It is said that well-groomed beautiful hands are our showcase, while nails are certainly a complement to it. Hands will not look good if our nails are not carefully manicured and this does not apply only to women, although of course ladies have much more room to show off. Their nails can be long or short, delicate and very natural or conspicuous and richly decorated, but they should always be taken care of. However, gentlemen's nails should be carefully trimmed and above all clean. My beloved nails, however, are not only the element that decorates our hands, they can also be a reflection of what is happening in our body and a tip for a closer look at our health. Therefore, during care treatments it is worth paying a little more attention to them.

Here are 11 things the nails will "tell" us about our health.

1. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals

If our nails are brittle and fragile, this can of course indicate bad care treatments. This happens when we abuse acetone nail polish removers, we do not saw them properly, we wet our teeth too often and we expose ourselves to contact with detergents. However, this is not the end of weak nails can also indicate deficiencies arising in our body. Most often, this condition is caused by a lack of the right amount:

• calcium, so you should supplement it, ensuring that our diet does not lack dairy products, because it is from them that the most easily assimilable calcium comes from
• iron, which can be found in dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale or broccoli, also in parsley and of course in red meat
• B vitamins that we can supplement, including fish (salmon, trout), green vegetables, meat, eggs, nuts, bananas and yeast in our menu
• magnesium, which can be found in pumpkin seeds, cocoa, bananas, oatmeal, almonds, kale, buckwheat, spinach, dill and white beans
• silicon, which we supplement by eating buckwheat, whole grain rice, millet, apricots, celery, as well as by drinking an infusion of horsetail (it contains really large amounts of this element)

2. Anemia

Healthy nails are slightly pink, a change in their color may indicate irregularities in our body. Pale nails may indicate, among others, anemia, which is most often manifested by a change in our well-being. We are tired, weak, we get tired much faster, even performing ordinary everyday activities, we have problems with concentration and we do not want anything at all. Unfortunately, we often underestimate these symptoms, blaming them for fatigue, overwork, stress or another sleepless night. Meanwhile, anemia is a serious disease that absolutely requires treatment. So if you notice disturbing symptoms, you should see a doctor and do basic blood tests, and then, if necessary, start the appropriate therapy.

3. Liver, lungs and kidneys

This is what we should pay attention to if we notice that our nails have become yellowish. This color, although it is most often the effect of painting nails with dark varnishes, smoking cigarettes, or the result of taking a large amount of beta-carotene, can also be a warning signal for us. Yellow nails may indicate respiratory problems as well as kidney and lung diseases. So if we notice that our nails, despite the fact that we do not use dark intensive varnishes, do not smoke cigarettes and do not consume products that contain a lot of beta-carotene in excess, they are yellow, we should go to the doctor.

4. Onychomycosis

Yellow, matte, uneven, calloused and scaly nails are characteristic symptoms of a fungal infection, which, unfortunately, is very easy to infect even by simply shaking hands or contacting things that a sick person previously touched. If mycosis develops on our nails, we should see a dermatologist as soon as possible and start treatment. Remember that in the case of onychomycosis, wonderful home remedies will be of no avail, and improperly treated disease will only get worse and spread. So there is nothing to wait for, especially since the treatment process is often long and requires a lot of patience and commitment.

5. Cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases

This is evidenced by, among others, blue nails, this color may be one of the symptoms of hypoxia. Sine nails can therefore inform us about cardiac failure, heart and lung diseases. Symptoms of heart and lung diseases may also be nails, which resemble watch glasses. We can see them, for example, in people with cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial pneumonia, serious heart defects, and even cancer.

6. Thyroid disease

Dry, brittle, split, thin and dull nails are a sign of thyroid problems, which is very difficult to care for, and maintaining them in good condition costs a lot of work and attention. If you have such nails, it is worth checking thyroid hormones, maybe your problem is its hypothyroidism, which is very often manifested on the nails in this way. In turn, when the nail plate takes on an uneven shape and looks as if it were wrinkled, it breaks and sticks out from the skin, which may be evidence of hyperthyroidism. Therefore, such symptoms should also lead us to see a doctor and check the condition of the thyroid gland, if suspicions are confirmed, specialist treatment will be necessary.

7. Injuries

Small white spots appearing on the nail plate often prove minor injuries caused, most often incorrect care. Such changes can also be caused by deficiencies in our body. Most often then we are dealing with a deficiency of calcium, zinc and protein. So let's enrich our diet with dairy products, whole grains and seafood. It happens, though much less often, that white spots on the nails are a symptom of a serious illness, e.g. kidney failure, cardiovascular disease or weakening of the immune system.

8. Bacterial infection

It is evidenced by green spots visible on the nail plate, in addition, it can be seen peeling off the skin. In advanced cases, the infection can spread and the nail completely peels off the skin. Such symptoms occur in case of infection with the blue oil rod, which can occur e.g. in a swimming pool, in a jacuzzi or in a sauna. In this case, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible and start treatment.

9. Endocrine disruptions

So-called hormonal disorders can "tell" us spooned nails. Such changes in the appearance of nails may also indicate iron deficiency and anemia. So if we notice that our nails are concave and resemble a spoon, it is worth taking a closer look at the functioning of our body, maybe you will also notice other symptoms that you have so far underestimated, and which will help you find the cause of this condition. Remember also that every disturbing symptom that the body sends you should consult a doctor.

10. Melanoma

When we talk about melanoma, we most often think about exposed areas of the skin, while this cancer can also occur within the nail. This situation is very rare, but unfortunately it is often underestimated for a long time. The dark spot that appears under the nail is often mistaken for injury and we do not pay attention to it, hoping that it will eventually disappear. Unfortunately, melanoma will not disappear, and if the diagnosis is not made in the early stages of its development, the prognosis can be really bad.

11. Diabetes

Symptoms of diabetes can also be seen on the nails, they often change their color and become yellowish and even brown. On their surface, in turn, we can see transverse furrows, there is also visible hyperplasia of the nail plate and its clear distortion. It also happens that the symptom accompanying diabetes is the so-called subungual keratosis.

Most often, the weakening, damage and deformation of the nail plate occurs during care treatments, especially if they are performed unskillfully. It happens, however, that the changes occurring within the nails may be the cause of more serious diseases, so it is worth paying them some attention, and when we notice something that worries us, we go to a dermatologist who will certainly dispel our doubts and, if necessary, tell what our next steps should be.