According to nutritionists, nails are mirror of our behavior towards our bodies. The nails can show what is happening with our bodies. Yellow, ridged and brittle fingernails or toe nails can indicate different health problems and nutrient deficiencies.
Our fingernails and toenails are made out of the protein keratin. They protect the gentle skin on our fingers and toes. The nail grids, accumulations of veins, nerves and lymph vessels, shape the nails. Meanwhile, the nail grids are protected by the fingernail or toenail skin. The shape and color of the nails is influenced by genes, yet healthy nails are translucent in color, not too fragile and smooth. If the nails lack supplements like vitamins and minerals, their shape and color changes.
Luckily, nail conditions can be treated with changes in your diet and taking more vitamins, minerals and other supplements. Now, read what causes the nail problems and how can they be solved.
1. Split or brittle nails
• Causes: vitamin B – biotin deficiency and not enough moisture
• Solutions: Taking biotin medications can be helpful. If you take 1 mg. biotin, take it 2 to 3 times a day. Continue taking the pills for 6 months. However, pregnant women should not take these pills. You can also try gelatin, colloidal minerals and calcium.
2. Upward curling weak nails
• Causes: Iron deficiency
• Solutions: Do some test for iron deficiency. If your iron levels are low, around 300 milligrams of iron three times every day.
3. Vertical ridges
• Causes: Malnutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Malnutrition can also make the nails to become brittle, misshapen and discolored. Horizontal ridges may be a sign of an illness.
• Solutions: Polishes the vertical ridges with a chamois nail buffer and almond oil. Swipe the nails with the buffer 3 or 4 times only, because this removes a layer of the nails. Do this once in a week. Avoid usage of any chemicals to fill the ridges.
4. Horizontal dents and ridges
• Causes: Trauma from surgery, high fever, psoriasis and nutritional deficiencies affect the growth of the nails and cause dents. Ridges may appear if you hit the front of your nails or pick the cuticles.
• Solutions: Consume enough protein together with vitamin A. Vitamin A aids the metabolization of the protein. Dietary silicon will strengthen the nails.
5. Yellowish color of nails
• Causes: Not allowing the nails to breath and vitamin E deficiency.
• Solutions: Take vitamin E two times a day. Antioxidants can be consumed through wheat germ oil, almonds, sweet potatoes, hazelnuts and peanuts.
6. Fungus
• Causes: Dampness and warmth allows microorganisms and yeast to develop on the nails. These parasitic diseases spread quickly, especially on the toenails. The signs of a fungus infection are: partition of the nails from the nail beds, yellow nails, messy looking nails, greenish nails and thickness.
• Solutions: Soak the nails for 15 minutes daily in antibacterial immaculate tea tree oil.
7. Whitish spots on the nails
• Causes: Zinc deficiency and nail injuries
• Solutions: Take 50 milligrams of zinc every day. Red meat, peas, sesame seeds and pumpkinseeds are also excellent sources of zinc. White spots due to injuries of the nails will disappear by itself eventually.
The seriousness of these nail conditions
These nail conditions should be checked out if they are accompanied by other symptoms like weariness or inability to breath. Here is what your nails can tell you about your body:
• Upward curling nails: thyroid infection
• Fragile nails: thyroid problems
• Yellowish nails: bronchitis
• Blue nail beds: circulation issues
• Red nail beds: coronary disease
• White nail beds: infection of the liver
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