Facts your Nails Can Tell You about Your Health

Your nails are holding a lot of secret and can be an indicator of something you and your diet are lacking. Clair Rose head of cosmetics says that just like your skin and hair, your nails are also at the mercy of your diet and lifestyle. Just as your body has a way of letting you know when something is wrong, your nails too are no exception. Their shape, texture, colour, and overall condition can give you a clue on what is happening with your health.

We often spend too much time trimming, shaping, and painting our nails or have someone do it for us, but we probably don’t spend much time looking at them bare, which mean that we are missing spots, stripes and odd colours that is indicating that something is wrong with our body.

Checking your fingernails for the following abnormalities can help you spot early warning signs, so, why not wipe off that nail polish on your nails and take a glance for the following signs.

Pale Nails- Peeling nails can indicate that your body is unable to absorb minerals properly. It can be that you are not chewing your food properly or you have a low amount of stomach acid, meaning your food is not digesting properly. It may also mean that you have anaemia which is characterized by a low red blood cell count. More seriously, pale nails could also be a sign of early diabetes or liver disease, both of which can lead to impaired blood flow. When you notice this sign, try and avoid processed foods with refined sugars and eat more of fibre, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

Yellowing Nails- As the name implies, your nails will have a subtle or dramatic yellow tinge. It could be a number of things, such as, nails fungus, or stains from smoking. On a lighter note, your affection for dark nail polish or wearing nail polish too often can also be blame. Try to give your nails a few days without nail polish and always use a clear base coat to avoid staining the nails. If the problem doesn’t improve see your doctor.

Brittle, Thin or Lifted Nails- Breaking a nail can be normal, but if your nails seems to crack or break at the slightest touch, it could be down to your thyroid or liver. Too little thyroid hormone often leads to hair loss and brittle nails that grow extremely slow. When this happen, give your nails time to breathe, and if you are a frequent washer, be sure to replenish the moisture in your hands with a rich nail conditioner. If that doesn’t help, visit a dermatologist.

Dark Lines- Dark brown or black lines on the nails should never be ignored. These can be a hallmark sign of melanoma, which requires early detection and treatment. If this dark line is notice, leave your nails bare periodically so you can examine them.

If your nails have grooves- which is also known as pitting of the nail bed, small dots or cracks in your nails can be a sign of psoriasis, an inflammatory disease that leads to scaly or red patches all over the body, or trauma to the nail bed.

If your Nails have White Spots or Lines- these can indicate that your daily intake of sugar is too high. If you see white marks on your nails, try to update your fibre, vegetable and whole grain intake and also give them some time to grow out and fade. But if they are not going away, see your dermatologist.