The nails protect the fingertips and tips of the toes from external injury. They are produced by the epidermis (outer layer of skin) and made primarily from keratin, which is a protein. It takes approximately seven months for the nails to grow from beginning to end. Healthy nail beds are pink, blood rich. The richness of blood is its protein, fat and oxygen content, as the rest is water. Proper diet nourishes the nails, improper weakens.
The following are common nail complaints: thin, dry, brittle and or cracked nails, horizontal or vertical ridges, rounded, curved or spoon shaped nails, white spots, hang-nails, fungus, etc. They are mostly caused by poor diet.
The nails are made primarily from protein (keratin). Low protein and low fat diets, in the extreme, tend to thin the blood, which in turn, thins everything else, including the skin, hair, nails, etc. The body digests, transforms food, nutrients into blood, into structure into function.
There are only two kinds of nutrients, foods. Protein and fat, meat, eggs, chicken, cheese, etc. build and fuel all structure and function. Water, sugar, minerals, fruit, vegetables, grains, etc, reduce, cleanse, cool and moisten.
The correct amount of building and cleansing produces and maintains the correct amount of structure and function: size, thickness, strength, color, etc. of the nails. Any amounts, greater or less, in the extreme, tend to weaken, thin, break and or discolor the nails.
Low protein and low fat (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, nuts and seeds) diets, in the extreme, tend to weaken, thin, distort and discolor the nails, especially in women.
Women menstruate, loose blood three to seven days, every month for 30+ years from their first menses to their last, menopause. They also tend to eat low protein, low fat and high carbohydrate diets. The combination of menstruation and anemic diet tends to make most women susceptible towards blood deficiency, one o whose symptoms is thin, cracked, distorted nails.
Low protein, low fat and high carbohydrate diets, in the extreme, tend to weaken digestion is addition to thinning the blood. Protein and fat build, thicken and fuel all structure and function, including the blood. Low protein and low fat reduce, thin and weaken blood, structure and function.
Weak nails that are caused by protein and fat deficiency can generally be corrected by a change in diet. Increase protein and fat, especially animal. Eat lots of green vegetables (kale, broccoli, collards, green cabbage, celery, etc.). Green vegetables are high in minerals and other cleansing nutrients that build the nails while improving circulation. Ground up sesame seeds (black, white, organic if possible), 1-2 TBS per day sprinkled over food is effective in rebuilding nails s is silica supplements. Alta Silica is one supplement I would recommend. Avoid, coffee, caffeine which tends to acidify the blood. Acidic blood tends to drain calcium and other minerals used to produce the bones, hair, skin, nails, teeth, etc.
Too much protein and fat, in the extreme, can also weaken, distort and discolor the nails. The nails, fingertips and tips of toes receive their blood from the bloodstream, via its vessels: arteries, veins and capillaries. Poor circulation caused by high cholesterol arteriosclerosis, cirrhosis, obesity, etc. can also reduce blood to the extremities: nails and toe nails, reducing and or warping growth. Protein and fat build, thicken. In excess, they build, thicken the nails, skin, etc. until circulation, blood, protein and fat are reduced, at which time the nails harden, yellow and distort.
Decrease protein and fat if you suffer from high cholesterol arteriosclerosis, cirrhosis, gout, high uric acid, etc.
Too many carbohydrates (grain, pasta, bread, salads, raw vegetable, tropical fruits, juices, shakes, etc.), in the extreme, dilute and weaken digestion, acid and enzymes, decreasing nutrient absorption, blood, hair, skin, nails, bones. etc.
Decrease raw vegetables, salads, tropical fruits, juices, smoothies, shakes, cold drinks, etc. if you suffer from weak digestion, fatigue, anemia, coldness, weak nails, etc.
For fungus condition try vinegar and water. Decrease raw vegetables, salads, tropical; fruits, milk, yogurt, cold drinks, etc. Fungi generally thrive in cold, damp and sweet.
The are some nail deformities, ridges that are caused by worms and or parasites. This can be medically diagnosed. If so use seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower) and spices (cardamon, cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, cayenne, turmeric, etc.).
The following, daily diet, meal plan, 2-3 times per day, preferably breakfast and lunch, is recommended:
1/3 Protein and fat (meat, eggs, chicken, cheese, beans, nuts, seeds, etc.).
1/3 Grain (rice, noodles, bread, etc.).
1/3 Cooked vegetables (3-5, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, onions, kale, celery, etc.), fruit (1).
Spices (cumin, coriander, fennel, etc.), tea (peppermint) and or soup.
Eat from hot (building) to cold (cleansing). Eat a little fruit at the end of the meal.
Check with your doctor before making any changes to the way you eat.
For more information, please read Hot and Cold Health. Learn the whole before diagnosing or treating the part.
Author, Hot and Cold Health
Acupuncture Physician (FL 1992-2002)
Owner, operator Food and Thought, health food store, Hollywood, FL (1984-2001)
Questioned and counseled 30,000+
“What do you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner?”
Cooking teacher
Web: http://www.hotandcoldhealth.net
Tags: diet, fat, nails, nutrition, protein, raw foods, sesame seeds, silica
