Athlete’s Foot Overview

It used to be only serious athletes who would routinely suffer from athlete’s foot. They were the only groups that would spend their days wearing sweaty shoes, socks and walking through gym locker rooms. But now that the population is experiencing a health trend, more people work out regularly in gyms than before. With the growth in health consciousness, there is a corresponding growth in the number of people who suffer from athlete’s foot. Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection. It usually results in feet and toes that are bright red from irritation. The skin also becomes damaged as your feet peel or crack or become full of blisters.

It is important to understand what causes athlete’s foot so that you can easily prevent this painful kind of fungal infection. This infection develops when you provide it with a dark, warm and wet area in which to grow. The fungus loves the abundance of dead skin around your feet, especially when you wear wet shoes that are warm from exercise. Warm, sweaty shoes are the perfect habitat for fungus as well as bacteria. Once you get athlete’s foot, you can infect other people through wet surfaces like bath mats or locker room floors.

There are very simple steps that you can take to avoid athlete’s foot. They require a certain amount of mindfulness when it comes to hygiene and walking barefoot in public areas. Here is a list of basic things that everyone can do to both prevent athlete’s foot and avoid spreading it to other people:

• Make sure to clean your feet very regularly. If you have any abrasions or cuts on your feet, this will prevent bacterial infections. You should also try to remove the dead skin and make sure you scrub your toes and your feet, paying close attention to your toenails. Keeping your toenails clean can help to remove any fungus growing in those often forgotten areas.
• Always dry your feet thoroughly after you wash them. Wait a few minutes after they have dried before you put shoes or socks on your feet. You can use the warm function on a hair dryer to remove any moisture from your feet. You may also consider using an anti-fungal foot powder to help keep them dry throughout the day.
• Always wear clean socks rather than reusing socks that have already been worn, and have not yet been washed. If you are active or naturally have sweaty feet, you may consider changing your socks a few times each day to make sure that your feet remain dry. Soaking dirty socks in water that has been boiled may help you kill any fungus spores living on your socks.
• You should consider dusting the inside of each of your shoes with the same anti-fungal powder that you use on your feet.
• Always let your shoes dry after you wear them. The best way to do this is to rotate your shoes so that you do not wear the same shoes every day.
• When you are at the pool or the gym, you should wear sandals or shower shoes to prevent having to walk barefoot on the tile floor.

If you become infected with athlete’s foot, you can consider several ways of treating it. There are natural treatments that many people find very useful. You can consider applying vitamin E to the irritated area to relieve pain and itching. You may also consider trying a supplement called acidophilus which is mixed into a glass of water. You take this supplement in the morning and the evening. There are types of bacteria that you can use to supplement your diet. Some bacteria will help you restore a normal amount of healthy bacteria in your body, which will improve your overall health.

If a natural remedy is not for you, you may consider an over-the-counter treatment for your fungal infections.

There are topical creams available at pharmacies which include the ingredient clotrimazole. This ingredient is one of the most common ingredients in controlling fungal infections.

If you have athlete’s foot, you will do well to follow the precautionary tips provided above to help you clear it up and avoid reinfection. You should, however, avoid brushing your feet when you have athlete’s foot because it will cause more irritation to the area.

A Cure for Bad Blisters and Athlete’s Foot

Tinea pedis, commonly know as athlete’s foot is the type of fungal foot infection seen most often. Fungi love moist, dark areas, so they thrive on feet that have not been properly cleaned after sweating or after having been exposed to water. Blisters will appear when your shoes do not properly fit because the shoe will rub against the skin. This irritation leads to blisters. When a person is new to an exercise, like running, they are particularly prone to blisters.

Blisters and athlete’s foot can be painful and irritating, but there are home remedies that can cure both.

Curing Blisters

Step 1

Using a sterilized needle, drain any fluid from the blister. Lightly prick the blister with your needle and allow the fluid to drain out at its own speed. After the blister is drained, cover the area in an antibiotic ointment. Place a Band-aid over the area to cover the blister and avoid further infection.

Step 2

Replace your Band-Aid as needed. Then, after a few days, you will want to leave the area uncovered so that it can air out and begin the healing process. Occasionally soak your feet in clean water and make sure to dry them thoroughly.

Step 3

Every day, before you put on your shoes and socks, dust your feet with baby powder. This will stop the friction between your footwear and your feet and will prevent the formation of more blisters.

Curing Athlete’s Foot

Step 1

After you take a shower, spray rubbing alcohol on your feet. Alcohol will dissolve the moisture and stop the spread of fungi to other parts of your feet. After spraying them, either thoroughly towel dry your feet or let them dry in the air.

Step 2

Yogurt and Vitamin B supplements both contain antibiotics that can destroy bacteria, so eating yogurt or taking a supplement can get rid of bacterial infections on your feet. This is a good option because taking prescription antibiotics will often kill the good bacteria that resides in your stomach and intestines along with the bad stuff that is causing your infections. Overuse of antibiotics can make it even harder to cure your fungal foot infection.

Step 3

Always keep baking soda or medicated foot powder in your shoes because these will keep your feet moisture-free. Also, you’ll want to wear socks made out of a natural fabric like wool or cotton because these will allow air circulation to your feet, which will help to keep them dry.

3 Foods to Help You Fight Fungal Infections

Good news. Science has now uncovered many ways that we can prevent and treat fungal infections. One of the simplest ways is to stop these infections from gaining a foothold in your body is by improving your diet.

Our digestive system produces a number of good bacteria that keeps our body functioning properly. However, sometimes bad bacteria, fungi, and mold can invade the system. Stress, illness, a poor diet, or becoming exposed to high levels of fungi or mold can make the bad bacteria outnumber the good ones. At this point, it is imperative that we take action. To restore a proper balance and get healthy, there are detox diets to clean the fungi and molds from our stomach and intestinal system.