Perhaps those street palm readers are onto something after all. A recent study suggests that your hands can actually say a lot about yourself, specially when it comes to your overall health.

When was the last time you really looked at your hands? If it’s been a while, you may want to start studying. Everything from ragged nails to shaky fingers could signal that something may be wrong with your health.

Here are five things your hands can say about your health and what to do about it, according to David E. Bank, MD, and clinical professor of dermatology at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia in NYC.

Image: Provided

1. Shaking hands
While shaking hands can result from too much caffeine, or just the side effect of some medications, you should consider seeing your doctor if your hands are suddenly shaking uncontrollably. This could be a sign of Parkinson’s disease, a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement.

Photo: provided

2. Peeling and Flaky Skin
If the skin on your fingertips is suddenly flaky, you may have a vitamin B deficiency. In addition to taking vitamin B supplements, consider adding niacin-rich foods such as fish, peanuts, and mushrooms, and biotin-rich foods such as avocados and tuna, to your diet. This powerful combination helps to promote healthy skin and nail growth; helps protect and repair skin by preventing the formation of melanin, boosting collagen growth and improving your skin’s natural moisture barrier.

Image; provided

3. Cracked Nails
Weak and cracked nails may be a sign of zinc deficiency. Consider adding zinc-rich foods to you diet, such as wheat germ, oats, nuts, and meat to help with the growth and renewal of skin cells.

4. Blue Fingertips
According to medical experts, fingertips that change in color from white to blue to red can signal Raynaud’s syndrome. This condition causes coldness of the fingers and toes and can be accompanied by pain, numbness and tingling. This condition is treated by “taking prescribed medication, and avoiding emotional stress, smoking, and exposure to cold temperatures,” experts say.

Image; provided

5. A Dark Pigmented Streak
If you see a dark streak in your nail bed, first don’t panic, but seek medical help immediately, experts warn. The mark can indicate an early melanoma. They advise to always remove nail polish before a doctor’s appointment so your nails can be thoroughly evaluated.