Body Odor? 5 Natural Suggestions
Perspiration itself is normally odorless – it’s the bacterial breakdown of sweat that causes most body odor. If you suffer from body odor, consider the following natural ways to combat it:
- Splash rubbing alcohol under your arms to reduce bacteria. Avoid if you have irritated skin or open sores.
- Eliminate caffeine. Stimulant drugs, like caffeine, contribute to body odor by increasing the activity of apocrine sweat glands, special glands in hairy parts of the body that produce strong-smelling, musky secretions. Try eliminating caffeine if body odor is a concern for you. If you notice withdrawal headaches, you may need to pace your caffeine elimination gradually down over days to weeks.
- Most commercial underarm products contain irritating or harmful ingredients, including aluminum salts and dyes. Avoid the antiperspirant varieties – you can find better deodorant-only products in health food stores, such as those containing extracts of green tea, which is antibacterial. There are several apps, as well as resources supplied by the Environmental Working Group to help guide you toward the least toxic and irritating options.
- If you buy “natural crystals” from the health food store, make sure they do not contain alum or aluminum in any form.
- Increase your intake of probiotic or healthy bacteria via fermented foods such as plain yogurt or kefir, or through supplementation. You can also open a capsule of probiotic and use the powder topically in the underarm every evening to promote a healthier bacterial balance.
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