Onychomycosis is one such common fungal infection of the toenail that infects millions of people worldwide. The infection thickens the toenail, discolors it, and deforms the shape of the toenail causing discomfort and pain at times.
Conventional treatments, using topical creams and oral tablets conventionally address the symptoms of the infection where the infection is present. But recent research has established that gut health also contributes significantly to the development of the fungal infection and its recurrence. The following article will explain the relation between gut health and toenail infection and also identify how a healthy gut status can prevent the disease to a great extent.
Gut Microbiota
The gut microbiome is composed of trillions of microbes, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and others that cohabit the belly in harmony with one another. Healthy carrying gut microbiota pertains to health. The moment harmony has been disrupted, there follows a state, known as dysbiosis, which has a way of echoing all the way down to the immune system level. These imbalances may result in dysbiosis, which brings about compromised immunity to the point of even opening the body to any kind of infection, such as toenail fungus.
Immune System & Chronic Inflammation
The majority of the body's immune system is found in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue or GALT. A microbiota imbalance in the gut will most likely lead to some form of immune response that leads to chronic inflammation. The mediation of systemic inflammation compromised the nail's natural defense and turned it into a nail which was most prone to fungal infection. Leak gut syndrome allowed toxins to circulate in the blood while the gut lining became most porous. Inflammation is the first defense mechanism of the body parts against any invader, which again has escalated the condition all over the body, right down to the nails.
Candida Overgrowth
It is normally an inoffensive yeast in the intestines, but when this growth takes over, this contributes to overgrowth, or candidiasis in general. Candida overgrowth can take on all shapes and sizes, from a systemic infection to the rather less harmful toenail fungus. The majority of the overgrowths are due to dysbiosis of gut microbiota, and rebalancing of the gut flora itself is an excellent way to first keep Candida under control.
Note nutrient absorption in relation to nail health.
Good gastrointestinal health goes a great way in supporting good nutrient absorption. Antioxidants, vitamins, and other minerals are nutritional needs to be considered while trying to restore health in one's nails. Poor nutrient intake, due to microbial imbalance in the gut, tends to increase more weakening of nails and may tend to expose the nail to infection; thus, good healthy nutrition is beneficial to gut and health revival in the nail.
Antibiotic Use & Gut Health
Antibiotics overprescribe in order to treat nearly all kinds of bacterial infection. However, they also interfere with gut flora in the sense that they destroy not just bad bacteria but also good bacteria. They disturb the balance that can cause dysbiosis and make conditions favorable for fungi to develop, like toenail fungus. One may take probiotics and a prebiotic-rich diet in order to regain and sustain healthy gut flora following antibiotics.
OTC Products, the Wisest Action
The over-the-counter antifungal drugs are the rapid and efficient forms of counter-attack against the infecting attack of the fungi on the toes. They are available over-the-counter as creams, ointments, sprays, and powders to anyone without prescriptions. OTC antifungal drugs either destroy the fungus or prevent the fungi from growing. Three of the most well-known active ingredients of over-the-counter antifungal drugs are clotrimazole, miconazole, and terbinafine.
Advantages of OTC antifungal products will be viewed as follows:
1. Accessibility: Readily available at all pharmacies, over the counter, they offer themselves for use.
2. Affordability: Over-the-counter antifungal medicines are more affordable in relation to prescription drugs or laser therapies.
3. Safety: They are highly safe, prepared in a way to rule out side effects. Most of them are also well tolerated, including those with sensitive skin.
4. Convenience: Their instructions are easy to understand, applied easily at home, hence quite convenient to apply in the treatment of fungal infections.
Gut Health and Prevention
A healthy gut is very much likely to be the strongest fortress in fighting toenail fungal infection. Following are a few suggestions that can help in keeping the gut at its best form.
- Balanced Diet: Include a diet comprising all food categories, high in fiber content, vegetables, fruits, and fermented foods; these will provide healthy gut microbiota.
- Probiotics and Prebiotics: Ingestion of food items and supplements containing probiotics that help in the proliferation of good bacteria.
- Hydration: Give time to the body for digestion and absorption.
- Too Much Sugar and Processed Food Should be Avoided: They will imbalance the gut flora and encourage the growth of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
- Exercise: It will make your gut healthy by strengthening your microbiota.
- Stress Reduction: Chronic stress would alter the gut microbiota, and hence, stress-releasing habits such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness need to be adopted.
Conclusion
Good gut health is actually the gateway in fungal infection of the toenail. Keeping your gut healthy by adopting a healthier general approach to life keeps the prospects of fungal infections at bay while boosting general health. The safer and surer, and more convenient forms of treatments against fungal infections are over-the-counter anti-fungals. Moreover, since the gut-nail axis has been revealed, so too has it been about how different systems of the human body are interconnected with one another and how integrated the whole body is.
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