The Beauty Diet (29 page)

This essential mineral is found in almost every cell and plays many roles in the body. A deficiency of zinc can cause changes in nails, including white spots or lines, to appear across all of your fingernails at the same time. When I was researching this chapter, I was pleased to come across an online testimonial from someone who said she finally got rid of the white spots in her nails by eating oysters—one of my Top 10 Beauty Foods and a fantastic source of zinc! Yogurt is another of my Top 10 Beauty Foods that contains zinc. Other zinc-rich foods include seafood, beef, lamb, eggs, whole grains, and nuts. (For more information, see
Chapter 3
.)

Nail care can be as simple and affordable—or as complex and expensive—as you want it to be. When it comes to keeping your nails in chic shape, a few good habits go a long way.

1.
Use moisturizer! Every time you immerse your hands in water, your nails swell. As they dry, they shrink again. This repeated swelling and contracting stresses your nails and can make them brittle and fragile. Whenever your hands get
wet, lightly dry them off and apply moisturizer while they are still a bit damp. The lubricant will seal in the moisture and prevent the cuticles from drying out. Also, apply moisturizer regularly throughout the day. Unpolished nails are permeable, so smooth the lotion all over your hands. Massage the moisturizer into each cuticle to bring circulation to the nail matrix. For a deep treatment, slather your hands liberally with a lotion or oil of your choice before you go to bed, then put on a pair of cotton gloves and leave them on while you sleep.

2.
Trim nails after you bathe, while they are soft. Dry nails are more likely to crack when cut.

3.
Keep unpolished nails short. They will be less apt to break.

4.
Wear rubber gloves when you're gardening, doing the dishes, using cleansers, and so on. To give your nails extra protection, stuff a cotton ball into the fingertip of each glove.

5.
Wear mittens (or gloves) outside when it's cold.

6.
Deal with nail damage right away. If the edge of a nail gets chipped, file it off before it has a chance to create a bigger problem. Carry an emery board with you, and smooth the rough spot at the first sign of trouble. Always file in the same direction.

1.
Soak your hands in water if you have a choice.

2.
Sabotage your nails by biting them, pulling at the cuticles, or peeling off the polish.

3.
Let your hands come in contact with harsh chemicals. Household cleaning products, detergents, and even nail polish removers can weaken and dry out nails.

4.
Cut your cuticles. According to nail expert Paul Kechijian, M.D., cuticles are meant to attach tightly to the nail for a waterproof seal. If you break the seal, you lose protection and may get an infection. Don't push your cuticles all the way back!

5.
Let your cuticles get so dry that they crack. That's an opportunity for infection to develop.

6.
Use your nails to open packages, open tabs on soda cans, scratch at stubborn spots, and so on.

Nail expert Paul Kechijian, M.D., is a dermatologist in Great Neck, New York. He was formerly associate clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. Following are his thoughts on artificial nails.

Many people wear artificial nails without any problems. Sometimes, however, the glue can cause a facial rash or contact dermatitis of the nail. Usually this doesn't injure the nail bed, but rarely, if it's a bad reaction, nails can be
lost permanently. One problem with artificial nails is that you have to soak them in acetone to loosen the glue and get them off. The acetone will dry out the cuticles and the nail, which can make nails more brittle. Also, as the false nail is pulled off, tiny pieces of the nail may go with it. Over several months, you are tearing the surface of the nail and making it more brittle. If you want acrylic fingernails, pick a reputable salon and make sure the salon uses the correct adhesive.

Have you ever met a "parts model"? When you see an ad in a magazine with a pair of hands holding a jar of cuticle cream—those hands are hers. When you see an ad on television with a pair of hands caressing a man's shaved cheek—those are also hers. If you do meet one, you might notice that she is wearing elbow-length gloves year-round as part of her beauty regimen.

I don't recommend wearing elbow-length gloves, but I should point out that most nail problems are caused by trauma (for example, shutting your hand in a cabinet door) or exposure to water and chemicals. If your fingernails look pink and healthy but are brittle or chipped, you probably are being too hard on your hands.

If your diet is good, but your nails are discolored or look strange, they may be trying to tell you something about your health. No one would base a diagnosis strictly on the appearance of your fingernails, but viewed in the context of other signs and symptoms, they can add information that helps complete the diagnostic puzzle. Remember to mention your fingernails when you visit the doctor, as their color, shape, texture, and markings may all give clues to underlying illness.

I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful.

—Anonymous

Nothing is more attractive than a healthy smile. Do you remember the television show "The Swan"? The series would start with a group of women who were at a point in their lives when they could really use a makeover. Every aspect of their appearance was improved, and the contestants were not allowed to see themselves in a mirror until the dramatic unveiling of their new look. Ultimately the woman who experienced the biggest transformation from ugly duckling was voted "the swan."

The "Swan" contestants underwent procedures from head to toe, including expensive hair treatments, nose jobs, and
breast implants, not to mention new clothes and makeup. But what often made the biggest difference of all was the cosmetic dental work they received. Many got flawless white veneers for their teeth, giving them sensational celebrity smiles.

The great thing about a fabulous smile is that it always looks terrific. If you pushed Julia Roberts into a swimming pool, her hair would go flat, her makeup would run, and her clothes would get soggy, but she would still be camera-ready with her million-dollar smile. When you have a healthy grin, it's with you from the moment you wake up in the morning until your last good-night kiss.

At a cost upward of a thousand dollars per tooth, most of us can't afford perfect veneers, but there is a great deal we can do to take care of the teeth nature gave us. In addition to proper oral care, it comes down to the choices we make about the food we put in our mouths.

The visible part of each tooth is called the
crown
. The crown is covered with enamel, which is translucent and white. Even though enamel is the hardest substance in the body, it can be eaten away by decay. The stronger your enamel is, the more resistant it is.

The root of the tooth is below the gum line. It makes up about two-thirds of the tooth and holds the tooth in place because it is embedded in bone. Roots are covered with cementum, which helps attach teeth to the alveolar bone (jawbone). Between the cementum and the bony socket of the jawbone there is a cushioning layer called the
periodontal ligament
.

Under the enamel and cementum of each tooth is the dentin, which is yellow, porous, and harder than bone. Sometimes the color of the dentin shows through the enamel, making teeth look yellow.

At the center of the tooth is the pulp, which contains blood vessels and nerves. The pulp nourishes the dentin and is essential to the health of the tooth.

The gums, or gingiva, are the soft tissue around the base of the teeth. The tooth and gums meet at the gum line. Sometimes debris builds up along the gum line, which causes problems.

Saliva is crucial to healthy teeth. Saliva maintains the correct pH level in the mouth, and it contains trace minerals to help maintain the enamel of your teeth.

Beauty and health are always closely related, but when it comes to an attractive smile, they are inseparable. Ugly teeth are an immediate turnoff, which is why we associate them with pirates and witches.

The two essential components of a beautiful smile are strong teeth and healthy gums. You're in luck, because my Beauty Diet can help you preserve both. I need to take just a minute to explain how problems develop so you'll see why making changes in your diet can give you a shining smile.

Every day a sticky film of bacteria called
plaque
forms on your teeth. The bacteria in plaque thrive on sugar and starches from the food you eat and produce acids that over time can destroy the enamel of your teeth, creating holes that are called
cavities
or
caries
.

Each time you eat food that contains sugars or starches, your teeth are attacked by decay-causing acids for 20 minutes or longer. Anything that keeps the environment of the mouth acidic—for example, eating acidic foods frequently or exposing
your teeth to stomach acid from acid reflux problems, vomiting, or bulimia—can contribute to dental erosion.

We've all heard that sugar is bad for teeth, and some of us may even have had our Halloween candy hidden away by our parents, who wanted to keep our smiles bright. Although candy is harmful to teeth, snacks like potato chips and cookies are even worse. Simple sugars are relatively easy to wash away, but food particles from starches tend to get lodged in between our teeth, providing a carbohydrate feast for plaque.