January 2008 | Locally Yours
Inside Out
Listen to your body’s whispers so it doesn’t have to yell
By Jennifer Adler M.S., C.N.
Our body communicates with us in mysterious ways. Those little ridges in your fingernails are there for a reason and dry hair is not a hereditary trait. Paying attention to physical clues is an important and effective way to stay healthy and balanced. Each part of our body is a snapshot of the larger picture and each detail has specific meaning. Health practitioners throughout the ages have understood this. Prior to the relatively recent advent of lab tests, healers relied on bodily wisdom to determine imbalances. Body wisdom is still relevant today. Here are some external ailments that can offer insight into our internal health.
Bad hair?
Before spending a lot of money on expensive hair-care products address your nutrition first. After all, our body is made up of what we eat. If your hair is dry it could indicate an essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency. Brittle tresses? You could have an iodine deficiency. Is your scalp sensitive? It may be a vitamin D or EFA deficiency. Do you notice premature graying or general hair loss? Once again, you could be lacking in B vitamins or EFA’s. Got a dry or flaky scalp? Consider decreasing refined sugar from your diet and increasing your EFA’s, selenium and B vitamins. Keep in mind that selenium levels in food are contingent on the amount present in the soil, which tends to be low in the Pacific Northwest. Locovores beware.
Alligator’s touch
Dry skin can indicate a deficiency of EFA’s, vitamins A, E or biotin. Eczema can be a sign of a zinc or EFA deficiency. If your skin is parchment-like, meaning that when it is pinched it forms a tent that is slow to drop back, this could be a sign of dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance. Have you been prescribed medication for follicular hyperkeratosis, small red bumps on the back of your arms? This could be helped with vitamins A, B, zinc, or EFA’s. Do you have small red spots all over your body? These are called petechiae, which are pinpoint hemorrhages and can be a sign of vitamins C deficiency. If you bruise easily, more vitamins K, C or bioflavonoids could benefit you.
On the surface
Many of us spend a lot of money on topical skin care products. Truth is, working on the skin from the inside often provides more effective long-term results. For example, acne is often a sign of too much refined sugar, inadequate zinc, EFA’s, or vitamin A. Scales and scabbiness in the folds of the nose and behind the ears can be an indicator of a B vitamin deficiency. Is your skin greasy or scaly? If so, this can be a B2 deficiency. As you can see EFA’s make repeated cameos in the possible deficiency department. The name, essential fatty acids, says it all. These types of fats (found in foods like wild salmon and grass-fed beef) are essential for every cell in our body and it is necessary that we include them in our diet.
Madame D
Palm readers are not the only ones who can gain insight into a person via their hands. Each of us can observe a lot about our nutritional status from our fingers and nails. Do you have hang-nails, inflamed cuticles or cracking at the tips of your fingers? This could be a sign of deficiencies in zinc, vitamin C, folate or protein. Curious about your bone density? Look at your nails because they are made of minerals just like your bones. If your nails have a flat angle or are spooned, you might need more iron. If they are soft and don’t grow with the vigor you would like, it could be due to mineral deficiencies. If your nails have horizontal or vertical ridges, consider more B vitamins and minerals. You may notice that B vitamins come up repeatedly. This is partially due to the fact that B vitamins get used up when under stress. Do you have white spots on your nails? This can be a sign of excess sugar or zinc deficiency. If your nails are brittle and split this can be an indication of mineral deficiencies and too much refined sugar.
As with any nutritional deficiencies, looking at your digestive function is essential. You could have the best diet on the planet, but if you are not digesting well you may not be adequately absorbing the nutrients from your food. Another issue is that if your digestive system is impaired symptoms may be reactions or sensitivities to certain foods. Work with your health care provider to see what treatment may work best for your particular situation. If you listen to your body’s whispers, it might need not to yell.
Jennifer Adler M.S., C.N. provides nutrition counseling at her private practice Realize Health, www.realizehealth.com. She enjoys gossiping about nutrition and hair with her hairdresser.
![[Send]](http://seattle.consciouschoice.com/sendlink/send.gif){kind=small}
Recommend this page to a friend
Top Ten pages recommended to friends:
