My nails and nutrition

[InsideOut]

I'm still breastfeeding my 8 month old son. I used to have great nails. My finernails and toenails are so brittle and break and crack all of the time now. What am I missing from my diet? What should I change to get my healthy nails back?

[bodhitree]

I wish someone who knows would chime in! I've never had great nails, but lately they're just awful.

[TiredX2]

It just occurred to me that I am also having this issue.  I looked it up and saw that it is one symptom of low thyroid function.  Especially for the OP (with a fairly young baby) you might want to get it checked out.  (of course, it's also a symptom for other things, including just doing a lot of dishes, lol)

Good luck!

[gardenmommy]

Fats?  Are you getting enough good quality fats in your diet?  Enough water?  I second getting your thyroid checked out.

[Sol_y_Paz]

My nails have always been like that regardless of a great diet, supplements, and working with a ND. 

[mumkimum]

I tend to have flaxseed oil in my juice most days.  It has seemed (esp. when breastfeeding) to help my nails a lot  (as in when I haven't been having it they seem in worse shape than any other change in diet).  

[InsideOut]

I hear you on the good fats. With the flaxseed oil, is there a particular brand that you recommend? How can I get those quality fats? I don't eat meat but I do still eat chicken and fish if, that matters. And about my thyroid, is there bloodwork to get it checked? I've never really had issues like this but along with my nails being ruined, my hairline all around my head is ridiculously dry to the point that if I brush my hand across it, I get massive flakes. Related?

[homemademom]

A friend of mine used to have great nails, very thick and opaque. Then she started eating low carb (atkins style, with lots of fat including nuts) and her nails got very thin and brittle. She can't decide what it was from her former diet, which was mostly healthy but lowfat, including whole grains and fruit.

[gardenmommy]

Coconut oil, butter (preferably grass-fed, raw), avocados, raw or soaked and dried nuts, seeds, flax (fresh, because it spoils so easily), extra virgin olive oil, etc.  I think the key with fats is to make sure they are as fresh as possible, and to not heat non-heat-stable oils (like olive oil, seed oils, etc.).  Low-carb, high-carb, low-fat, high-fat.  I think it doesn't really matter so much what you eat, *as long as* you are thriving on it.  

[Sativarain1]

could it be calcium related? I always thought calcium affected our nails.

[JMJ]

If there are white spots on the nails, that's usually a zinc deficiency, but I'm not sure that's what you're talking about.

[bodhitree]

I don't have the white spots. I just have splitting/peeling/breakage. Interestingly, I was just reading some anecdotal reports of vitamin K-2 supplementation improving nails, so I might try that.

[bluets]

you might also try nettle and chickweed infusions or cell salts (specifically silica)