Traditional Chinese medicine believes that healthy people's lips should be red and bright, round and full but not dry, and free of ulcers and chapped lips.
"Huangdi Neijing" said: "The spleen is the joint of flesh, and its glory is in the lips." The tongue is in the mouth, and the lips are exposed. One inside and one outside are the exterior and interior. The qi from the five internal organs and six internal organs pass through the tongue, but also reach the spleen. If the internal organs are not harmonious, different coatings will appear on the tongue, and different colors will appear on the lips. Lip diagnosis is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine inspection. The color, gloss and texture of lips are all mirrors that reflect the condition of qi and blood in the internal organs. Whether our health is good or not, our lips will tell us in their own language.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that healthy people's lips should be red and bright, round and full but not dry, and free of ulcers and chapped lips.
Lip color, from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, what health conditions does it reflect?
Pale lips indicate insufficient Qi and blood, and Qi and blood should be replenished.
Pale lip color is a more typical "deficiency syndrome". Most of these people have insufficient qi and blood, cold internal organs or mild anemia. They are often accompanied by symptoms of chills, cold limbs, mental fatigue, shortness of breath and laziness. It is recommended to eat more foods that warm and nourish qi and blood, such as red dates, wolfberry, longan, yam, etc. At the same time, avoid overexertion and maintain a reasonable schedule.
Recommended prescription: Qi and Blood Bazhen Decoction (ginseng, atractylodes, white poria, angelica, chuanxiong, white peony, rehmannia glutinosa, licorice). Combined with ginseng and cooked rehmannia, it replenishes qi and nourishes blood; Atractylodes macrocephala and Poria cocos invigorate the spleen and exude dampness; Angelica sinensis and white peony nourish blood and nourish the heart and liver; Ligusticum chuanxiong activates blood circulation and promotes qi; Zhigancao nourishes qi and harmonizes the middle and harmonizes various medicines. It is recommended to use it under the guidance of a doctor.
Red and purple lips indicate excessive heat, so you should clear away the heat and lower the fire.
Red and purple lips indicate real heat, which is what people often call "getting angry". It is usually accompanied by symptoms such as bitter mouth and dry throat, irritability, mouth and tongue sores and other symptoms. You can take chrysanthemum tea, bitter melon, pear, tomatoes, cucumbers, mung bean soup and other foods that can clear away heat and reduce inflammation. Avoid eating spicy, fried and greasy foods.
Bright red lips indicate Yin deficiency and should be nourished.
Excessively bright red lips are a sign of Yin deficiency. If it is also accompanied by hot flashes, night sweats, red cheekbone skin, dry throat, hot palms, soles and other symptoms, it is a more typical sign of Yin deficiency. You can use some yin-nourishing drugs, such as Polygonatum odoratum, Dendrobium, Ophiopogon japonicus, etc. Representative prescriptions include: Lily Gujin Decoction, etc.
Purple and black lips are mostly due to blood stasis and should be stimulated to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.
Symptoms of purple and black lips are mostly caused by blood stasis in the body, and may also be accompanied by symptoms such as chest tightness and palpitation. When the above symptoms appear and are severe and acute, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible to prevent the condition from being delayed.
Recommended prescriptions: Siwu Decoction (Rehmannia glutinosa, red peony root, angelica root, Chuanxiong rhizome) or Tongqiao Huoxue decoction (red peony root, chuanxiong rhizome, peach kernel, red date, safflower, green onion, fresh ginger, musk). Red peony root and Chuanxiong promote blood circulation, peach kernel and safflower activate blood circulation and unblock meridians, green onion and ginger relieve yang, and musk opens the mind. It is recommended to use it under the guidance of a doctor.
Tips: To prevent and treat chapped lips, we recommend the Doupi dietary therapy.
The spleen opens into the mouth, and its essence is in the lips. The color of the lips is closely related to the transportation and transformation of the spleen, so strengthening the spleen is the key to preventing dry, cracked and peeling lips. In addition, insufficient yin and fluid in the body and excessive dryness and heat can also lead to dry lips. Pay attention to a balanced diet and prevent excessive fatigue.
You can often eat some foods that can nourish yin, such as Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup. Fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C and B vitamins, such as tomatoes, carrots, etc., are also helpful in improving chapped lips. You should also get rid of your bad lip licking habit and drink more water.
Diet therapy tips: 10 grams each of yam, Polygonatum odoratum, Adenophora japonicus and Ophiopogon japonicus, a little honey, boil water instead of tea, several times a day.
