A Guide to Healthy Hair and Nails

Beauty as we all know is derived from the inside. When your internal systems are healthy and get all the required essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals on time or on a daily basis then you are surely going to look and feel healthy and strong from outside as well. Strong nails and glossy hair are all signs of following a great beauty regime but one should not underestimate the importance of diet out here.

Food which we intake on a daily basis is known to contain lot of beauty nutrients which our forefathers have been using for thousands of years both inside and out. There is one such magic food which can help to make us look young forever but surely by following a healthy diet plan and also implementing an encouraging positive lifestyle one can surely change the way he or she looks as they age.

There is lot of patience required to achieve those healthy hair and nails, if you are looking out to get healthy and shiner hair and nails just tomorrow then you won’t find the answers here but surely by following the below mentioned tips you can achieve them in a few months’ time.

You can make the below mentioned foods a part of your diet so as to help the hair and nails grow as well as strengthen.

• Biotin which is also referred to as Vitamin H/B7 is commonly found in certain food items. It has been associated with healthy hair as well as to encourage production of proteins which is very much required for nail growth. Foods such as eggs, salmon and avocado are considered to be rich source of biotin. Nuts such as almonds and peanuts are also known to contain a lot of biotin. Biotin is known to act as a coenzyme in the body which is very much required for the metabolism of glucose, fatty acids and amino acids. Hence it is said that when we consume foods that are good sources of proteins, carbs and fats, biotin should be present in order for converting and using these macronutrients for energy purpose and also to carry out physical activities as well as for proper functioning of psychological function. When an individual is suffering from deficiency of Vitamin H, the symptoms would show up as hair turning brittle, split ends and thinning. There can also be occurrence of dermatitis which can lead to dry as well as irritated skin. One must have noticed that biotin has been included in most of the cosmetic face creams, and a lot of over the counter beauty products. It has been seen that Vitamin H is much more effective when it is consumed rather than applied topically. It has been seen as per certain studies that by consuming high doses of biotin it is known to work wonders and help to treat hair and nails which have become weak and brittle. Few of the best source of biotin are eggs, liver, cauliflower, cheese yeast, and raspberries. Apart from these, berries, mushrooms as well as few of the fish types are also said to be good source of biotin. This vitamin is exclusively found in yolk of the egg and not in the egg whites.

• Protein is very much important our overall body. But not all are aware that protein becomes vital for strong growth of hair and nails. To get your dose of daily protein you can take a scoop of whey protein along with some smoothie and that’s it. This morning smoothie would also help you to have control on your appetite. Our hair and nails are mostly protein. These proteins known as collagen, keratin and elastin are said to keep away wrinkles and also provide good strength and elasticity. Many of us get this daily dose of protein by consuming fish, meat, legumes dairy items and eggs. But the question arises if protein is so much better then is it ok to have more of it? When we suffer from serious kind of injuries or wounds our body needs more of protein for repairing the damage hence one must have noticed that athletes have high requirements of protein for carrying out those heavy training. When we tend to consume protein more than our body’s requirement then it starts to convert it into fats and gets deposited in our body where we do not want. Hence it is always better to identify our body’s daily protein need and consume accordingly.

• Iron should also be part of your daily diet. Those individuals who suffer from iron deficiency often are said to suffer from thin hair as well as brittle nails. Obviously one would not recommend to have a steak on a daily basis but at least one serving on a weekly basis is helpful for the body. Iron deficiency is also linked with tiredness and lack of energy in an individual. Due to this deficiency the nails turn brittle developing vertical stripes or it can also turn out to be spoon shaped. There is more of hair loss and it would also become noticeably dull, brittle and dry. Hence it becomes important to identify foods which contain iron and consume them per our daily requirement. Meat is considered to be one of the best source of iron and the redder the meat the more iron it would contain. For those individuals who do not prefer meat or steak can look out for consuming whole grains, legumes but again it does not get absorbed easily in the body hence you can also add some vitamin C food items such as lemon, fruit juices or capsicum in the meals for enhancing easy absorption.

• Also remember that whenever you feel that you are deficient on any vitamins or minerals it is better to consult the doctor first so that they can advise on the correct intake and food items. Once your vitamins and mineral levels are in place then you would surely achieve shinier and healthy nails.