Re: RED TONGUE - What does it mean?

Hi, I found this at http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=1486

It seems a bright red tounge indicates illness.



"The Tongue as a Diagnostic Tool
The tongue's appearance is often used as an aid in the diagnosis of various diseases and conditions. We know, for instance, that during illness, some of the papillae become engorged and change color, becoming strawberry in appearance. When people have pernicious anemia, their tongues may be sore, appear beefy red, and have patchy white spots on the surface. An enlarged tongue is a sign of hypothyroidism. According to Chinese medical science, the tongue is divided into certain sections, with each part pertaining to an organ. In this approach to the diagnosis and treatment of disease, the tip of the tongue represents the heart and lung; the central part represents the spleen and stomach; the root of the tongue represents the kidneys; and the sides of the tongue represent the liver and gall bladder. Color, texture, size, and shape of the tongue are taken into consideration as a diagnostic tool to help determine the organ to be treated. Although self-diagnosis by using the tongue is certainly not practical, understanding what a healthy tongue looks like may give you clues about your general health. Any variation in color (too red or pale), texture (thickly coated), size (enlarged or swollen), or shape (scalloped border) may indicate an unhealthy condition."