Sunday, May 4, 2008
Body odor is one of the unpleasant things that we don’t expect. Body odor is affected by what sweat glands emit. If body odor is very unpleasant it may affect your social life.
Symptoms for Body odor
Body odor symptoms
Being nervous or anxious could be a symptom of body odor. Heavy sweating due to strenuous physical exercise should tell you that you are going to smell badly. You may feel the unpleasant odor yourself.
Causes for Body odor
Body odor causes
Body odor may be due to serious illness. Body odor may be due to kidney disease, fungal infections liver disease & so on If you take some strong medicines then the smell of those medicines may be present in your body odor. Diabetic patients may smell of acetone because of insulin that they take. If you drink alcohol, smoke cigarette or cigar you will have an unpleasant body odor. Body odor may also be due to zinc deficiency, cavities, toxins & so on. It is often related with sweating of the body, but the unpleasant odor is mainly due to bacteria present in the sweat. The major non-food reason for body odor due to sweating is the sweat glands under the arms & in the groin area. Poor hygiene is the most common reason for body odor.
HOME REMEDIES FOR BODY ODOR & PERSPIRATION
Remedies for Sweat
Use antibacterial soap or deodorant soap to combat body odor due to sweating. Wear cotton clothes during summer so that the sweat is soaked up. Instead of using deodorant, wipe your sweat producing areas like armpit using white vinegar or alcohol. Avoid using antiperspirant because they clog sweat glands, use alum instead. Apply some baking soda on arm pit, it will absorb sweat & kill bacteria.
Other Remedies
If your body odor is caused due to any medicine that you are on, then you need to talk to your doctor. Soak yourself for 15 minutes in bath water with couple of cups of tomato juice in it. Use baby powder to keep areas of heavy perspiration dry. Apple cider vinegar can be used to combat under arm odor.
* For excessive underarm odor, use a mild solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%) Put a teaspoonful in a glass of water & wash the underarm.
* Frequent bathing is good for those who are troubled with skin odors. In some people merely shaving the hair from under the arms may relieve this problem.
* Add three cups of tomato juice in the water & soak for fifteen minutes or longer. It will help to get rid of body odor. This is one of the best home remedies for body odor.
* Take juice of about two dozen radishes, add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerin, & put in a spray-top bottle. This is an effective home remedy for body odor. Use as an underarm deodorant or to reduce foot odor. .
* Clothes should be loose as they allow the body to breathe better than tight clothes. The perspiration escapes & doesn't become a breeding place for bacteria. The type of fabric is also very important.
* Synthetic fabrics for shoes & clothes don't allow the body to breathe, so natural fabrics are better than synthetic fibres. Change clothes regularly.
* Dietary changes are also very important in decreasing the body odor. Certain foods, such as meat, onions, garlic, exotic spices, & drinks such as coffee & alcohol can lead to body odor. Try removing these from diet for a week or two & see if this makes a difference.
* Tobacco use is a major cause of body odor. If you stop smoking it may take several weeks for the body to rid itself of odor causing substances.
* Rosemary is an antibacterial herb. Put 8 to 10 drops of the essential oil in 1 ounce of water & apply it where needed. One of the useful home remedies for body odor.
* Wash your armpits with alcohol, white vinegar or witch hazel instead of deodorant.
* Apple cider vinegar also helps to reduce under arm body odor when used in place of deodorant because it reduces the pH of the skin. Bacteria can't live in areas with low pH.
* Baking soda acts as an agent that kills the bacteria & helps to absorb perspiration. Cornstarch can also be used or it can be mixed with the baking soda.
* Chewing parsley, alfalfa & other leafy greens also helps to neutralize body odor, because of the deodorizing effect of the chlorophyll.
* Herbalists suggest drinking a cup of sage tea daily reduces sweat gland activity.
* For body odor treatment, fresh sage leaves blended with tomato juice have been found to be very effective.
* Juice of the Turnip also helps to decrease underarm odor for up to 10 hours. Grate a turnip; squeeze the juice through cheesecloth, to get two teaspoonfuls. Apply it under the arms.
* Take 500 mg of wheat grass daily on an empty stomach & drink a glass of water. The chlorophyll will dramatically reduce body odor. This is one of the useful home remedies for body odor.
* Eat 1 teaspoon of fresh parsley with each meal.This is also an effective home remedy for body odor.
* Excessive toxics may be one of the causes, try taking steam baths or sunbaths frequently as part of an overall detoxification program.
* A high-potency B-vitamin (50 mg or higher) when taken with magnesium will help reduce certain secretions that can be a cause of odor.
* Soaking feet in water mixed with either vinegar or Epsom salts can also be effective. A dusting of talcum, cornstarch, or a medicated foot powder directly on the skin & in the shoes can help as well.
It is studied that body odor can be produced by deficiency of zinc. Good natural sources of zinc are: spinach, parsley, collard greens, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, & asparagus. Spinach is the richest source of zinc. Taking juice of all the above foods makes a very good remedy for body odor.
Diet for Body odor
Diet to avoid
There is a direct relation between what a person eats & his body odor. Avoid refined sugar, white flour, hydrogenated oils & other processed foods. Avoid red meat because it releases many toxins into the blood stream. Avoid foods that lack fiber. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, cumin & garlic.
Eat Healthy Food
Eat a healthy diet which contains whole grains, lots of leafy vegetables, sprouts, fresh fruits, soy products, raw nuts & so on.
Suggestion for Body Odor
Other suggestions for Body Odor
Never repeat unwashed clothes, especially undergarments during summer, it will aggravate the odor. Wax your armpits regularly. People who wear shoes for long time complain of foot odor. It is caused by rapid bacteria growth due to excess sweating of feet. To avoid foot odor wear cotton socks, never use socks repeatedly. Wash your feet properly. If possible wear open foot wear like leather sandals. All the above mentioned remedies for body odor can be used for preventing foot odor.
Some herbal teas can eliminate body odor.
Sage tea, when had daily once, can eliminate the bacteria that are responsible for body odor.
1 - Sage leaves are also helpful in the removal of unwanted body smells. Sage leaves can be mixed with tomato juice & apply this on the regions which are he sources of the body odor. After about thirty minutes, have your bath & wash off the paste. You will remain body odor free for the whole day.
2 - An unconventional method to reduce body odor is to use vinegar made from apple cider in place of deodorants. This is used in the armpits. Though the method is less commonly used, results are obtained. Vinegar contains acetic acid which is an antibacterial. Even normal white vinegar when applied to the areas of profuse perspiration will reduce most of the bacteria living there & eliminate the body odor.
3 - Turnip is also known to help. The juice of a grated turnip when applied to the places where sweat is more will keep that area free of sweat & perspiration for a long time. Regular use of this method will eliminate the problem of body odor completely.
4 - Alfalfa (Medicago satina) Alfalfa has an antibacterial agent present in its chlorophyll. When alfalfa is consumed, it reduces the problem of body odor by killing the bacteria present on the body.
5 - Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) Just like alfalfa, parsley also has antibacterial properties in its chlorophyll. Moreover, parsley contains zinc in it which is known to have powers in reducing body odors.
6 - Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) Rosemary is an antibacterial herb. Hence it is used in several deodorants to kill the bacteria living on the body & make it odor-free.
