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What Your Nails Are Trying to Tell You About Your Health
Dr Livingood
We often overlook our nails, treating them as just another body part. Usually the only time you think about nails is when somebody paints them.
But even more than your eyes, your nails are windows into your overall health. Your nails can provide vital clues about nutritional deficiencies, systematic issues, and underlying health conditions. Let’s decode what your nails may be trying to tell you.
Brittle Nails?
Brittle, crumbly, flaking nails often signal that your body is lacking certain vital nutrients. Deficiencies in:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Or the B-vitamin biotin
Can all cause those rigid nail plates to weaken and break apart.
Lots of Pits and Ridges?
If you notice pitting or slight dents on the surface of your nails, it could mean you have an autoimmune condition like psoriasis.
Horizontal ridges across the nails are another clue that you may be lacking zinc or have imbalanced blood sugar and kidney levels.
Vertical ridges are often just a normal part of aging, but pronounced ridges may indicate an iron deficiency.
Yellowing Nails?
One of the most visible nail abnormalities is yellowing of the nail beds. This unsightly discoloration frequently stems from a fungal nail infection, which requires medical treatment.
However, yellow nails can also develop from thyroid disease or consistently high blood sugar levels stressing your system.
How to Help
No matter what your nail abnormalities may be, the first step is to ensure you’re giving your nails the fundamental nutrients they require:
- Biotin — This B-complex vitamin promotes nail strength by anchoring the nail to its bed. Biotin deficiency leads to weak, brittle nails.
- Silica — This mineral compound makes up a significant portion of nail composition. Without adequate silica, nails become thin and easily damaged.
- Trace minerals — Nails need an array of oligo-elements like iron, iodine, cobalt, chromium, selenium, zinc, copper, and magnesium to construct their tough keratin infrastructure.
- Amino acids — Particularly the amino acid cysteine found in collagen and keratin supplements. Cysteine helps bind the nail proteins together into their durable structure.
Natural Remedies for Nail Restoration
While taking supplements with these nutrients can help restore ailing nails over time, certain home remedies provide more immediate relief:
- For fungal nails — Soak the affected area nightly in a warm solution of cornmeal and water or apple cider vinegar and water.
- For inflamed nails — Try taking 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 1–2 times per day to quickly reduce acidity and inflammation.
- For dry, brittle nails — Moisturize regularly with aloe vera gel to nourish and hydrate the nails.
Your nails reveal so much about your inner health, you just have to learn how to interpret their codes! So give your nails some extra TLC with the nutrients and remedies above.
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