Hyperhidrosis is a condition that causes unpleasant body odor. Body odor is a major personal problem for most people today. It’s embarrassing, annoying, and lowers our social confidence. Sweat is generally odorless, but it has been blamed for body odor. But remember, underarms are designed to sweat. Millions of dollars are spent annually on the development and use of deodorants and antiperspirants supposedly to remedy the situation. However, these not only ignore the main cause of body odor, but in some cases they can be detrimental to your health.

Body odor is the odor that arises as a result of bacterial breakdown of the secretion of the apocrine glands of the skin at the junction of the dermis and subcutaneous fat. The process produces ammonia and short-chain fatty acids, with their characteristic strong odor. The most abundant of the acids is hexanoic acid which is carried to the surface of the skin. Bacteria that live in and near the apocrine glands digest the chemicals and release even more different odors. Bacteria grow rapidly on moist skin.

An internal cause of body odor arises when there is an excessive amount of toxins in the body. When the liver or kidneys cannot cope with the excess, the toxin must exit through the skin. Such a situation can occur due to liver disease or congestion, kidney disease, uremia, pneumonia, other systemic diseases, and improper diet.

In order to reduce and subsequently eliminate body odor, you must follow the following steps:

1. Avoid the intake of saturated or hydrogenated animal fats, meats, dairy products and fried foods as these can not only cause liver toxicity but also become an attractive medium for bacterial infection. Refrain from consuming sugar, sweets and refined carbohydrates. Try a 2-week fast and adopt a vegetarian diet until symptoms subside. A healthy diet will keep the oils that bacteria feed on to a minimum.

2. Try to alternate hot and cold showers every day to maintain proper skin function. Ensure cleanliness of the skin as the oily secretion of sweat provides an ideal medium for bacterial growth.

3. Try Epsom salt baths. Soak for 20 minutes in a hot tub containing 500g of salt and finish with a cool spray. Repeat daily for a week followed by 2-3 times a week until body odor is normal.

4. Wear loose-fitting cotton clothing that breathes well and light-colored clothing to reflect light and heat. Wearing natural fabrics like cotton, silk, and wool will allow your skin to breathe. Natural fabrics tend to absorb perspiration better than artificial materials.

5. Keep your body weight at a healthy level to reduce the chances of excessive body odor.

6. Take the following supplements:

Multivitamin and mineral tablet once a day

Zinc tablet 50 mg three times a day

Chlorophyll 2 tablets 3 times a day

Omega 3 fish oil 1000 mg daily ounce

Evening primrose oil 1000 mg daily ounce