Just Words

Words can wound. They can also heal. Often, the difference is whether our words are just.

There are many organs in the human body — heart, lungs, stomach, liver, kidneys and so many more. All are marvelous in their own way. One organ, though, is distinctly underrated: the tongue.

Just think of what the tongue can do. It’s more flexible than any other part of the body. It can enlarge, it can contract, it can twist itself into any number of shapes.

The tongue is essential to the digestive system. When we eat, it churns food around in our mouths, coating it with saliva. Then, when we swallow, it pushes the food on its way down the throat to the stomach.

The tongue is also home to our taste buds. It tells our brains whether food is sweet, sour, salty, bitter, or that complex taste known as umami. The tongue is an early warning system, helping us avoid foods that are harmful and leading us toward foods that foster health.

The tongue resembles a muscle in many ways — it’s composed largely of muscle tissue — but it doesn’t function like any ...