Try these 6 Holistic Tips to Heal Your Brittle Nails

I have so many women of all ages coming to me asking what on earth they can do about their weak, brittle nails. They’ve been covering them in nail polish or extensions or keeping them hidden away as much as they can but they want more.

Feeling embarrassed, they tell me that they wish their nails looked normal again, but then admit that they feel ‘so vain’ for caring about such a seemingly insignificant thing as their nail health.

But I soon reassure them that they did the right thing by seeking help.

Because our nails are like a mirror. Whatever is happening deep within our bodies will be very apparent in our nail health.

So today I want to help YOU get to the bottom of why you’re suffering from brittle nails.

Together we’ll explore the connection between your nails and your health and investigate what might be causing those brittle nails.

Then we’ll turn our attention to the solution and I’ll share 6 tips that will help you heal your brittle nails and get healthy again.

The connection between brittle nails and health...

Your nails grow on average around 3.5mm per month. The exact rate of growth depends on your overall health, nutrition, medications, trauma, chronic disease, and the ageing process itself.

If you become unhealthy, stressed or suffer from malnutrition or deficiencies your body will divert nutrition to your vital organs first, before your nails. Clearly your nails will suffer as a result, becoming weak, brittle, ridged, discoloured or break frequently.

This is why your nails are such an excellent reflection of your overall health- they’re the first warning sign of otherwise undetected problems.

So clearly, brittle nails spell a problem that we need to address.

What causes brittle nails?

Brittle nails can be caused by all sorts of factors which, as you’ll be very pleased to hear, are usually very easy to fix. The most common causes include the following:

Using chemicals- Are you doing the washing up frequently or going swimming often? These chemicals can strip the healthy oils from your nails and cause them to become brittle, weak and break.

A nutrient deficiency- There are all kinds of nutrient deficiencies which can weaken your nails. These include vitamins A and C, B-complex vitamins (especially biotin), iron, zinc, copper, calcium, selenium or magnesium.

Protein deficiency- For healthy hair, skin and nails, you need enough protein. Are you getting the amount your body needs? If so, are you absorbing what you need?

Digestive issues- Are you suffering from IBS and taking acid-blocking therapies? Do you suffer from digestive problems?

Bone density problems/osteoporosis- Brittle nails can also suggest bone loss and when this is addressed, your nail health will also improve.

Hypothyroidism- Brittle nails and hair can often be a sign of hypothyroidism.

Fungal infection- Fungal infections can cause the nail to split and break.

Want strong, healthy nails? Here’s how to do it!

I've gathered together six easy ways you can improve your nail health, boost your overall health and get back to your gorgeous self again.

1. Boost your diet

The simplest way to improve your nail health and target any underlying deficiencies or health issues is to make your nutrition a priority.

For strong, healthy nails I’d first recommend that you include plenty of healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, nuts and seeds. Don’t worry- these foods won’t make you fat- they play an important role in maintaining our nail health, keeping our hormones healthy and keeping our brains ticking over nicely.

Also make sure you’re eating plenty of protein as these contain the building blocks for healthy skin and nails.

Great sources include beef, chicken, turkey and fish as well as those nuts, seeds and lentils. Also make sure you include a few free-range eggs every week. Eggs are a wonderful source of the B-vitamin biotin (B7) which is great for your nails and will also help keep your heart and digestive system healthy.

Additionally, make sure you’re getting plenty of nutrient-rich veggies especially those green leafy veggies which are very high in minerals. If you can tolerate it, you can also include a small amount of low-GI fruit such as berries and include wholegrains which are rich in B-complex vitamins.

2. Show your gut health some love!

If we decide that yeast overgrowth or low stomach acid could be a problem for you, I will recommend that we target our attention on your digestive system.

The first step on this is to make sure you’re chewing your food properly- all too often we eat in a rush and we simply throw the food down our throats and get on with the rest of our day.

This is terrible- we’re skipping an important part of the digestive process and so reducing the quantity of nutrients we can absorb from our diets and also making our digestive system work much harder than it needs to. I’m not doing to give you a set number of times to chew each mouthful, just make sure everything is chewed thoroughly before you swallow.

Depending on your symptoms and needs, I might suggest following a low sugar diet such as FODMAP for anything from 28 days to three months. I might also recommend that you follow a course of Betaine HCL (but don’t self-medicate with this one- I need to work through your medical history and check any contraindications first).

You should also take a digestive enzyme which we can discuss further in our sessions.

3. Reduce your stress

Your stress levels doesn’t just show itself in our mood, it also makes itself very apparent in the rest of our health, especially your nails.

Many people develop habits when stressed such as rubbing their finger over the surface of their nails or nail biting or similar. Obviously this is something we need to stop.

But not just this- stress also affects how well you take care of yourself and what is going on in your hormones- if you stress levels are high, your levels of the stress hormones such as cortisol will also be high, and your overall health will suffer as a result.

So what do you do? You start being kinder to yourself.

Start saying ‘no’ more often, ask for support from loved ones, take time to do something just for you (guilt-free please) and practice self-visualisation or meditation.

4. Avoid drinking water with meals

You want to digest as many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients from your diet as possible, don’t you? (After all, that’s how you stay healthy, strong and have beautiful nails) The best way you can do this is to stop drinking water with meals.

Yes, I know this is a habit that it’s really hard to get out of, but it’s really worth it.

When you drink water before and after your meals, you’re diluting your stomach acid and making it really hard for your digestive system to do its job. You’re also filling your stomach with water so you won’t be able to eat as much as you should, and are likely to end up feeling peckish later on.

Avoid water 30 minutes before and after food for best results.

5. Stop wearing nail extensions, nail varnish and gels

Yes, I know that you want to continue to look gorgeous and glamorous and show off those lovely nails of yours (or even cover up the bits you’re not so keen on).

Don’t we all?

However, when you wear nail varnish, gels and extensions, you’re covering your true nails and so you won’t be able to see if there are any significant changes to your nail  health or general health.

So why not try skipping having your nails done for a few weeks to allow them to breathe and show you exactly what is happening with your health?

6. Seek extra help if you’re worried

If you see changes in your nails that you’re worries about such as dark spots or horizontal ridges, it might be worth paying a visit to your doctor to rule out other issues such as thyroid problems, fungal infections and non-melanoma skin cancer too.

Your nails are a mirror of your overall health, so make sure you start listening to what they have to say!

Skip the nail varnish, boost your diet, take better care of your gut, reduce your stress and stop drinking water with meals and you’ll notice just how much better your nails become.

Do you struggle with brittle nails? What works for you? Come over to my Facebook page and share your thoughts!