An added benefit of low carb lifestyle

[Lilacarmadillo]

For the first time in my life I have long, strong fingernails. In the past they were always paper thin and brittle. If I banged them on anything inadvertently then they would snap right across so I usually just kept them fairly short and never bothered to paint them as they were not worth drawing attention to. As I was a guitar teacher for 15 years I had to keep my left (fretting) hand short nailed but longer on the right. Now they are beautiful and there is no way I am going to cut the left hand but as I haven't played my guitar for years that is not a problem.

I don't know if this is because I have switched from low fat to low carb/high fat or because I have been taking coconut oil in my coffee and using it as an all body moisturiser but whatever the reason - I am a very happy bunny. Not only have I lost a lot of weight but I have good nails too!

That said my hair seems to be thinning which is surprising as I thought both were keratin so if my nails are stronger why is my hair thinner? I notice it particularly when styling it as I can only keep the hot brush wound round my hair for a very short time before my head burn and it ws not always like this. Is this just a woman thing? Is my hair thinner because I am over 60?

I'm not overly worried about my hair as I keep it quite short and tousled and am so happy with my nails I hardly notice it.

Lynn x

[Marmot]

Hi Lyn,

I used to have lovely nails too, then I got fungal infections (way before diabetes) and also I noticed that they were brittle and had quite pronounced vertical ridges. My nails also seem a little smoother and stronger now. As for hair - if I were a bloke I would be bald , my hair is inherited from my mother's side of the family, unfortunately........baby fine and thin, but it is silky! I only have to put a hot brush on it for seconds if I want to avoid first degree burns

Janet

[hanadr]

Well done LA. How I wish my nails were not so brittle, but after years of low carb, they are still not good! Perhaps my fat intake is too low.
Hana

[Lilacarmadillo]

Hana I don't know if it is because I have upped my intake of fats or if it is because I regularly massage coconut oil onto the nails or even because I am eating much more SF jelly than I ever have done. I have heard that gelatin improves brittle nails.

When I was on fat free everything, I had horrible flaky, brittle nails.

Whatever it is I will keep on doing it I love what I eat now and will never go back to eating carbs.

I was a bit concerned that the end of the rhubarb season was nigh so I rang our local Sainsburys and asked if they had any fresh and they were selling packs of 600g 2 for £3.00. I asked them to put by 8 packs!! They put them behind the desk at customer services bless 'em. I have made a start at stewing it down in diet ginger beer and it is in the freezer now to see me through winter.
The cashier did look at me a bit funny when she saw all the rhubarb but my other half just said I was pregnant!!! (at 62 I don't think so)

Lynn x