Whatever changes you notice in your body externally are associated and correlate to the changes happening inside your body and are directly related to your metabolism. For example, do you ever observe changes in your nails out of the blue? Have you ever wondered why a cracked, brittle, ridged, or black-lined nail looks the way it does? It turns out that the health of your nails is intimately linked to how effectively your body functions in other areas.
Inadequate nail health is frequently a sign of poor nutrient intake or digestion. Healthy nails are smooth and free of discoloration or any other asymmetry, but if the texture and colour of yours are off, you’re likely lacking specific vitamins in your diet.
Vitamin deficiency
It suffices to say that eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is beneficial to your health. A diet deficient in specific nutrients, on the other hand, might create significant physiological changes. These possible side effects are your body’s way of warning you that you may be deficient in vitamins and minerals. Recognizing them can help you make the necessary dietary modifications. For example, dry, cracked, brittle, and ridged nails can signify a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
Ridges
Ridges could indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency. Longitudinal grooves that run from the nail bed to the edge might be used to detect it. Supplements, injections, and the application of a thick hand lotion can all benefit. Sardines, beef, fortified cereal, tuna, sardines, trout, salmon, milk, and other dairy products are all excellent sources of vitamin B12.
White spots
Have white spots or dots appeared on your fingernails recently? Deficiency in vitamins and minerals might create the problem and end up causing your nails to look different. A zinc or iron deficit causes these white spots, although they could also be produced by a bit of bump. Zinc can be found in various foods, including meat, legumes, seeds, nuts, dairy, eggs, whole grains, vegetables, and dark chocolate. In addition, red meat, shellfish, beans, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, peas, and iron-fortified cereals are high in iron.
Brittle nails
If your nails are brittle, they may be broken at the edges, flaky, and yellowish. It could also be caused by a calcium-deficient diet, harming nails. All dairy foods are high in calcium, especially yogurt, dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, beans, and sardines.
Splitting nails
Iron deficiency is one of the most common dietary deficiencies that result in split nails. However, proteins and B vitamins are also required for the body to produce healthy, strong nails. B vitamins are abundant in organ meats like liver and kidneys and fish, cheese, yogurt, milk, eggs, mushrooms, beans (especially chickpeas), avocadoes, bananas, almonds, seeds, and whole grains.
What should you do if you discover something strange? First, “Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.” You can keep your nails more vital, longer, and healthier from the inside out by consuming a diet rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It’s usually not a cause for concern if your nails act upon their own without other symptoms. However, if you notice any other unusual symptoms, consult a healthcare expert to determine what’s causing them. Once the underlying reasons for nail problems have been discovered, most of them are simple to treat.