Do you know that one quick and easy way to gauge the condition of your blood is to look at your own fingernails? I was so excited about this fun fact I recently learned from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), that I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

According to TCM, liver stores the blood, and its condition is manifested in the nails. If your blood is healthy and strong, you tend to have healthy nails – pinkish, shining, smooth, strong, and with no discolorations.

On the other hand, if your blood is deficient, it shows up on your nails as well. For example, your nails may be pale, dry, withered and brittle.

Another thing to pay attention to is your lunulae – the whitish crescent areas at the base of your fingernails that indicate new nail growth.

Normally lunulae appear on your thumbs and each of your fingers, except the little pinky fingers.

If you don’t have lunulae on your thumbs and fingers at all, or only have them on your thumbs and not on your fingers (in my case), it may be an indication of a blood deficiency.

This seems to make sense. If we have ample healthy blood, it will nourish the extremities, such as our nails, and support their growth. Conversely, if our blood is deficient in some way, it will negatively affect the color, shape, strength and growth of our nails. Simple as that.

Of course, you cannot make a true diagnosis simply by looking at your nails. Nevertheless, I think it’s a good tool for self-understanding.

For more detail indications from a Western perspective, check out the slide show from WebMD: What Your Nails Say About Your Health.

And check out some simple foods to nourish your blood, naturally.