
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, used vinegar as early as 400 BC to treat infections. Modern researches too have confirmed the anti-microbial properties of vinegar. However, this is in regard of vinegar’s properties as food preservatives. Although there are no strong scientific researches supporting the claim of traditional remedies favoring vinegar as an effective remedy for infections, many people who have used it to treat their nail fungus had been successful in eliminating the infection. This may be due to the natural acids present in vinegar.
For topical treatment try Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil with 75% Eugenol. This is one of the most powerful essential oils you can get and kills bacteria and fungus far more effectively. Dilute to 1% with 99% water and apply. Results within a week for mild cases. A really stubborn case with the toenail all destroyed will take 7 months until a new toenail grows.
Coconut oil has been traditionally used for treating various skin conditions including nail fungus. Modern researches have now found its medium chain fatty acids responsible for fungicide properties of coconut oil. From among these fatty acids, caprylic acid is considered to be the one which eliminates fungi by penetrating into the membranes of the fungus. This caprylic acid diffuses into the cell membrane of fungi and leads to cell disintegration which ultimately kills the fungus.
Baking soda is not fungicidal-that is, it does not kill the fungus. It is, however, fungistatic, which means it can prevent fungus from growing and spreading. The reason it acts like this is because it is alkaline-the opposite of acidic-and fungus is able to flourish when its environment is more acidic. It seems counter-intuitive then, that using vinegar to kill nail fungus would be a good idea, but vinegar is a fairly weak acid, and will help kill off the fungus without altering the Ph. of the environment in a harmful way.
Toenail fungus is a very common disease of the foot nails. Nail infection may affect toenails or fingernails, but toenail infections are particularly common. Some of the causes for this problem are sweating heavily, being in a humid environment, psoriasis and wearing socks and shoes that prevent ventilation and don’t absorb perspiration. Another common causes are going barefoot in damp public places such as swimming pools, gyms and shower rooms, having athlete’s foot, minor skin or nail injury, damaged nail or other infection, having diabetes or circulation problems and a weakened immune system.
But the earlier you treat the nail infection, the more likely you are to cure it, explains, Joshua Zeichner, MD, a New York City–based board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. “Treatment can take several months, even up to a year, as you need to wait for healthy nail to grow out, which is a slow process,” he says.
REMOVE: Fungal infections can be starved out by removing its preferred food source – sugar. Added sugars can be found in nearly all processed foods. (Check out this Rebuilding Wellness post on 60 Ways Sugar Hides in Labels.)  Natural sugars are also found in dairy, grains, and fruits. Begin by removing processed sugars from the diet and limiting natural sugars as best you can. By removing these, the fungus is deprived of what it needs to grow.