What should I do if my tongue coating is thick and white due to excessive internal heat?

When encountering a thick, white tongue coating caused by excessive internal heat ("shang huo"), the following measures can be taken for调理 (regulation and adjustment): 1. Dietary adjustments: Reduce intake of spicy and greasy foods. Increase consumption of fresh vegetables such as bitter melon and lotus leaf, which help clear heat and reduce fire. Red bean and job's tear porridge (red bean-yi mi zhou) is also a good choice due to its spleen-strengthening and dampness-removing properties. 2. Medicinal regulation: For more severe symptoms, consider using heat-clearing and fire-purging formulas such as Bā Zhèng Hé Jì (Eight-Principle Powder), Huò Xiāng Qīng Wèi Jiāo Náng (Agastache Rectifying Stomach Capsules), or Huáng Lián Shàng Qīng Piàn (Coptis Upper Burner Clearing Pills). For milder cases, drinking infusions made from Cassia seeds (jué míng zǐ) or lotus leaf can be effective. 3. Lifestyle habits: Maintain a regular daily routine, avoid staying up late, engage in moderate exercise, reduce anxiety, and keep a positive mood. These practices all contribute to alleviating symptoms of internal heat. Through these comprehensive adjustments, thick, white tongue coating caused by internal heat can usually be relieved. Patients with concerns are advised to seek timely medical consultation.