Athlete's foot is a fungus known as tinea pedis, that usually infects the feet, but can spread to the groin or thigh and then it is called jock itch. If it infects other parts of the body it is then called ring worm, and it grows in wet, dark places and can become quite irritating. This is the most common fungal infection of the skin, and it seems to affect mostly men, especially athletes since their feet tend to be enclosed in dark, wet shoes and socks. Symptoms are itching between the toes and tops and bottoms of the feet; as the fungus progresses it can cause scaling, cracking and bleeding. Some of the most common places of picking up the fungus are in gyms, locker rooms, saunas, and swimming pools.

What Can Be Done

Athlete's foot or jock itch is relatively easy to cure, as there are many good over the counter products such as sprays and lotions that provide relief and cure quickly. It is very important to bleach all of the socks you have worn to help kill the fungus, as well as wash your shoes (if possible) and apply the spray or powder to the inside of your shoes as the fungus will still be in there and you might re-infect yourself. As strange as this may sound, be extremely careful when putting on your underwear as if your bare feet touches your underwear, you can spread the fungus to your groin area. It is probably best to put your socks on before putting your underwear on. Also do not shower in places where you are unsure of the cleanliness of the floor, or wear slippers that are made to be worn in the water so that the soles will not cause you to slip and your bare feet will not catch any fungus that might be present.

Natural Remedies

Colloidal silver is a great disinfectant, it fight bacteria, viruses and fungi, be sure to follow the directions on the label and keep out of reach of children. Garlic, the seeming cure-all in the form of Kyloc is also great in helping to destroy fungus by taking 3 tablets per day. Truly in this one case, because athlete's foot is so uncomfortable, it might be easier and faster to use an over the counter product to help give you relief sooner. If you are committed to using natural remedies try soaking your feet in a solution of Pau d' arco tea. To prepare a strong batch, place 7 or 8 tea bags of Pau d' arco into 2-3 quarts of hot water, also add a product from Aerobic Life Industries called Aerobic 07, and add about 20 drops to the tea. Pour this mixture into a container that you can soak your feet in and keep them in the mix for at least 15 minutes 3 times a day for faster relief. Be sure to dry between your toes after showering, in fact a blow-dryer will make sure they are fully dry before putting on your socks.

Avoid processed foods and sugar as they will feed the yeast, and be sure you take your vitamins A, B, and C. If you can find it, olive oil or olive leaf extract is really great for eliminating microbial infections of the body. Make sure to wear all cotton socks and change them daily or more often if they become wet. If your shoes are wet, either set them out in the sun or toss them into the dryer to help prevent re-infection. It is also recommended to wear well ventilated shoes or to have more than one pair of shoes to switch between.  Believe it or not, these simple tricks can help prevent infection or re-infection. If you are allergic to the over the counter powders or simply do not want to use them, try garlic. You can either sprinkle garlic powder into your shoes (be generous) and coat the entire inside of the shoes, or you can slice up several cloves of garlic and wrap them in cheesecloth or gauze and wear them in your shoes so that the garlic oil will be directly absorbed into the skin and help kill the fungus. 

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