If your nails are weak, thin, peeling, or snapping, then it is likely that you are suffering from brittle nails. Brittle nails can often develop as you enter menopause due to the imbalance of hormones in your body. Fortunately, there are remedies for brittle nails.
Eat Biotin-Rich Foods
One way to remedy brittle nails is by ensuring you include a sufficient amount of biotin in your diet. Biotin is part of the vitamin B family, and is an essential part of the fight against brittle nails. The best way to consume the recommended amount of biotin is by eating biotin-rich foods, such as cauliflower, avocado, eggs, and liver.
Don't Overuse Your Nails
If you are in the habit of using your nails as handy tools, try to wean yourself out of this habit. Stop yourself from using your finger nails to open cans, find the end of sticky-tape, or peel fruit. Instead, try to use the flats of your fingers or find a different object that you can improvise with. This is one remedy for brittle nails that you can put into immediate effect and enjoy the result of quickly.
Wear Gloves
Stock up on gloves to remedy brittle nails. Rubber, cotton, and winter gloves are essentials in your attempts to remedy brittle nails. Protect your nails with the rubber gloves while you wash the dishes or use harsh cleaning chemicals. Apply moisturizer to your hands before you go to bed, and pop the cotton gloves on. They will stop the cream getting on your bed sheets and make sure your skin and nails get to absorb all the benefits. Finally, winter gloves will not only keep your hands warm but also protect vulnerable nails to the harsh elements of cold weather.
Stay Hydrated
Water improves your body's overall health by cleansing it. Nails don't escape the benefits that drinking a sufficient amount of water can bring. When your body's hydrated, it is healthier, and this shows through your fingernails. Try and aim for at least eight glasses of water a day to help remedy brittle nails.
Take Herbal Remedies
Better, healthier lifestyle choices can make a world of difference to the health of your nails. Adding certain herbal supplements to your diet can also contribute toward remedying brittle nails. Try to include garlic in more meals, and switch your morning coffee for a mug of chamomile tea. Brittle nails during menopause are commonly caused by hormonal imbalance, so hormone-regulating herbal supplements can remedy brittle nails by providing nourishment to the hormonal glands and helping to restore hormone balance
Brittle nails are an irritating, but common, symptom of menopause. Fortunately, through following these five remedies for brittle nails, you can once again make them healthy and strong.
Sources
- Iorizzo, M. , Pazzaglia, M. , M. Piraccini, B. , Tullo, S. & Tosti, A. (2004). Brittle nails. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 3(3), 138-144. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17134428
- National Health Service UK. (2013). Nail Abnormalities. Retrieved August 16, 2013, from http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nail-abnormalities/Pages/Introduction.aspx