When a person wakes up one day with excruciating pain, a high fever or a rash all over their body, it’s pretty obvious that something is wrong, and they better find out what it is.

But sometimes the warning signals your body gives you aren’t so obvious—they’re more subtle.

And nowhere is this truer than in your mouth—specifically, your tongue.

Your tongue can tell you a whole lot about what’s going on inside of you.  You just have to pay attention to its signals and know what they could possibly mean.

Let’s get started—get yourself in front of a mirror in a well-lit room, stick out your tongue and take a good long look.

Here are some possibilities of what you might see, what it can mean, and what you can do to help address any underlying problems that your tongue is bringing to your attention. 

Extremely red tongue:

What it can mean: This can be a tongue inflammation called glossitis.  Studies have shown that glossitis is a sign of nutritional deficiencies, most commonly B-complex vitamins (especially B3—niacin).

What you can do: Supplement with a complete, well-rounded multi like Super Core multi-vitamin and mineral formula to ensure you have health-supporting levels of the crucial B vitamins.  Super Core also contains natural sources of anti-inflammatories which can help counteract the inflammation from glossitis!

Also, incorporate more sources of B vitamins (particularly B3) into your diet.  These include tuna, chicken, salmon, Cremini mushrooms, asparagus, turkey, tomatoes, shrimp and broccoli.

“Grand Canyon” or “geographic” tongue

What it can mean: A deficiency in B-complex vitamins (especially folic acid and B12) as well as zinc.

What you can do: Super Core fits the bill here too, as it provides the folic acid, B12 and zinc your body desperately needs. 

And don’t forget about your diet too!  Supplements are very important, but you need to support their efforts with a healthy diet.  You should be including more sources of folic acid, vitamin B12 and zinc into your meals.  Here are some examples of each:

Folic acid sources: Romaine lettuce, spinach, asparagus, calf’s liver, collard greens, broccoli, beets and lentils.

Vitamin B12 sources: Calf’s liver, sardines, shrimp, scallops, salmon, beef, lamb and dairy.

Zinc sources: Calf’s liver, Crimini mushrooms, spinach, beef, lamb, shrimp and asparagus.

Bald or pale tongue

What it can mean: Deficiencies of folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) or iron.

What you can do: Take Super Core to fill in the blanks with your folic acid, B12 and B2 needs. 

Also, get sources of folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin B2 and iron into your diet:

For food sources of folic acid and B12: See “Grand Canyon Tongue” section above.

Vitamin B2 sources: Crimini mushrooms, calf’s liver, Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, yogurt, eggs, romaine lettuce and venison.

Iron sources: Spinach, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, shrimp, beef, lentils, venison and chicken liver.

White-coated tongue

What it can mean: Candida (yeast) overgrowth in your intestinal tract.

What you can do: A full-spectrum, multi-strain probiotic like Super Shield is a MUST!  When yeast have gotten the “upper hand” in your intestinal tract, it’s vital to help restore a healthier balance in your gut microbiome, and one of the best ways is to replenish your supply of “good guy microbes” so they can keep Candida under control. 

Two of the powerhouse strains in Super Shield probiotic formula, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, have been shown to be extremely effective in fighting Candida!

It’s also crucial to limit your intake of refined carbs and sugar.  Yeast feed on these foods and can quickly multiply out of control.  This creates a vicious cycle because the yeast can actually make you crave their food of choice—carbs and sugar—and the more of those you eat, the more you nourish the Candida!

Scalloped-edge tongue

What it can mean: You grind your teeth at night; temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues; a B12 deficiency or a low-functioning thyroid.

What you can do: Reduce stress if you grind; see a doctor to explore possibly getting a mouth guard to wear at night or to see if TMJ issues are a problem for you.

Also, if B12 is an issue, supplementation is wise for many people, because B12 is not always easily absorbed in the GI tract.  Factors such as low stomach acid, antacid use, previous gastric surgery, Crohn’s disease and advanced age can all affect and reduce your ability to absorb B12. 

For B12 supplementation, your best option is an oral B12 spray like Hydroxaden 2.5.   

Hydroxaden 2.5 is a convenient vitamin B12 spray that gives you a whopping 2.5 mg of B12 (in the high-quality forms of hydroxocobalamin and adenosylcobalamin).  Just five spritzes under your tongue each day is all it takes.

Studies show that B12 taken sublingually can be quickly and efficiently absorbed right into your bloodstream from the mucus membranes in your mouth.

Lastly, if you suspect your thyroid is in the tanker, (this is especially true if you are also having other symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, hair loss or dry skin), see a doctor and get tested. 

And the most disturbing one—black, hairy tongue

What it can mean: Although it’s freaky-looking, a black hairy tongue is most commonly the result of taking antibiotics or a yeast infection. 

What you can do: Limit your intake of refined carbs like I mentioned above to help counteract yeast overgrowth.

Also, help beef up your microbiome (where 80 percent of your immune system resides) so that you can help lessen your chances of needing antibiotics to begin with!  Super Shield is your ticket to restoring a healthier flora balance and supporting strong immune health.

What you’re aiming for—a healthy tongue!

The more you pay close attention to your tongue and what it might be trying to tell you, the more likely it is that yours will soon begin to look like this!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia