Perspiring is an important elimination mechanism, as well as an efficient cooling system for the body. Sweat comprises mostly water with some minerals and waste products. On its own, perspiration has little if any odour... until it combines with the bacteria normally residing on skin.

Why Me?

• Chemicals in certain foods are more inclined to exit via the skin, such as garlic, asparagus, cumin, aged cheese, deli meats, onion, alcohol and fenugreek.
• Non-smokers often complain of the smell of smokers.
• Sometimes an unusual body odour indicates a metabolic disorder such as untreated diabetes.
• Some people simply need to shower twice daily.
• Armpit hairs trap the smell.
• An overly 'acidic' system may cause body odour. Excess acidity may be caused by stress, pre-diabetes or an excess of sugar, white flour and meat.
• Although we have sweat glands all over the body, only a few are stimulated by adrenaline, the stress hormone. The sweat glands that give away your anxiety are on the palms of the hands, feet and in the armpits. If this is your particular problem, treating the stress will help it. Stressed sweat smells sour, perhaps this is the smell of fear?

What To Do

Diet

• Drink two to three litres of water daily.
• Try six weeks of brown rice, whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables. A little plain yoghurt, skinless chicken and fish.
• Avoid red meat, fried food, deli meats, milk or milk products except yoghurt, sugar, chocolate, white flour products, alcohol, coffee and tea.
• Drink a chlorophyll-rich, alkalising green vegetable juice daily; for example parsley, alfalfa, cucumber, spinach, green apple, beet tops and celery.

Herbs and Supplements

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• The tissue salt Silicea, or the mineral silicon helps excessive perspiration, particularly if you are cold and sweaty. Whereas the homoeopathic remedy Sulphur suits the hot and sweaty individual.
• Zinc and magnesium are also useful minerals.
• Chlorophyll, the green pigment found in plants, is nature's cleansing agent. Available from all things green, foods particularly high in chlorophyll include barley grass, spirulina, chlorella and wheat grass juice. Drink one to two glasses a day for six weeks.
• Herbs which may help include the traditional 'blood purifying' burdock, red clover, echinacea, clivers, nettle and dandelion root. Take two or three cups of a tea daily that combines a few of these herbs.

Other Steps

• Antiperspirants are designed to suppress the release of sweat. This is counterproductive, as the skin is our largest organ of elimination. Deodorants are designed to reduce the odour of perspiration. They can do this in one of two ways. Firstly, they may simply add a perfume, and secondly they can eradicate the bacteria causing the offensive odour. The best deodorants will contain antibacterial substances such as tea tree or lavender which will kill the offending bacteria.
• Avoid clothes and shoes made from synthetics. Choose leather, cotton and wool.
• Use a face cloth to properly dry all the fiddly bits between the toes. Then sprinkle some tea tree powder into your socks.
• Bathe frequently. Use soap and deodorants containing antiseptic essential oils and herbs including tea tree, lavender, rosemary, calendula or thyme.
• Wax or shave your armpits (if appropriate!).
• Exercise until you sweat... the smell is better out than in. Drink plenty of water to replace the loss. After a while you'll notice your sweat has no odour at all: this is normal.

At a glance

Good food

Two to three litres of water daily, brown rice, whole grains, fruit and vegetables, green vegetable juice.

Food to avoid

Avoid red meat, fried food, deli meats, milk or milk products except yoghurt, sugar, chocolate, white flour products, alcohol, coffee and tea.

Remedies to begin

Chlorophyll, silicon, burdock, red clover, nettle.

Lifestyle

Bathe frequently, avoid synthetic fibres, exercise, don't smoke, deodorants with antiseptic essential oils.

MindBody

Fearfulness.