Strong Nails is one of the best indicators of good health. While it is very important to take care of your facial skin, taking care of your hands and nails is also, as important. 

How healthy are your nails?

Take a close look at your fingernails. How healthy do they look? Healthy nails do not have pits and grooves and often appear smooth. They have a consistent color and are free of spots.

On the contrary, if you spot ridges, dents, and discoloration on your nails, you are definitely not giving them much attention.  

It is important to know that most undesirable nail conditions can be avoided naturally by proper care and a positive change in habits.

Causes of weak nails?

The reasons for unhealthy nails can be attributed to lack of care, use of too many commercial products on nails or some form of deficiency such as Vitamin B, Calcium and/or Iron deficiency.

Shared below are 5 ways through which you can naturally care for your nails at home.

1. Reduced exposure to water:

An increase in water exposure can make your nails weak and brittle. While it is impossible not to wet your hands at all, the frequency can definitely be reduced. We suggest wearing gloves while washing the dishes and keeping your hands out of water as much as you can, especially while taking a bath.

In case you can’t avoid wetting your hands, make sure you dry your nails properly so that no moisture is left.

2. A Balanced Diet:

A good diet pattern solves many health problems, and nail health is definitely included.  Eat a healthy diet which includes a variation of multivitamin with minerals. If your diet does not contain crucial vitamins and minerals, it can affect your entire body — including your nails. A good mix of all minerals can be found in meat, poultry, fish and eggs.

Also make sure that you are taking enough Biotin, which can be found in sardines, cooked eggs, and legumes. In case the biotin in your food is not enough, you can also replenish your biotin levels through supplements.

3. Check your iron levels::

Iron levels are immediate measurements of how much blood or hemoglobin your body has. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. One important sign of low hemoglobin is unhealthy nails. If your iron levels are low, you will have brittle or spoon-shaped nails, also known as koilonychias.

Iron deficiency can usually be sorted by an upgrade in diet pattern. Sometimes, when the levels are too low, you might have to take iron supplements.

4. Stay hydrated:

If you want your nails to be healthy make sure that you drink lots of water! Maintaining your hydration levels is good for your nail heath just like it is important for your overall body health.  Drinking enough water helps retain the moisture level of your nails and keep them strong. Without adequate moisture, nails are easily prone to breakage, brittleness and can also easily peel.

5. Do not overgrow your nails:

The shorter your nails are, the lesser the chances of them being chipped or cracked. If your nails are long, they easily break, can be uneven in shape and size, and also have increased chances of being caught up on things.

Also, it is easy to maintain Nail Hygiene if your nails are short. This is because long nails are often prone to give rise to bacteria build up and spread infections that adversely affect nails in the long run.