Tired of the dry brittle, and splitting nails? 

Foods that heal your nails

Want to do something to fix your nails? Obviously, you do, or you wouldn't be here.

I'm sure you already know there is a bottle of pills that claim to fix your nail and hair health, a bottle called biotin.  Biotin is just part of the problem with brittle nails and dull hair. Pills are never the fix-all, they are just a temporary solution to enhance your diet when you aren't getting the correct nutrients.  

Most people will not want to hear the ugly truth about this fix but I’m going to tell you anyway; you need to fix your diet!  Bottles of pills will never give you what a food can.  Food is fuel. When you put bad gas into your car you can expect lousy results and dirty exhaust, the same goes for bad food. 

The best part of healthy nails is a real change in your diet. There are a lot of diets out there that claim to be the best. Choose the one that concentrates on macronutrients, whole foods, and steers you away from junk. 

Foods high in biotin will greatly improve your nail health but remember, nails grow slowly! If you think you're going to see a quick solution in just 30 days you'd be wrong. You're going to need permanent changes for lasting results. 

What foods are excellent sources of biotin?

• Swiss Chard (one of my favorites in a salad!)
• Most nuts, especially almonds and walnuts
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Carrots
• Halibut or salmon
• Liver 
• And many other vegetables
• Cooked eggs
• Bananas
• Sweet potatoes
• Avocados 

As you can see from that list, it all starts with a whole healthy diet. To have healthy nails you'll have to fix yourself from the inside out. 

If you're like me you'll want to also educate yourself on why our bodies lose so much biotin in the first place since lack of biotin is one of the big reasons why people have brittle nails in the first place. 

Foods that cause a loss of biotin:

• Alcoholism
• Inflammatory bowel disease 
• Smoking
• Prolonged use of antibiotics
• Raw eggs (cooked eggs kills the protein in raw eggs that blocks the absorption of biotin)
• Some medications (talk with your doctor or pharmacist)
• Pregnancy

Tips for Dealing with Splitting Cuticles 

Healthy, nicely groomed fingernails say something about a person. They show attention to detail. Besides, who wants to deal with the headache of dry, peeling cuticles. Splitting cuticles are a common problem - particularly if you work in a profession where your hands are exposed to harsh chemicals and water. Ragged, peeling cuticles are not only unattractive, they can be painful. Need guidance? Here are some tips for turning damaged cuticles into healthy ones.

  

The Causes of Splitting Cuticles 

  

The most common cause of splitting, peeling cuticles is a lack of moisture. When you expose your hands to harsh chemicals or repeatedly place them in soap and water, it dries them out and leads to unsightly splitting and peeling. Another way cuticles become damaged is when you trim them with scissors. Trimming cuticles not only damages them - it increases the risk of a cuticle infection called paronychia, which can be quite painful. Some people also pick at their cuticles which cause them to split and peel.

  
How to Deal with Damaged Cuticles: Stop Trimming Them 

  

It's important to stop trimming damaged cuticles with scissors and avoid picking at them. If the cuticles are covering too much of your fingernail, use an orange stick to gently push them back after soaking them in warm water. Then apply a light oil such as olive oil to the cuticle for softening. Never try to push your cuticles back aggressively or use any type of instrument that isn't sterile. This will only increase the risk of infection. Once your cuticles are groomed, apply a layer of cuticle moisturizing cream to give them added protection against dryness. If you're in a bind, you can use petroleum jelly as a cuticle moisturizer.

  

For Healthy Cuticles, Keep Hands and Cuticles Moist 

  

If you expose your hands to chemicals or soap, wear rubber gloves.

Repeated exposure to water, soaps, and chemicals leads to dryness and further damages already damaged cuticles. Use restraint when grooming your fingernails. Pushing back the cuticles too often increases the risk of irritation, splitting, and peeling. Do it only as often as necessary.

  

Damaged Cuticles and the Risk of Infection 
  

Monitor for any pain or swelling around your cuticles. These signs can indicate a paronychia or cuticle infection. Look for signs of redness or drainage from the nail. If you see any, contact your doctor. Some paronychias are caused by fungi and will respond to anti-fungal medications, while others are bacterial and need an oral antibiotic prescribed by a doctor. In severe cases, a cuticle infection may need to be drained by a doctor.

  

Splitting Cuticles: The Bottom Line?

The key to preventing peeling cuticles is to keep them moist and avoid exposing them to trauma.

• Don't pick at them or overgroom them.
• Wear rubber gloves to shield the hands from soaps and chemicals.
• With the right habits, almost anyone can have healthy cuticles and more beautiful hands.

  

References: 

  

Am Fam Physician. 2001 Mar 15;63(6):1113-1117. 

WebMD. "6 Ways to Care for Your Cuticles" (2014)

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Are you confused about which nail files to use?

Are you a bit overwhelmed at all the choices in the nail file isle? Not sure what exactly you're supposed to use on your nails?

 

Let's go over the what each file is used for.

Your standard nail files in all the pretty colors come in different grits. Grits range anywhere from 80-2400.

What are the grits, and what am I supposed to use?

The lower number of grit, for instance, 80, is very course.  They are mostly used for acrylic nails or sometimes toenails that are extremely thick. The low number of grit isn't meant to be the only file you will use, it's a starter.

What most people use for nails are the "medium" or 180 grit. The 180 grit is perfect for shaping nails but should be followed by a higher number of grit to get rid of any rough edges.

Fine fines range in grit from 240-600 and are best for following up after the above grits to smooth out the rough edges on a nail.

The ultra-fine grits, 600-2400 are used as buffers for the top part of the nail. I'm generally not a fan of buffers but if you don't like to wear nail polish, this may be a good option for you to get your nails shiny.

Nail files also come in glass and steel. These aren't my favorite but they do have an advantage over the general nail files, they can be placed in Barbicide to disinfect them. If you're not sharing your nail files with others, you probably won't need to disinfect them anyway.

Nail drills are also an option for serious nail enthusiasts. They're a bit harsh on the nails, but can be very helpful when applying acrylics. Just be very careful around the nail beds. I have seen some horrible manicures with these things. 

The take away from this article - if you're not sure what to buy, get the cutest "medium" file with the 180 grit, it'll take care of the majority of your needs.

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My Secret for Beautiful Hair and Nails

Remember that old saying, you are what you eat?

Well, it's true! Let me explain...

Three years ago I was having some auto-immune issues and started researching holistic ways to fix them. Throughout my research, I discovered that the stomach issues I was having could possibly be relieved by collagen.

I ate my way to poor health!

If the solution isn't invasive or doesn't cost a lot, I'm always willing to try it in the hopes that it'll help.

So I got onto Amazon and ordered this: Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate

I didn't notice anything the first week or two, but by the time I had finished the canister of Collagen, my stomach issues were subsiding, and my hair was getting crazy long!

So I kept on using the collagen in my morning coffee.

After three months something odd happened, I realized that I actually had to file my nails down. That in itself was unusual, my nails always broke or split. I never really had to trim them because of the breaking and splitting. 

Three years later I am still using the collagen, and my hair and nails are really nice looking. 

On a side note, I did try several different brands of collagen and the Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate worked the best for me.

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A Quick Manicure

While it's always more fun to leave the nail care to a professional, sometimes it's just not possible to get to your nail tech.

Here's how to do a quick manicure to get you by until you can get to your professional nail tech again.

Here are the items you'll need:

• Nail File
• Gentle soap
• Water
• Bowl
• Towel
• Cuticle Clippers
• Orange Stick
• Base Coat
• Nail Polish <--- A fun set of mini OPI's you'll love!
• Top Coat
• Moisturizer <--- I highly recommend this one! 

Step 1

File your nails into your choice of style, but filing them square will keep your nails the strongest. If you have nails that split I highly recommend you file them square rather than oval or pointed.

Step 2

Soak your nails in warm soapy water, being careful to keep a towel nearby to catch drips.

Step 3

After your cuticles have softened, gently push back your cuticles with an orange stick. You may also trim your cuticles if you are confident in your abilities to not cut yourself. If you aren't that great with the cuticle clippers, I suggest you leave that to the professionals.

Step 4

Gently dry your hands by patting dry. Do not rub. Do not apply moisturizer.

Step 5

Apply in this order: Base coat, polish, and then top coat, being careful to let each layer dry in between applications.

Step 6

When all the coats of nail lacquer have dried, apply moisturizer.

Note: the reason for not applying moisturizer before your nail polish is because nail polish doesn't stick well to oiled nails. If you do accidentally get moisturizer or oil on your nails, wipe off with nail polish remover.

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