What Your Fingernails Tell You about Your Health

I am fascinated with nutrition as it relates to health.  I don't know if I can pinpoint one specific incident that put me onto this path.  It has been more as if someone has gradually steered me onto it and pointed me in the right direction.  I am learning that there are a myriad of signs and symptoms that tell a person if they are deficient in vitamins or minerals and that if you know how to read them, you can improve your overall level of health.

The state of your fingernails is one easy way to determine your level of health and nutrition.  You just need to know what to look for.  So, what can your fingernails tell you? Well, have you ever had those white spots on your fingernails?  Those are generally a sign of either zinc or iron deficiency.  Those annoying hangnails?  A sign of vitamin C deficiency.  Splitting and peeling nails?  Any one of vitamin A, C, or D deficiency or calcium, iron, or protein deficiency.  Flat nails can indicate iron, protein, or vitamin B12 deficiency.  Nails curving up can indicate iron or zinc deficiency and nails curving down can indicate vitamin B12 deficiency.

This is just the tip of the ice burg and it is important to realize that there are other more serious underlying health problems that can cause these types of nail abnormalities, but much of the time it is a simple vitamin or mineral deficiency that can easily be solved.  And vitamin and mineral deficiencies can actually cause the more serious underlying health problems.  You can always contact your doctor if you have any concerns about it.

This all fascinates me so much and I haven't even gotten into hair and skin health yet.  My goal in life is to train as a holistic nutritionist and continue my own self-learning and self-development and one day work with people to improve their level of health simply through changing their diet and supplementing where necessary.  I truly believe that getting the right amounts of vitamins and minerals is a huge part of our health and that deficiencies in these are the cause of many of our major health issues.

So onward with my studying and nutritionist training next year so that I can move into a career of helping others achieve optimal health and fitness. :-)

Find your passion.  Love your passion.  Live your passion.