Silver and Gold Magazine Spring 2020 | Page 21

YOUR TONGUE: WINDOW TO HEALTH I n Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a person’s tongue is thought to reflect one’s overall health. The tongue is one of the first elements of the body that is examined, and its appearance reflects the health and proper function of various organs, such as the liver, heart, kidneys, bladder, and intestines. Malfunctioning of a particular organ is believed to affect a person’s ability to focus and think clearly, to sleep well at night, to have high energy levels, or to have digestive issues such as constipation, gas, bloating, pain, or hang on to weight in the body. For example, deep cracks with a bright red tongue may indicate a person is suffering with menopause or hormone imbalance, insomnia, ringing in the ears or night sweats; a pale tongue with little or no coating is related with fatigue, Various aspects of the tongue will be observed, such as its heart palpitations, poor memory, indicating a possible blood thickness, colour, – shape, coating, and possible fissures deficiency brought on by poor diet and liver overload. CONNECT HEARING HEARING STUDY UPDATE SEPT 2019 or cracks. The colour of the tongue (whether pale, bright 8.25” × 5.25” 02/13/20 When the tongue is examined and a cause determined, the red, brighter edges or tip, or even purple) is examined to TCM practitioner will recommend certain diet and lifestyle determine chronic conditions; the coating will determine changes, depending on improvements needed for better health, acute conditions; the fissures or cracks relate in the same way and soon after changes on the tongue will reflect a person’s that a dry desert would: The dryer and deeper the cracks, the improved health. more chronic a condition, caused by dehydration or long- Forms of medicine, such as TCM, have been around for term adrenal stress. Based on the location of these cracks, a TCM practitioner can pin-point the struggling organ or centuries and have been able to address the root cause of an illness, not just mask the symptoms with temporary relief.• health issue that needs to be addressed. Help the University of Guelph improve hearing healthcare across Canada. Connect Hearing and Professor Mark Fenske at the University of Guelph are seeking participants who are over 50 years of age, have never worn hearing aids and have not had a hearing test in the last 24 months, for a hearing study that investigates factors that can influence better hearing. Study Parameters The researchers will examine listening in a range of situations, from one-on-one, to group conversations, watching TV and wider social contexts like supermarkets and other noisy environments, and how it effects connection and socialization. Why Participate? It is estimated that 46% of people aged 45 to 87 have some degree of hearing loss, but most do not seek a solution right away. In this study you’ll be playing an important part in determining the key factors around identifying hearing loss and what influences the decision to seek treatment. Participants will be significantly adding to growing knowledge surrounding hearing loss. You can register to be part of this groundbreaking new hearing study by calling 1.888.242.4892 or visiting connecthearing.ca/hearing-study Silver & Gold Magazine ~ SPRING 2020 21 *Wingfield, A., Tun, P. A., & McCoy, S. L. (2005). Hearing Loss in Older Adulthood: What It Is and How It Interacts With Cognitive Performance. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14(3), 144–148. † Study participants must be over 50 years of age and have never worn hearing aids. No fees and no purchase necessary. 1. Cruickshanks, K. L., Wiley, T. L., Tweed, T. S., Klein, B. E. K., Klein, R, Mares-Perlman, J. A., & Nondahl, D. M. (1998). Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Older Adults in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin: The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 148 (9), 879-886. 2. National Institutes of Health. (2010).