No-nonsense nail care: how to treat troubled nails with nature's remedies - includes a nail care guide, and five recommended commercial treatments

Vegetarian Times, Dec, 1997 by Elana Frankel

When Ann Demarais looks down at her hands, it's not a pretty sight. Her nails are either splitting, peeling, flaking or brittle. Her hands are dry, rough and chapped. Not just in winter. Not just after she's finished a sink full of dishes. Every day. All the time.

And it's not like she hasn't gone the distance to try to remedy the situation. With painstaking care that borders on obsession, the 37-year-old psychologist sheaths her hands in rubber gloves when washing dishes to guard against exposure to detergents and water damage. For regular household chores, she slips on a pair of thinner latex gloves. And come winter, she dons yet another kind of glove--very well insulated--the better to shield her hands from New York's harsh winter climate. Nail Polish? She never wears it. Hand cream? She's gone through vats.

No matter how much moisturizing lotion she slathers on or how deliberately she tries to protect them, her hands and nails still have that raw, damaged look.

Sound familiar? Don't worry, you're not alone. Persistent nail problems like Demarais' are fairly common. But more than just a beauty nightmare, perpetually damaged nails can be a strong signal that something is lacking--or lurking--in your body.

In their book Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing (Avery Publishing, 1997), authors James Balch, M. D., and nutritional consultant Phyllis Balch, discuss a litany of possible ills: Brittle nails may indicate an iron deficiency or circulation problem; white spots, a lack of zinc; white bands, a protein deficiency; excessive ridges, a need for the B vitamins; pale nails, possible anemia. Even hangnails may be trying to tell you that you're not getting enough folic acid, vitamin C or protein. And if you're prone to nail fungus, well, you need to boost your immune system and foster the production of lactobacilli, the good bacteria that keep harmful microbes at bay.

Composed primarily of a protein called keratin, nails protect the fingertips and toes from injury. Cuticles also provide some protection, preventing bacteria from encroaching on the nail bed. Healthy nails are pink (indicating good circulation), strong and flexible. But they don't grow overnight. According to Myra Cameron and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo, authors of Mother Nature's Guide To Vibrant Health & Beauty (Prentice Hall, 1997), nails generally grow 3/16 of an inch per month; it takes about six months to grow a completely new nail. Sure, some of us may be blessed with a genetic predisposition for sprouting lengthy talons but even maintaining "work-length" nails demands some attention to diet and lifestyle.

And forget that old wives' tale about tapping your nails on hard surfaces to toughen them up. That sort of repeated impact or "trauma," merely makes for frail nails, according to Kathleen Davis, M.D., a New York City-based dermatologist.

DIET COUNTS

"Healthy Nails Are a function of a healthy diet," says Sue Havala, M.S., R.D., an Arlington, Va.-based registered dietitian. "No nail supplement or gelatin will make a difference in nail care. Anyone who buys [one] is being deceived." (Not only is gelatin ineffective, it's derived from animal products.)

So, what constitutes a pro-nail diet? DiGeronimo and Cameron recommend getting 60 grams (g.) of protein a day. Good vegetarian sources include soy products, grains, legumes, oatmeal, nuts and seeds. The Balches also suggest seeking out foods that are rich in sulfur and silica--broccoli, onions and kelp--the building blocks for healthy nails. Herb sources for silica, as well as the B vitamins (also vital for nail health), include oat straw and horsetail, alfalfa, black cohosh, burdock root, dandelion, gotu kola and yellow dock. All are available in natural food stores; follow package instructions for use.

Boosting your intake of biotin and folic acid can remedy cracking, splitting nails. Biotin is found in cauliflower, lentils and peanuts; folic acid is found in spinach, navy and pinto beans. Or try Cameron and DiGeronimo's nail nurturing recipe: A daily dose of 2 tablespoons of brewer's yeast (a great source for both biotin and folic acid) in juice coupled with 1,000 milligrams (mg.) of the supplement choline.

Other prime nail strengtheners, recommended by the Balches, include a daily glass of carrot juice--a surprising source of calcium and phosphorous--and essential fatty acids, found in black currant seed oil (500 mg. a day) and evening primrose oil (rub a few drops on your nails).

To prevent nail fungus, try adding acidophilus to your diet. Seattle-based herbalist Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa recommends taking 2 tablespoons of refrigerated, powdered acidophilus a day for 2 weeks. Vegans may want to try other fungus-fighters/immune system enhancers, such as barberry root, which contains berberine, or raw or freeze-dried garlic, which contains the antifungals, allin and haeoni. Both are available in natural food stores; follow label instructions for use. (Women who are pregnant or nursing should check with their medical practitioner before using supplements.)