Humans are one of the few species that have opposable thumbs (koalas have two thumbs on one hand, so have better hands than us!) Our hands put up with washing dishes, prising things open and facing the elements of the wind and sun. But you don’t have to use chemical hand lotions or other items to have beautiful hands. Here are a few tips and resources to help. Also switch over to natural nail polish.
Wear gloves when performing any jobs, use use biodegradable soap or hand wash, avoid smoking or drinking too much alcohol, drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep and keep hands out of the sun.
Nails are made from a protein called keratin and grow faster in summer. Clean under the nails with a sisal nail brush and use an upcycled sandstone nail file. Sandstone is used to clad buildings in coastal areas, so is more than strong enough to cope with filing your nails!
Most toenail problems are prevented by wearing quality vegan shoes that fit well and allow feet to breathe. Cut damaged nails off with clippers as much as you can (they take 18 months to grow back).
Long-term nail biting can cause nail infection, damage teeth and cause colds (germs spread from the mouth to the nails). Once the habit is cured, it only takes a couple of weeks to grow nails back to their normal length. Painting chemicals liquids on you nails is not the answer, and could harm babies or pets that licked your hands.
Nail biting often stems from childhood and is often stress-related, though some people say that giving up gluten has helped people stop overnight (possibly due to gluten blocking absorption of vitamins that prevent anxiety). Invest in a good supplement to ensure you are getting the nutrients needed to balance your nervous system.
