Scientists claim that the distinctive body odor every human being gives is a vestige of our evolution. That is to say, that the smells we give off from certain areas of our bodies – primarily our armpits and groin – may have once served to advertise our sexuality. Mother Nature provided us with these strong smells to entice the opposite sex. Well! any which way , it does not matter what purpose these smells served then, they are a strict no-no for most of the people now.

The problem starts with certain types of sweat. Eccrine glands produce clear, neutral-smelling sweat, which cools your body as it evaporates. These glands are concentrated in the armpits, the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the forehead. They secrete a mixture of water, salt (sodium chloride), urea, and lactic acid onto the skin. When a person is overheated, sweat seeps over the body, especially where the eccrine glands are numerous. As the sweat dries off, the skin is cooled by the surrounding air. Eccrine glands do not release any tissue cells or cell contents into their watery secretions.

Apocrine glands, concentrated in your armpits and groin, secrete a substance that bacteria feast on, causing strong odors. They develop during puberty, and are thought to serve a biological function in sexual attraction. Apocrine sweat is a heavier liquid containing various organic substances, including pheromone hormones. Apocrine glands take their name from the fact that these glands release the apical portion, or tip, of the secreting cell into the liquid along with the other substances.

Both these glands are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, which controls most of our involuntary actions such as breathing, heartbeat and sweating.

Sweat is essentially odorless when it is secreted, and the sweat from the eccrine glands remains so. It creates, however, a moist environment in which some of the bacteria that naturally occur on human skin can multiply. These bacteria are attracted to the sweat produced by the apocrine glands, and a strong odor is produced when these substances interact.

Luckily, nature has bestowed us with some extraordinarily effective herbs that when used in conjunction with some excellent homeopathic remedies can erase that smell emanating from your body for good. Read further to learn more...

Diagnosis

Since body odor may be caused by an underlying condition, a thorough medical exam is recommended along with a blood screen and blood chemistry panel. However, if you break out into nights sweats or begin to sweat more than usual, consult with your health practitioner. If you notice a change in your body odor, this may be an underlying sign of a medical disorder.

For instance, people who experience a fruity body odor may be suffering from diabetes while an ammonia odor may indicate kidney or liver disease. If you experience a cold sweat, your body may be responding to severe pain, anxiety or a serious illness.

Stress, ovulation, sexual excitement and anger can cause the apocrine glands to kick into overdrive. Some disease cause the body to produce particular odors, as do some drugs, such as antidepressant venlafaxine (Efexor) and bupropion (Zyban), a drug used to aid nicotine withdrawal.

Certain body odors are defined as idiopathic, which means that their cause is unknown. In some cases, the condition is genetic and several members of the same family are affected.

Body odor also frequently affect people who are obese, anxious, extremely tired or who suffer from digestive, renal & metabolic disorders.

Categorically, the below mentioned ones are the general causes for body odor:

• Poor hygiene and inadequate bathing.

• An imbalance in the bacteria that inhabit the gut. Antibiotics may contribute to this condition.

• An inborn error of metabolism or some other problem that may cause about 7% of those suffering from body odor to be unable to digest certain foods. These undigested foods, which are often proteins, cause the body to give off unpleasant odors.

• Normal puberty

• Normal aging

• Certain foods such as red meat, onions, curry, cumin, garlic, fatty foods, stale sweet.

• Certain medications, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), venlafaxine (Effexor), tamoxifen, and pilocarpine (Salagen). These drugs may be responsible for the excretion of odors.

• Such disease conditions as liver disease, low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, a yeast infection, fungal infections, overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism, fever, urinary tract infection, Fish odor syndrome - a very rare metabolic disease, or gastrointestinal disorders may lead to body odor.

• Low levels of male hormones

• Menopause

• Deficiency of zinc mineral, cavities, toxins, etc

• Pathological skin conditions, including cancer, hemorrhoids, and ulcers, may produce unpleasant smelling discharges on the skin or body surface.

• States of high anxiety and stress that stimulate perspiration may increase the risk of body odors.

• Chain-smoking and heavy drinking. Alcohol and nicotine increase the rate of perspiration.

The way to eliminate body odor, then, is not to mask it with unhealthful deodorant products, but rather to clean up your body from the inside out. Many deodorants and antiperspirants often only provide a temporary solution because the root of the problem is not being addressed. Natural and holistic treatments such as herbal and homeopathic remedies have proven to be effective in the healthy elimination of toxins from the body and to help keep perspiration levels at normal levels.

Two well known herbs such as Galium aperine (Cleavers) and Milk Thistle act as cleansing tonics and supports the healthy functioning of the lymphatic system and liver. Homeopathic ingredients such as Silica, Calcium sulphate, Mag. Phos and Merc. Sol helps to maintain hygiene and freshness and also maintains the detoxifying and regulatory properties of the body.

• Galium aperine (Cleavers) - This excellent cleansing tonic has a particularly beneficial effect on the lymph system, which controls movement of fluid in the body and is also a mechanism of clearing toxins from the body.

• Milk Thistle - It improves functioning of the liver as well as excretion of toxins. Studies suggest that this herb protects the liver from damage by viruses, pollution, stress and chemical toxins.

• Silica D6: Silica - Also known as the 'homeopathic surgeon' due to its unique ability to cleanse the cells of toxins and rid the body of bad odors, Silica is naturally occurring in the body, especially in hair, nails, skin, nerve sheaths and all mucous membranes including the mouth and digestive tract. Silica acts as a natural cleanser and purifier and will also eliminate all foreign matter in the body.

• Calcium Sulphate D6 - This is a blood purifying tissue salt which is effective in clarifying lymphatic fluid, promoting efficient elimination of waste products and preventing deposits of toxins from forming in the body.

• Mag. Phos. D6 - This is a tissue salt which maintains healthy digestive processes and improves efficiency of intestinal absorption, functions which are negatively affected by magnesium deficiency. Mag. Phos. is also known to keep the blood at a healthy alkaline pH and is recommended alongside Calc. Sulph. in the treatment of body odor.

• Merc. sol. (30C) - This is a homeopathic remedy effective in treating excessive perspiration as well as treating offensive body odors and bad breath.

• Support the natural detox and cleansing functions of the body

• Maintain perspiration within the normal limits

• Cleanse the body of toxins and improve liver functioning

• Encourage the maintenance of efficient elimination of waste products

You should definitely watch what you eat.

• Red meat is the number one cause of body odor. Red meat causes stagnation in the body; it putrefies in the digestive tract and releases all sorts of toxins into the bloodstream through the large intestine. People who consume a large quantity of red meat on a regular basis tend to have much stronger body odor than those who avoid it.
• Be a veggie – Yes, if you find a healthful vegetarian and put them side by side with a heavy meat eater in a sniff test, your nose will usually lead you to the conclusion that the meat eater is the most offensive of the two. But if a vegetarian stinks, they aren't following a healthy diet even though they are avoiding meat. (You can be vegetarian and extremely unhealthy if you consume a lot of processed foods.)
• Extracts of proteins and oils from certain foods and spices remain in your body’s perspiration, contributing to body odor. Fish, cumin, curry and garlic top the list.
• Eat plenty of spinach, chard and kale. Leafy green vegetables are rich in chlorophyll, which has a powerful deodorizing effect.
• As far as other foods that cause body odor, manufactured foods - those lacking fiber and made with refined white flour, added sugars, hydrogenated oils and other processed ingredients - are the big culprits. When you eliminate these from your diet and shift to a 100% healthful diet made of whole grains, massive quantities of leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, soy products, supergreens, lots of sprouts, raw nuts and seeds, healthy oils and other similar healthful ingredients, your body odor will all but disappear in a matter of weeks. That's because a plant-based diet is an internal deodorizer. It's true: the chlorophyll and other phytonutrients will cleanse you from the inside out. Some of the best foods for that include parsley, cilantro, celery and all mint species.
• Chew a few sprigs of parsley. Alternatively, prepare parsley tea by steeping a teaspoon of chopped fresh parsley in a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Allow to cool, and then drink.

• Most basic way to hold body odor at bay is to pick a deodorant soap, such as coal tar or tea-tree oil, or anti-bacterial hand-and-body wash, and scrub yourself in those areas of the body that are most likely to smell. These continue to kill bacteria even after you have finished washing. If your soap doesn’t irritate your skin, use it daily. Some people find them too drying, in which case their use should be restricted to the underarms and groin. How often you should do this? It depends on your individual body chemistry, your activities, your mood, and the time of year. At least, twice a day is recommended.
• If deodorant soaps don’t work, then go for the big guns. Antibacterial surgical scrubs, such as Betadine, are available from most pharmacies. These are generally used to clean patients before surgeries and are quite drying, hence should be used only in a shower, so you can rinse off quickly. Off course, use them only on the armpits and groin.
• Use a cotton wool pad to wipe vinegar onto your armpits to cut down the number of odor-causing bacteria. Don’t use immediately after shaving, else it may sting badly.
• Apply witch hazel - You can splash it directly onto your skin or apply it as often as you like with a cotton wool pad. Its refreshing ingredients are both drying and deodorizing.
• Dust bicarbonate of soda or corn flour on any problem part of the body. Both of these powders absorb moisture, and bicarb also kills odor-causing bacteria.
• Shave regularly under your arms. Armpit hair increase body odor as they trap sweat & bacteria.
• Change your shirt everyday – and probably twice a day during periods of warm or hot weather. Choose natural fabrics like cotton. They absorb perspiration better than synthetic ones and the absorbed sweat is then free to evaporate from the fabric.
• Try to limit stress; consider relaxation therapy. Getting sexually excited or feeling anxious and nervous will make you perspire more.