Read your tongue yourself- Ayurvedic tongue diagnosis
What is 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 the 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.
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 other diseases like COVID-19, etc.
Pitta dominance
Pitta is actually related to the ‘AGNI’ that can be said to be digestive power and it’s also related to heat.
Hyperacidity, fevers, ulcers, and red dots that can be seen on the tongue represent the aggravation of pitta.
Kapha dominance
If there is some sort of swelling or edema or obesity or any kind of fluid retention it shows the Kapha dominance. The swelling or edema generally reflects any kind of inflammation in that particular place.
Color
The color of the tongue is also responsible to reflect what is wrong like the normal color of the tongue is reddish-pink. If the tongue is yellow or pale then it shows that it shows low hemoglobin, 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 mild patients have a red tongue with a white coating.
So how to keep your tongue fine according to Ayurveda?
Tongue scraping
It’s called ‘jihva nirlekhan’ in Ayurveda. This is used to remove all the impurities on the tongue.
The Ayurveda Acharyas are 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 it should be 10 angul. Nowadays, plastic scrapers are used which is not hygienic.
Why is tongue scraping important?
Because the impurities present on the root of the tongue can disrupt the activities of inspiration and expiration and also produce a bad odor.
Regular brushing
After brushing and removing the contamination present on the tongue. It helps in conditions like anorexia and helps to improve diet 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 a sick person 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. For instance, In COVID patients gargling with warm water of turmeric is recommended.
Maintaining 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 up in parotiditis which becomes severe afterward. Thus, one should keep a check on his/her tongue to keep the system fine.
