7 Healthy Nail Habits Everyone Should Have

With the new year just around the corner, it's the perfect time to try and incorporate new good-for-you habits into your beauty routine. Make 2016 the year you try the healthy nail habits every lazy girl should adopt and learn how to treat your nails with the love and care they deserve. Whether you're all about natural nails, gel nails, or acrylic, there are little ways you can take extra special care of them to keep them strong and healthy.

Before you incorporate the ideas below, first you need to see if your nails are sending you any serious messages. Your nails can tell you important things about your health, and dermatologist Dr. Julia Tzu of Wall Street Dermatology explained to Bustle, "Just like the skin and hair, there are certain clues in the appearance of the nails that can indicate health problems within the body."

If you notice any major discoloration, cysts near your nails, yellowing of your nails, white bands, horizontal grooves, or brittleness, definitely reach out to a dermatologist before incorporating the tips below. It's unlikely anything major is wrong, but it's good to know exactly what your nails are trying to tell you so you can treat it and get them back to their fabulously healthy and strong state.

To keep your nails healthy this year, try to see how many of these habits you can include in your future beauty routine!

1. Add Leafy Greens To Your Diet

Leafy greens are packed with B vitamins that will give you strong nails. If salad isn't your thing, try sneaking a handful of spinach or kale into a smoothie bowl.

2. Moisturize With Shea Butter

Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, $16, WTOTL

Shea butter is proven to heal damaged nail beds and cuticles, thanks to its hydrating emollient properties. Slather shea butter on your nails for twenty minutes once a week if they're extra dry and brittle.

3. Go To Salons With LED Dryers

Even though most doctors conclude melanoma from UV lamps is small, the better option is to just seek out salons with LED dryers. You can just call before your appointment to find out!

4. Use Polish Remover Instead Of Peeling Polish

Lavender Moisturizing Polish Remover, $2, Onyx

Whether gel, acrylic, or just straight up nail polish, chances are high you're going to rip off layers of your real nails when you peel of polish of any kind. Either get your gel or acrylic nails removed professionally, or reach for a moisturizing polish remover.

5. Drink Milk (And Fortified Non-Dairy Milks)

That whole calcium for strong bones applies to nails, too. Jillian Michaels shared on her fitness blog that one of the best things you can do for strong nails is drink a glass of milk or non-dairy milk (my favorite is calcium-fortified coconut milk!), Or, since it's winter, why not whip up a calcium-packed cup of hot chocolate for strong nails?

6. Hydrate With Grapeseed Oil

Organic Grapeseed Oil, $5, SuLu Beauty Shop

If you have sensitive skin like me, grapeseed oil is a super gentle option for hydrating cracked nails to promote quick healing. And if you've got a really bad chip, try a tea wrap!

7. Stop Biting

This probably seems obvious, but HuffPo shared that biting your nails can actually "create stress fractures on the corners of the edges [of nails] and eventually cause breaks." Bustle writers have rounded up tons of ways to stop biting your nails, so give them a try until you find a strategy that works.

Want more beauty tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!

Images: Jason Bachman, Ashley MacKinnon MacKinnon, John Revo Puno, Toshiyuki IMAI/Flickr; Courtesy of Brands