Healthy Nails - Tips to help you keep your nails healthy

Strong, healthy nails are not only aesthetically pleasing, they protect the fingertips from injury or damage to the nerves contained in them.

There is an abundance of nerves that flow down to the tips of our fingers and toes. The job of the finger nails and toe nails is to protect the tips of our fingers and toes where the nerves accumulate.

Pretty straight forward right...but what most people don't realize is that our nails tell alot about our internal health, and an abnormality of the nail may be a sign of an underlying disorder.

Most of the time though, it is a nutritional deficiency in which your nails respond to accordingly, trying to tell you that your lacking something. So following is a small list of some of the most common signs of nutritional deficiencies and how it is shown through your nails.

Hang Nails: These are usually caused by a lack of protein, folic acid, and vitamin C. Also if you have white bands across your nails is another sign that you lack protein.

Dry and Brittle Nails: This is usually a sign that your lacking vitamin A and calcium.

Horizontal/Vertical Ridges and Fragility: This is a sign that your lacking B vitamins. If you find that your nails are very rounded and curved at the ends, this is a sign your lacking vitamin B₁₂.

Spoon Nails: This is a sign that your lacking iron, which can cause your nails to become concave in shape.

White Spots: This is usually caused by a lack of zinc.

Nail Fungus: If your body is deficient inlactobacilli (friendly bacteria) this can lead to the growth of fungus under and around your nails.

Splitting Nails: This is usually caused by a lack of hydrochloric acid (HCI).

Nutrients For Healthy Nails

If you find that you suffer from one or more of thesesymtoms there are a few nutritional supplements that helppromote healthy nails. They are:

1. Acidophilus (Kyo-Dophilus from Wakunaga): Use a non-dairy formula, and take it internally to inhibit the growth of bad bacteria that causes fungus infections.

2. Amino Balance from Anabol Naturals (Free-form amino acid complex): This is what builds new nails. For better absorbtion take it with vitamin B6 (50 mg), and vitamin C (100 mg).

3. Silica: Needed for strong nails.

4. Vitamin A Emulsion plus Carotenoid Complex: The body can not utilize protein without vitamin A. Taking it in emulsion form is for easier assimilation and greater safety at higher doses. Take 50,000 UI daily. If pregnant do not exceed 10,000 UI daily.

5. Black Currant Seed Oil: Very helpful for brittle, weak nails. Take 500 mg twice a day.

6. Calcium: Needed for the growth of your nails.

7. Magnesium: Take mainly to balance with calcium.

8. Vitamin D: Taken mainly to help with calciumabsorption.

9. B Vitamins: The B vitamins are really helpful in treating brittle/fragile nails. Especially vitamin B₂ (riboflavin) and vitamin B₁₂. Along with the B vitamins you should take biotin (300 mg 3 times daily for 9 months), and folic acid (400 mcg 3 times daily).

Now remember, you don't have to take everything mentioned above. Just look at your nails and they will tell you what your lacking.

If your insistant on taking a nail supplement then Ultra Nails from Nature's Plus is a good choice. It contains calcium, gelatin, amino acids, magnesium, iron, and other important nutrients for healthy nails.

As all ways, consult your health care professional fordirection and advise.

About the Author

Steve Billesberger lives in Edmonton Alberta with his wife and small dog. He's a owner/operator of a couple of sites one of which is yoursupremehealth.com. This site talks about a variety of subjects like, the benefits of a colon cleanse, to the fastest way to permanently lose weight, to cold sores. Pretty much anything that has to do with getting in shape and staying healthy.

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