Health: Hair, Skin & Nails, Part 10

From last week's Health installment: If you don’t have a scrub for exfoliation, a teaspoon of sugar or oatmeal will do the trick just fine. If you don’t have a mask handy, mashed banana, avocado or plain yogurt will work just fine.

NAILS

The nail is made from a hard protein called keratin. Protein is one of the building blocks which make up the body. As with the hair skin, your fingernails are affected by your health. Some basic things which will help maintain the health of your fingernails are: remove nail polish on a weekly basis, shape the file with an emery board (filing from corner to center), soak hands in warm, soapy water to remove dirt underneath fingernails, use cuticle oil, apply clear nail polish, and apply hand lotion regularly.

TIPS FOR THE NAIL

• A good time to do a manicure is after a shower, a bath or doing the dishes. This is because these activities remove the dirt completely from underneath your fingernails.
• Nail polish thinner can be used to thin out nail polish that has become too thick.
• Keep your nail polish in the refrigerator, it makes it last longer.
• Don’t use nail polish remover more than once a week. Nail polish remover dries your nails out. Dry nails are weakened and can easily crack, peel and split, more so than hydrated nails.
• After washing your hands, apply a cream or hand lotion. Be certain to use one which contains lanolin, as that is a key ingredient to long lasting lotion. Keep your hands and nails hydrated as much as possible, using a cuticle oil just before going to bed.
• Biotin, a vitamin, makes nails stronger in animals. Some studies suggest the same result might occur in humans. One thing is for certain, biotin is critical for the hair. If you are biotin deficient many things will occur in your body. Your hair will fall out, your nails will grow weak and your skin will turn gray. Biotin can be found at your local health food store. Biotin does not build up in the body, the excess is flushed out in the urine.
• A hand massage will boost your circulation and encourage nail growth. That the definitive reason to receive hand massages, the other would be that it feels incredible and you are worth pampering. Even with something as simple as this.
• Use rubber gloves when doing dishes or cleaning. This will protect hands from the unusually harsh effects of detergents and cleaners. It will also save money on professional manicures, hand lotions, and cuticle oil.
• Warm a cup of milk in the microwave for thirty seconds (or until warm, but comfortable to the touch). Soak your hands for five minutes to strengthen nails and hydrate skin. Not only is milk loaded with lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that gently exfoliates dead skin, but its high calcium content will strengthen fragile nails.Conclusion
  

What have we learned over the last nine installments? We’ve learned if we don’t take care of our bodies we won’t look good. Weight, hair, skin, nails . . . all of it are indicators of poor health. So, in essence, eat right, exercise, pay particular attention to the signs your hair, skin and nails are giving you and act accordingly.

It’s not a terribly difficult thing to take care of yourself. But it does require more attention than a passing thought as you rush home from work via the McDonalds window. Apply yourself a little and you’ll be happy with the results.

Best of luck, and remember, take care of your body and it will reward you by looking good.

Check in next Thursday for the next installment in health.

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