Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Folate or just plain luck?

I thought I had taken photos of my fingernails when they were peeling and short and always breaking off.  If I find it, I will post it.   Today's post is a bit different to homesteading, but somewhat related (as to the food I've been eating).

First I tried the nettle/oat straw nutritional tea infusion.  Nothing really changed on my nails.  However, in a year's time, my dentist visits have been nothing but good as far as build up.  They would say over and over, "I can't believe how well your teeth look" etc etc.  Could that be the herbal tea drinking?  Most of them have antiseptic and anti-bacterial qualities.

About 12 weeks (or more) ago, I started adding more greens into our diet.  I read that folate is important to skin, nail and hair growth and health.  Well, I now get greens twice a day, and at least 3-4 times a week, not including green vegetables at dinner.  I increased the amount of broccoli, brussel sprouts and leafy greens in our diet. 


However, at the same time, I started eating two organic brazil nuts a day.  I was eating them for my metabolism and sluggish thyroid.  Once you start giving birth to babies, a woman's thyroid can turn sluggish.  It's been that way for years, but not bad enough for drugs (which I won't take anyway).  So the nuts are helping my metabolism balance, but could it also be helping my nails?

My nails are not only growing, but stronger, and not peeling at all.  I'm not using any nail polish nor remover (chemicals).

Growing up I had this problem with my nails, and growing up I never ate salads nor greens.  I grew up a spaghetti-O's and hot dog kid, as well as quick casseroles using canned/boxed processed food.  No offense to my Mom, but it was those types of foods.

Over the course of the last 8-9 years, since we have moved into our homesteading/self-sufficient lifestyle, I love home grown greens and vegetables (which I hated growing up, or never even tried). My kids would never eat salad when they were younger, nor eat their vegetables. Now they do, and they enjoy the greens in their breakfast meal.  I add them to organic brown rice, sauces, and where ever else I can sneak them in.

So, it's hard to tell if it's the increase in greens, and green vegetables, or the nuts, or both.  Either way, I'm very happy to see a change in both my nails and my metabolism. I wish I just new all this way back in the day, when I started having kids.  I would have eaten them, knowing what I know now.  
 

8 comments:

Mama Pea said...

None of us can change our pasts, but we can make sure our "now" and future years are better! And you do a wonderful job of that. Good nutrition is so, so, so important to not only growing kiddos but to adults, too. Problem is it all takes lots of organization and planning for the homemaker in the house to procure and cook that kind of food. In a lot of instances, it's certainly not as "convenient" or cheap than buying a can of Spaghetti-O's but vital if we want to either regain or maintain our health. And we all know if we don't have good health, not much else matters.

P.S. We eat our two Brazil nuts a day, too!

Kim said...

Very informative post. My thyroid is in the same boat as yours and my vitamin D was low. I was taking a calcium supplement with D but it was not helping. The best way to get D is from the sun and your body will make your own but with the use of sunscreens we mess that up. I discovered that without the proper D level our bodies cannot use iodine and other trace minerals which are needed for the proper thyroid function.

So your post is something I need to ponder and study on.

Thanks for posting

Susan said...

This is good to know, Kristina. I have the same problem with my nails. I know I lack fresh greens during the winter - since I try to just eat from what I produce, but it looks like I may be upping my four season gardening efforts now.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, I'm just glad that something I did change made a noticeable difference. I do have family that makes fun of my opinions and thoughts on non-gmo foods, but I try to just ignore them.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kim, I had been taking a calcium supplement prior to this time, and stopped taking it completely for a non-gmo multi-vitamin. I'm just amazed at the difference so far. Hubby's sugar levels are great as well, and he's losing weight with no intentional exercise with the added vegetables. I make extra, so he has time for a healthy breakfast when he gets up for work so early.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Susan, I have plans to blanch and freeze as many greens as I can this summer. I just got my kale planted. I do have to have the grocer order in my organic dandelions (until we get a dog fence built), but it's worth it to me.

RB said...

Good to know all this. Nuts and greens. Who knew.
They're good for us whether they're the reason for good nails or not.
God bless.
RB
<><

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

RB, the combination for me is working, so I don't want to stop eating the nuts to see if it's just the greens or plain balance in my diet. I've not had nails like this in my entire life. And I am losing some weight now, which is good. I feel so much better overall.