Bye-Bye Body Odor - Freshening Up The Natural Way
OdorWhat is body odor?
Contrary to popular belief, body odor isn't synonymous with sweating. Sweat is nearly odorless, believe it or not. It's the bacteria on the surface of the skin which creates the unpleasant smell when a person perspires.
Sweat glands, the cooling mechanism of the human body, come in two types: eccrine glands and apocrine glands.
Eccrine glands, present throughout most of the body, secrete primarily water and salts. Apocrine glands, however, are located in areas with abundant hair follicles, such as the armpits, groin, or scalp. These glands secrete fats and proteins to be broken down by the bacteria on the skin. And it's this bacterial breakdown which results in body odor.
What are the causes and risk factors?
Among the more common causes of excessive sweating associated with body odor are: Genetics, certain medications (such as anti-psychotic drugs, hormone therapies, and analgesics), hormonal changes, and poor hygiene.
Can body odor be treated naturally?
The social repercussions of body odor have resulted in the development of numerous chemical hygiene products promising to eliminate the problem. But most deodorants only mask the smell, and antiperspirants block the sweat glands, thereby interfering with the body's cooling mechanism.
Following a good hygiene regimen, drinking plenty of water, lowering caffeine consumption, and increasing dietary fiber are good first steps in minimizing body odor naturally, but there are other remedies as well.
Adding certain essential oils or herbal extracts such as ROSE WATER, ALUM, or MINT LEAVES to bath water will revive the mind, body, and senses as well as aid in controlling unpleasant body odor.
BAKING SODA rubbed on dry armpits after a shower works as a natural deodorant, and a dusting of CORN STARCH keeps underarms dry.
Two drops of TEA TREE OIL mixed with one ounce of water makes a good deodorant too, as does ROSEMARY OIL (mixed with water, of course) which is known for its antibacterial properties.
Find more natural body odor cures at Gocures.com