When I mentioned the blue sugar bug vein at the bridge of the nose on Instagram, the comments and my DMs lit up with questions. So many folks wanted to know more about the vein and what it means.
From the perspective of Chinese medicine, a vein at the bridge of the nose in babies and children is used as a diagnostic tool.
Meaning, we look at it in the context of the whole body to get a better idea of where baby might need more support.
What is a sugar bug vein?
A sugar bug vein is a visible vein at the bridge of the nose, in between the eyes.
In Chinese medicine, this is called “shan gen.” It literally translates to “mountain root” or “root of mountain.”
The general understanding is that a visible vein indicates a tendency towards digestive weakness. The more visible the vein is, the greater likelihood that you’ll encounter problems.
- Greenish hues around the vein mean weakened digestion.
- Blue hues indicate “kidney” involvement. In Chinese medicine, the kidneys are related to growth and development. So failure to thrive, meet milestones, or even the development of asthma later on all involve the kidney.
- Purple hues indicate that the “liver” is involved. Which may mean that your little one is competitive, adventurous, and easily frustrated. When we see overactive “liver energy” like frustration, this can affect digestion.
All babies and toddlers have weak digestion
I mean, right?
If you’ve spent any time around a wee one, you can see this firsthand. Spit up, colic, reflux, wide variations in stool. It’s just where babies are at.
If you want to talk microbes, a baby’s microbiome literally moves through stages of development during baby’s first three years.
This means that baby’s digestion isn’t necessarily something that we need to fix.
But it is something to be aware of.
In Chinese medicine, digestion isn’t only about breaking food into usable pieces. It’s also responsible for:
- The production of energy and blood
- Concentration and clear thinking
- Dispelling “damp”
As I talk about in my class on first foods, at 6 months the demand for iron is the highest it will ever be. Because of this, iron-deficiency anemia in littles is fairly common. Chinese medicine explains this relationship to blood by way of baby’s digestion.
Likewise, dampness can show up as phlegm or congestion. An accumulation of mucus. Or even waxy ears.
Which is to say that anemia, congestion, and tummy troubles are all common issues that pop up during babyhood and according to Chinese medicine, these problems can be traced back to baby’s digestion.
And while no one expects littles one to have robust digestion right away, some babies have more problems than others.
Foods to avoid and offer if you see the sugar bug vein
I’m going to dive a little bit deeper into Chinese medicine lingo. If you’ve taken my class on Chinese Herbs for Babies, this will feel familiar.
The vein between the bridge of the nose is called a sugar bug vein because sweet foods are “damp” in nature and are said to easily injure digestion.
This means that those with vein would do better to avoid sweets and added sugar. They may also crave these foods a little more.
If you see the sugar bug vein, you don’t only want to keep an eye on sugar. Other foods beyond sugar generate “damp” and can be hard on digestion.
Namely, cold foods. Raw foods. And dairy.
So from a TCM perspective, raw dairy ice cream would be sort of like the poster child for everything you don’t want to give your little one when you see the sugar bug vein.
Likewise, this vein also tells you what’s GOOD for the body.
Warming foods and spices, like chicken soup with dried ginger, would be especially therapeutic for littles ones with a vein at the bridge of the nose.
Does your baby have the sugar bug vein? Share what you’ve observed in the comments!
Fascinating!
How would you approach this with an EBF baby? We have a few months before we introduce solids. Should I just keep up with breastfeeding? I have already found that she doesn’t tolerate dairy and have cut it from my diet.
Hey Kelsey,
I would keep doing what you’re doing. It’s information that may be helpful in the future, especially when beginning solids or maybe during cold/flu season. It’s a clue that can give some direction as you learn to “read” your baby’s body and the signs it gives.
As she gets older, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to bring dairy back into her diet.
xxo!!
So would fruit be a no? Since raw and cold and more sugar?
I would base it on how your little one is doing!
I’m a big fan of fruit, especially for littles because they do run through glucose (sugar) faster than adults. The demand is simply higher. Fruit is also a healthier alternative to cookies and candy AND the flavors of fruit are complex. There’s bitterness with the sweetness. There are antioxidants.
Always go back to the body and check in, it will tell you when things are out of balance xxo!!
My daughter does have it! I’ve always wondered about it. Is gluten something to stay away from too? I’m sad about dairy, especially raw dairy. We’re trying to go the WAPF route with our family’s diet.
Hey Britt,
Raw dairy and gluten aren’t necessarily off the menu, the sugar bug vein is a clue to keep in mind if issues start popping up. You always want to go back to the body and see how it’s doing rather than follow one rule or another.
xxo!!
My little one has it for sure. He’s now 14 months so my question is, when it’s not as visible or when it goes away all together I assume it means his digestion is functioning well? Is it possible that particular foods would make it more apparent so therefore I need to be looking at foods that cause it to show up?
Right! According to TCM food theory, sugary foods along with too much dairy or raw foods can weaken a little’s digestive fire.
Hi I would like to know if vaccines can be a danger for babies with sugar bug?
Hey Alicia,
I wouldn’t use a sugar bug to determine vaccine safety. If you’re concerned about vaccines, you may want to work with an integrative pediatrician to determine if vaccines are right for baby or come up with a flexible schedule.
Hope this helps xxo!!
My little one is 6 weeks old and very healthy, no issues but I do see a slight sugar bug vein…he is breast fed only…what does the vein mean at this age?
Thank you
Sarah 🙂
Hey!
It can point to the potential for digestive weakness. I have a live class this weekend that talks more about this here:
https://megangarcia.com/baby-gut-health/
xxo!!
I believe my baby has this who is 4 months old . She seems really congested and has no actual cold symptoms . She is formula fed . Is changing her formula worth a try for better breathing ?
Hey Tracy,
Some sensitive babies do really well with HiPP HA or a goat milk formula.
xxo!!