Hand Repair
My dad never wore gloves. He was forever in the garage ruining his work shirts as he tinkered with a machine, and his hands came into the house covered in black grime. The crevices of palms and peaks of decades-old calluses highlighted by motor grease like a topographical map of his latest project. Watching him wash away the traces with potent citrus degreaser in the kitchen sink was like witnessing a magic act – transforming his almost robotic fixing digits back into the hairy knuckles and freckled fingers that made fried egg sandwiches on weekend mornings. I’d survey his hands for the latest nick or bruise, asking for the story of what happened. Sometimes he’d remember the saga of a stubborn bolt or the slip of hammer, but most times he wouldn’t know – too caught up in using his hands to know just how he wound up abusing them.
My mom never wore gloves either. She planted honeysuckle and passionflower vines that grew into a wall of buzzing bees and left dirt under nails. Washing dishes until her hands were wrinkled and her nails too soft, always peeling away if she tried to grow them into anything longer than function allowed. Grabbing Brillo pads that felt like wresting a porcupine for the sake of a scrubbed sink left her hands soft but dry, sensitive and irritated at times. She used shampoo to wash off the house paint when the urge to cover the walls with a new hue hit. Her hands had chronic hang nails, and even now, she always has an emery board to keep them filed evenly. I never saw her use hand cream, but my mom’s hands are softer than the finest silk, even as age spots spread and the skin thins.
Gloves came to mind, when, in the span of three weeks, I had a hair stylist and a massage therapist both don one glove during my appointments because of an injury. Tanner, of Curls Etc in Stanwood, explained he had a small cut, so he was wearing a blue latex glove to protect it. I mused that I don’t remember ever seeing a hair dresser wear only one glove. I tried to see if it felt any different as he washed my mane, but couldn’t discern one at all. Then, when a massage therapist wore a glove to protect a burn from their woodstove, I got that tingly feeling, not related to the amazing massage that something was afoot about hands. The universe was somehow urging me to think about the 5 to 10 to 15 to 20 wonderous ways hands are simply awesome. No wonder our dogs are so jealous.
I never actually took to wearing gloves as I tackled blackberries, and so, I found myself with splinters. I still did not take heed to be more careful, so I burned my wrist in hot bath mishap. And I have stopped taking all my supplements, so my nails are also peeling in honor of my mom’s genetics. Learn where I have not, and consider some ways you can cherish and care for one of the best parts of our bodies.
All hand care starts with washing them, and my current soap-affair is in full swing: The Goat Project bar soaps. Yes, it’s partly due to the Nubian goats that provide the milk, but the soap itself is divine. If you haven’t tried fresh goat milk soap, please join the cult. The hemp patchouli is great for the die-hard crunchy folk, and there are also more chill options like spearmint.
If Badger Balm had existed when I was a kid, it would have been ideal for both of my parents. The balm is made with just five ingredients, and they are all organic. It comes in a metal tin in two sizes, and Badger is still owned and operated by the same family that started it in 1996. They also make the best cuticle care salve ever invented, with twelve organic ingredients. Give one of each of these to everyone you know, and they’ll love you forever. Or maybe just try it for yourself – baby steps.
Wild Carrot tops the sales charts with their “Lord, my hands are so dry” hand lotion. The glass bottle with pump makes the perfect sink-side aide to fighting Madge’s dish-pan-hands (if you know, you know). Then, after many customer requests, we now have Serious Hand Repair Cream by The Naked Bee, which comes in a tidy tube that is small enough to fly with you and your hands. Or, if you’d like to be able to fill your own bottle, we now offer Griffin Remedy’s unscented Omega-3 hand and body lotion in the bulk personal care area.
For fancy fingers, we have fabulous polish from BKind. They are vegan, 77% plant based and free of 21 toxic ingredients that are often found in conventional nail polishes. These polishes also go on like a dream and come in colors, like Tampa Teal, that make you whip your hands around when you talk like you made it on the cheerleading squad. Grab the base and top coat to extend the experience. For those of us that aren’t skilled with a paint brush, try the non-toxic nail wraps by Lotusby. Think: stickers for your nails. Great designs, easy to apply, and you’d be a supporting a local woman-owned business too, which is next-level fancy.
Now that your hands look great, let’s get to the bare bones of having them feel good. Topical pain treatments often have essential oils that, while effective at pain management, are tricky to use on our hands because we touch things – like our eyes – and then it feels like your eyes are melting. So, if you have achy hands, I recommend locally made Infinity Lotion, a lightweight lotion that works wonders for pain relief and is even gentle enough for irritated or sensitive skin.
Sadly, lots of folks struggle with arthritis in their hands, and researching arthritis can be really overwhelming. A great resource to start with is The Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org) which offers insight into the types of arthritis, treatment options – from lifestyle to supplements to pharmaceuticals – and is really easy to navigate. Popular supplements for arthritis include fish oil and turmeric because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Remember that doses can vary, so take your time finding out what, or if, they work for you.
Collagen continues to fly off the shelf, and shoppers often report to us that they feel that this helps their joint discomfort, and it can also help with weak nails. Collagen is actually one of the easier supplements to take – many just add it to their coffee. There are interesting studies on Alpha Lipoic Acid as treatment for nerve pain, including pins and needle feeling in hands and feet. Lion’s Mane mushrooms have also been used to treat this (pubmed.com has more details on these studies) and are also a popular supplement for memory and focus. Both are available from some of our favorite local companies that are still independently owned: Natural Factors and Host Defense.
The hardest part about healing our own hands is that, like removing a sliver, we can’t always do it on our own. As always, the Wellness Department staff is ready to lend you a hand in finding what you need for your hands or feet, or anything between. We also know that because our shelves are full of healing power, they can be a lot to navigate, so while we can’t give medical advice, we are pretty handy at research, know our products like the back of our hand, and can point them out to you in snap. And we love to hear about how something did or didn’t work for you. Your feedback helps us to continue to bring in great products and share your experience with others that are looking for ways to lessen the grip of life’s more thorny parts, so we can enjoy the jazz-hands moments more fully.
Written by Nancylee Bouscher for the July 2024 Natural Enquirer