Nail fungus appears easy to get, but once you get it, it seems impossible to get rid of. Keeping it simple, here are some causes of nail fungus.
Causes of Nail Fungus:
1. Damage. You hit your nail against something, damaged it and this lifted the nail off the nail bed allowing fungus to crawl under.
2. Contagious. You were at a nail salon or foot spa or some other nice relaxing place (or a gym) and their tools were contaminated with fungus.
3. Yeast Overgrowth. Antibiotics, sugar addictions, poor diet, poor digestion, antacids and/or stress can all lead to yeast overgrowth.
4. Immune Weakness. Heavy metal exposure, yeast overgrowth, stress, nutrient deficiency, lack of sleep all point to a weak immune system.
5. Environment. Perhaps your feet live in shoes or socks which do not breathe well.
6. Poor Circulation. Diabetic? Stressed? Cold feet = poor circulation which leads to nail fungus.
The trick to eradicating nail fungus for good is understanding which one(s) caused your nail fungus. #1 or #4? Perhaps a combination of #3, #4 and #5?
If a cause of your nail fungus includes sugar cravings, antibiotic use, or yeast/candida, consider treating the cause with these remedies.
1. Take 1/4 teaspoon of Seeking Health Probiota 12 Powder after dinner for 1 week then take 1/2 teaspoon until the bottle is gone. Then switch to taking 1/8 teaspoon as a maintenance dose (Makes the gut environment inhospitable to yeast/candida).
2. Seeking Health Saccharomyces Boulardii: take 2 capsules in the AM and 2 in the PM (helps kill the Candida). Helps reduce the reproductive ability of candida albicans.
3. Biogenesis Para Biotic Plus: Take 1 capsule at night before bed for 1 week. Then take 1 capsule in the AM on a weekend end. If you feel ok, then take 1 capsule AM and PM. Then after one week, take 1 capsule three times a day. Once three bottles are gone. Stop. Do not use any more. This is used for yeast, bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.
4. Seeking Health Vitamin C Powder: helps process the toxins released from Candida as it dies off. MSM Plus Molybdenum also does this, so you may not need Optimal Vitamin C, but if you drink soda or a lot of juice then I recommend you substitute Optimal Vitamin C Powder for the soda and juice. Water with added Optimal Vitamin C Powder tastes excellent - like Tang - but healthy and beneficial.
5. Eat some form of protein every couple hours in order to maintain blood sugar. This works to control your sugar cravings. Try it!
If poor circulation is a cause of your nail fungus, consider treating it with these remedies:
1. Nutri-Flow: Take 1 capsule without food in the AM and PM - 12 hours apart. Nutri-Flow contains an enzyme which reduces fibrin and this helps reduce blood 'thickness'. Do not take Nutri-Flow if you are taking blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder.
2. Reduce your stress through meditation and exercise. Find your passions again!
3. Stretch: stretch your calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps in order to reduce pressure off your arteries. Tight muscles compress arteries thereby reducing blood flow.
4. Contrast Hydrotherapy. Get your feet hot for 2 minutes and then follow it with 30 seconds of cold. Do this three times. This encourages blood flow to the area. Do daily.
Nail Fungus Treatments I Don't Recommend:
1. Lamisil or other oral antifungals. Very damaging to the liver. So much so the docs are supposed to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment.
2. Laser Treatments. A total waste of time and very expensive.
3. Direct Essential Oils. Essential Oils are toxic if you do not dilute them. Never apply essential oils directly to your body, especially for extended periods of time.
Nail Fungus Treatment Recipe (For Mild Cases):
Using Vick's Vapor Rub is best for mild cases. If you have a severe case of toe nail fungus, Dr. Ben Lynch says the Vicks will not eliminate it. The Vicks is better for mild cases. It might make a good preventative though. The challenge is getting the topical rub to penetrate the nail in order to reach the fungus. Be sure to completely cover the nail with the rub, getting under the nail and down into the cuticle.
To effectively get the Vicks in the edges of, and under, the nail you can use a cotton swab. Don’t re-dip your finger or cotton swap into the Vick’s jar. This will prevent contaminating the Vicks with fungus. After applying the Vicks, cover with a band-aid or sock.
Another home remedy to consider, which Dr. Ben says is more effective than Vicks, is a beer soak.
1. 1 jar Vick's Vapor Rub
2. Rosemary Essential Oil
3. Tea Tree Essential Oil
4. Oregano Essential Oil
5. Lavender Essential Oil
6. White Camphor Essential Oil
Mix 10 drops of each Essential Oil above into your Vick's Vapor Rub. Stir well. Apply every day morning and night to your nails. You only need a little bit.
For more severe cases of nail fungus, check out a beer soak. Yes, beer, and Guinness for that matter. Nothing lite!
How Do You Speed the Growth of Nails???
Nail fungus damages your nails and in order to get healthy nails, you need to grow more healthy nail - faster.
1. Seeking Health Biotin 5: UPDATE: This product is no longer available by Seeking Health. Take 1 capsule (5 mg) of Biotin 5 every day (not 2 capsules - only 1 - more is not better). Biotin increases the growth rate of nails, hair and even helps your skin - especially if you have dandruff or eczema. Not only does Biotin improve the growth rate of nails, it also kills yeast! Research shows biotin actually inhibits yeast from reproducing.
2. Dr. Mercola MSM Plus Sulphur Vegetables: Take 2 capsules a day with or without food. You are getting two benefits here. MSM not only benefits healthy nail growth but healthy hair growth also. The added sulphur-containing vegetables process the toxins released from Candida - and so does the MSM.
That's it to getting rid of Nail Fungus!
Feel free to comment and let me know how it works for you. I think you'll be very impressed!
In Health and Happiness,
Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods
Reference: Dr. Ben Lynch
