Nails, a window to your health

I used to think about fingernails only in terms of appearance. Painting them wasn’t for me because I didn’t want to draw attention to my stubby fingers.

Then three recent emails arrived linking nails to a myriad of unhealthy conditions. That my nails break easily may be not just a cosmetic liability. 

“There are hundreds of medical conditions, disorders, and diseases that may cause nail changes,” Mayo Clinic dermatologist Dawn Davis said in a clinic newsletter. “Fingernails are a window to your health.”

A natural, nonstatin approach to lowering cholesterol

Last month the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association issued new cholesterol guidelines. Among other advice is a recommendation against taking natural supplements to lower cholesterol because there is not enough evidence in their favor. 

I’m not a doctor, but I think my experience qualifies me to disagree. Two natural supplements — bergamot and red yeast rice — worked for me. 

Old cook, new tricks

I’ve never had a cooking lesson and don’t watch cooking shows, so a lot of kitchen knowledge bypassed me. I’ve managed to feed myself for a half-century, but there’s still a lot I could learn. Skimming a gift for my sister, Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything: The Basics, I picked up tips.