How to naturally reduce your sweating and smelling.

This is the second part of a two part post. If you missed the first section, you can find my antiperspirant and deodorant post here.

The fact is your body is made to sweat and produce odor. Common body odor is caused by the normal presence of bacteria on our skin. While most of us reach for the deodorant stick to encourage a better underarm environment, looking at your lifestyle may be a more long term solution. Unknowingly some of our habits may be the culprit behind many of our unpleasnt odors and excessive sweating.

In order to help deodorant work it’s best, or to eliminate using deodorant entirely, you should look at your lifestyle for improved underarm care.

Food

A diet rich in unprocessed vegetables, grains, and low in meat-based products is shown to help reduce body odors. A study published in the Oxford Journal found that “[participants] on the non-meat diet were judged [to smell] more pleasant, more attractive, and less intense.”

In addition, if you are eating healthier it is more likely you are receiving the nutrients your body needs to regulate its functions. For example a zinc deficiency can cause strong B.O. because it regulates detoxification and controls how the body handles waste. If you are looking to smell better, you can start by simply eating better.

Caffeine

Your morning, afternoon or evening cup of caffeine is most likely contributing to how your body regulates itself — and it is most likely making you sweat. For instance, one of the most popular cups of caffeine, coffee, will increase perspiration in two ways. “First, caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, activating sweat glands (the more caffeine you drink, the more you sweat). Second, the heat from the drink itself can make your body feel hot enough to sweat.”

Medicines

Sweating may also be a side effect of several drugs, including antidepressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), blood pressure medications, cancer treatments, and some diabetes drugs. If you have noticed a change in how you sweat while on medication, ask your doctor about what changes can be made.