One of my patients had a hysterectomy in her late 30s for endometriosis, and her doctor at the time put her on low-dose hormone replacement therapy. She was on hormone replacement therapy for seven years, but found that when she hit her early 50s, her body began to change. Her nails began to crack and split and her skin became incredibly dry. Lotions and other solutions didnt work.
She came to me to see what we could do about this problem. I looked at her diet and made some changes that would support estrogen production in her body. First and foremost, she cut out caffeine and alcohol. I started her on wheat germ oil and flaxseed (a great omega-3based food) to moisturize her skin from within. She also started eating wild salmon, butterfish, and other fish high in omega-3s. In addition, I recommended that she up her B-vitamin and silica intake.
Within months, her nails went from being really soft to strong and firm. Her skin also became much more moist and supple. We also noticed a slight increase in her estrogen levels, which helped to ease her other menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats.