Unpleasant body odor is caused when excessive sweat excreted by the overactive sweat glands mixes with bacteria. This unpleasant body odor can be embarrassing and a source of great discomfort for others around you.
The excessive sweat leads to warm and moist environment where the bacteria thrives. Body odors can also be caused by poor hygiene, chronic constipation, diabetes, nutrient deficiencies and other underlying gastrointestinal and other medical problems including genetic metabolic disorders or liver diseases.
Practicing good hygiene, avoiding conditions that leads to excessive sweating and using home remedies that can control bacteria reduces body odors.
In addition to the excessive sweat and unusual pungent smell from the body, you can also experience weight loss, night sweats and cold hands.
Body odor can be a social disaster, particularly when people begin to leave you before they need to and keep a safe distance from you. Most of them will not tell you why are they distancing from you. They don't hate you as well as they don't want to hurt you by telling you, that is why they are keeping a distance.
Let us understand how this unpleasant body odor develops in certain parts of your body.
In order to keep your body cool, eccrine glands pour out clear neutral-smelling sweat which keep evaporating as as soon as it surfaces. On the other end, apocrine glands in the underarms and genitals, secrete a substance that bacteria feast upon, causing strong odors.
Apocrine glands can go into overdrive by, ovulation, sexual excitement, stress and anger. Some medicines can also cause bad body odors.
5 Home Remedies for Getting Rid of Body Odor
It is not just about others but you will also not like the bad odor coming from your body. You need to discipline yourself in maintaining proper hygiene by changing lifestyle as well as use methods that will get rid of the body odor fast. Following remedies will help:
1. Witch Hazel for Removing Body Odor Causing Bacteria
The main aim is to create an atmosphere in which bacteria can not survive. Witch hazel lowers the ph of skin as a result no bacteria can multiply. It also reduces the production of sweat from the apocrine glands as witch hazel works as astringent that contracts the skin pores.
Its double action of reducing sweat and getting rid of bacteria makes it one of the best remedies for body odor. Use witch hazel instead of deodorants.
- soak a cotton ball in witch hazel
- dab it under arm and other area where you sweat profusely
- let it dry
That is it. You can do it many times during the day. Make sure that you have washed, cleaned and dried your body before applying witch hazel.
2. Lemon Juice to Reduce Skin ph and Stopping Bad Body Odor
Lemon juice is another material that lowers the skin ph level stopping bacteria to grow. You can use lemon juice directly from the lemon, extract the juice and apply with a cotton ball or dilute the extracted the juice juice with water and apply it.
Easiest way to directly apply the lemon juice from lemon particularly if your skin allows. In most cases it should. Some people may find stings with direct application. They can use the extracted and diluted lemon juice.
- Cut a lemon juice in half.
- Use the half now and store the other half for later use.
- Once again cut the half in two pieces
- rub one piece each in each underarm by squeezing while rubbing
- let it dry
You are ready to go out now.
Do not use lemon juice immediately after shaving. It is better to shave before going to sleep so that you can apply these remedies in the morning.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar - Spray the Body Odor Out
Apple cider vinegar does exactly the same job as witch hazel and lemon juice do. It reduces skin ph. You may find direct application of apple cider vinegar on your body stinging. Use diluted apple cider vinegar.
- fill equal quantity of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle
- spray the mixture under arms
You don't need to use any deodorant. You can use it as many times as you want during the day. You will feel fresh.
5. Baking Soda to Kill Body Odor Causing Bacteria
Baking soda is alkaline in nature. It works differently than the acidic lemon juice and vinegar. It absorbs the moisture from the skin and kills bacteria.
Add water to two tablespoon of baking soda to make a thick paste. Apply it on both sides on your underarms. Let it dry. Take a bath after that.
You can also apply it with lemon juice or vinegar. Instead of water, add vinegar or lemon juice to make the thick paste before application underarms.
In addition to the above remedies, you will have to change your diet and lifestyle. Your diet can be a source of bad body odor. You will have to find out which food items cause the odor by hit and trial method and stop eating those food items.
Eat healthy. Avoid processed foods, white flour and too much salt. Drink lots of water.
You may have to change your lifestyle also to ensure proper hygiene. If you are not bathing daily then begin to bath daily. If you are already bathing daily, bath two times a day.
Wear cotton cloths instead of synthetic. Loose clothes will do a better job than the tight clothes.
So if you make some changes in your diet and lifestyle and use home remedies then you will easily be able to get rid of the body odor.