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What Promotes Nail Growth?

It's hard to keep secrets from your nails. Although you may try to hide your bad eating habits and poor hygiene, your nails are onto you, and they don't have any problem calling you out. A zinc deficiency manifests itself in white spots on your nails, while lack of moisturizing will show up in your ragged cuticles. You can appease them, however, with proper care and a few great vitamins. Below are seven ways to make your nails happy.

  1. Vitamin A

    • To turn brittle nails into fast-growing beauties, make sure to get enough Vitamin A in your diet. You can find this fat-soluble vitamin in liver, fish oil, egg yolks and fortified dairy products. Get the water-soluble, plant-based Vitamin A from dark green veggies and yellow or orange fruits.

    B-Complex Vitamins

    • This family of vitamins works interdependently to keep the hair, skin and nails beautiful. They are not stored in the body, so get some every day in whole grains, meat, eggs, fish, dairy, beans, citrus fruits and leafy vegetables.

    Nail Massage

    • Stimulate nail growth and get the blood flowing to your nails by trying the easiest massage of all time: place your hands back to back, and rub your fingernails together (the pointer finger of your left hand should be rubbing against the pointer of your right hand). This motion is so simple that you can do it anywhere. Give your nails a daily massage to keep on their good side.

    Cuticle Massage

    • Another growth-stimulating massage focuses on the cuticles, which are the thin pieces of skin that grow over the bottom of your nail. Use your favorite lotion or cream, or warm a little olive oil in the microwave. Massage it into the base of each nail.

    Silica Teas

    • Silica, a mineral that is essential for nail growth, is found in horsetail, oat straw and nettle. Make yourself a tea of these three plants to encourage fast, healthy nail growth. Boil the plants in a covered saucepan on low heat for 20 minutes. If the heat is too high, the nutrients will escape through the steam.

    Protein

    • Nails consist primarily of a protein called keratin. Without enough protein in your diet, you can kiss your dreams of long, strong nails goodbye. Try to eat 3 cups of beans a week (an incredibly healthy source of protein), and get some form of protein every day. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, tempeh, quinoa and nuts are all excellent sources.

    Protect Nails

    • You can supplement your diet all you want, but your nails want to know that you love them enough to treat them well. Use gloves when cleaning or doing anything with harsh chemicals. File your nails to get rid of rough spots that could snag and tear the nail. Finally, give your nails some bedtime TLC by slathering on lotion every night. For the ultimate treatment, sleep with your hands in cloth gloves or socks.

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