Read Your Tongue Yourself- Ayurvedic Tongue Diagnosis

For clues about problems in your mouth, stick out your tongue and look in the mirror. A healthy tongue should be pink and covered with small lumps (papillae). Any deviation from the normal appearance of your tongue, or any pain, may be a cause for concern.

So, what is the tongue?

The tongue is present in the mouth and it’s a muscular organ. It’s covered with papillae and the surface of the papillae is further covered by thousands of taste buds.

What is the importance of tongue?

It is very important for the taste, chewing, speech and swallowing the food.

What does your tongue say about your stomach?

The tongue is also called the mirror that shows the conditions of the internal organs generally of digestion. It also shows the nutritive and digestive condition of an organism.

Common findings with Tongue diagnosis

• Internal organs health
• Vata, Pitta or Kapha state or imbalance.
• Presence of toxins and needs of detox.
• Tension and emotions held in spine, shoulder or organs.
• Anemia and cirtulations.
• Malabsorption of nutrients
• Inflammation of organs and body
• Parasitic infection

How to read your tongue?

So we will tell you how to read your tongue by yourself with the help of Ayurveda. There are three doshas that are responsible for the balance as well as imbalance of metabolism inside our body. These three are:

• Vata
• Pitta
• Kapha

So be your own doctor and check if your internal organs are fine with the help of these doshas.

Vata dominance

if there is a presence of cracks on your tongue, then it shows Vata dominance. Vata is generally matched with the neurological system of our body. Thus it occurs when there is some sort of nervous system involvement generally like anxiety, tension or due to another disease like COVID-19 etc.

Pitta dominance

Pitta is actually related to the ‘AGNI’ that can be said as digestive power and it’s also related to heat. Hyperacidity, fevers, ulcers and red dots that can be seen on the tongue represents the aggravation of pitta.

Kapha dominance

If there is some sort of swelling or oedema or obesity or any kind of fluid retention it shows the Kapha dominance. The swelling or oedema generally reflects any kind of inflammation in that particular place.

Colour

The colour of the tongue is also responsible to reflect what is wrong like the normal colour of the tongue is reddish-pink. If the tongue is yellow or pale then it shows that it shows low haemoglobin, low red blood cells, iron deficiency or any other kind of infection. Sometimes it occurs due to some drug intake. Like COVID-19 patients basically severe patients have purple tongues and yellow coating. And with mild patients have a red tongue with a white coating.

How to keep your tongue fine?

Tongue Scrapping

It’s called ‘jihva nirlekhan’ in Ayurveda. This is used to remove all the impurities on the tongue. The Ayurveda Acharyas said to use the tongue scraper made up of gold, silver, copper, brass etc. The shape of the tongue scraper should be curved. Acharyas even told the length of the scraper that should be 10 angul. Nowadays, plastic scrapers are used.

Why Tongue Scrapping is important?

Because the impurities present on the root of the tongue can disrupt the activities of inspiration and expiration and also produce a bad odour.

Regular brushing

After brushing and removing the contamination present on the tongue. It helps in conditions like anorexia and helps to improve dietary intake. Acharyas told about the length of brush ‘dantaun’ that is 10 angula.

Gargling

In Ayurveda, it’s called ‘gandush’. This should be done by the sick as well as a normal healthy person. Oils can also be used for gargling, it helps in improving the voice and helps in the cleaning of the tongue, helps insensitivity. Some acharyas also suggested ‘kaval’ which means to keep fluid inside the mouth and you can easily move inside it. Like for instance, In COVID patients gargling with warm water of turmeric is recommended.

Maintaining of fragrant substances in your mouth

Maintaining substances like cardamom, camphor, Syzygium aromaticum (lavang), Myristica fragrans (jaiphal), paan ki Patti etc. Helps to keep your mouth clean and helps to improve the intake of food in anorexic persons.

Why is it important to keep your tongue clean?

Because it can prevent you from various diseases. For example- if you don’t keep your tongue or mouth clean in typhoid it can further end upto parotiditis which becomes severe afterwards. Thus, one should keep a check on his/her tongue to keep the system fine.

Note: The above mentioned information is based on the research and study of a 3rd year BAMS student of IMS, BHU named Swapnil Verma.

(BHU-Express is now on Telegram. Join our Telegram channel by clicking here to stay updated with all the campus news, admission updates & college events for free!)