Good Nail Care Starts From the Inside

Healthy nails are an important part of your loved one’s overall health. Making sure her toenails and fingernails are free from damage or injury, are clean, and are trimmed properly are all important steps in nail health. You might help your elderly loved one with her nail care yourself or you could also have a home care assistance provider who comes to her home to help her trim and maintain her nails.

Did you know that healthy nails begin from the inside?

 

What You Eat Matters When It Comes to Healthy Nails

An important step in having healthy nails is to eat well. A balanced diet that is rich in key nutrients is crucial in maintaining healthy nails, especially if it is an area your loved one struggles with. If she has weak or cracked nail beds, tackling her diet may be the first step in improving her nail health.

 

Five Dietary Tips for Healthy Nails

Eating the right foods can help prevent breakage, infection, brittleness, and ridges. You can work with your loved one’s home care assistance team to help incorporate some of these key nutrients into her daily meal plan.

 

Limit sugary and overly processed foods

Let’s start with what to eliminate or reduce. High intake of these foods can have a detrimental effect on nails because they lack any important nutrients and stop a person from eating nutritional food because they’re filled up on these nutrient-lacking foods. An occasional treat is still okay, but ask your loved one’s home care assistance team to reduce empty calories as much as possible.

 

Keep hydrated

Next up is having your loved one stay hydrated all day. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help nails to stay hydrated as well, preventing brittleness and breakage.

 

Increase protein

Many elderly individuals don’t get enough protein in their diet. And while meats like chicken and fish like salmon are great sources of protein, if your loved one isn’t a meat lover or is vegetarian, she can still increase her protein intake by enjoying more Greek yogurt, legumes, and dairy products.

Some breads and cereals are also fortified with extra protein, so have your home care assistance team help your loved one read labels and try some alternatives to her standards to increase protein levels.

 

Biotin

Biotin is a vitamin that not a lot of people talk about, and you may not find it on many nutrition levels. Biotin, or vitamin H, is essential for healthy nails. It provides the nutrients nails need to grow and be strong. Foods that are rich in biotin are eggs, leafy green vegetables, seeds, and whole grains.

 

Other vitamins and nutrients

There are plenty of other nutrients and vitamins that help nails stay healthy from the inside out. Look for foods that contain vitamin C, calcium, iron, and vitamin A. Fresh foods like a bowl full of berries, an avocado on toast, or any citrus fruit can all help your loved one consume the nutrients needed for her nails to start strong.

 

Treat Those Healthy Nails Right

Once the nails have a good foundation from healthy eating, then having a home care assistance provider step in to help with nail trimming and care can be a great way to ensure those nails stay healthy and look great for your loved one.

 

 

 

If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care Assistance in Reston, VA, please contact the caring staff at Butters Home Health Care today. (703) 371-2113