Tips To Have Healthy Natural Fingernails

Today’s world appearance seems to play an important role. So people have started to care every part of the body from head to toe. Great looking nails have become a part of looking good. As a result lots of b nails salons and artificial nails have come up.

The main purpose of the nails is to protect the fingertips and toes but their color, texture, strength and appearance are indicators of individual’s health condition. For diseases, like diabetes, emphysema and heart diseases symptoms can be seen in the nails.

Finger nails are made up of protein called keratin. The key to healthy and strong nails is to combines vitamins, herbs and other supplements and build up Keratin. But to have strong nails and healthy balanced diet is required. But with people going on diets and weight reduction, they fail to take in the required quantity of nutrition and this gets reflected in all parts of the body including nails.

Protein and Calcium are good for stronger nails

Proteins help to build up calcium in the nails. They are found in fish, chicken and red meat. Vegetarians could have protein and calcium supplements instead of these. For the body to get the requisite amount of proteins, it’s necessary to have 8 ounces of any of the above every day.

Calcium is required for strong bones and fingernails. Deficiency in calcium leads to brittle nails and bones and ragged cuticles. It’s recommended for pregnant women, menopausal women and those indulging in weight reduction diet.

Nutritious diet is essential

• To strengthen fingernails silica containing herbs like horsetail, oatstraw and nettle should be included in the diet. Amino acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin B can be combined with biotin to build up Keratin. Vitamin B helps to get rid of the ridges in the nails. Applying herbs and oils on the surface of the nails helps in having good set of nails. Flaxseed or evening primrose oil helps to protect the nails from cracking. Alum and water applied as paste will treat ingrown nails. Fungus could be removed using tea tree oil.

• Other important supplements are biotin which is water-soluble Vitamin B and iron which are useful when nails become brittle. Inclusion of Zinc will remove the white spots from the nails. It’s common among women to face Zinc deficiency just before their periods.

• Most pregnant women are recommended pre-natal vitamins as they are combination of the necessary vitamins, minerals, iron and protein for healthy baby. Although the heavy dose of calcium in it aimed at healthy nails for the baby the mother nails too grow well.

• Here is list of recommended doses of vitamins and other minerals required per day. but the doctors should be consulted before begin on any course of vitamin supplements. Calcium: 1200 mg, Biotin: 2500 mg, Iron: 60 mg., Zinc: 50 mg.

General care for healthy and natural nails

Physically taking care of the nails helps in maintaining them like wearing rubber gloves when working in water or chemicals, using hands and nails lotion, cuticle cream on ragged cuticles, applying moisturizing cream at night on the hands and covering it with cotton gloves.