"Complexion" refers not only to the color of our face but also reflects our health status. The spleen, known as the "root of acquired constitution," is located at the center of the abdomen. The color of the nasal tip, situated at the center of the face, also indicates the function of the spleen and stomach.
A reddened nose tip indicates heat patterns in the spleen and stomach. The nose tip governs the spleen, while the nostrils govern the stomach. If the entire nose tip and nostrils appear red, it signifies spleen-stomach heat—specifically, excess heat. Such patients often exhibit a voracious appetite.The stomach's function is to digest food. When stomach fire arises, it often manifests as "excessive hunger and rapid hunger," meaning the person eats voraciously but feels hungry shortly after eating. Treatment for such patients should be tailored to their specific condition: clearing stomach fire for excess heat, or nourishing yin and clearing heat for deficiency heat. A significant number of patients with excessive appetite suffer from diabetes, known in Western medicine as "diabetes mellitus."I once encountered a patient who was exceptionally ravenous. Possessing some medical knowledge, he believed his robust appetite stemmed from abundant stomach qi, proudly remarking, "Look how much I can eat!" However, his bright red nose tip and particularly flushed nostrils immediately indicated stomach fire. A comprehensive examination revealed elevated blood sugar levels, confirming him as a classic diabetes case. Subsequently, through clearing stomach fire, dietary adjustments, and increased exercise, his condition gradually stabilized.
How to Assess Health Through the Nose
1. Vibrant Nose Color
A distinctly vivid nose color indicates "fluid retention," signifying spleen-stomach yang deficiency, impaired transformation and transportation, and stagnant body fluids. Simply put, this person has poor digestive function, causing dampness to accumulate in the chest and diaphragm, leading to joint pain in the limbs.
2. Bluish Nose Tip
A bluish nose tip reveals the liver's organ color, indicating "liver wood overacting on spleen earth." This is often accompanied by abdominal pain. Simply put, the liver corresponds to wood and the spleen to earth. When liver qi becomes excessively dispersing, it disrupts the spleen and stomach, impairing digestive function. Treatment should focus on draining liver and gallbladder qi while tonifying the spleen and stomach.
3. Darkened Nose Tip
A slightly darkened nose tip indicates internal dampness. This symptom reflects "Kidney Water Overpowering Spleen Earth." Normally, Earth controls Water, but here (Kidney) Water overpowers (Spleen) Earth, allowing dampness to proliferate and manifesting the Kidney's color on the face.
4. Yellow Nose
A yellow nose indicates cold qi within the chest, with the spleen's organ color manifesting on the face. Such individuals suffer from insufficient yang energy in the middle jiao, impairing the spleen and stomach's transport and transformation functions. Cold or cooling foods consumed accumulate in the spleen and stomach. This cold qi rises to affect the chest yang, causing it to stagnate within the zang-fu organs.If the nose is yellow but retains a bright, moist luster, there is cause for optimism. This signifies the "spleen's qi is recovering," a favorable omen of impending recovery.