It is an annoying situation when you emit unpleasant body odor. Some people are prone to body odor due to excessive sweating. Perspiration is the body’s mechanism to keep it cool. It is not the perspiration which causes body odor, but rather the bacteria which get accumulated on the skin surface responsible to emit foul smell from your body.
Body odor is strongly associated with the sweat glands. Generally you get strong body odor in your arm pits and genital areas; this is due to excessive perspiration in those areas and presence of bacteria.
Causes Of Unusual Body Odor
- Serious illness such as kidney disease, liver disease, fungal infection.
- Certain medications can also give unpleasant body odor.
- Alcohol, beverages and smoking.
- In case of diabetic ketoacidosis, those who have trained nose can smell a sweet fruity odor from the body of the patient.
- In vitamin C deficiency leading to scurvy, it can give a putrid odor.
- Liver and kidney failure can give a distinct rotten egg or ammoniac odor.
- Poor hygiene.
- Eating certain foods such as garlic, onions can also emit strong body odor.
- In tuberculosis the body odor smells like stale beer.
Home Remedies For Body Odor Removal
- Wheat grass effectively helps to reduce body odor. It is the chlorophyll, which is responsible for flushing out the chemicals emitting body odor.
- When body odor is due to sweating, use of antibacterial soaps helps to remove the body odor.
- Apply baking soda to the arm pits and feet, it reduces the body odor by absorbing the sweat, it is also a mild anti bacterial remedy.
- Wear cotton clothes and socks, it allow free movement of air and dries perspiration quickly.
- Instead of using a deodorant, apply alcohol or white vinegar in your arm pits.
- If the body odor is due to any medicines, you have to talk to your doctor regarding it.
- Tomato juice is an excellent home remedy for body odor removal. Pour 2 cups of tomato juice in bath water and soak your body in the bath water. After 10 minutes take a fresh water bath.
Natural Cures For Body Odor
- Apple cider vinegar is good home remedy for arm pit odor. It can be used in place of a body deodorant.
- Rose water is a natural home remedy for removing unpleasant body odor. You can add few drops of rose water in your bath water.
- Eating parsley regularly helps to relive you from unpleasant body odor.
- Rub turnip juice in your armpits before bathing, it is a natural home remedy for reducing body odor due to sweating.
- Avoid eating food such as garlic, red meat, refined sugar, processed foods, alcohol, caffeine etc.
- Eat a healthy diet containing fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, soy products and lot of fiber containing foods. Drink enough water to remove the body toxins.
Preventive measures for body odor caused due to sweating:
- Wear clean and washed clothes daily.
- Change your undergarments, do not wear them unwashed. They will aggravate the odor.
- Foot odor can be prevented by wearing fresh and washed socks daily; do not use the same socks without washing.