Splitting or brittle nails can be painful as well as unattractive, but the problem could be one of digestion. Dr. John Briffa, a specialist in alternative medicine, says the condition often is a sign certain nutrients are missing from the diet or are not being absorbed by the body.
One cause may be inadequate acid in the stomach, which in turn means food containing the nutrients is not properly digested. Briffa suggests a simple home test to determine if this is the case: Dissolve a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of sodium in water and drink it on an empty stomach, and wait 10 minutes or so.
Normal quantities of stomach acid will react with the bicarb to produce gas -- and bloating and belching. But little or no belching would indicate a low acid, whereon the doctor says an adjustment in your diet to improve your digestion is in order.
"You should chew your food thoroughly, and avoid eating large meals," he says. Briffa also recommends a supplement called HC1 and Pepsin, which can be obtained at health food shops.
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