The consumption of some foods, the use of some perfumes, stress and common illnesses, are things that cause bad odor in the body. We are an organism that, being matter and liquid, this triggers gases.
Table of Contents
10 things that cause bad odor in the body
Intestinal gases and body fluids are responsible for transporting odor. When we are not balanced in our emotions generating stress in our body, when we do not have a balanced diet by making bad combinations of foods and even eating the wrong foods, this generates reactions that not only bring discomfort, but also bad smell in the body due to inappropriate biochemical reactions.
These are some more frequent specific examples and possible solutions.
1. Don’t dry off after showering
That’s because moisture can get trapped between skin folds, like under your breasts, between your fingers. There is no air access there, and it is easier for bacteria and fungi to multiply and mix with sweat, causing a bad body odor and irritation.
Solution: After you dry off, put the dryer on cold air and blow over your belly, groin, feet – anywhere that is too sweaty. You can also sprinkle an absorbent powder with antifungal properties on your skin or shoes.
2. You love spicy foods
Foods with spicy ingredients, such as curries, garlic and other spices, can not only cause bad breath, but also a little bad odor in the body. When digested, these foods produce various gases that contain smelly sulfur.
Most of these by-products are metabolized in the gut and liver, but some, such as allyl methyl sulfide, are absorbed into the bloodstream and released through the lungs and pores, an effect that can last for a few hours or More, says Debra Jaliman, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Solution: You can temporarily mask bad breath with a mouthwash or chew on some parsley, mint, or fennel seeds, but you will have to wait until your body finishes digesting these foods so that all the odor is completely gone.
Share spicy foods in good company – it’s hard to smell others if everyone eats the same thing, says Richard Price, DMD, spokesman for the American Dental Association. Avoid foods rich in garlic hours before an important meeting or appointment.
3. You are under severe stress
When an urgent project lands on your desk, sweating is part of your body’s way of naturally handling pressure. Anxiety triggers the stress hormone cortisol, and that can put you in a dangerous situation: cortisol makes you sweat. Sweat itself does not smell bad, but when it mixes with bacteria on the skin, it does not smell very pleasant.
Our bodies are smart. The famous fight or flight mechanism – yes, the same one that helped our ancestors run faster from the teeth of tigers – increases sweating so that we do not overheat while we are battling. A few thousand years later, a hectic day at the office can produce those same sweaty hands and sticky armpits.
Solution: Try sage tea. It contains astringent tannins and various antiseptic compounds that can act to calm the sympathetic nervous system, which is what triggers all those stressful symptoms. Sage tea should reduce perspiration in general, if it is taken frequently in small amounts throughout the day.
To do this, steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried sage leaves in hot water and leave covered for 10 minutes to ensure that all the active ingredients have been released.
4. You have increased your fiber intake
Fiber-rich foods are great for your health, but they can leave you a bit gassy.
Unfortunately, the reason that some high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, make you feel full longer is the same reason that they can cause you gas, according to the Mayo Clinic. This type of fiber, called soluble fiber, is not digested until it reaches the large intestine (other foods are typically digested in the small intestine, earlier in the digestive process).
Here, healthy bacteria in the gut break down fiber, producing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and even methane. Over time, these smelly gases have to go somewhere – and they often come out in the form of flatulence.
Solution: Add these foods to your diet for a couple of weeks so your body can adapt. If using a fiber supplement, be sure to carry it with at least 8 ounces of water and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day – fiber does not move easily through the digestive system without water.
5. You are between menstrual periods
Your menstrual cycle can influence the amount of sweat.
Body temperature rises half a degree from the middle cycle when you’re ovulating, enough to drive sweat and odor further, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine and adviser prevention. Vaginal secretions then increase as well.
Solution: Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, drink plenty of water, wear cotton underwear, which allows the moisture to evaporate. If you notice a persistent, unusual vaginal odor, see your doctor, it could be an infection that requires treatment.
6. You have lowered the amount of carbohydrates.
Some people are unable to metabolize food that contains a lot of choline, such as eggs, fish, liver, and vegetables. The result is a fishy smell. Holistic Physician Dana Ullman explains that protein foods require active metabolism and this may be related to increased body odor.
Some high protein diets have to consume between 30 and 50% of the total calories from protein. Because carbohydrates are your body’s normal source of energy, when you consume too little, you start burning your own fat stores for energy, which releases substances called ketones into the blood, according to the American Heart Association.
These can make your breath smell bad, some describe it as a combination of nail polish and ripe pineapples.
On the other hand, diets rich in animal protein sources can also have too much saturated fat, increasing your risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Solution: Cut out carbohydrates a day, ideally whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, to stay healthy.
7.- You have heartburn
Controlling acid reflux can help stop halitosis
Your risk of bad breath increases with the severity of your reflux symptoms. This is due to the same stomach acids and bile that go up the esophagus causing heartburn, they can also send a bad smell that escapes through the mouth.
Your prescription might even be making the problem worse: One study found that halitosis is more likely to occur in patients with gastric reflux taking proton pump inhibitors. Researchers believe that the drugs promote bacterial overgrowth.
Solution: Avoid reflux triggers in your diet, says Pat Baird, RD, a member of the American Dietetic Association: “Spicy foods, sour fruits, and coffee are known to cause heartburn, but people may not realize it. That, high-fat foods are also among the biggest culprits. They take longer to digest and spend more time in the stomach, which increases the chances of acid crawling up the esophagus.”
8.- You are not a fan of yogurt
Foods that help maintain a healthy intestine help ward off flatulence.
Yogurt and other fermented dairy products such as kefir are one of the best dietary sources of probiotics, healthy bacteria that help break down undigested carbohydrates in the gut before they cause gas.
Our bodies naturally contain billions of bacteria, but many experts now recommend supplying the body with specific strains to boost health.
Solution: If you don’t eat yogurt often, look for other probiotic-enriched food products. The ingredient list must name a research-supported strain, such as B. animalis, Lactobacillus, or Bifidobacterium. Or take a daily probiotic supplement.
In one study, healthy adults who took a Bacillus coagulans-based product for 4 weeks experienced less abdominal pain and bloating and less gas than those who took a placebo, according to the journal BMC Gastroenterology.
10.- You wear the same underwear every day
You wait too long between washes, and sweat can leave a lasting impression.
An ave you ever received a whiff of body odor and wondered where does it come? Check your underwear. “Many women constantly wear – and consequently wash less – bras, because they have so few that fit well,” says bra expert Susan Nethero, founder of Intimacy boutiques. Since bras are worn in places prone to sweat – on the back, under the arms, and between your chest and breasts – and are often made from fabrics that trap odor after repeated use, this can create quite a lot of odor.
Solution: To stay fresh and extend the life of your favorite bra, rotation and maintenance are key, says Nethero. Never wear the same bra for 2 days without washing it first.
During the summer or if you tend to sweat a lot, you may need to wash your bra after you wear it. Hand washing is preferable, but it can definitely be machine washed as well.
Just be sure to put them in a mesh underwear bag with the hooks together to prevent tangling. Use a delicate underwear detergent, and wash the bras on a delicate cycle with cold water. Never put them in the dryer, says Nethero. Instead, hang them to dry.
Other causes of bad smell in the body:
Sudden blood sugar swings: If you smell a fruity smell when you breathe, this may indicate problems with your blood sugar levels, often associated with diabetes or hypoglycemia. Although the fruity smell may seem pleasant, it is actually a body odor that should never be ignored, due to its risks.
Contraceptives: many medications have side effects, for example, some contraceptive pills can cause dry mouth, as a consequence brings the accumulation of sulfur in the mouth.
Sulfur has a rotten egg smell. Other types of remedies, such as antidepressants or those used to lose weight can also cause an extra smell. Always read the directions for the drugs you take.
Fecal problems: excess fibers can leave you constipated, which means the probability of flatulence and also other body odors. Severe cases of constipation lead to the release, by the digestive system, of toxins known as ‘fecal body odor’.
Vitamin or mineral deficiency: magnesium is perhaps the most forgotten mineral in our diet, which is a shame, because, in addition to the benefits it brings to our health, it can also eliminate excessive body odor.
According to a study, even the smell of stool can be reduced if more foods containing this mineral are consumed, such as dark chocolate, flaxseed, sesame and chestnuts.
Fried foods: everyone knows that eating strong foods like onion, garlic and curry can result in a strong smell of sweat, but few people know that a serving of potato chips can also be a culprit for this. Accumulated oil can quickly go rancid, causing poor digestion and consequently bad body odor.
Gum and Gummies: Bacteria, sources of odor, love jelly beans. Eating too much sweet can bring big problems to your waistline and refined sugar can promote the growth of yeast that turns sugar into alcohol and that smell is not sweet at all. Not to mention the gases.
UTIs: In addition to being very uncomfortable, UTIs can be responsible for a strong odor. The infection can become so concentrated, especially if you try not to urinate, because it hurts, that the ammonia smell can be vented through the pores.
As a home remedy, taking a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water can help balance the pH in the vaginal region and thus help fight certain infections if they are not important.
Deodorant: It sounds crazy, but the product you use to soften body odors in the armpit region can make the problem worse. Ingredients present in some deodorants can stimulate the growth of bacteria.
Many experts in holistic medicine guide their patients to try to use only water at the time of the bath and then leave the armpit free of products, since the sweat does not have any odor. If this is not enough, the suggestion is to use lemon juice diluted in water, because the acid present in this composition inhibits the growth of bacteria.