18 Things Your Finger Nails Say About Your Health and Weight

Many years ago when I first learnt it, it surprised me that being overweight meant a person was not in good health. Even more surprising was the discovery that nails could tell a lot about a person's health. It's a pity doctors don't seem to ever examine their patient's nails...instead they are very quick to send someone for x-rays and blood tests instead...I wonder why...

Getting back to the point: have a look at your nails. Do they seem different from a few years back? Changes in how your nails look, or changes to their shape or color could indicate a disorder or a disease somewhere in your body long before other symptoms show up. Is it not worth that in itself, to keep a close check on them?

For example, white finger nails can indicate that you have kidney problems or anemia. Pitted brown spots or splits on fingernail tips may mean you have psoriasis.

Being overweight or obese puts you at risk for many diseases and conditions. The more body fat that you have and the more you weigh, the more likely you are to develop amongst others:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Gallstones
• Breathing problems
• Certain cancers
• Coronary heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Gout
• Sleep apnea
• Osteoarthritis

You can check right now from the list below, if there is any condition you may have developed by being overweight, and if so, checking your finger nails may just help you address the problem in time.

Our finger nails are made of protein, keratin and sulfur. They grow about.05 to 1.2 millimeters a week. Nail differences or abnormalities are often the outcome of nutritional deficiencies or disorders. Seek medical attention if any of the following symptoms are suspected. The list below shows more diseases and disorders that finger nails can tell you about the state of your body, as well as the effects of being overweight. Some may even say that being overweight is a direct result of a system that is too acidic. Many illnesses and diseases are also a result of a system that is too acidic, so it could very well be argued that if you are overweight, it is more likely that your system is too acidic due to the foods you consume, and this leads to the acidic state of the body.

Here are 18 things your nails say about your health and weight:

1. White finger nails with pink near the tops are a sign of cirrhosis of the liver. If the entire nail is white it could mean kidney or liver disorders or anemia


2. White horizontal lines across the nail may also indicate liver disease. A half white nail with dark spots on the tip could indicate a kidney disorder


3. Abnormally thick nails might be due to the blood not circulating properly in the vascular system


4. Yellow nails can mean you are a smoker, or/and you have problems with your liver, or have diabetes, respiratory disorders or problems with the lymphatic system. Yellow nails can occur many years before the disorder shows up


5. Dark nails that are flat and/or thin are a sign of vitamin B(12) deficiency


6. Brittle nails are a sign of iron deficiency and thyroid problems. You could have impaired kidneys or problems with circulation


7. Nails that are very bendable could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis


8. Pitted brown spots or split fingernail tips may mean you have psoriasis


9. Very deep blue nail beds can indicate pulmonary obstruction or emphysema


10. Finger nails that crack, peel and chip easily mean you need more protein and minerals in your diet


11. Brittle, soft nails with a shine and no moon may indicate an overactive thyroid


12. Nails that separate from the nail bed could also indicate a thyroid disorder


13. Ridges in the nail could mean an infection, or thyroid disorder. Nails that are bumpy can indicate a thyroid disorder too


14. Nails that appear as hammered brass indicate a tendency toward hair loss


15. Nail bending is a sign of rheumatoid arthritis


16. Unusually wide nails that are square can potentially mean a hormonal problem


17. Red skin at the very bottom of your nail bed could indicate a connective tissue disorder


18. Changes in your fingernails may signify disorders somewhere else in your body

As you can see, it may very pay you to check the state of your nails often, and even more so, to lose weight.

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