Natural Cures for Nail Problems

Have you ever encountered any nail problems that include nail splitting, poor growth, nail-bed infections caused by fungi or bacteria, irritation due to biting or injury, and ingrowing toe nails for an example: Vertical Ridges, Brittle Nails, Leuconychia, Paronychia and many more. Have you ever wondered on how to deal it with natural cures?

Actually nails can represent the health disorders that you currently have. It usually because of nutritional deficiency or medical condition. Surgery is necessary for ingrowing toenails.

Alternative Medicines:

Aromatherapy - You may be advised to apply tea tree oil, which has anti bacterial properties.

Ayurveda - Nail Diagnosis is a important element of Ayurvedic medicine. Practitioners may recommend applying Aloe Vera and Turmeric for fungal infections, and neem oil for infections of the nail and cuticle.

Food for Nail problems:

Basically, the best foods for nail problems would be the one that is rich with Zinc and Vitamin B6.

• Zinc Rich Foods: Beef, Crabmeat, Oysters, Lamb, Turkey, Brown Rice, Salmon, Spinach, Yogurt, Beans,Rye Bread.
• Vitamin B6 Rich Foods: Avocados, nuts, liver, chicken, fish, green beans, field salad, wheat germ, nutritional yeast, sea vegetables, and bananas are particularly good food sources.

A healthy blood supply will create a peachy-pink nail bed. If there is a deficiency or physical problem within our bodies, the fingernails can show it.
What are some of the problems that an show up on the nails, and what are the signs?
Discolored nails: Diabetes, stress, allergies and simple illness can cause your nails to appear discolored. A greenish nail color, however, can be a sign of infection, either in the nail bed or in your system.

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Dry, brittle fingernails can be a sign of a vitamin A deficiency. Dryness, combined with ridges, may indicate a lack of B vitamins, and curved nail ends, or darkening of the nail, may mean you need more vitamin B-12. Splitting and cracking nails signal a lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach (this is especially implied if you also have seasonal allergies). If you develop a fungus around the cuticle or in the nail bed, it may mean that you don't have enough "friendly" intestinal bacteria working for you, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bifidobacteria bifidum. And, finally, insufficient protein, vitamin C, and folic acid may be suggested if you have frequent hangnails. If any of these conditions are present, you may want to consult a dermatologist or nutritionist to help correct any imbalances.

- by karyn siegel-maier

source - Encyclopedia of Natural Healing