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Ayurvedic Nail Analysis:
What do your Nails say
about your Health?
BY DANIELLE | PUBLISHED NOV 16 2015
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There are several
physical diagnostic
tools that are
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commonly practiced
Us! in Ayurveda and
one of the main
WEEKLY SALE ITEM ones include nail
assessment (called
Nakha Pariksha).
Just as the tongue, hair, skin and other external attributes are
very telling of one’s internal health; the nails can be a strong
indicator of possible issues occurring in the body as well.
According to Ayurvedic medicine, the nails are a by-product
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of the bones (asthi dhatu) and therefore the health of the
bones can be reflected in the health of your nails. In this
DISCOVER YOUR sense; thin, brittle nails may correlate to thin, brittle bones.
DOSHA QUIZ!
Areas of imbalance that can be seen through
nail analysis include:
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Bone health
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Lung issues
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Heart issues
Metabolic conditions
PERSONAL
Inflammation
CONSULTATIONS
Parasites
Psoriasis and other skin disorders
Autoimmune conditions such as Lupus (SLE) and
alopecia
ORGANIC HERBAL Thyroid issues (hypo or hyper)
HEALTHCARE Digestive issues
GI tract issues
Liver issues
Vata, Pitta or Kapha disorder
Vata, Pitta or Kapha constitution (not by itself, but used
as a helpful indicator)
Herbal Detox Kit In Ayurveda, everything we do and every trait we carry is a
piece of the doshic puzzle of your natural born constitution
(know as Prakriti). Therefore, even our nails can give us
some indication which dosha is predominant in our
constitution and also which dosha is currently out of balance.
Here is a brief chart that gives the typical findings of
the nail, as it relates to the different doshas.
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Nail Abnormalities and What they
Mean:
Longitudinal Lines on the Nails:
These long lines are all
too common for many
individuals and typically
indicate a clear sign of
malabsorption of
nutrients in the body.
They typically cover the
entire nail, from the
bottom to the top. Very
mild lines that are hard to see without the proper light shows a
very mild case. The deeper the lines however, the stronger the
deficiency and therefore the more important it will be to
discover the cause and remove it.
These lines can relate to poor digestion, excessive toxins in the
system, inflammation in the GI tract, a Vata digestive disorder
(Vishama Agni), a Kapha digestive disorder (Manda Agni), a
Pitta digestive disorder (Tikshna Agni) or a poor diet in
general. Since this is only one piece of the puzzle, other
analysis must be further completed in order to establish the
actual cause.
Horizontal Lines or Transverse Groove:
According to Ayurveda, a
deep line that runs
horizontal to the nail is an
indication of a strong
illness, infection or
depletion that occurred
during the time that
specific part of the nail was
growing. It also can mean
an issue of the metabolism,
showing vitiated digestion at the time of growth. If there are
multiple horizontal lines on the nail, this indicates a
reoccurring issue and most likely is showing a chronic
condition (whether metabolic, infection, depletion, etc). In
some cases, these multiple lines can relate to the involvement
of an under-active thyroid.
Absence of Moons (Lunula):
In Ayurveda, the lunula
of the nail represents
one’s Agni or fire in the
body. If you look at
your nails and notice
there are no moons
(lunula) or extremely
small moons, this is a
sign that there is weak
digestion or fire in the
system. Weak digestion is an indication of poor metabolism
and a potential build up of toxins in the system. It also is a
common root cause for most disease and disorder and should
be treated immediately.
Large Moons (Lunula):
If you have nice large moons
on your thumb to the pinky
finger, this represents a strong
healthy fire in the system.
Ideally one should have a
large moon on the thumb, as
they remain strong, but get a
bit smaller with each
respective finger. However, if
they seem larger than
“normal” this may show an
overactive fire in the body, which can lead to Pitta issues such
as loose stools, hyperacidity, inflammation and malabsorption
of nutrients. This simply means there is too much fire in the
system, and cooling practices and diet should be administered.
***Please note that if the whole finger is white, except for a
small crescent at the top, this is a different issue, typically
caused by liver disease.
Red, Puffy Nail Fold (area of skin that
borders the nail):
If you notice a
red, puffy
border along the
nail fold, this is
typically a sign
of parasites or
infection in the
system.
Parasites are
prevalent in
many individuals and have multiple causes. A few common
causes are traveling or living in a developing country,
drinking from rivers or lakes, not washing hands properly
after elimination, or through a transfer from our furry little
friends. Parasites are efficiently treated in Ayurveda though
proper diet and herbs. ***A less common cause of the red nail
fold can be through Lupus or another connective tissue
disorder.
White Spots:
White spots on the
nails are very
common among a
large number of
individuals. Of
course if this is just a
one time occurrence,
it may just be due to
a trauma to that part
of the nail. Often however, this is seen on more than one nail
and is a recurring issue. If you are experiencing the latter, this
simply means that there is a calcium, zinc and/or magnesium
deficiency in the body. This may be due to a poor diet, or
could also be the result of malabsorption. Malabsorption is a
lack of ability for your body to absorb specific nutrients and
has a wide range of causes. Some of these include poor
digestion, inflammation in the GI tract, excessive toxins in the
colon, intake of allergenic foods, chronic loose stools or
parasitical infection. Once this issue is removed, the white
spots should stop appearing after they have grown out.
Pitting of the Nail:
Nail pitting is typically seen in
individuals that either have
psoriasis, eczema or another
inflammatory skin disorder. It also
can occur when an individual has
alopecia, Lupus (SLE) or another
connective tissue disorder. If you
see pitting and do not currently
have any of these conditions, this
may be a sign that you are at risk for one of these disorders.
Therefore, other areas should be investigated to see if there
are any other warning symptoms or signs occurring.
Nail Biting:
Nail biting is an all
telling sign of excessive
Vata in the system. This
is typically a symptom of
high anxiety, worry or
fear; all of which are
Vata imbalances in the
Nervous System. This
can be a chronic or acute
issue, depending on the individual. Typically one with a nail
biting habit does it without awareness, and rarely has nails
that grow beyond the nail bed. Whether an old habit or new,
this is a clear sign of high Vata and should be treated
accordingly.
Yellow Nails:
Yellow nails can
mean a few different
issues and may have
a wide array of
severeness. One
potential issue is a
fungal infection.
This is more
common as you
grow older, although any individual can be at risk. A fungal
infection can effect one nail selectively or multiple nails at
once. Fungal infections can be due to genetics, lowered
immunity, liver issues, toxins in the system, or excessive use
of nail polish (or a combination of these) to name a few.
Other common cause of yellow nails include jaundice or other
liver issues, tuberculosis, lung infections, or certain side
effects from medications.
Pale Nails:
Pale nails typically
show anemia (low
red blood cells) in the
system. This can be
due to excessive
blood loss (heavy
menstruation or
injury); an
iron, folate or B12
deficiency; ulcer, parasitical infection, certain medications
(including NSAIDS), malabsorption, chronic diseases such a
cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or HIV; or many different
autoimmune conditions. Anemia can cause fatigue, weakness,
poor circulation, frequent bruising, shortness of breath,
irregular heartbeat and cognitive issues. If anemia is
suspected, one can look to see if other symptoms are involved
(or not); as well as the tongue and the pink under the eye
(when stretched down) to see if these areas are also pale.
Bluish-Purple Nails:
If you see a bluish-
purple tint to your
nails, this may
signify that there is
a lack of oxygen in
the system causing
hypoxia or acute
cyanosis (lack of
oxygen to the
tissues). This can be from a chronic issue or a severe acute
issue. There may be a pulmonary infection such as chronic
bronchitis, or a long-term condition such as asthma or
emphysema.
Nail Separation (Onycholysis):
Onycholysis is
when nail begins to
separate from the
nail bed causing a
white discoloration.
If the white
discoloration
becomes yellow, it
is most likely that
the nail has obtained a secondary infection due to the
separation. Onycholysis is commonly caused by skin
disorders such as psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis; but also
can stem from trauma, excessive manicures, hyperthyroidism,
hypothyroidism, primary fungal infection, poor circulation or
inflammatory arthritis.
Clubbed Nails:
Although not as
common as some of
these other nail
abnormalities,
clubbed nails are
often prevalent with
heart or pulmonary
issues. They may
occur in tuberculosis,
pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, congestive heart failure or
mitral stenosis. No matter the cause, clubbing of the fingers
typically is a sign that the peripheral tissues are not getting a
sufficient amount of oxygen and there is low Prana in the
body.
Spooned Nails (Koilonychia):
A “spooned” nail is
a nail that is flat or
concave at the
surface, scooping
in the center. This
can range in
severity, with the
worse cases
causing a splitting
of the nail down the middle. The most common cause for the
spooned nail is iron deficiency anemia (also see “pale nails”
above). Other potential causes are autoimmune issues such as
Lupus (SLE), psoriasis, lichen planus or Raynaud’s Disease;
genetics disorders, vascular disease or trauma.
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THIS ENTRY WAS POSTED IN AYURVEDA AND COMMON CONDITIONS, BLOG,
HEALTHY LIVING AND TAGGED AYURVEDA AND NAIL HEALTH, AYURVEDIC NAIL
ANALYSIS, AYURVEDIC NAIL DIAGNOSIS, BLUE NAILS, HORIZONTAL LINE ON NAILS,
KAPHA NAILS, LONG LINES ON NAIL, NAIL ANALYSIS, NAILS AND HEALTH, NO LUNULA
ON NAILS, NO MOONS ON NAILS, PALE NAILS, PITTA NAILS, RED AROUND NAILS,
SPOONING OF NAIL, VATA NAILS, WHAT DOES YOUR NAILS SAY ABOUT YOUR
HEALTH, WHITE SPOTS ON NAILS, YELLOW NAILS.
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5 Comments
Amy Peterson
November 16, 2015 at 8:34 pm #
Danielle,
Once again, a you’ve written a fantastic article.
As a person with Psoriasis and psoriatic
arthritis, my nails can attest the truth in the
pictures.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, so
many of us can learn too.
Reply
Danielle
November 17, 2015 at 12:14 pm #
Thanks Amy! It’s amazing at the “hidden”
secrets that our bodies are trying to reveal
to us. It’s all a piece of the big picture
puzzle. I am glad you found the article
helpful:) Thanks so much for reading!!
Namaste, Danielle
Reply
robo
January 1, 2016 at 2:16 pm #
Very interesting, i’d like to learn more.
Reply
Tracy mccosh
April 26, 2016 at 6:02 pm #
Fantastic
Reply
davies
August 29, 2016 at 8:40 am #
great. very educative article. now i know am a
vata. advise welcomed. regards
Reply
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