Does healthy food impact our nails too?

Love_flowers
Love_flowers Posts: 365 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi

I have been wondering if there was any truth in this:
Somebody told me that we get that white "rainbow shaped" area on the bottom of our nails as an indicator that we do not eat as healthy as we could/should. I have not seen any evidence to prove this nor have I done proper research on this topic.

Is it true??

I mean. I can definetly tell a remarkable difference from the whites on my nails, they used to be very large and on all my nails. Now though, I don't even have them on my ringfinger and little finger. Only on the other fingers but even so, only very very little, less than half than what they used to be. I can not say for sure if it is a direct link between the two healthy diet = healthy nails because there could be many other factors right?

So. Can anyone be so kind and shed some light on this matter?
I love to learn new things every day.

Replies

  • maryhm1
    maryhm1 Posts: 56 Member
    I can tell you this- I've been eating healthy and exercising for 3 weeks. I have actually had to cut my fingernails because they got longer than I like! Usually they peel, break off, etc... They are so much stronger. I don't have a single broken one, and I don't think I've ever gone 3 weeks without several of them peeling around the edges. So I'm a firm believer that healthier living= healthier nails.
  • auzziecawth66
    auzziecawth66 Posts: 476 Member
    Not sure about the white part but I can tell you this much, I use to have incredibly strong nails. Like could b long and I couldn't even bend them and they never broke. That was until I was a bit anemic for awhile and they went from really strong like that to not being smooth anymore (having like ripples on the surface and being alot weaker) so if low iron can do that I imagine poor nutrition and hence other nutritional and mineral deficiencies could also affect them in other ways.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_do_half_moons_on_finger_nails_mean_for_health

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunula_(anatomy)

    Personally, I only have half moons on my thumbs, and I've always been that way. I think some of it is genetic, because I have oodles of energy and eat very well. They also grow annoyingly fast... I had a hard time getting my contacts out the other night and had to trim my nails!
  • jesswait
    jesswait Posts: 218 Member
    That is so strange, I haven't really looked at my nails in a long time. I just checked and I only have the little rainbow shape on my thumbs now (I used to have them on all my fingers.) I've been eating (mostly) healthy for about 6 months.

    After looking it up now, I wonder if I get enough B-12.
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    I think the rate at which they grow and how strong they are are better indicators of how healthy you are. My nails used to be so brittle and would break off all the time when I was eating too little. Now that I get more than enough protein mixed with fruits and veggies (and carbs of course), my nails grow wicked fast.
  • HYBRIDXXX
    HYBRIDXXX Posts: 86
    WELL I WENT 2 BARBER COLLEGE & LEARNED ABT DAT ALSO. THE LITTLE WHITE RAINBOWS HAS NOTHING 2 DO WITH EATING HEALTHY. THEY R SUPPOSED 2 B ON UR THUMBS BT DOES NT HAVE 2 B ON DA REST OF UR NAILS AT ALL. ITZ ALL A PART OF DA NAIL BED. THUMB HAS MORE THAN DA OTHER NAILS. HAS NOTHING 2 DO WITH HEALTHY EATING. IF THEY R ON UR OTHER NAILS THEN ITZ GENETIC. EVERYONE SHUD HAVE THEM ON DER THUMBS
  • Love_flowers
    Love_flowers Posts: 365 Member
    Thank you all :)

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