10 Ways To Strengthen Hair And Nails
Healthy hair and nails are everyone’s dream because they make you feel better about yourself. In Asian culture, beautiful hair is considered a symbol of beauty for women. As you age, your hair and nails become weak and brittle, and it becomes essential for you to look after them to avoid hair and nail problems.
If you want to learn about why hair and nails get weak and what you can do to strengthen them, then keep reading.
- Hair and nails share a structural protein, keratin, essential for their strength and resilience.
- Omega-3 fats in fish oil can reduce nail brittleness and promote hair growth.
- Low estrogen levels can lead to thinning hair and brittle nails due to hormonal imbalance.
- Stress triggers the hormone cortisol, accelerating hair loss and weakening nails.
- GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) supplements from sources like borage seed oil strengthen both nails and hair.
- Healthy fats, like those in avocados and olive oil, maintain cell membranes and combat dryness.
- A congested liver impacts detoxification, leading to brittle nails and dull hair.
Why Are Your Nails Getting Brittle And Hair Dull?
Poor hair and nails are a clear indication of nutritional deficiency. Nutritional deficiencies occur when you are not consuming enough nutrients your body requires or having issues with malabsorption. Not only hair and nails, but your entire body is affected by a poor diet. Taking a balanced diet every day and dietary supplements can control nutritional deficiencies.
Read on below if you want to learn more about these deficiencies and some shiny nail and healthy hair tips.
Nutritional Deficiency
If your intake of iron, protein and Omega fats is inadequate, you will have weak and dry hair and brittle nails. Protein amino acids are essential to maintain proper body functions. They are the building blocks for healthy nails and hair.
Generally, you must consume at least half your body weight of proteins daily to have good skin, nails, and hair. Most nutritionists recommend adding a portion of lean protein to your every meal. When the level of these three nutrients falls short, your skin starts to sag, nails get brittle, and hair will become thin.
Iron deficiency directly affects hair volume and strength, whereas omega fat deficiency will lead to brittle nails and dry skin. A diet rich in omega 3 and iron can improve hair and nail appearance over time.
Stress
An unhealthy amount of stress can ruin your sleep and increase the “chronic stress” hormone, which is harmful to your hair. This hormone speeds up aging and leads to weakened skin and excessive hair loss. It is crucial to control the triggers that cause stress to improve your hair, nails, and overall health.
Congested Liver
Your liver detoxifies your body and removes harmful toxins, chemicals, and metals. However, if your liver becomes congested, it cannot detoxify your body, which can trigger your body to release toxins via the skin. This results in skin issues such as eczema, acne, and even weak and brittle nails.
Imbalance Of Hormones
Suppose your body deals with hormonal imbalance, especially testosterone and estrogen. You are bound to have weak hair and brittle nails in that case. These two hormones significantly affect growth, metabolism, and development.
Symptoms of low estrogen levels include wrinkled skin, thinning of hair, and acne outbreaks. Low thyroid levels can cause hair loss, brittle nails, and dry skin.
Digestion
What you eat starts to show, so if you eat junk food, you are bound to look unhealthy. You will look good if you eat healthily and maintain a well-balanced diet. Also, digestion issues can lead to spot baldness, inflammation on the skin, and more, which is why you must eat healthy food to keep your nails and hair strong.
How Can You Look After Hair And Nails?
Before we get into further details, let’s discuss what healthy nails and hair look like. Healthy hair is gleaming, thick, and has no split ends. Healthy nails are smooth, have a soft pink nail bed, and are very strong.
Baldness in hair is a hereditary issue unrelated to any of the reasons mentioned above. The good news is that hair loss can be fixed and so read on below to learn all about strengthening your nails and hair today.
Increase Intake Of Healthy Fats
Maintaining healthy cell membranes in your body by consuming healthy fats is essential. People who consume a low-fat or fat-free diet inadvertently damage their hair and nails, making them dry and brittle. For this reason, if you want to strengthen your nails and hair, you must eat more healthy fats.
Try to consume olive oil, avocadoes, nuts, coconut oil, seeds, and butter and add it to every snack you make.
GLA Supplements
GLA stands for gamma-linolenic acid, and this is an essential nutrient needed for healthy hair and nails. However, you cannot get GLA through dietary products alone, so taking supplements allows you to get an adequate amount in your system.
You can also use borage seed oil since it has an exorbitant amount of GLA, and it strengthens your hair by getting rid of split ends and increasing the growth of your nails.
Protein
Hair and nails share a common structural protein called keratin, so you must increase your protein intake. Protein is also the building block for your body, so you must consume adequate amounts by eating fish, chicken, eggs, and meat in every meal.
Avoid Specific Foods And Drinks
Some food and drink products, such as trans-fats, do not let fatty acids get absorbed in your body. For this reason, you must avoid hydrogenated oil since they contain trans-fat. It is highly recommended to avoid sugary drinks and food.
Zinc, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur are also necessary for your hair and nails, so make sure you increase the intake of these minerals.
Fish Oil Supplements
Fish oils have Omega-3, which is essential for the healthy growth of your hair, nails, and fresh skin. Supplements with fish oil are ideal for healthy hair and less brittle nails. Taking the recommended dosage as recommended by your nutritionist can drastically improve hair, nails, and skin health.
Takeaway
The appearance of nails and hair is directly related to your internal health. No matter what issues you are going through, if you find your nails and hair becoming weak, then it is essential that you take a look at your nutrition intake.
You should also follow the tips mentioned above so that your hair and nails stay healthy, and your overall health will also benefit. Proper self-care is also important. You can choose natural skincare by opting for homemade face packs.
For hair, proper hygiene and oiling can improve hair health.
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