Strengthen Brittle Nails with Biotin

If strong, long nails seem like an impossible dream because yours peel and split before they have a chance to really sprout, increasing your biotin intake may be your ticket to beautiful hands.

This B vitamin helps with the production of a strong protein called keratin, which is a major component of nails.

While the recommended daily allowance for biotin is only 30 mcg a day, Natural Solutions reported this month that most studies linking biotin to increased nail strength used considerably more. The magazine cited two studies where one found that participants taking 2,500 mcg of biotin a day had a 25 percent increase in thickness. The other study found that 63 percent of people taking the same dose of biotin showed improvement after six months.

The magazine reported that biotin has not been found to be toxic at high doses because the body eliminates any it doesn't use.

Of course, simply adding biotin-rich foods to your diet may also do the trick. The best sources are egg yolks, soy, avocado and peanuts.

Final word: Have patience. It may take six months to see a difference.

Healthy Nail Polish Promotes Support for the Cure

The other day Nubar, a leading manufacturer of innovative nontoxic nail polish, sent me their new Support for the Cure Collection, which the company is giving a portion of its sales toward cancer research, education and outreach.

The four pack of nail products looked so pretty I couldn't wait to try it out. In addition to a bottle of base coat and a fast-drying seal and shine, there are two bottles of nail polish that are perfect for everyday wear. Keeping with the "Support for the Cure" theme, they are both beautiful shades of pink. Pink Cami is a very pale shimmering pink and Je t'aime is a pearly peachy pink.

Ten percent of the $28.00 retail price of the Support for the Cure Collection goes toward St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Cancer Treatment Research Foundation and the Cancer City of Hope.

The best part about Nubar's products is that they are free of formaldehyde, toluene and phthalate (DBP), which are known carcinogens.

In addition to the Support for the Cure Collection, Nubar has a huge variety of cool nail colors to choose from, and all of them are free of the chemicals and toxins found in conventional polish. To check out their complete product line, visit their Web site at http://www.bynubar.com/.

Polish Nails Without Dangerous Chemicals

I love to have my toe nails polished bright red during the summer when I can wear sandals and go bare foot. Since I'm showing off my tootsies, I want them to look pretty.

When I was pregnant I became concerned about the chemicals in nail polish and decided I should look for a non-toxic version. So I pulled out my trusty resource guide from Kat Jame's The Truth About Beauty (see yesterday's post) and found a couple of great alternatives. Her top pick is a professional-quality nail polish without the top three dangerous nail-polish chemicals: formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate. These chemicals are known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Firoze's polish contains organic cotton, silk, herbs and vitamins. A bottle costs $14 from http://www.firoze.com/.

My favorite is No Miss Nail Polish, which I can easily buy at the nearby Whole Foods Market for about $6.50. It is also free of the top three usual chemicals in addition to D&C dyes and camphor. It uses minerals and other earth material for coloring and for UVA protection. It holds up pretty well and has a great shine. I also like Almost Natural Polish Remover from the same company, which is free of acetone and ethyl acetate, and it's made with organic ingredients.

Other healthier alternative nail polishes on the market are by Sante Nails, Acquarella, and Honeybee Gardens. Fortunately, many manufacturers of conventional nail polish are beginning to remove some of the most toxic chemicals from their products. However, some are removing one or two, but not all three of the top offenders.

It's wonderful to pamper yourself, but who wants to purposely paint a known carcinogen onto their body in the name of beauty. Fortunately, the public is wising up and companies are beginning to slowly take notice.