Do you know that nail health says something about your overall health? Read on to find out.
The readily distinguishable love of a mother for her family—husband and kids—has better, esteemed qualities and character than the most expensive gems in this world, e.g. diamond, jadeite, or emerald.
It’s the moms who foremost:
- Educate their children about the moral practices of life. After all, the parenting roles entail a lot of gigantic responsibilities including developing the physical, mental and social growth of kids.
- Promote standard values, courage, loyalty, integrity, respectfulness, humility, kindness, optimism, forgiveness, compassion, prayerful and other significant virtues that build up good behavior as a grown up adult.
- Live and function in society, full of life and vigor in attaining your goals in life. Is your life making sense and what a beautiful future yours looks like?
- Amply serves the LORD and minister to the vast humanity out there.
Table of Contents
The Importance of Body Care
Parents educate their kids about the proper hygiene, exercise and the proper ways to partake the right kinds of foods for their excellent bodily physique; as well as the wellbeing of your body and all its components (or parts) and why it’s all essential.
Working moms, working dads and kids perpetually use their hands in working and doing a lot of things. The automatic pattern of behavior of your child in reaction to a specific situation may be acquired through frequent repetition of the kids’ behavioral actions, and not as inherited behavior from parents.
The hands — the most hardworking part of the body — are always soiled and exposed to the elements. The nails, in particular, have vital roles to play in all the family’s activities.
Hence, what are the top purposes of our nails? Why are they in our hands?
Purposes of the Nails
I list the purposes of our nails based on my brief research on the internet.
- For protection and support for the much smaller and weaker components of the body.
- To ease and bring relief to the inflammation and itch resulting from an insect bite, you delve and scratch it.
- Every time you need something, the nails improve or increase the value of the motor movements such as throwing a ball, climbing a tree, holding a glass, among others.
The nails augment the capacity of the sense organs to respond to stimulus by serving as counter value, when the soft sensitive tissue of the finger hand gently feels and or touches a material perceived by the senses. The hands and fingernails can withstand the adverse conditions and not yield easily to pressure.
The fingernails compel a strong, tenacious grasp to hold securely in its place the object at hand. That’s the precise reason we can physically, in an easy manner, be able to gather and lift even the teeny weeny things like the thread and needles, the nuts and seeds.
Our toenails perform to act as an armory shield, to keep back and hinder wounds, injury, and infectious agents. The hardy covering of our toenails provides a great defense against germs, viruses and even marked by compactness or the massive crowding together of the blood vessels and underneath it.
3 General Nail Disorders
Three (3) general nail disorders affect people. I describe these conditions in the list below.
1. Smudged, blackened, or banded nails
Smudged, blackened or banded nails that show a range of light to dark brown or black coloration on the nails can be a symptom of a nail fungus, thyroid problems or aging. The indicators include cracking or brittleness of the nails that cause it to crack easily.
2. Nail clubbing
Clubbing of the nails. The nail is much bent or formed into a “curve” and approximately a big rounding visual disfigurement to the nails. It may signify symptoms of a little low-toned oxygen index level and lead to a lung disorder and even heart ailment.
3. Concave nail
In due course, the nails process of bending up and down at the declining “sides”, forming a U- shape rather than the orthodox and usual C-shape. This show that the body is weakening due to iron deficiency.
5 Causes of Nail Problems
What are the 5 causes of fingernail problems?
1. Lack of necessary nutrients
Deficiency and lack of proper nutrients found in fresh veggies and fruits can affect nail health. Whilst the overindulgence and excessive consumption of preserved foods like instant coffee, soft drinks, beer, liquor, wines, canned goods and instant noodles burden the body with unnecessary and harmful substances that affect the nails.
2. Too much bathing
Taking a bath is more than what is normally necessary. When you bath 2x or more every day, the nails get wet and become a good breeding ground for germs.
3. Bath soap overexposure
Related to bathing, overexposure to bathe soap can also jeopardize nail health. Soaps have harmful ingredient such as lye. Lye in soap can cause severe burns in the skin and can strip your skin of its natural moisture of your skin and nails.
Also, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in soap and in toothpaste, shampoo, and other beauty products may cause skin and nail irritation and allergies.
4. Wearing wet socks
Wearing wet socks most often can cause bad smell and unwanted microbes. When the nails are kept in a damp environment such as shoes, nail health is threatened.
5. Nail polish overuse
Overuse of your nail polish dries the nails and cuticles. Nails become more susceptible to breaking and splitting. They compromise nail health.
7 Natural Remedies to Nail Problems
Here is a list of natural remedies to nail problems without breaking the bank.
1. Avoid nail polish and too much bathing
Stop using nail polish and not take a bath more than twice a day. Avoid unnecessary cleaning of nails like rigidly brushing it. Stop removing the dead skin and leave the ingrown alone, for these protect your body from germs and other skin infections.
2. Eat vitamin and mineral-rich foods
Eat foods rich in iron, protein, vitamin C, vitamin B, and vitamin D. Studies have shown that incorporating fresh fruits and veggies on your daily diet is more effective than any store-bought meds in the market. Prevention is better than cure.
3. Use common household items
Avocado, baking soda, cucumber, tea tree oil, and lavender oil can cure brittle nails. Yet, which works best is to have a garlic moisturizer for your nails for 30 minutes to an hour before taking a bath. Simply rub a clove of garlic on your nails every day. The pulp will work wonders on your nails.
4. Eat herbs, veggies, and fruits
Eat lots of wonder herbs, especially ginger, turmeric, basil, celery, bell pepper, onion and garlic. Eat healthy fresh herbs, veggies, and fruits every day.
5. Drink lots of water
Undertake water therapy. Drink lots of water every hour.
Studies by a Japanese medical society have shown that water therapy is a 100% cure for diseases like headache, rheumatism, obesity, weight gain, asthma, kidney problems, LBM, constipation, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders.
While there are benefits to this approach, it also helps to take caution on the side effects of drinking too much water.
6. Wear protective clothing
Wear dry hand gloves and foot socks when outside on a cold and snowy weather.
9 Nail Health Tips for the Whole Family
Heres the list of ten (10) nutrients for nails of your whole family:
1. Proteins
Protein gives keratin that enhances nails to be resilient and strong. Food rich in protein includes plant-based foods like legumes, soymilk, lentils, seeds, whole grains, meat, poultry, beef, fish like salmon and tuna, eggs, dairy foods like milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, parmesan and mozzarella.
2. Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids prevent dry, brittle nails. It moisturizes the nails, giving that beautiful shiny nails. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include flax seeds, flax seeds oil, chia seeds, salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna, soymilk, and eggs.
3. Folate and vitamin B9
Take folate and vitamin B9 for a healthier nail. Deficiency in folate subsequently offset to brittle, discoloration nails and fractured nail due to little elasticity. Foods rich in folate and vitamin B9 include all the citrus fruits, avocado, dark green veggies, beans, green peas, lentils and seeds. Both folate and vitamin B transports oxygen to the nails and treat it.
4. Zinc
Zinc for healthier growth of nails. Foods rich in zinc include yogurt, oatmeal, tofu, beef, fish, soymilk, black beans, squash seeds, pomegranates, cantaloupes, tangerine, raspberries, avocado, blackberries, blueberries, prunes, raisins, dates, bananas, peaches, apricot and kiwi fruits.
5. Vitamin B complex
The vitamin B complex and vitamin H jumpstart the needed protein for cell growth, building the amino acids for the healthy growth of nails. It likewise stabilizes and strengthens your nails, thus preventing them from getting brittle.
Foods rich in Vit B include liver, eggs, dairy products, yeast, salmon, avocado, sweet potatoes, seeds and cauliflower.
Vitamin B12 makes nails healthier and stronger. Deficiency in B12 manifests in bluish black pigments in the nails.
Foods rich in iron and Vit B12 comprise eggs, fish, meat, poultry, beef,cured ham, turkey, salmon, tuna, milk, fruit yogurt, swiss cheese, nutritional yeast, cereals, and dairy products.
6. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is essential for the healthy production of collagen thus strengthens the nails. Foods rich in Vitamin C comprises citrus fruits e.g. oranges, strawberries, kiwi, plum, java plum (duhat), cherries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, dates, grapes, black currants, cantaloupe, mangosteen, parsley, chili pepper, lemon, papayas, guava, pomelo, red bell pepper, spinach, and horseradish tree or malunggay. All the green veggies and tomatoes have more than twice vitamin C content.
7. Iron
Iron pump and leverage your cells with oxygen for healthier nails. Deficiency results in affected appearance and shapes of nails.
For those aged 50 years old and above, iron supplement drops should be 8 mg per day. Hence, you need to eat daily foods rich in iron like oranges, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, lemon, pomelo, citrus fruits, legumes like chickpeas and green peas or lentils, spinach, green leafy veggies, liver, quinoa, red meat, turkey, tofu and fish.
8. Magnesium
Magnesium hinders vertical ridges in your nails and aids the growth of new ones. Foods rich in magnesium are quinoa, mackerel, tuna, salmon, soymilk, tofu, avocado, bananas, broccoli, lady finger or okra, prunes, potato, black beans, squash, spinach, dark green leafy veggies, whole grain, whole wheat, wild rice, and brown rice.
9. Water
Water acts as a purifier on your body’s internal system and has restorative effects on colon and stomach. Water therapy and eating plant-based foods help flush out harmful toxins and chemicals. Avoid consuming too much preserved foods, canned foods, soft drinks and instant foods. Further, water improves immunity, hydrates the skin, and helps lose weight.
Dads, moms and kids are invariably on the move to keep pace and carry on with one’s day-to-day activities — especially the working parents. Hence, it’s of utmost importance to exercise prudence and care of your nails as well.
Recommendations
No family relationships will ever thrive unless you are a team on a healthy lifestyle, eat healthy foods and humbly come to the LORD as a family. So how do you do this as an affectionate parent? It is an utmost command of the LORD our God for all the loving parents out there:
- To bring their children closer to the LORD via praying regularly as a family. You can also say grace together as a family every mealtime.
- Attend regular Sunday services,
- Attend regular prayer meetings, bible studies with your church pastors and be amazed how your kids and family will be transformed by the LORD Almighty.
References
Lisa Blackburn, M. S., APRN-CNS-BC, A. O. C. N. S., Kelly Acree, M. P. H., Judith Bartley, D. N. P., Elizabeth DiGiannantoni, B. S. N., & Elizabeth Renner, B. S. N. (2020, March). Microbial Growth on the Nails of Direct Patient Care Nurses Wearing Nail Polish. In Oncology Nursing Forum (Vol. 47, No. 2, pp. 155-164). Oncology Nursing Society.
Gerber, S. (2022). 14 Natural Ways To Strengthen Your Nails. (2021). Retrieved 5 June 2022, from https://helloglow.co/8-natural-ways-to-strengthen-nails/
Iorizzo, M. (2015). Tips to treat the 5 most common nail disorders: brittle nails, onycholysis, paronychia, psoriasis, onychomycosis. Dermatologic clinics, 33(2), 175-183.
Pottinger, J., Burns, S., & Menske, C. (1989). Bacterial carriage by artificial vereus natural nails. American Journal of Infection Control, 17(6), 340-344.
Shoemaker, S. (2020). Japanese Water Therapy: Benefits, Risks, and Effectiveness. (2022). Retrieved 5 June 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/japanese-water-therapy
Sengar, C. (2020). Japanese Water Therapy: Know The Pros and Cons Of This Popular Japanese Practice. (2020). Retrieved 5 June 2022, from https://www.onlymyhealth.com/all-about-the-popular-japanese-water-therapy-1580532403
Toles, A. (2002). Artificial nails: are they putting patients at risk? A review of the research. Journal of Pediatric Oncology Nursing, 19(5), 164-171.
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