May 16, 2007 11:09 AM

Lisa Ryckman on foot health

Mark_Wolf(Q) Why are people more prone in summer to have agony of da feet?
Lisa_Ryckman(A) Cause in the summer, your feets are out there. Podiatrists say that when the weather gets warm, people start having foot problems. They step on stuff, keep their tootsies in warm, moist environments that breed fungus and put on strappy sandals with 4-inch heels.

Mark_Wolf(Q) If I have really ugly nail fungus - and not admitting that I do - what are the pros and cons of using prescription meds? They have such fun commercials. What are the natural alternatives?
Lisa_Ryckman(A) To take care of your toenail fungus -- and I mean that generally, not necessarily talking about your personal fungus, if indeed you suffer from such a thing -- the prescription drug you see on TV is Lamisil. This is a very expensive pill that can have such a negative efffect on your liver that many docs require you to have periodic blood screens while you're taking it. You take it for six to eight weeks, but it takes months for the grotty toenail to actually grow out.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) There are many natural remedies, however. The most widely recommended is Vicks VapoRub. You apply it morning and night around and underneath the nails and cuticle -- all your toes, not just the infected one, because this fungus can spread easily. It takes a while for it to grow out, but it only costs a couple of bucks and it doesn't require you to pop a potentially toxic pill.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) The downside is that your feet smell like Vicks. But some people find that very alluring, or so I'm told.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) Tea tree oil is another popular remedy, as is vinegar. Soak your nails in a solution of one part vinegar to two parts water. Another remedy some people swear by is Listerine, swabbed onto the toes daily.

Mark_Wolf(Q) You're not supposed to pop blisters? That's as close as a lot of us get to layman's surgery. And it's intuitive among those of us who didn't quite get all the way through med school.
Lisa_Ryckman(A) That is correct -- you're supposed to let sleeping blisters lie.

Lisa_Ryckman(P) Anyone who wants to find a complete list of home remedies for toe fungus, athlete's foot and the like should check out "Best Choices from the People's Pharmacy" by Joe and Teresa Graedon.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) I wrote about them a while back -- they have some really amazing remedies they've collected from readers of their newspaper column and people who listen to their weekly radio show.

Mark_Wolf(Q) Do people exacerbate their foot problems by choosing shoes for style instead of function? I'm thinking mainly of women and their high heels. I think guys are much more practical. We buy shoes because our favorite basketball player tells us to.
Lisa_Ryckman(A) Naturally. Choosing poor-fitting, foot-destroying, very sexy shoes is a woman's perrogative, one that I myself am prone to. We suffer the consequences, which is what keeps podiatrists in business.

Mark_Wolf(Q) I was surprised to read that 25 percent of women who get pedicures develop some type of foot problems resulting from their pampering.
Lisa_Ryckman(A) Yes, there can be a problem with lack of hygiene at nail salons (shocking, isn't it?). If tools aren't sterilized between pedicures, ailments such as your toe fungus -- again, not yours personally, Mark -- can easily be passed from one foot to another.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) I would venture to say that quite a number of those women continue to get salon pedicures even if they experience a problem. it's just one of life's little luxuries. You should try it, MW.
Mark_Wolf(P) Pictures of my feet are posted in salons all over town, like card-cheaters in Vegas.

Mark_Wolf(Q) Nail polish is getting greener?
Lisa_Ryckman(A) This is a really cool development. Up until recently, the nail polish used most widely in salons -- OPI -- contained a couple of toxic chemicals that were particularly problematic for salon workers. But OPI responded to some consumer pressure and took the toxins out of its U.S. formulation. Interestingly, Europe is WAY ahead of us when it comes to making cosmetic companies take possible carcinogens and mutagens out of their products, and OPI had a greener version it sold there. Now it's here, too. I give OPI props for responding the way they did.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) I'm personally glad, too, because OPI is a company you really want to like. They take great care in giving their polish colors excellent names, most of them puns or plays on words or just something amusing. Their bestseller, for example, is called "I Am Not A Waitress."

Mark_Wolf(Q) What can you do for stinky feet? I mean, not just fragrant for a minute after your shoes come off, but room-clearing stinky. Hypothetically, of course.
Lisa_Ryckman(A) Naturally. I'm quite sure your feet smell like rose petals.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) But to answer your question, here are some suggestions: soak your feet in a solution of a handful of Epsom salts to a pan of warm water for 30 minutes for several days in a row; put dry roll-on antiperspirant on your feet daily; sprinkle socks and shoes with alum, baking soda or Zeasorb.
Lisa_Ryckman(P) Here's another one, once again from the Graedon's book: pee on your feet in the shower. Apparently, this is a very common remedy in the military that soldiers swear by.
Mark_Wolf(P) Makes me sorry they did away with the draft.

Mark_Wolf(Q) Anyone who uses a gym regularly knows athlete's foot can be almost impossible to avoid even if you're careful. Do podiatrists recommend a daily spray even if you don't have any symptoms?
Lisa_Ryckman(A) The podiatrist I spoke with recommended prevention: athlete's foot thrives in warm, moist places. So wash and dry your feet thoroughly every day, and don't let them stew inside sweaty sneakers. And if you do get athlete's foot, pour Listerine on it.
Mark_Wolf(Q) Listerine, really?
Lisa_Ryckman(A) Apparently. It's also good for dandruff and jock itch. Some people use it to get rid of lice.