Your eyes are the windows to your soul, but did you know that in traditional Chinese medicine, your mouth is the window to your health? Your natural lip color, in particular, can tell you about what is going on inside your body, such as the health of your blood, organs, or your temperature.
Asian Beauty Secrets, shares how to identify some common health problems by observing your natural lip color.
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Natural lip color and warnings
Pale pink, white, or grey
Ask your doctor to do a blood test for anemia. Fortify your blood with iron-rich foods such as red meat, green vegetables, and Chinese red dates.
If your lips are very pale it is a sign that your body has too much cold or “yin” energy, which also leads to noticeable sluggish digestion, and cold hands and feet. Warm your system up by eating warming foods, such as pork, lamb, pumpkin, mussels, and raspberries.
Bright red
There is too much heat or “yang” in your body. Red lips can also be accompanied by bad breath and food cravings. These are signs that your liver and spleen are struggling.
Eat cleansing bitter foods to cleanse your liver, such as dandelion tea, chrysanthemum tea, and bitter melon. Celery and honey are also beneficial.
Early nights and stress-free activities will give your body the rest it needs to recuperate.
Purple or green tinted
Purple or green-tinted lips can indicate a problem with your heart and respiratory system. Consult with a doctor if this is the case.
Dark red to black
Very dark lips indicate that your digestive system is stressed and overloaded. Cleanse your stomach by eating congee, yogurt, and sweet potato. Drink warm water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Avoid processed and junk food until your digestion finds its balance again. Introduce fiber-rich vegetables, pickled vegetables, and fruit to aid digestion.
Dark red or purple line around lips
A natural dark lip line appearing on the border of your lips is a sign that the energetic balance in the body is out. In other words, the body needs neutral foods to re-balance these two naturally occurring forces — yin and yang.
The best way to rebalance is to spend a few days resting and nurturing your health by limiting stress and paying attention to your food intake.
Try avoiding foods that are either very yang or very yin. Instead choose foods that are neutral, such as rice, potatoes, carrots, almonds, fish, and, apricots.
Natural rosy pink
General good health will bring you pink, rosy lips. Keep up what you’re doing!
Pay attention to the changing colors in your face, such as your lower, inner eyelids, your tongue, and your lips, as these are indicators of your changing health profile. A sudden and dramatic change in color can be the first sign to check in with a health professional or traditional Chinese practitioner.
When to see a doctor
It’s a good idea to see your doctor or dentist for any new discoloration or lesions on your lips.
If you or someone else develops blue lips and trouble breathing, call 911 right away.
Takeaway
Discolored lips aren’t always a cause for concern, but any changes to your natural lip color or new spots should be evaluated by your doctor to rule out an underlying medical condition.
