Tips on keeping your nails healthy

Much like your hair, the condition of your fingernails is a direct indicator of your overall health. Nails should be strong, hard and resilient. Unfortunately, many women suffer from brittle nails that split and break easily. Rest assured that there are ways to restore the health of your nails. Following are some tips for keeping the fingernails healthy.
Give the Polish a Break
As much as we love having shiny, polished nails, it is necessary to give them a break every now and then. Applying polish limits oxygen exposure and causes the nails to become discolored. Often, nails that are polished too frequently start to turn yellow. To avoid this issue, try giving your nails a break from polish at least one week out of every month. Remember to use a nail polish remover that does not contain acetone. Acetone can be harsh and damaging to your nails. If the yellow discoloration does not seem to diminish, there is a way to remove some of the discoloration. Simply cut a lime in half and simply rub the open lime against all of your fingernails.
Trim Nails Regularly
The only way to remove jagged, dead ends from the nails is to trim them. Try giving your nails a decent trim at least once per week. It is also a good idea to file your nails every day. Daily filing smoothes nicks and breaks from the nails. Also, make sure that you clean beneath the fingernails regularly with anti-bacterial soap and a nail brush.
Start from the Inside
As you know, good health truly starts from the inside. Your nails will always be healthier if you are eating a proper diet and taking care of yourself. Make sure that you are consuming three to five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The dark, leafy green vegetables are the absolute best. Also, try consuming two servings of meat per day to ensure that your body is receiving enough protein. Remember that the key to health is hydration; make sure you are drinking at least sixty four ounces of water per day. If you are unable to consume a healthy diet on a daily basis, consider taking a good multi-vitamin. Even if you are not pregnant, consider taking a prenatal vitamin.
Overall, restoring the health of your nails is neither difficult nor costly. It is a simple task that can be achieved by nearly anyone. If your nails continue to be extremely brittle and unhealthy, it could be indicative of certain heath issues. In this case, contact your physician.