There’s a lot of things that can affect your feet, whether it be athlete’s foot, ingrown toenails or foot pain. However, the most annoying (although not always painful) foot problem is by far nail fungus!
Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, nail fungus may cause your nail to discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. The condition typically affects toenails.
Over time, it can cause pain and spread to other nails and onto your skin. Even if you cure it successfully, the fungus can come back.
Toenail fungus can be the result of abnormal pH of the skin, continuous exposure to moisture, wearing synthetic socks, sweat build-up in shoes, poor foot hygiene, compromised immune system or poor circulation.
Today, modern medicine treats toenail fungus with topical treatments, oral anti-fungal medicines, and in some cases surgical removal of the nail.
In such cases there might be side effects of these medications, which include trouble breathing, swelling of the mouth or face, loss of appetite, hives, rashes, blisters, headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, liver damage, weight gain, diarrhea, heart problems, fever, and more pain, all that because of a fungus on your toenails.
However, this simple foot soak, along with the lifestyle recommendations bellow, can help you get rid of that nasty infection once and for all.
How to treat nail fungus
Apple cider vinegar has been a popular, non-invasive way to treat nail fungus for the last few centuries. It’s quite acidic, which is how it kills fungus, but it will need to be diluted not to irritate the skin.
On the other hand, baking soda doesn’t kill the fungus but still, it has fungistatic properties and acts as a repellent or blocker for fungal growth and prevents it from coming back in future.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of baking soda
1-2 cup of apple cider vinegar
One basin large enough for your feet
Warm water (as hot as you can handle)
Instructions:
To reap the benefits of this natural remedy, pour apple cider vinegar into a basin large enough to fit your feet. Soak your feet in this mixture for 20 minutes, then dry them.
Next, fill the basin with warm water and add baking soda, then soak your feet again for 20 minutes.
If you’ve got toenail fungus, you’ll want to repeat this procedure every day. Within a few weeks, your nail fungus will disappear altogether.
You should always keep your nails and cuticles trimmed, cleaning your nail clippers or scissors before and after each use. It’s also a good idea to brush nails with tea tree oil every day to help fight fungus.
How to avoid getting it again
Clean your nail clippers and foot hygiene tools.
Clean all your shoes, sandals and boots.
Always wear clean socks.
Wash your feet.
Keep your feet dry and clean.
Toe fungus is annoying and embarrassing. If you find yourself unable to control your foot health on your own, book an appointment with a dermatologist or a podiatrist to get some extra help.