B12 and the appearance of the fingers.

I read somewhere that large, visible half moons on the finger nails and smooth finger nails indicates good B12 levels and now I wish I had got my levels tested (although I am sceptical of the way this is measured). My nails used to have some noticeable ridges but nothing really dreadful but only the half moons on my thumbnails showed.

Since I have been living in my caravan with less opportunity to wash things thoroughly and with a huge increase in the contact I have with the soil I have noticed that the ridges are less and there are half moons visible on all my nails - albeit small ones - except my little finger nails.

Still not sure if I should get my levels checked! It has not been eating raw that has made these changes. It is the rest of my lifestyle that has caused the change I think.

This interests me as my half moons are not quite half moons (they are rippled on the edges) and I have wondered for a long time why that is.

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Originally Posted by walnutty

This interests me as my half moons are not quite half moons (they are rippled on the edges) and I have wondered for a long time why that is.

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I wish I could remember where I saw the information. If, for now, I take the info as correct then the implications and extrapolations are interesting.
Firstly that my B12 levels were very poor even when eating a non-vegan diet.
Secondly that being raw made little difference to the situation.
Thirdly that since the improvement in the appearance of my nails is so marked the problem with the levels originally is less likely to be because I was failing to absorb it but more likely that it wasn't there to absorb in the first place. I do realise that raw may have made absorption easier for my body but it's good to know that whatever the various reasons are at least I know my body doesn't have absorption problems ... if the appearance of ones nails really has a bearing on B12 levels.

I am not supplementing with B12 at the moment and haven't been for a long time.

You may want to check Dr Oz's site. I know he has discussed this in one of his shows.

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Originally Posted by laughalways

You may want to check Dr Oz's site. I know he has discussed this in one of his shows.

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I can't see anything about half moons and vit B12 but since he recommends eating meat for iron deficiencies I think I won't look at his stuff any further.

I don't know the facts on this but have heard similar.

Are your moons ones that move outwardly with the nail growth toward finger tip, or do they just peek out beyond the nail bed at back? Curious as to what they mean by this. I do get longitudinal ridges of very slight appearance on a few nails, but then I've smashed about every one of my finger tips over the years wrenching and stuff. Now I have three or four nails with lighter crescents peeking out from under the skin. I always thoght that was just new growth of the under surface of the nail showing it's freshness.

If these "moons" follow the growth outward and migrate to the tip, I guess I don't get them then.

They are always biggest on the thumbs (smallest on the little fingernails) for some reason.

This is what a good sized halfmoon looks like though this nail has been buffed for ridges by the look of it.

Attachment 9197

It is a thumbnail of a thumbnail! Not mine but a random one I found on the net.

* googling brings up as many suggested conditions related to nail appearance as there are stars in the sky. I imagine there is some truth in what is said but whether it relates to B12 or is just a health indicator is hard to tell.

Ok, thanks; I have a few much smaller than that and they seem to stay and not migrate or expand. I have had impacts to the nail that leave marks that migrate forward, is why I asked. Didn't know if connected.

I think being in the soil is good for us healthwise.

Never read up much on B-12. Probably because it seems to me to be one of those mysterious, inconclusive topics. Sometimes you read on things until the cows come home and still aren't sure of the real truth.

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Originally Posted by MysticTree

I can't see anything about half moons and vit B12 but since he recommends eating meat for iron deficiencies I think I won't look at his stuff any further.

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Just because he advocates eating meat doesn't mean he doesn't have valuable information. For a medical doctor he supports holistic medicine. If you did that with everyone that discusses non-vegan things, you would miss out on a lot.

He is also quite pro supplement use and to just say eat meat for iron deficiencies when there are other things you can can eat is not helpful. Anyway, whilst he mentions fingernails and vit b12 he does seem to connect the two or I couldn't find the relevant page.

Curious. I remember reading somewhere that half-moons were a sign of calcium deficiency. *shrugs*

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Originally Posted by laughalways

You may want to check Dr Oz's site. I know he has discussed this in one of his shows.

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I can't stand Dr. Oz...he's just a celebrity doctor!

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Originally Posted by walnutty

I can't stand Dr. Oz...he's just a celebrity doctor!

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I don't want to belabor this and we are all entitled to our opinions. But I believe he really cares about what he does and is genuine. Granted, his program is still designed to appeal to the masses but his message that there are alternatives to standard medicine reaches more people that way.