Toenail fungus requires perseverance

November 22, 2007 at 2:00a.m.

Q. I’ve had toenail fungus on all my toes for a number of years and would like to know the most effective treatment.

A. There are no studies to show effectiveness of home remedies, so it is very hard to predict what might work best for you. Whether you choose to treat your nail fungus with a prescription drug or a home remedy, you’ll need to be persistent. Here is one reader’s experience: “I read your column about toenail fungus and athlete’s foot. I’ve found the foolproof method to rid yourself of this problem without using toxic prescription meds.

“Soak feet twice a week for about five to 10 minutes in a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and regular (amber) Listerine. The mixture can be put in a sealable container large enough for your feet and can be used for three months before making another batch.

“For in-between use and traveling, pick up a MISTO container for spraying cooking oil at any good kitchen store. It’s unbreakable, doesn’t leak and travels well. I use it to spray my feet daily, especially between the toes. It takes about a year of this to clear up a serious toenail fungus, but it also eliminates other foot problems caused by moisture.”

Q. I have arthritis and some patches of psoriasis on my skin. I would like to try turmeric, but want to know if this would be worthwhile and if there are any interactions with prescription drugs.

A. Turmeric has been used to season food for thousands of years. Its medicinal properties have been recognized for nearly that long.

Some research indicates that turmeric and its primary component curcumin can ease the inflammation of psoriasis and arthritis (Current Opinion in Pharmacology, June 2007). It may also help prevent atherosclerosis and certain cancers.

Turmeric may cause rashes in some sensitive individuals. It can also interact with anticoagulant drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin).

Q. While in Africa, I started drinking rooibos tea every day. Now that I am back home in Houston, my usual fall allergies have not appeared. Have you heard of this before?

A. We have heard of rooibos tea (“red bush” tea) from South Africa. It has been used traditionally against pollen allergies, but there is not a lot of clinical research to support its effectiveness. One study did suggest that there is an effect on the immune system that might help relieve allergic symptoms (Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, October 2001).

Q. My 17-year-old daughter has very smelly feet. I convinced her to try the urine trick, and IT WORKED! Her foot odor is completely gone!

A. We have heard from veterans that urinating on smelly feet can help clear up athlete’s foot as well as foot odor.

Another possibility involves zinc supplements. Here is one reader’s story: “About eight years ago, my then-12-year-old son had terrible foot odor. It finally stopped when I read in your column to try zinc. We bought generic zinc tablets, and within a week we saw dramatic improvement with just one tablet daily.”

XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.