During sandal season I get a lot of questions about how to deal with toenail fungus – especially from guys, who don’t have the luxury of covering it up with nail poish during the summer months.  My advice is to just wear high-cut black socks with their sandals like tourists do on their Hawaii vacations.  Just kidding!  Here are a few home remedies that may help with minor cases of nail fungus.  They can be used together or one at a time – whatever works best for you!

• Give your nails as much air as possible.  This means removing nail polish, exposing your nails to sunlight whenever you can, and keeping nails clean and dry.  Fungus thrives in dark, moist areas.

• Eliminate fungus from within by correcting the balance of healthy bacteria in your body through diet and a probiotic supplement.  If your body is in balance, it is less likely that fungus and other unwanted organisms will grow.  The best type of diet to promote the balance of healthy bacteria is a whole foods diet that is low in sugar and refined carbs and rich in cultured and fermented foods.  See the book The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates for more info. 

• Apply a mix of apple cider vinegar diluted 1:1 with water to the top of the affected nail and blot it around the edges and underneath the nail also (this is where the fungus originates).  Use this mixture in the evening before you go to bed and first thing in the morning.  For more severe cases of fungus, soak the nail in this solution for 30 minutes twice daily.  Many people start to see results after a month of use.  Please do not apply undiluted vinegar to nails as it may cause discoloration.

• Apply 3% hydrogen peroxide (this is the concentration you buy at the drug store) to the affected nail with a cotton ball twice daily.  If this concentration stings, try diluting it 1:1 with water.  Many people start to see results within 1 week, with the added benefit of the HP lightening discolored nails due to fungus or use of nail polish.

• Rub a few drops of coconut oil mixed with a few drops of tea tree oil (can be purchased at most health food stores) into the affected nail and the surrounding area twice daily.  This mixture has anti-fungal properties, will help to soften and condition the nail, and the rubbing motion gives the added benefit of bringing more blood flow to the affected area for faster healing.

Please remember that nails take months to re-grow, so be patient and give yourself some time to heal!  And if any of you readers out there have found home remedies for nail fungus that worked for you and are not listed above, please share them in the comments section.  Thanks for reading!

NOTE: This blog is for information only and is not intended to replace the advice of a qualified healthcare practitioner.  If you have toenail fungus causing pain or nail loss please consult your doctor.

We have a baby in our household, which is like a beacon of light attracting all the children in the neighborhood who want a living toy to play with on summer vacation.  I definitely don’t mind it – our little boy loves the attention and spends most of his visiting time smiling and laughing. 

An unanticipated side effect of all of these visits is that my house has also become the band-aid dispensary when one of the kids scrapes their knee after falling off their bike.  There are a couple of tricks I use in these cases, and I wanted to share them with you to help you prevent scarring after skin injuries.

- First, wash the area well with soap and water.  I am not a fan of antibacterial soap, as most of it contains triclosan, a know hormone disruptor.  I just use regular castile soap and plenty of warm water.  The action of washing removes debris and bad bacteria without also destroying all the good, protective bacteria on the skin the way that antibacterial soap would.

- Most skin injuries repair better if they are kept slightly moist with ointment, but I don’t keep antibacterial first aid ointments in my home for the same reasons mentioned above about antibacterial soap.  For light scrapes, I rub a little bit of coconut oil onto the wound to promote softening and healing of the skin.  For cuts or scrapes that are a little more intense, I actually apply a dab of extra strength diaper rash ointment (I keep Desitin or Balmex in the house).  This might sound like a weird thing to do, but diaper rash ointment contains zinc, which helps skin to repair and has the added benefit of being a natural sunblock (avoiding sun on scrapes also helps to prevent scarring).

- Finally, cover the area with a bandage to be sure the ointment soaks in rather than rubbing off on clothes.

These instructions work well for all kinds of mild skin injuries including cuts, scrapes, and even injuries associated with acne and blistering sunburn.  For deeper wounds, cuts requiring stitches, skin injuries that may be infected, or puncture wounds, please consult your doctor!

It’s July, which in this hemisphere means it’s a great time to show some skin!  Here are five foods to include in your diet to help your skin glow:

1. Eggs, which supply skin-strengthening protein in the whites and a plethora of skin-friendly nutrients in the yolk.  Egg yolks contain biotin, a B vitamin that helps keep skin plump, and are a rich source of vitamin A, which helps your skin to produce fresh, new cells.

2. Oysters, which are a rich source of zinc.  This mineral makes skin stronger, prevents scarring, and helps to balance hormones involved in breakouts.  Oysters (along with all seafood) also contain omega 3 fats, which fight inflammation and help skin maintain an even appearance. 

3. Red bell pepper, which supplies vitamin C.  Vitamin C is necessary for formation of collagen – a protein that is found in all connective tissue including skin and blood vessels (as well as injected into the lips of movie stars).  Adequate intake of vitamin C encourages the body to produce collagen, which helps the skin to repair and prevents the formation of wrinkles.

4. Brazil nuts, which are an excellent source of selenium.  This mineral is the active ingredient in many dandruff shampoos.  When eaten in foods, it may help to improve the quality of skin, hair, and nails.

5. Green tea, which is a rich source of antioxidants and polyphenols.  These nutrients protect the skin from the effects of free radicals and may even help to lighten and reduce the appearance of age spots and sun damage.