Unpleasant body odor is an embarrassing problem that everyone had to deal with at some point. Although there are many deodorizing products on the market, many of these contain harmful chemicals whose long-term use is not recommended. Therefore, many people are seeking more natural alternatives for eliminating body odor.
1. Take activated charcoal capsules daily. Body odor occurs as the result of the many toxins circulating in the body, which are then excreted through the skin. Activated charcoal helps by binding to the toxins in the body, thus reducing their ability to produce body odor.
Activated charcoal can be taken internally in the form of capsules or applied externally. Internally, the capsule should be taken once daily for a period of 3 to 6 months to notice a beneficial effect.
2. Rub lemon juice on your skin. Lemon juice is one of the most ancient remedies used for reducing body odor.
Lemons contain citric acid; so by applying lemon juice directly over the skin, one reduces the pH of the skin making it more acidic. This acidity helps to limit the growth of bacteria.
Lemon is one of the most easily available natural substances for reducing body odor and is effective even for people who have extremely sensitive and delicate skin. Just a teaspoon of lemon juice can be rubbed over areas where you sweat a lot, daily, for a period of 3 months.
3. Try using orange peel. Orange peel is can be used locally to eliminate strong and offensive body odors.
Oranges are a very rich source of vitamin C and contain ample amounts of citric acid. Like lemons, oranges reduce the pH of the skin and lead to a reduction in the growth of the bacteria on the skin.
Orange peel is mild and can be used by even those with a sensitive skin. Not only does it reduce body odor but also lightens the blemishes on the skin. It is an excellent natural remedy which is found in all the parts of the world and is very cost effective too.
4. Wipe your skin with apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a fairly strong anti-septic which kills bacteria and controls odor forming toxins on the skin.
Apple cider vinegar can be applied externally using a cotton ball. Dab areas where you sweat a lot with the cider vinegar and let it dry, do not wash off.
Apple cider vinegar is very strong and people with sensitive skin may experience adverse side effects like burning or itching. Therefore, a small patch test is recommended before using this product.
5. Apply rosemary oil. The rosemary herb is used very commonly in Italian cuisine. It has antibacterial as well as antifungal properties, which both help to reduce bad odors on the skin.
Although you can use rosemary in cooking, studies have shown that rosemary oil is more effective if it is used externally. It reduces body odor and renders its sweet fragrance to the areas its applied to.
Rosemary oil can be used daily for on areas where you sweat a lot, especially the armpits. External application is recommended for long-term use, as it does not have any harmful effects.
6. Make a paste from holy basil. Holy basil is a herb with a lovely natural scent and is an extremely effective anti-bacterial by nature. One can use it as dressing over several foods or as an external application.
The taste of holy basil is mild and sweet in nature. To combat body odor, try to eat 4 to 6 fresh leaves daily or in cooked dishes.
To use holy basil more effectively, you can crush the fresh leaves into a paste and apply it to the malodorous areas (such as the armpits) for five minutes before rinsing off.
7. Try baking soda. Baking soda is highly recommended for people who have minimal sweating but still experience bad body odor. Baking soda is to be mixed with equal parts of lemon juice so that a paste is formed.
Rub this paste into the skin while bathing to effectively reduce bacterial growth on the skin.
Once the bacterial growth is reduced, problems with body odor will be much easier to control.
8. Experiment with corn starch. Corn starch is most useful for people in whom there is excessive sweating, leading to bad odors produced by the body.
Use corn starch along with lemon juice to make a paste-like consistency. Rub this paste externally on the body while bathing and let it remain on the skin for 5 minutes before rinsing off.
Both corn starch and lemon juice increase the ph of the skin, controlling the odor-producing bacteria.
9. Dab the skin with tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is known for its anti-septic properties as well as its strong but pleasant odor.
When used as an external application, it kills the bacteria present on the skin and thus reduces toxin formation.
You may dab a bit of tea tree oil onto excessively sweaty areas with a cotton ball to curb body odor.
10. Apply a sage herb paste. A herb called sage reduces the action of sweat glands, thereby reducing the quantity of sweat produced. Secondly, it has strong anti-bacterial properties and anti-fungal properties that prevent further growth of toxic bacteria on the skin.
Owing to all of the above mentioned benefits it is used for reducing body odor. It has to be made into a paste using water and applied externally on sweaty areas daily.
Leave the paste on the skin for 15 minutes before washing off.
11. Drink turnip juice or apply it externally. The traditional Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine recognizes turnip as an ancient remedy for coping with body odor.
Turnips are full of vitamin C and like other products control the growth of bacteria, thereby reducing body odor.
Turnip juice should be applied externally or may be consumed daily for a period of 3 months minimum.
Add tomato juice to your bath water. Tomato juice is an ancient remedy for reducing body odor. Tomato juice has excellent anti-septic properties which makes it a great option for reducing offensive body odor.
When the juice of tomatoes is used in bath water it kills the bacteria present on the skin and consequently the presence of malodorous toxins is greatly reduced.
If bathing is inconvenient, the intake of tomato juice should be at least a glass daily over a period of 3 months.
MAKING LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION
1. Bathe twice a day. One must bathe twice a day, especially in the morning, as sweat and body odor builds up on the skin overnight. Bathing helps to keep the skin clean and fresh. It also removes unpleasant odors and using a fragrant soap/body wash adds a pleasant, fresh fragrance to the skin.
2. Wear fresh cotton clothes. Cotton clothes allow the skin to breath, reducing the amount of sweat. Therefore, wearing cotton clothes keeps the skin healthy, dry and odor-free.
3. Avoid wearing closed footwear with socks for a long period of time. Closed footwear will lead to offensive odor from the feet if you sweat a lot, as there is lack of aeration. Aim to wear sandals, flip-flops or more breathable shoes as much as possible.
4. Apply talcum powder after bathing. Talcum powder will help to keep the skin dry and reduce body odor.
5. Quit smoking and chewing tobacco. Smoking and chewing tobacco lead to the production of free radicals which damage the body. They also lead to the formation of bacteria on the skin, which emit bad odor.
6. If you have hair under your arms or areas that you have hair that are causing odor, shave regularly.
CHANGE YOUR DIET
1. Drink lots of water. Water is an excellent solvent that flushes all the toxins from the body. Water is the most neutral substance and reduces the formation of bacteria in the intestines. Drinking around 8 to 10 glasses of water daily will help keep the skin healthy, hydrated and odor-free.
2. Eat food products containing probiotics. Probiotics are natural, gut-friendly bacteria which help to control the growth of other toxic bacteria in the intestines.
Probiotics promote the growth of the bacteria lactobacilli bifidus which improves digestion and reduces gut toxins. Substances like yogurt and buttermilk contain probiotics.
Consuming one cup of a probiotic substance each day is very helpful and should be continued for a period of 6 months. It will improve your overall health as body odor is often just a matter of good digestion!
3. Drink liquid chlorophyll or wheatgrass juice. Liquid chlorophyll is an effective antiseptic product which can be consumed orally. However, it has a very strong odor and may not sit well with all users.
Try to drink a minimum of one glass of juice per day for a period of 6 months to notice the positive effects on body odor reduction.
If you find the taste off-putting, you can start by consuming consuming very small quantities til you get used to the taste. Then you can gradually increase your intake to a glass a day.
4. Follow a balanced diet. One must consume balanced amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and fat. One should also avoid overeating. This will lead to a healthy internal environment and reduce bacterial growth in the intestines as well as on the skin.
5. Avoid fried foods and junk foods and vitamin B complex. One must avoid fried foods as they contain a high calorie content and increase a person's basal metabolic rate, which leads to profuse sweating. Simple, unprocessed foods will reduce the sweating and also lead to overall better health. Excess vitamin B complex might lead to a fishy odor in sweat.
6. Include herbs in your cooking. Including more pleasantly fragranced herbs in your cooking will help to improve the odor of your sweat. Some of the most effective herbs for this purpose include coriander, parsley, oregano and mint.
SOME HELPFUL TIPS
Some types of seafood like tuna or swordfish contain high amounts of mercury, a toxin that can give you a nasty body odor.
Also consuming high amounts of spicy foods, red meat, garlic, onion, curry spices and fenugreek can negatively affect the smell of your sweat.
