Tale of the Nail

Nails are considered to be the dead cells which do not have use. But there are important facts about these dead cells which most of us are not aware of. Did you know that nails keep on growing even after a person is dead?

But considering nails absolutely useless or merely something just for beautification of the body would be wrong. Nails do tell a lot about our health. We sometimes notice white spots on the nails. At times the color of the nail may also seem different. All these are signs of improper functioning of the body.

1-      Pale nails- Pale nails are the early sign of diabetes or liver disease.

2-      Brittle nails- If your nails break easily by even slightest touch then this means your thyroid glands are not functioning properly.

3-      Blue nails- Pink nails are sign of proper blood flow in the body. If the nails are turning blue then probably you have respiratory problem due to which there is deficiency of oxygen in your body. In extreme cold temperature lack of oxygen is obvious, but if otherwise you should definitely go for a physical checkup.

4-      White Spots- Nails with white spots indicate deficiency of zinc in the body.

5-      White nails- White nails indicate improper blood circulation and lack of iron in the body.

6-      Horizontal lines- If you notice horizontal lines crossing the entire nail then it show that you have highly stressed.

Nails reflect your health and may give early signs of some diseases or disorders. We usually ignore such signs as we think that they will disappear on their own. Most of the time they do, but sometime the disorder if ignored for long may create a bigger problem. If the change you notice on your nails persist for a longer time, then it would be better to take a doctor’s opinion.

Which cookware should we choose?

Well, this article is the result of a comment I received on my last post. Our doubts are obvious when we are talking about non-stick cook wares. They have made cooking so efficient and economical, and now cooking is no more a struggle. Thanks to these non- stick vessels. But when there are raised concerns about their bad effects, they cannot be ignored just like that.

So in this post we will talk about various Cookware and their ill effects, if any:

1-      Teflon or Non-stick vessels-

Non-stick utensils have a coating which actually prevents substances to stick to the vessel. This coating is called Teflon. Researchers have their concerns about the effect of Teflon on environment. If overheated, the chemical present in the coating starts fuming which can cause irritation in humans as well as pets. Many articles if you search in the internet also relate the coating with various forms of cancer. New kind of non-stick has now been introduced in the market which has ceramic coating, which is considered to be a better option.

2-      Cast Iron-

Cooking in an iron vessel is considered to be a good option since it increases the iron content in the food. Usually there is very little amount of iron in our daily diet and since it is important element for the development of the brain, cooking in an iron pot saves our effort to search food rich in iron. Problem with such vessels is that, you should transfer the cooked food in another vessel since too much of iron will leach out if the food is kept in the same pot for a long time.

3-      Stainless Steel-

Stainless Steel cook wares are known for their evenly heating quality. They are stable in heat and do not release any harmful element in the food. Generally a thick bottom vessel is better than a thin bottom pan. Overall a good option for a cook ware.

4-      Aluminum-

Aluminum vessel should also be avoided if the vessel is uncoated. Uncoated aluminum vessel can have harmful effects on human brain. It is also increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Although the aluminum vessel coated with stainless steel should be preferred.

5-      Copper-

Just like stainless steel, copper also has the quality of even heating. Copper vessels are generally coated with some other metals to avoid copper from dissolving into the food. This is because large amount of copper can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Therefore the old copper vessels in which the coating has been scratched off should not be used for cooking.