Next time you want to admire your nails, have a closer look. Scratch beneath the surface and find out how your fingernails can present an accurate picture of your health. Nails grow at a rate of around 1mm per week- that’s twice the rate of toenails – and take around six months to grow from bottom to top. As a result they act as a map revealing your physical health and general well-being. Depending on their shape, texture and colour, your nail can provide important clues to underlying disorders, food intolerances or nutritional imbalances. Here, we show you how to be your own doctor and learn how to read your nails.

Below are tips on how to know about your health issues from your nails

The Texture of Your Nails

Nail texture can also reveal a person’s physical and mental condition. Try to cut out on refined foods, such as sugar and flour, and eating wholegrains, pulses and plenty of fresh vegetables. Brittle fingernails indicates liver congestion from lack of vegetables, pulses and fish. Flaky nail shows over-consumption of sugar, additives and pharmaceutical drugs. Horizontal ridges: point to congested liver, kidney, digestion tract and liver stagnation.

The shape of nails

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the shape of your fingernails reveal tell tale signs of your innate constitution. When it is oblong, you are harmonious and well balanced. When it is oval, you are sensitive and have a  weak digestive system. When square, you are earthy and balanced but mentally rigid.

The Colour  Of  Your Nails

As we know, healthy nail beds are pink due to the rich blood supply underneath them. Any changes in colour are an important indicator of deficiencies, lack of nutrients or more obviously, an accident. White fingernails indicates lack of iron and poor circulation where the blood is not reaching the end of your fingers. You can build your blood by increasing your magnesium intake. Dark red nails can be a result of high content of fatty acids and cholesterol due to excess of diary, sugar and salt. This can lead to an underactive liver blocked arteries. Try replacing refined foods with whole grain and bread. Also flush out the system with plenty of fresh vegetables and at least five glasses of water per day. Red-purple nails indicates an upset digestive system caused by over consumption of sugar, pharmaceutical drugs, fruits and juices. Avoid tropical fruit which hold a high content  of sugar and eat plenty of seasonal vegetables, whole grains and pulses.