Your nails are like a digestive report card!
Yep, just like your tongue and your poop (we do have a video on that one too)
What are the causes of Nail Changes?
1. Low Stomach Acid
Longitudinal Ridging - Sometimes described as "vertical ridging". You can often see it when you look at your nails at an angle, but sometimes you need to run your fingers over the nailbed crosswise to feel it. Often its not every finger, just some. If you see this, it’s time to look at symptoms of low stomach acid. (This is especially common for those of us with Type A blood.) If you’re also experiencing indigestion, bloating, or heartburn the key is to increase the your level of stomach acid. Longitudinal ridging also sometimes shows up in people who are deficient in iron.
So, what is the fix? ENZYMES FOLLOWED BY EASY TO ABSORB NUTRIENTS! Essentialzyme taken 30 minutes prior to eating and coupled with Essentialzymes 4, taken with your food are great ways to aid production of enough stomach acid which helps break down the foods you are eating. Couple this with adequate amounts of Ningxia Red and your nutrient absorption can increase.2. GI Tract inflammation
Bumpy" Nail Beds - By these I'm referring to the horizontal bumps/ridges you can feel when you run your finger lengthwise along the nail bed. (Note they run across the grain of the nail). Again, this is often not on every finger, but when it's present, you can certainly feel it. These are the beginning of what are called "Beau's lines". Commonly there is inflammation in the GI tract which is the root cause of the nutrient deficiency. So this is when I start talking to folks about their digestion and bowel habits.
The Fix?? Life 9 Probiotics &/or MightyPro (adults and children can take this and is a great way for adults to really increase the healthy gut flora to mend the problem)! Couple this with a diet easy to digest for a few weeks/months that will allow your gut to heal and seal any leaks present! As with all of these areas, increasing your absorbable nutrients, like you get with Ningxia Red will expedite the healing process.3. Low Zinc
Do you ever notice white spots on your fingernails or on the nails of others? You hear a lot of theories including calcium deficiency or nail damage. The actual underlying cause of those white spots is a zinc deficiency. Other signs of a zinc deficiency include a weakened immune system, change in taste, loss of appetite and diarrhea.
The Fix??? The best food source of zinc is from oysters. If you’re not an oyster fan then other options are beef, crab, cashews and chickpeas, to name a few. YL’s ImmuPro tablets have a nice source of zinc and can be taken nightly to also aid you in sleep which is critical for your body's overall healing!!! Don't forget to add in your Ningxia Red as another great source of zinc and other minerals and vitamins that your body can so easily utilize.4. Soft/Peeling Nails
This happens when your nails seem to break off/peel of in layers when you damage them during everyday activities. Note this is different from a "chip". Often nails that peel are also very soft/bendable when you push on them. This problem is sometimes an essential fatty acid deficiency, but can also be related to protein intake/absorption. Again... we discuss digestion.
The Fix??? Omegagize, healthy fats like avocado and coconut oil, Sulfurzyme, Essentialzyme and Essentialzyme 4 (to help your gut breakdown + absorb proteins & fats) along with your Ningxia Red daily. The nutrients in Ningxia naturally strengthen the integumentary as they get the most easily absorbed nutrients into your body.5. Pale nails or lack of “half moons”
Healthy nails are generally pink (underneath). Very pale nails may indicate illnesses, such as anemia or a need for support in heart/liver area. Pale skin under nails can also mean the gut isn’t able to absorb nutrients properly. Sometimes if you don’t see a half moon near your cuticle, it “could” mean lack of vitamins, too.
The Fix??? Essentialzyme or Essentialzyme-4 to help your body break down and absorb nutrients. Sulfurzyme to help balance your body and increase its ability to clean and clear out the cellular waste in our lymph. Taking a multivitamin like Master Formula (which also has ionic minerals and prebiotics) would be great! And as always, being sure to get your easily absorbed liquid nutrients into your system daily in the form of Ningxia Red is a must!(Nail bed inflammation can just mean that bad germs are present under there - Tea Tree and melrose essential oils topically is a nail health favorite!)
GOOD TO KNOW INFO
Have you noticed a theme here?
Healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients is important for healthy fingernail growth. Indeed it's important for all growth and repair in a healthy body.
Two MUSTS for nail health: Enzymes & Ningxia Red!!! Sulfurzyme aids in strong healthy nails, but also aids in strong healthy liver & gut! Essentialzyme and Essentialzyme 4 are the heavy hitters to aid your body in breaking down what goes in and utilizing the nutrients present. Ningxia Red is fantastic for nutrients, which both our gut & nails need! And because it is a liquid puree, our bodies can utilize those nutrients immediately without much work at all.
Foods that can improve your nails include fruits, lean meats, salmon, leafy greens, beans, eggs, nuts, and non GMO whole grains.