Athletes Foot - Treating it without chemicals

Athlete’s foot (or Tinea Pedis) is a fungal infection akin to the misleadingly titled "Ringworm". Like all fungi, it loves moist conditions, and can affect not only the feet, but the hands, nails, groin scalp, or any "sweaty" parts of the body.

Because of this, Tinea can easily be mistaken for other skin conditions like psoriasis and dermatitis (therefore if detoxification and anti inflammatory treatments are proving ineffective for treating a skin condition – foot-based or otherwise – I’d recommend trying anti fungal remedies).

Of the thousands of naturally occurring anti-fungals, Tea Tree, Thuja and Myrrh essential oils are some of the most effective for treating athlete’s foot. As with any essential oil, I wouldn’t recommend applying these undiluted – particularly on areas already raw from infection – instead mix 2 or 3 drops with 5mls of Coconut oil or better still Calendula (Marigold) oil; in itself this oil has powerful anti-fungal, anti bacterial and even anti-inflammatory properties.

Alternatively, try soaking your feet in a 50/50 solution of Apple Cider Vinegar and warm water once a night – although it can sting a lot, it’s a very effective remedy. Adding Witch Hazel, Thuja tincture or even bicarbonate of soda can make these footpaths work even faster.

I consulted one of my most experienced therapists: Siobahn Fitzgerald (who has a wide knowledge of Eastern medicine) to see if she had an alternative approach. Siobahn suggests an old Ayurvedic technique of making paste of Turmeric and Aloe Vera Gel and applying this morning and night for two weeks. It could, she warns, take another two weeks for the resultant yellow tinge to wash off (!) but as Turmeric is a powerful anti microbial and aloe is a fantastic skin healer, it seems a small price to pay for healthy feet!

Siobahn also points out that the fungus can become so ingrained in the skin, the only way to properly get at it is to treat it internally – she highly recommends taking extract of Neem Leaf every day. This remarkable tree has powerful and broad ranging anti-microbial properties and its tincture, although very bitter, is perfectly safe for internal use. What’s more, if painted on directly, the undiluted tincture of the Neem leaf will even cure nail infections! (Great suggestions Siobahn, Thank You!)

Surprisingly, killing off active athlete’s foot isn’t the hard part – the real problem is avoiding re-infection: All fungi are spread via protein covered spores: Like resilient microscopic "seeds" these have the ability to lie dormant even in dry conditions (socks, shoes, carpets, bedclothes, you name it) for anything up to 4 weeks, just waiting to come into contact with your feet again and re-establish the infection. This is the real reason why athlete’s foot is so hard to keep at bay in the longterm.

So, be ruthless: Where possible wash any materials that may have come into contact with your infected feet (socks, bedclothes etc.) in water of at least 60 degrees C. Next, with a strong tea-tree solution, wash any tiled, wooden or laminate floors or spray any carpets you may have walked on barefoot. Finally, sprinkle powdered Myrrh or Goldenseal into any shoes you might have worn during your infection, thus drying out and killing the problem at its source.

There you have it – a multitude of solutions – and, if you’ll excuse the pun, that’s just scratching the surface! Just remember though, no matter how effective the cure, if you don’t eradicate the fungal spores from your home environment, the condition is almost certain to return – so get cleaning!