What do your nails say about your health?

Your nails are one of the last places in your body to receive nutrition. This is because your body has more important places to direct essential nutrients first, such as your internal organs. This makes nails great to analyse, because nutritional deficiency will likely show up here as your body won’t have the material to make high quality nail.

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Below are 5 common deficiency signs that I look out for with clients:

BRITTLE NAILS: iron deficiency or exposure to harsh chemicals (nail polish + remover & detergent soaps). Weak, split & breaking nails may also be noticed in those with thyroid conditions.

VERTICAL RIDGES: silica deficiency, malabsorption of nutrients, low hydrochloric acid, more common as we age. Look to the root cause of malabsorption- is this due to thyroid? Damage to your gut? Bacterial/fungal overgrowth? Do you have viral load or high levels of heavy metals? Do you have chronic illness?

WHITE SPOTS: may be due to micro traumas or a zinc deficiency. Stress can deplete zinc more rapidly along with reduce your ability to absorb any zinc you’ve eaten. Usually a sign of low hydrochloric acid.

PALE NAILS: low red blood cells/iron deficiency. This may be due to blood loss through menstruation or ulcer, an iron, folate or B12 deficiency, malabsorption or chronic disease such as autoimmunity. Also seen as a sign of poor circulation.

ABSENCE OF “HALF-MOONS”: weak digestive “fire” and poor circulation. Add more warming species into your diet such as ginger, turmeric, garlic, cayenne, and avoid watching TV or looking at your phone whilst you eat.