Can you tell the state of health in the family by looking at their nails?

No, don't worry, I don't sleep on a bed of nails or anything. It's just that I have read some articles recently regarding health in the family, I read a lot about health and family life! But this article was about how your general health is reflected in your nails. So of course I have become completely obsessed with trying to analyse every little mark or blemish I can see - I nearly flipped out when I saw something on my nail, but it turned out to be a tiny smear of chocolate spread that I had been spreading on my son's toast! - phew!

Apparently the colour, appearance, shape and nature of the nails give some information about the general health of a person. Nails are examined as a routine by doctors who are trying to get some clues about an underlying disease. The cause for changes in the nail can come from simple reasons, such as bashing your thumb with a hammer, or trapping a finger in a door, to more potential life threatening diseases. Hence the examination by a doctor is essential for diagnosis if they suspect something deeper. For example:

Colour of the nails:-

Nails become pale with anaemia.
Whitening or browning is also seen with kidney disorders.
Taking medications such as antibiotics etc can produce discolouration in the nails. Fungal infection causes black discolouration.
Red dots can be seen in nails due to rheumatoid arthritis.
Thimble pitting of nail is characteristic of psoriasis and acute eczema

Yuk!!!

But did you know that your nails and hair are essentially made of the same stuff? So by eating foods rich in vitamins and minerals that are important to your nails, are also very good for your hair! You can also take vitamin supplements that contain B6, biotin, inositol and folic acid. There are also a number of minerals that are essential, including magnesium, sulphur, silica and zinc.

I bet you just looked at your nails didn't you? Made you look!

Our thanks go to all you kind folks sending in your favourite family recipes. Keep them coming, we really appreciate you taking time to send them in.

Here's a fab recipe from Holly Trentham who says as a vegetarian, she wanted to offer us a recipe that fellow veggies would love, as well as meat-eaters who fancied a change one night - and no, there's not a lettuce leaf in sight!

Hearty Carrot Bake

You will need: 10 large carrots or 12 medium size carrots, 1 cooking onion, 30g butter, margarine or oil for frying, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbs plain flour, 1 ½ cups of hot milk, salt and pepper, dried breadcrumbs.

Peel and slice carrots into coin shapes and boil in water until cooked. Peel and grate the onion and fry in butter, margarine or oil until soft. Mix in the plain flour, salt, pepper and sugar. Slowly add the hot milk stirring a little in at a time. Keep stirring until thickened and then add in the drained carrots. Spoon into a greased baking dish, sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and dot the top with butter. Bake for about 20 minutes until everything is brown and bubbly, Gas Mark 4, 180oC. This makes a lovely main dish, or can be a different side dish for meat eaters, plus freezes well.

Don't forget that we are collecting your favourite family recipes to include in our new cook-book, so email us your favourite recipes for inclusion and we will credit your for the recipe and give you a free copy of the completed book as a thank you!
Visit our website below to submit your recipe ideas.

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Wishing you the best of Family Life.

Michelle
Joint Editor, Cotswold Family Life