Smelly Feet? Here’s a Tip

I came home from work the other day and my wife told me about a segment she had seen on Oprah. Oprah occasionally has a doctor on the show – Dr. Oz. I have seen him on the show a few times when my wife has taped a show. Dr. Oz is quite the hit and answers any question from the audience in an easy to understand way.
     In this show, Dr. Oz fielded an embarrassing question. It had to do with stinky feet. As I recall, he seems to get a lot of embarrassing questions. A lady shared her problem. “My feet are super stinky," she said. "I’ve tried wearing just open-toed shoes, and I wash my feet all the time in the shower. Nothing works."
     What would you guess? More soap, special soap, creams, powder? No – tea! Dr. Oz suggested a simple home remedy—soaking her feet in tepid iced tea.
     It’s no surprise that so many people’s feet smell. After all, since our feet have so many sweat glands, a quarter million give or take one or two, it is no surprise they generate about a half a liter of sweat per foot in a day. But, lets be straightforward, the sweat on your feet is not the cause of the stink. Sweat is actually sterile. The stink comes from the fungus or bacteria—such as athlete’s foot. The warm environment inside a sock (or nylon), inside a shoe, is a great place for bacteria to start.
     To get rid of the bacteria, make a pot of some mild iced tea and put your feet in it for about 30 minutes a day for a week. Dr. Oz says, "The tannic acid in the tea will actually tan your foot a little bit, which will dry it out," he says. "That’s helpful in reducing the amount of sweat, and the odor as well." This is a good tip that can be done at home as well as on vacation, even during a multiday race.
     In addition to the tea, you can help your feet by wearing absorbent socks – moisture-wicking fabrics are best. If you wear socks at work, change them when you get home. Airing your feet by going barefoot can also help.
     An added note is in order. Ultrarunners have learned that soaking your feet in tea dries out the skin, which is also good at toughening the skin. Many athletes will do this before a big race to help prevent blisters.