02-18-25 - Study Claims That How Fast Your Fingernails Grow Is An Indicator Of Your Health And How Long You'll Live

Summary

Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona

Episode: 02-18-25 - Study Claims That How Fast Your Fingernails Grow Is An Indicator Of Your Health And How Long You'll Live

Release Date: February 18, 2025
Host: John Holmberg
Co-hosts: Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo

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Introduction to Fingernail Growth as a Health Indicator

In this episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness, host John Holmberg and his co-hosts delve into a fascinating and somewhat unconventional study from Australia that suggests the speed at which your fingernails grow could be a significant indicator of your overall health and longevity. The discussion intertwines scientific insights with the hosts' characteristic humor and personal anecdotes, making for an engaging exploration of the topic.

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Exploring the Australian Study

Bret Vesely introduces the study around the [02:38] mark, highlighting its origins and key findings:

"A doctor in Australia just found out that your fingernails are going to be a sign of how long you'll live." [02:52]

He elaborates on the study's premise, explaining that Dr. Sinclair, an Australian academic, has discovered that the rate of fingernail growth correlates with the body's ability to generate new healthy cells. Faster nail growth is associated with a younger biological age and better health.

"The health of your nails can tell a lot about the rate in which your body generates new healthy cells. And the quicker this takes, the better." [03:00]

The study, which commenced in 1979, involved attaching measuring tapes to participants' nails to track growth rates over the years. It was observed that after the age of 30, fingernail growth slows by approximately 0.5% each year, correlating with declines in overall health.

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Implications for Longevity and Personal Reflections

The hosts engage in a lively discussion about the implications of these findings. Bret humorously doubts the practicality of the study's conclusions:

"So you can start to realize it. Which means I'm gonna live forever because I grow Nosferatu nails in, like, two days." [04:05]

John Holmberg adds his skepticism by comparing the fingernail growth indicator to car gauges:

"Maybe it's just like an oil meter thing. What do they call that thing on your car, that oil?" [07:59]

The conversation shifts to personal habits related to nail care, with Bret and John sharing anecdotes about their nail-trimming routines and reflecting on how these habits might humorously correlate with their lifespans.

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Further Discussions on Nail Health

The topic of nail health broadens as the hosts discuss common nail issues, such as fungal infections and the importance of maintaining healthy nails:

"Yellow is a fungal issue. Don't do that." [06:00]

Bret shares his struggles with yellowing toenails and the challenges of addressing them, emphasizing the potential link between nail appearance and overall health.

The conversation also touches upon the anatomy of nails, clarifying misconceptions about cuticles and the significance of different parts of the nail in determining health indicators.

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Humorous Interludes and Community Engagement

Throughout the episode, the hosts intersperse their scientific discussion with humorous banter and jokes. For instance, John and Bret engage in a playful debate about the term "edging," leading to lighthearted moments that showcase the show's entertaining dynamic.

Additionally, the hosts promote a local event at Action Rod Shop, encouraging listeners to participate in community activities and engage with local businesses:

"Brett will be edging out there at Action Rod shop on Saturday. 11am to 1." [10:05]

This segment underscores the show's commitment to fostering a sense of community among its listeners.

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Concluding Thoughts on Fingernail Growth and Health

As the episode winds down, Bret reflects on the significance of the study, blending humor with a touch of seriousness:

"We've had that for a while. The death clock will come out. The questions, that's just a thing that guesses." [06:29]

The hosts collectively encourage listeners to pay attention to their fingernail growth as a potential indicator of their health, albeit with a humorous acknowledgment of the study's unconventional nature.

"Look at your hands and assess your life. The radio has spoken." [09:26]

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Key Takeaways

• Fingernail Growth as a Health Indicator: The Australian study suggests that faster fingernail growth correlates with better health and longer lifespan due to higher rates of healthy cell generation.

• Study Details: Initiated in 1979, the study tracked nail growth rates, finding a 0.5% annual decrease in growth post-30 years of age, associated with declining health.

• Practical Implications: While the study offers an intriguing perspective, the hosts approach it with skepticism and humor, highlighting the need for a balanced view on unconventional health indicators.

• Community and Engagement: The episode reinforces the show's role in engaging the local community through event promotions and relatable discussions.

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Notable Quotes

• Bret Vesely: "The quicker this takes, the better." [03:00]
• John Holmberg: "Look at your hands and assess your life. The radio has spoken." [09:26]
• Bret Vesely: "Mine just fell off. If you don't have any fingernails, goodbye." [08:35]

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Holmberg's Morning Sickness successfully blends scientific discussion with the hosts' trademark humor and personal insights. By exploring the unconventional link between fingernail growth and health, the show invites listeners to think critically about everyday indicators of well-being, all while maintaining an entertaining and engaging atmosphere.

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Tune in to Holmberg's Morning Sickness weekdays from 5:30 AM to 10:00 AM on 98 KUPD (97.9FM) or visit www.98kupd.com to catch more insightful and entertaining discussions.

Transcript

[Dick Toledo]

It's Dick Toledo and new customers right now on FanDuel. Get $150 in bonus bets when your first $5 wager wins. Just visit FanDuel.com KUPD to grab $150 in college hoops bonus bets with a winning $5 bet and prepare for March on FanDuel America's 1 Sportsbook 21 plus in President Arizona first online real money wager only $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as non withdrawable bonus bets which expire seven days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See [e-mail] gambling problem call 1-800-next-step or text next step to 2. You thought that was funny.

[Brett]

You were laughing like a hyena when he said it. What the hell is wrong with you? Ah, I saw a thing. That is because I just did it myself when Buck Cherry because I I like the way you with me. I I just did that singing along. I saw this girl singing a song on, I don't know, somebody sent a tick tock thing. Probably one of you idiots sent me something and then like I don't have TikTok so I can't. Like a lot of times it's hard to open, but same with me. But sometimes it does. And then you can get like you scroll and there's a couple other videos where there was this she was an attractive young lady in her car and she was singing a song. I don't know, but the N word was in it a lot. And she was a cute blonde white girl. And every time. And she's lip syncing it, but every time the N word came up, she just kind of did a little pursed lips thing. Oops. She didn't do the word. But she was like big on making it. Why do a lip sync video to make it look like you're singing along if you're not gonna do all the work, Pick a better song and. But she didn't beep it out. I find that hilarious. But I just edited myself and thought of whoever that person was.

[Brady]

It's funny though, doing this for so long. When you hear, when you hear like the album version somewhere, you're like, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Brett]

They say it. I like the way you with me. That's how I know the song.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Brett]

Here'S something that's Remember the old joke says one of the signs, this is true of low IQ and mental r wordation, as they used to call it, only they said retardation, I'm not allowed to. But one of the what was the Word again R. Wordation. Okay. But it's retardation stands for retard. It's like the way identification IDs our word is retarded. So but one of the signs of it medically was, and I don't know if you guys know this was that if you have a lot of hair on your knuckles or around your knuckles, right? So if you had a lot of that and the second sign was looking for it. So then you just wait for the person to look and then you get them. That means you're hahaha. This new thing, it's a great job, you can pull it on chicks even to this day. But you got to be as, you got to sell it as good. You know, medically it's true, it's a proven fact that you're and follow up.

[John]

With you, you know, you're a good swimmer if your hand is bigger than.

[Brett]

Your face and then you smash. But I don't like the physical laugh. You don't follow up with I never was into the Catskill pie in the face type laughs. I don't like people to be injured, I just like them to feel terrible about themselves. So yeah, you do. The, you know, sign of being retarded is you have hairy knuckles and then inevitably someone will look. And the second major sign is, and it's confirmation is that you're actually looking for it. Oh, you're a dummy. And it's even better when someone doesn't get it. Kind of like Brett just now, but this new thing just happened and it got me this morning. You want to know how long you're going to live. And this is not a joke. How long you're going to live. A doctor in Australia just found out your your fingernails are going to be a sign of how long you live. Now I'm always skeptical of a poorly written headline because it says top longevity doctor says your fingernails are a major sign of how long you'll live for. That's just bad grammar. But here's how it is if you find it says this Australian born academic has revealed that you can gain insight into how much fuel is left in your body by keeping an eye on your fingernails. The rate of nail growth is a good indicator in how you're aging or not aging. Every time you cut your nails, think to yourself, how long ago did I do this? The health of your nails can tell a lot about the rate in which your body generates new healthy cells. And the quicker this takes, the better. So Dr. Sinclair as a name said speedy cell turnover Means that you will have younger biological age as you mature in life. They've been doing this since 1979, so it's a fairly legitimate study at this point. They glued little measuring tapes onto people's nails and measured them over the years and found that the weekly rate of fingernail growth decreased about 0.5% each year after everybody turned 30. So you can look at, like, thousands of people like they have now and determined who's healthier and who's not. And when their body started to stop making fingernails more like it was slow growth, they started to notice massive decreases in health. So you can start to realize it. Which means I'm gonna live forever because I grow Nosferatu nails in, like, two days. Yeah, I'm pretty dumb. I'm clipping like crazy. I'm nibbling, because it doesn't every other week.

[John]

Probably. It's about a two. Two weeks.

[Brett]

I got a trick minor. I'm not kidding. I. I have white shown. I did it yesterday like that. Like, I clip the white away. I don't know what that's called. And I try to clip it. My dad bites his nails down so far that his skin is growing like they're. He's got little tiny nails. My. Look at that. They're already, like, starting to show. What? I trimmed off yesterday, My nails. I'm gonna live, too. How about that? I. I don't want to live that long. I'm ready to phone it in any time now. And now all these studies are like, no, you got it. It's totally healthy. So take a look at it. Give yourself a pat on the back if you've got a decent set of claws. And as you get older, your body produces less carrot, and your fingernails become fragile. If they're fragile and they're growing slow, you got maybe a week left. I'm not a doctor, but that's what I.

[John]

And they're yellow.

[Brett]

Well, yellow is a fungal issue. Don't do that. Although I am having trouble with that in my big toes right now.

[Kirby]

I don't know how that is.

[Brett]

I'm dipping them in, like, peroxide and stuff, but it doesn't help. I have to go see one of those Koreans. It doesn't hurt until it hurts. I ain't going. But they're not, like, bright yellow, But I've noticed they're no longer, like, glowing. And I think it's because I want to ride my bike in the shoes. It starts to hurt. Yeah, I think I do damage.

[John]

So now we get two things. The fingernail sign, death clock.

[Brett]

Co. Well, we've had that for a while. The death clock will come out. The questions, that's just a thing that guesses. And then you go back and change your answer.

[John]

Multiple people about like, I'm not doing it.

[Brett]

They don't want to know. Yeah. So basically it says that if you have fast growing fingernails, you're going to live a lot longer than your slow growing partner. So, Brady. Or every two weeks you say, let's step it up. Let's get you to once a week. Now you got to start being a little healthier. I'm dying once a week. I'm minimum once a week. And it's annoying. Like, I'll sit and go, are you kidding me? I just trimmed the like right now this. The left hand is screaming. The right hand's not nearly as. My pinky finger needs trimming again. I did it yesterday and I did a good job.

[John]

Yeah, I did mine.

[Brett]

It's crazy Saturday, so I'm gonna live to be like 110 because. And I don't want to. Is there any way I can pass this on to someone else? It's crazy, but yeah, that's a new thing. So if that comes down to like, it's amazing when you start looking at stuff and they're like, oh, we just figured this out in 1979. You're. Maybe your fingernails are the like, maybe that's their whole purpose. Because otherwise I really don't know what they do. I don't know what's happening and stuff. They're in kind of a weird spot. They don't really protect anything. They help me open things now and again, but I really don't come in handy for that. So maybe it's just. Maybe all they are is some sort of like they way like an oil meter thing. What do they call that thing on your car, that oil?

[Kirby]

The measures.

[Brady]

Your gauge?

[Brett]

Yeah. Yeah.

[John]

The life. The oil life.

[Brett]

Yeah. What does. Doesn't have a name. There's a car guy. Like there's a tachometer speedometer. Oil doesn't have its own name. No kidding.

[Brady]

No. Just because it's just, well, oil pressure gauge. I mean, I guess.

[Brett]

Yeah. That's kind of basic, isn't it?

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Brett]

Like tachometer. That has a purpose. Oil pressure.

[Dick Toledo]

Yeah.

[Brady]

You're checking your oil pressure. If you got no oil pressure, your motor's going to blow up.

[Brett]

It should be known as a gink off at her or something like that. Anyway, typical. If we just now found out, oh, it's just the Your fingernails will tell you how you're doing. You don't need doctors anymore.

[John]

Mine just fell off.

[Brett]

If you don't have any fingernails, goodbye. Isn't that weird? I hate reading that stuff. Because cuticle. That's what it's called. Thank you. Cuticles are the white parts of the top of your finger. And I'm trimming the tar out of these. And they grow back the next goddamn day.

[John]

Oh, I thought those were okay. I thought the cute cuticle was the base. I don't know.

[Brett]

No, that's something else.

[Kirby]

Take it to the base.

[Brett]

No, is cuticle. Is cuticle the bottom part? He smashed back in.

[John]

That's what I thought, but I don't.

[Brett]

Know what it is. I've never paid attention to him, but evidently they're the lifeblood of your. Your future. So I've got. The fun thing about this was. And many of you were thinking, what the hell? I've just made thousands of people in Phoenix look at their hands for a few seconds and wonder how long they're gonna live.

[Kirby]

The power I wield. The power over you. Look at your hands.

[John]

Cuticle refers to the skin of the base of your hand.

[Brett]

Yeah, that's the base. Okay, so that's not right. I don't know what the hell the top of it's called. Who cares?

[Kirby]

All listeners now look at your hands and assess your life. The radio has spoken.

[John]

What we trim is the distal edge.

[Brett]

Oh, thank you. So you're basically edging your fingers. Brady, go home and look up edging. You're never gonna be the same afterwards.

[Brady]

Don't look it up. A. Kirby, though.

[John]

You've told me that for years.

[Brett]

Edging is great.

[John]

Look it up.

[Brett]

And you haven't, I think.

[John]

I thought you showed me.

[Brett]

I never showed you that. Yeah, you shut your mouth. Wow. You shut your whore mouth. I've never shown you edging. Seriously, John, it must have been really drunk. Now's a good time to show me that edging thing you're always on about.

[John]

Wait, wait. Ready?

[Brett]

Watch this.

[John]

Watch this.

[Brett]

Google edging. You're a man if you can pull that off. And you're a great lady. Or partner if you are willing to be part of it. Speaking of, Brett will be edging out there at Action Rod shop on Saturday. 11am to 1. Hey. Spend enough money.

[Brady]

That's true.

[Brett]

Uh, it's on Power and McDowell. It's Action Ride Shop's new place. And you can win. Listen to the stuff Josh has out there. Win a Haro Steel Reserve Dirt jumper. One lucky Person's going to take that home. That's awesome. Pivot demo is on site. If you don't know what a Pivot bike is yet, you haven't lived. If you're. If you're into the world of biking, you've never ridden a Pivot. They're just ridiculous. Top tier. And they're local. Tempe, it's a great company. They're world famous now. They win all the awards. They're amazing bikes and they've got everything. The trail cat that they just started is coming out February 4th, just came out this month. They got steel.

[John]

Is that like a BMX bike? What is that?

[Brady]

It's a. It's a hardtail. So it's a mountain bike, but it's.

[Brett]

A mountain bike without a. Without suspension. And then you get grand opening stuff like crazy. So head on out there. I'm going to go out there, too. Brett. What? You're going to 11?

[Kirby]

Yep.

[Brett]

All right, I'll meet you out there. 11 o'clock till one action ride shop. I don't go to that side of town for anything.

[Brady]

You don't even go out there for Hopkins?

[Brett]

Hell no. Do you know how many fun, cool people I pass to get all the way to Hopkins house? I love Doug. He's great, but my God, just to go eat. I've passed all the food the city has to offer by the time I get out to his place, so I don't drive out that direction too often. But I'm gonna go out there on Saturday with Bert and we're gonna check out those Pivot bikes. Oh, they're so cool. Plus we'll have all the KUPD stuff and Disturbed tickets. Gonna talk to Dave Dreaming on Friday as well. So join Brett if he lives that long. I don't know. His fingernails seem to be telling us he won't be around. Brady might not make it. His nails are no longer months. I haven't trimmed my nails in two years and they're like, doughy now. So trim your nails today and then start doing the math, because evidently that's good science now. And now it's something else to think about.

[Kirby]

The radio has spoken. Look at your hands. Look at your hands. Look at them.

[Brett]

And don't. And don't trim them just because you think it's good. That trimming them isn't the thing. It's how fast they grow back.

[John]

A lot of bloody hands today.

[Brett]

We'll take a look on Saturday. Yeah, we'll see. And then Brady will show it. Brady will come out and edge your fingers, your distal tips. We got hot releases coming up next. Edge me. It's 98, Arizona's most powerful, powerful rock radio station.