Causes of body odor in women and treatment
Foul body odor is an embarrassing condition that plagues some women. Although the odor tends to be harmless, it can be an indication of an underlying health condition. That's why it is important to know why the foul body odor occurs. Having this information will help you to determine whether the cause is normal or potentially harmful, as well as knowing how to eliminate it. Your body odor not only mirror the things that you put into your body, but it may also be an indication of what is happening inside your body.

Physical Activity

When you are spending time in an environment that is hot or you are performing physical activities, it is completely natural and healthy to sweat, according to the CNN Health website. When your internal body temperature rises, the apocrine glands in the groin and armpit areas are notified by your autonomic nervous system. The glands are instructed to emit a fatty sweat into the gland's tubule. Once the tubule wall begins to tighten, the sweat makes it way to your skin's surface where it is broken down by bacteria. As the bacteria are working, the decomposition often leads to foul body odor. This odor can be eliminated by showering with soap. Use a washcloth in areas where friction may be contributing to the problem. Use a deodorant soap if you sweat heavily.

Genetic conditions

Trimethylaminuria is a genetic condition that affects the body's ability to break down trimethylamine, a compound that is made by your body while digesting food, according to Genetics Home Reference. Having excess amounts of trimethylamine in your body causes your breath, urine and sweat to emit a fishy odor. Genetic testing can be performed by your physician. If you are found to have the condition, your doctor may prescribe low dose antibiotics, which help control the production of the bacteria. To lessen the effects of the condition, avoid eating foods that contain choline, such as soybeans and egg yolks.
How you can treat body odor naturally

1.      When the bacteria that grow naturally on your skin mix with sweat, the result is body odor. To smell fresh, you need to keep your skin dry and decrease bacteria on the parts of your body that trap moisture, such as the underarms.
Treatment: Shower with a body wash that includes a natural astringent, such as tea tree oil, which shrinks pores and limits your sweating rate. Follow with a powder pad down to absorb moisture; look for products made with baking soda rather than talc( which can irritate your lungs). Finish with a natural deodorant that contains potassium or ammonium alum to reduce bacteria, and essential oils made from anti-microbial herbs, such as rosemary, goldenseal or oregano, to mask odor.

2.      Foods such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower contain the mineral sulfur, which causes an odorous gas that percolates  through your skin. Other types of body odor are usually a sign that it’s time for a nutritional detox. Undigested food in your gastrointestinal tract can produce smelly toxins that, as they build up, begin seeping out of your pores.
Treatment: Limit the aforementioned sulfuric foods, and cut hard-to-digest gluten, dairy and red meat from your diet. Also avoid tuna, shark and swordfish, which have high levels of the toxin mercury. In addition, eat at least 25 grams of flaxseeds, chia, hempseed or whole grains each day to boost your fiber intake, and drink eight or more glasses of water to help expel toxins.

3.      If you’ve ruled out hygiene and diet as causes of your body odor, look for underlying health conditions. Yeast infections can give you a fishy scent, as can a genetic disorder called fish odor syndrome, which occurs when your body can’t properly metabolize an organic compound known as trimethylamine.
Treatment: Zap a yeast infection with 500-milligram capsules of oregano oil, taken twice daily for two weeks. If you’re diagnosed with fish odor syndrome, stay away from foods high in trimethylamine, including milk, eggs, liver and peanuts. Large doses of the B vitamin choline (above 3.5 grams a day) from diet, supplements, or a combination of both, can also make you smell fishy.

Note;

This piece was culled from one of our books ’Body odor’. Next, we shall be discussing vaginal odor. To subscribe for the book, visit www.ladiescorner24.blogspot.com to see our library.

Or write ladiescorner24@gmail.com

Or call 2348082976571.