Homemade Remedies for Damaged Fingernails
My grandmother used to tell me that if your fingernails aren’t healthy-looking, then neither is your body. Guess what? Grandma was right. Take a good look at your fingernails. Do you see white spots or streaks on any of them? That’s an indication that your body isn’t getting enough calcium, zinc, and protein. A homemade remedy for this problem is to add more lean poultry and fish to your diet. Eat and drink more dairy products too. And, make sure you get enough whole grains in your diet also.
If your fingernails are brittle and they break easily, then a homemade remedy for this problem is to add more biotin in your daily diet. Biotin, which is a member of the Vitamin B family, helps circumvent fingernails cracking and breaking. Where can you find biotin? In egg yolk, liver, Brewer’s yeast, cauliflower, lentils, soybeans, peanuts, and walnuts.
Water, believe-it-or-not, is an enemy to your fingernails. Because, your nails tend to absorb water when you wash dishes, for example. This absorption makes them expand and contract and makes them weaker. You should drink plenty of water every day to keep your body hydrated and your fingernails in good shape. Staying hydrated will help prevent your nails from chipping off. But, when you wash the dishes or perform other tasks that keep your hands in water for an extended period of item, you should protect them from the water by wearing rubber gloves. Wearing rubber gloves will also protect your fingernails from harsh dishwashing detergents.
Do you have a problem with painful hangnails? Another homemade remedy for damaged fingernails is to make sure you get enough Vitamin C in your daily diet. Citrus fruits are a wonderful source of this vitamin that helps prevents hangnails. Tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, and hot chili peppers also contain Vitamin C.
Soaking your fingernails is another homemade remedy for damaged fingernails. Before you think about picking up a bottle of a soaking product at your local drugstore, look in your kitchen cupboard instead for a homemade remedy. Vegetable or pure olive oil works better because neither contain alcohol or other artificial ingredients that can dry out and further hurt damaged nails.
You can either pour some vegetable or pure olive into a small bowl and soak your damaged fingernails. Or, you can simply brush some of the oil onto your fingernails. Then, massage the oil into your fingers and nails.
To help repair damaged fingernails, another homemade remedy you can use is petroleum jelly. Rub some petroleum jelly onto your nails and around the cuticles before you go to bed. This remedy will keep your nails hydrated. The rubbing will also promote healthy circulation that can help repair damaged fingernails.
And finally, until you have repaired your damaged fingernails by using these homemade remedies, keep your nails trimmed short so they are less likely to break or crack. The best time to trim your nails is after bathing. Or, after you have soaked them and they are soft and pliable.
