Nail Salons Juneau AK

What Your Nails Tell About Your Health

Nails on the finger and on the toes are an essential form of protection for the thousands of nerve endings that are part of the body's sensory system. Nails are made of a hard protein called keratin, and renewed from a plate above the finger bone.

Because nails are on the outer extremities of the body they are often the first to show disturbances in body function, and have been used to diagnose problems in health care in the past and still do today.

The appearance of nails can be affected by diet, especially a change like dieting or malnutrition. Aging and menopause also affect nails, as well as other parts of the body.

Nail Health

Taking care of your nails is important. Numerous vitamins and minerals are essential in the care and maintenance of nails.

Healthy nails are pink. When you press down on one for a few seconds to push the blood out, it should go from white to pink again in 2 seconds or under. If it takes too much time to turn pink again there are possible problems with circulation and others conditions.

• Keep nails cut short - not much past the end of the finger

• Do not cut the cuticle because this guards the inner part of the nail from infections; instead push it back with a wood or soft plastic implement made for this purpose

Nail-friendly vitamins and minerals

• MSM (methylsulfonylmethane - METH-əl-sul-FON-il-METH-ane), a natural source of sulfur that occurs in trace amounts of some foods, has been shown to help hair, nails, joints and cartilage. As a supplement it can be taken with other joint remedies like glucosamine, and is also used for osteoarthritis pain and swelling

• Acidophilus (non-dairy) - inhibits bacterial and fungal infections throughout the body

• Calcium helps general nail health; vitamin D-3 helps with calcium absorption

• Zinc is essential for growth

• Vitamin A, B-vitamins, calcium and Magnesium for brittleness

• Silica for weak nails

• Horsetail, Oat straw, and Dulse (a type of seaweed, also called palmaria palmata), made into teas, contain natural silica which helps resiliency

• Alfalfa, black cohosh, yellow dock, and others contain silica and zinc and other minerals and vitamins which strengthen nails

• Essential fatty acids, found in pumpkin seeds, borage seeds, flaxseed, lemongrass, parsley and sage

• Iodine binds proteins in nails and makes them stronger. It also has anti-fungal properties and is the basis for some iodine cures

• Protein, which contains amino acids like L-cysteine and L-methionine, is found in many foods like poultry, fish, beans, etc.

• Sulfur, which is essential for cellular function, and present in foods like onions, garlic, broccoli, egg yolks, and also sea-vegetables

• Black currant oil helps with brittleness

• Tea tree oil for all fungal and bacterial infections...