Athlete's Foot Treatment Minneapolis MN

Painful Case of Athlete's Foot

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By James and Debra Rouse, ND

My idea of exercise is going to the mall, but somehow I’ve ended up with a painful case of athlete’s foot. All the drugstore products sound really toxic. Can I treat this another way?

Athlete’s foot is a fungal (tinea) infection that affects men more than women and is characterized by itching, redness, peeling, and sometimes cracking of the skin between the toes. Start treatment at the first sign of symptoms so the fungus doesn’t spread over your whole foot. If the toenails get affected, they may become thick and discolored; at that point the fungus becomes much harder to eradicate.

Since the athlete’s foot fungus thrives under warm, moist conditions, the first place to begin fighting it is with your shoes and socks. Keeping your feet dry is your No. 1 priority, so consider wearing socks that wick moisture away from the foot and shoes made from materials that allow for better ventilation. Next look to your diet, especially your intake of simple sugars. The tinea fungus is a type of yeast, and yeast thrives on sugar. Avoid baked goods, cookies, dried fruit, and fruit juice while you treat the active infection.

Tea tree oil is one of the best and most popular natural remedies used to treat athlete’s foot. Clinical trials have shown applying a 25-percent to 50-percent solution of tea tree oil twice daily to the affected areas effectively treats the condition. Garlic, another strong antifungal agent, can also work. You can place slivers of garlic in your socks, or you can boil several cloves in water and then soak your feet in the garlic bath. Alternatively you can try soaking your feet in apple cider vinegar, which has been shown to help. With any of the soaking treatments, make sure to dry your feet well, using a clean towel.

Since yeast also thrives on a compromised immune system and an imbalance in the intestinal flora, we recommend a probiotic to support healthy growth of the “good” bugs. Take two capsules daily. Also 1 to 3 grams of vitamin C taken in divided doses throughout the day will support immunity and ward off infection.

If you don’t respond to treatment, the affected areas become red, hot, and swollen, or the blisters ooze pus—signs of secondary bacterial infection—then you really must see your doctor.

Author: James and Debra Rouse

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