deficiency (often with night sweats)
💗 Healthy: Thin, white coating
Organ mapping on the tongue
Tip: Heart and Lungs
Sides: Liver and Gallbladder
Center: Stomach and Spleen
Back/Root: Kidneys and Bladder
If your tongue is looking off in color, shape, or coating, it may be your body’s way of asking for support.
Come see us — we’ll help you get back in balance naturally. 🌿