What Your Nails Say About Your Health

Americans spend millions of dollars on manicures and pedicures to keep their nails looking good, but pretty nails don't always mean good health

.By Everyday Health Staff

At salons around the country, nails are big business. But beneath the polish, your digits can be a window into your overall health. “Many health conditions are very visible in the nails,” says John Knox, MD, of Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. They're a unique indicator because of their partial transparency. Nails can even tell you how long you've been ill, since fingernails need six months to grow, and toenails a full year. Knox points out that even nail-biting can be an indicator of mental health. “Patients who are more anxious or obsessive compulsive do tend to bite their nails more frequently," says Dr. Knox.

What Your Nails Say About 

A wide variety of diseases can be detected by looking at changes your nails. Lung disease and lymphedema can cause yellow discoloration, while psoriasis can look like fungus. Bands, or lines in multiple fingernails, as well as changes in color, can also indicate illness. Paying attention to your nail health is important, but Knox also notes that some nail issues have simple explanations: “Poor nutrition will cause brittle nails, but so will aging, excessive washing, and a variety of different things."

What do you think your nails say about your health? Do you get manicures or pedicures often? Tell us in the comments below.

Are You Fitter Than the Average Guy?

Are You Fitter Than the Average Guy?

by Mattie Schuler November 13, 2012, 07:35 pm EST

Even if your cholesterol levels are in check, you’re not off the hook for heart disease. Sixty percent of the men who died of heart disease in a 17-year study had normal cholesterol levels, but low levels of fitness. A man with a low level of fitness had more than twice the risk of dying from heart disease than a man with a high level of fitness. (Worried about your risk? Here’s your complete heart disease prevention plan.)

But how do you know if you’re fit enough? The Cooper 12-minute Run Test is a reliable measure of your cardiovascular fitness. All you need is a stopwatch and a track.
Here’s how to do it: Head to a local track on a day with little wind. After a warm-up of at least 5 minutes, run as fast and as far as you can during a 12-minute period. At the end of the time, calculate your overall distance using the track, and then take a five-minute cool down. If you have a GPS watch, run as far as you can on a flat route for 12 minutes.

Note how many miles you covered. (If you were running on a track, multiply the number of quarter laps by 0.062 to calculate miles.) Take a look at the chart below to see your fitness level based on your age and distance.