The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Tongue Diagnosis
Posted by David (Adealide, Australia) on 03/02/2011
From my research white or yellow or dirty tongue indicates a heavy bacterial issue. Those with this issue usually have it persitently along with bad breath. I have suffered from this all my life. I have just had a deviated septum repair. I was hoping it may relieve my symptoms. But I now have the flu which make the tongue condition worse. Many old remedies dont kill the bacteria. Normal toothpaste also. My conclusion?The sinus's and or nasal cavity in these people are slightly defective. Advances in knowledge may find the problems in the future. I know people who dont practice oral hygiene at all and never have bad breath and always have a nice healthy tongue colour. Im going to try Thera Breath toothpaste and oxyd-8 to complete my research. they show good reviews but I am always sceptical.Cheers
Fever
Posted by Tia (Oaxaca, Mexico) on 01/12/2011
★★★★★
Tried this on my husband as he had a fever, with chills and aches. After about 15 minutes, his fever broke and he started sweating. It's been two hours and he is still cool to the touch and says he feels stronger. Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this great remedy!!
Tongue Diagnosis
Posted by Diane (Berkeley, Ca) on 11/30/2010
It is dried, and used in soups or teas.
Tongue Diagnosis
Posted by Jojo (Brookyn, Ny) on 11/30/2010
With the orange peel are you suppose to chew it or drink it as hot tea?
Tongue Diagnosis
Posted by Laurie (Belleville, Ont, Canada) on 03/22/2010
Hello Kevin, You stated that "Yellow means heat is inside " but didn't say how to treat this. I've only recently come up with a yellowish tongue and would like to get rid of it... any ideas?
Fever
Posted by Karina (Munich, Bavaria) on 11/07/2009
Dear Helen, I just heard from a Chinese friend about this method in order to heal upset stomachs and was fascinated. Do you still remember some of the knowledge of your grandma in order to bring the ying/yang into harmony? If you ever find resources about this kind of treatment I would love to hear about it. It is so simple and effective. Blessings & Thank you!
Fever
Posted by Helen (Southport, Australia) on 08/21/2008
★★★★★
This is another way of applying egg white for reducing fever that I learnt from my Chinese Grandma. Hard boil the egg and remove the egg yolk. Put the hard boiled egg white including the shell in a handkerchief. Twist the content into a ball and massage body from head to toe. Brings the temp down instantaneously. My Grandma would also insert a silver ring in the egg white content when massaging. Silver would change to different colours when rubbed on different patients. This was used to diagnose the cause of the fever and then she would use (ying/yang) herbal treatment for the illness. Sadly, I am unable to read the silver ring. My children always ask for an egg massage when they have high temperature and it always does the trick.
GERD
Posted by Liz (Seattle, Wa.) on 11/05/2009
★★★★★
Am 70 and have acid reflux for years. Got herbs from the Chinese doc and things are better. If you think that you might have ulcers, cranberry juice is great. I drink it with soda water to make it more palatable - no sugar. Find that sugar really starts the acid reflux. As long as I avoid it, I'm good. Also Health food stores have some good digestion teas that help.
Tongue Diagnosis
Posted by Kevin (Vancouver, BC) on 07/22/2009
I am an acupunturist. Usually a white tongue or coating mean cold is inside.
Yellow means heat is inside. I know these terms seem a bit out there but using the idea of yin and yang is or cold and hot is more sophisticated than trying to figure out a single cause when the body is an orchestra or functions.
So for a white toungue one would suggest Hot or warming food. For example ginger or cinnamon or cayenne. I would also suggests other tonic herbs like ginseng but only if there is not thick coating. A thick coating means excess or too much and so to build that would make it worse. You need to decrease the thickness. This is done by taking herbs that help to clear dampness usually bitter ones or astringent like orange peel for example.
There is a whole study of toungue coating and colour out there that is foundational to chinese diagnosis. Your toungue is a great indicator of health.
So to recap white toungue means cold so get warm and the toungue will change. Literally and with warming food. DO not eat ice cream or drink cold drinks with a cold tongue.
Cold Showers
Posted by Linda (York County, Maine) on 03/12/2009
Hi Chris... I've done a little cold showering and I'm not as dedicated as a lot of folks, but I like to start with a warm (not hot) shower in order to wash up...also, I haven't used soap in ever so long and haven't missed it, just scrub really well with a shower brush...once I'm finished washing, I turn the water just a little colder for a couple of minutes exposing my pulse points to the cooler water first, then allowing the rest of my body to be bathed in the cooler water...after 2 or 3 minutes, the water begins to feel not so cold - kind of like going swimming in the lake - once the water feels warmer, I turn it another notch colder for 2 or 3 more minutes, etc. until I feel like getting out of the shower. I read that it takes 3 minutes for our blood to completely circulate through our bodies; I have no set time that I stay in the shower but always feel really good afterward. When I do this in the evening, the boost in my circulation energizes me enough to finish my bedtime routine, get into some warm jammies and enjoy a good night's sleep!
Hair Loss
Posted by Cez (Tel Aviv, Israel) on 03/12/2012
★★★★★
I have had alopecia areata for over fifteen years (since my early 20's). At its worst, nearly half of the hair on my head was gone - what was left was scattered in different sized patches. I went through the series of treatments offered by dermatologists including topical ointments, injected and oral steroids (! ) There was always new hair growth but it seemed to eventually get worse.
After a few years a friend encouraged me to consult her sister-in-law who is a Chinese Medicine Practitioner. I will refer to her as 'Z'. Immediately I began a regiment of acupuncture, an herbal remedy (taken for a couple of months only), a combo of tui na, shiatsu, reflexology and, the tool that sealed the deal for real results (in my opinion) was treating each balding area with a tiny tool used in acupuncture known as a seven pointed star (I think that's what it's called). It's pretty much a tiny hammer whose head is covered in small short needles.
Basically, Z would disinfect each area with an iodine solution and lightly (ok, not so lightly) give the bald areas whacks until there was a bit of blood flowing. I know, its sounds horrible and for those with a low threshold for pain or for kids, it'll be a real challenge. All I can say is when I saw the results, I didn't mind the pain at all - if anything, enduring it made me stronger. From my very basic understanding of it, this injury serves a couple of purposes: 1.) It gets blood flowing to the stagnant area and 2.) It does what some of the topical western medicines do - creates an injury/irritation so that the immune system (which attacks the hair in those with alopecia) starts to work on healing the irritation and leaves the hair growth alone to do its thing.
While I still have a bald spot or two at any given time, my condition is nowhere near what it was back then. For now it remains almost entirely a non-issue. I have continued to see Z pretty regularly over the years - taking a few breaks here and there - haven't needed the hammer in years as spots that show up tend to remain smaller and easy to hide until regrowth occurs - hope it stays that way.
For those who have the perserverence to go see someone and know that results could be a good three to six months down the road and will require possible long-term maintenance, I can't encourage you enough to give this a try - oh and you may want to work on a good breathing technique for the few intense moments of pain each appointment but trust me it is well worth it!
Cold Showers
Posted by Dave Murray (Derby, Uk) on 08/31/2011
★★★★★
I recall reading that part of the Spartan regime at Gordonstoun School in Scotland is/was cold showers. HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh attended this school and he has recently reached his 90th year. The cold showers haven't done him any harm have they! As for me, I have just discovered them. Kind people have given me a shower head, curtain etc so it's only cost me a few pounds to make my cold shower. It's great!
Tongue Diagnosis
Posted by David (Adealide, Australia) on 03/02/2011
From my research white or yellow or dirty tongue indicates a heavy bacterial issue. Those with this issue usually have it persitently along with bad breath. I have suffered from this all my life. I have just had a deviated septum repair. I was hoping it may relieve my symptoms. But I now have the flu which make the tongue condition worse. Many old remedies dont kill the bacteria. Normal toothpaste also. My conclusion?The sinus's and or nasal cavity in these people are slightly defective. Advances in knowledge may find the problems in the future. I know people who dont practice oral hygiene at all and never have bad breath and always have a nice healthy tongue colour. Im going to try Thera Breath toothpaste and oxyd-8 to complete my research. they show good reviews but I am always sceptical.Cheers
Fever
Posted by Tia (Oaxaca, Mexico) on 01/12/2011
★★★★★
Tried this on my husband as he had a fever, with chills and aches. After about 15 minutes, his fever broke and he started sweating. It's been two hours and he is still cool to the touch and says he feels stronger. Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this great remedy!!
Tongue Diagnosis
Posted by Diane (Berkeley, Ca) on 11/30/2010
It is dried, and used in soups or teas.