Tongue diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient health assessment method that helps identify imbalances in the body, such as heat, cold, deficiency, excess, and other physical characteristics, by observing the tongue. In everyday life, each person’s body constitution differs due to factors like genetics, environment, diet, and lifestyle. As a result, tongue appearances also vary significantly from person to person. In this article, we will introduce the tongue characteristics of seven common body types and provide targeted health tips to help readers use TCM tongue diagnosis to identify their unique constitution. This will enable them to adopt personalized health practices for better well-being. Table of Contents 一. Self-Assessment of Body Type through Traditional Chinese Medicine Tongue Diagnosis: Stick Out Your Tongue for a Quick Test In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), tongue diagnosis allows us to accurately determine our body constitution by observing the tongue’s appearance. People with…
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), tongue diagnosis is one of the key methods for assessing overall health. By observing the color, shape, and coating of the tongue, practitioners can gain insights into internal imbalances and disease patterns. A crucial aspect of TCM tongue diagnosis is “looking at the coating color,” which refers to the color of the tongue coating. The color of the coating can reflect different pathological conditions in the body. The primary coating colors observed are white, yellow, gray, and black—these are common indicators used in TCM to understand a person’s health. Table of Contents 一. White Coating When the tongue coating appears white, it is referred to as “white coating.” In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, white coating can vary in thickness, and is commonly associated with exterior or cold conditions. It is frequently observed in conditions like wind-cold or wind-damp invasion, as well as yang…
Tongue color refers to the color of the tongue body. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis theory, tongue color is generally categorized into pale, light red, red, deep red (crimson), purple, and blue. Essentially, it can be divided into two main groups: This classification method serves as the most fundamental and intuitive basis for observation in TCM tongue diagnosis. Why Can Tongue Color Indicate Disease? A normal tongue color is typically light red, as the tongue is a muscular organ containing myoglobin in its cytoplasm. Additionally, its connective tissue is rich in capillaries, ensuring an abundant blood supply. As revealed by TCM tongue diagnosis, the blood color is seen through the white, translucent mucous membrane of the tongue, appearing as a light red shade. When a person falls ill, changes occur in blood composition or concentration, or the tongue mucosal epithelium may thicken, proliferate, or atrophy, leading to…