It's a hot summer's day or perhaps you are getting ready for an important meeting and try as you might you already feel your hands getting clammy. It doesn't stop here. Soon enough your feet start to get hot and your body starts sweating. Now you begin worrying that people will notice the less-than-fresh body odour wafting around you. Does this scenario sound familiar?
How often do you hear people say, ‘I love the heat!’ while you’re thinking ‘if only I wouldn't sweat so much!’... ?
While hot summer days might be the delight of your friends and family, if you're struggling with perspiration and body odour, a gorgeous sunny day can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Sweating and body odour are one of those topics many of us feel embarrassed to talk about. This does not need to be the case! Learn the facts, understand the causes and you can find out what you can do about it. The solution starts here...
Many assume that excessive sweating and body odour is a sign of poor hygiene but this is not necessarily the case. Perspiration is in fact odourless. It is only when normal bacteria living on our skin feed off the sweat glands that a musky, unpleasant odour starts to develop, usually around the genitals and armpits. While this may sound gross, it is a natural healthy process. Men are typically more prone to suffering from body odour (due to the male sex hormone, androgens), while children are usually not affected as their apocrine sweat glands only become activated when they hit puberty.
Sweating itself is a natural and important body function as it helps to regular body temperature, but the way we sweat, how much, where and when is different for everyone. Most of us will sweat after exercising, when it's been a hot day or when we feel particularly nervous, stressed or anxious. However, some people are inherently predisposed to sweating excessively and usually on their palms, feet, underarms and face.
Many people naturally sweat more than others and this is normal (even though you may not like it!) However, in a very small percentage of cases, excessive sweating can indicate an underlying disorder.
- Kidney and liver disease
- Fever
- Fungal infections
- Hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid)
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Hormonal imbalances
- Over-toxicity in the body
- Certain foods such as garlic, spicy foods, onions, coffee, tea, alcohol
- Side-effects to certain medications such as aspirin and antipsychotic drugs
If you begin sweating more than usual or notice a change in your body odour, then consult with your health care practitioner as it may indicate an underlying problem.
(also see our SUPER SEVEN TOP TIPS at the bottom of the page!)
Yes there is!
Resorting to deodorants and antiperspirants is a temporary solution as these only mask the problem and don’t get to the root of it.
Eating well, exercising regularly and generally keeping your body in shape will go a long way to minimizing body odour.
- Eat plenty of dark leafy greens such as spinach, chard and kale as these are rich in chlorophyll – very effective in combating body odour problems.
- Similarly, parsley is also well-known for its anti-odour properties.
TIP ~ take a teaspoon of chopped, fresh parsley and leave to seep into a cup of boiling water for around 5 minutes.
- Wheatgrass juice
- Avoid oily, fatty, processed and refined foods.
- Drink plenty of liquids! At least 2.5 litres of water a day
Herbal and homeopathic ingredients have proven effective in eliminating nasty body odours and reducing excessive sweating. Start smelling fresh and feeling great with these 100% natural alternatives;
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