Athletes Foot (Tinea Pedis) - How to treat naturally.

Athlete’s foot, also known as Ringworm of the Foot is a contagious skin infection caused by the ringworm fungus. It is usually responds well to treatment by antifungal medicines or hydrocortisone treatment, but on occasions they can have varying degrees of success. In its early stages, it can respond to a more natural remedy based on essential oils, although great care should be taken when dealing with severe infections and it should not be applied to broken skin. Severe infections should be under the control of a qualified medical doctor.

More and more people are finding these types of infection are becoming resistant to synthetic drugs and because of this the effects are becoming more serious.

The following formula has been found to be highly effective and the infection less able to resist it, while at the same time sufferers endure little in the way of side effects.

Blend 10 drops each of the following into a 60ml bottle.

Lavender, Patchouli, Peppermint,

Pine, Tea Tree, Myrrh,

Cajeput, Geranium, Tagetes (5 drops only),

Mix into a base of Grapeseed Oil with a small addition of Borage and Wheatgerm. If possible also add 2 teaspoons of Rosehip oil to aid healing of the skin.

One of the important requirement in successfully treating athlete’s foot is to improve the bodies immune system.

This can be effectively achieved by looking at your intake of vitamins and minerals, either in your diet, in herbs or by the use of tablets.

Vitamin A – Firstly be careful with this vitamin as an overdose can be unpleasant. It plays a strong part in the anti-infection part of the body’s natural defences. Dose – no higher than 25,000iu

Vitamin B5 – Helps wound healing and is used to produce infection fighting antibodies. Dose – follow RDA

Echinacea – This is an excellent immune boosting herb. Be very careful that what you are buying actually contains Echinacea as there are many rip-offs around. One of the best suppliers is Gaia Herbs of N. Carolina who grow their own. Try them on www.gaiaherbs.com

Dosage: 600mg per day of standardised extract.

Warning: Do not take this if you are already taking immunosuppressant drugs.

Goldenseal – It is a native American plant which is an excellent broad spectrum antibacterial and antifungal immune booster. Dosage: maximum 3gms per day.

Pau d’arco is an excellent antifungal herb from the bark of a South America tree. It is taken as a tea but be very careful where you buy it. Dealers in fake materials are known to substitute mahogany wood shavings which are totally useless. To obtain a reliable source of raw herb try Rio Trading www.riohealth.co.uk

Horopito is another strong antifungal herb this time from New Zealand. While it is excellent for athletes foot its primary use has been in the treatment of thrush where it has shown an 88% improvement rate. It is incorporated into a range of antifungal products sold under the trade name of “Kolorex” and is available from Amazon.

Colloidal Silver has the ability to disable the enzymes that bacteria, fungi and viruses need to replicate. It is available in cream or spray form and can be purchased from Amazon in a convenient sachet.

Don’t forget a simple and free treatment is to walk barefoot in the sea. The salt water will kill the infection or if you don’t live near the sea soak the feet in a strong sea-salt solution in a warm foot bath. Do ensure that the sea water in your area is clean and free from chemical pollutants.

There are cases where skin damage can be severe, in these cases expert medical care should be sought and a careful medical programme should be adhered to.