Vitamins and minerals may not be top of mind when you first start thinking about nail health – but guess what, they do play a role!
Along with a healthy diet, full of vitamins and minerals, switching up your nail care routine with these simple tips can make a world of difference for your nails.
Whole Foods diet
First and foremost, good skin and nail health is linked to a healthy digestive system that can assimilate nutrients – and a whole foods diet full of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Make sure your diet is filled with a variety of vegetables, fruit, proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Probiotics will help keep your gut healthy – because after all, digestion is everything!
Biotin
In addition to a well rounded, whole foods diet, B Vitamins, particularly Vitamin B7 (Biotin) have been shown to help improve nail health. Biotin rich foods include cauliflower, avocado, sweet potatoes and many seeds and nuts.
Filing
This may seem like an obvious one but you should file your nails at least once a week. While this will help maintain your shape (bonus!), it will also help prevent knicks from starting in the sides and contributing to subsequent nail breaks. Spending a couple of minutes gently filing over the sides of your nails will make a big difference in the long run. Make sure not overfile them or file too hard – this will be counter productive.
Keep your cuticles healthy
Much like the rest of the skin on your body, cuticles need to be moisturized. There are plenty of cuticle oils and moisturizers available on the market but you can actually use coconut oil and reap the same benefits. You also want to avoid cutting down your cuticles (which we realize is probably the opposite of what happened during your last manicure!). Cutting your cuticles can actually lead to infection, and all around is unnecessary – especially if you keep them healthy and moisturized.
Fewer trips to the salon
This one may be hard to swallow – who doesn’t love a beautiful shellac manicure? Unfortunately, even non-shellac manicures can be damaging for your nails. Did you know that many nail polishes actually contain formaldehyde? All the chemicals, shellac and acetone may actually be contributing to your nails becoming damaged and brittle.
Natural Nail Polish
Yes, this is a thing. If you’re anything like us, you probably don’t want to completely give up manicures and natural nail polish and this is a great solution. There are many natural and organic nail polishes available, that don’t contain harsh chemicals (like formaldehyde) and won’t damage your nails as much. Some of them also don’t require harsh nail polish removers to remove them as well!
As with everything in life, moderation is key. If you have a celebration coming up and want to head to the salon, have fun and don’t beat yourself up over it.
Nutrition On Top 