Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the tongue can reflect the health status of the internal organs, especially the significance of changes in tongue coating. When the tongue coating appears thick and greasy or yellow-white interspersed with wet and sticky, this may be a sign of insufficient spleen and kidney yang qi. The spleen is responsible for digestion and absorption, and its strong yang qi helps in food transformation; the kidneys are related to reproduction, development, and fluid metabolism, and sufficient kidney yang energy makes a person energetic and resilient. This tongue appearance suggests that the spleen may not be able to effectively eliminate dampness, leading to the accumulation of dampness, while the weak kidney yang exacerbates the influence of damp pathogens, manifested as pale and puffy tongue, fatigue, abdominal distention, poor digestion, diarrhea, frequent urination, cold hands and feet, and a bland taste in the mouth, and even accompanied by shortness of breath, palpitations, and soreness in the waist and legs.
Adjusting spleen and kidney yang deficiency needs to start from two aspects:
Tonifying the spleen: the diet should be warm and hot, recommending foods such as ginger, garlic, green onions, chestnuts, lentils, lamb, red dates, as well as ingredients that tonify the spleen like Chinese yam, white atractylodes, and poria, avoiding raw and cold foods to reduce the burden on the spleen. Moderate aerobic exercises such as jogging, Tai Chi, walking, combined with a regular routine and sufficient sleep, all contribute to spleen and stomach recovery.
Tonifying the kidneys: prevent excessive fatigue and frequent sexual activity to avoid damaging kidney qi. Dietary therapy can include foods like goji berries, black sesame seeds, walnuts, sea cucumbers for kidney tonification, as well as herbs like epimedium, glossy privet fruit, eucommia bark, but selection should be cautious based on individual constitution, avoiding blind tonification.
Traditional Chinese medicine treatment for this condition tends towards tonifying spleen and kidney, commonly using herbal formulas like Si Shen Wan, Fuzi Lizhong Pill, supplemented with moxibustion, cupping, acupuncture, and other methods to promote the circulation of qi and blood, treatment should be guided by a professional physician.
Prevention focuses on keeping warm, moderate exercise, warm-natured diet, avoiding raw and cold foods, maintaining good routines and mindset, which are key to maintaining spleen and kidney yang qi.
Monitoring changes in tongue coating is the beginning of paying attention to one’s own health, through proper care, we can enhance our quality of life and embrace a better life.
