There are two main causes of body odor. First, it can be the result of the waste products of bacteria that digest the fatty acids and proteins found in sweat, most commonly in the armpits. There are many over-the-counter or home body odor remedies to prevent underarm odor, such as washing often and using antiperspirants, deodorants, or even turnip juice. The second cause of body odor is eating a diet with a high concentration of meat, hydrogenated oils, highly processed sugar, and white flour. Changing the diet can help this.
One of the best front-line body odor remedies in the war on a malodorous body is to wash the body daily, paying close attention to removing the sweat from the underarms and groin. This is one of the best body odor remedies because sweat is eliminated or reduced, leaving the bacteria with nothing to feed on and no odor-causing waste. The entire body should be washed at least once a day and when excessive sweat is produced, the body should be washed or at least rinsed more than once a day. Clean clothes should also be worn every day. When finished exercising, clothes should be changed immediately, the body should be washed, and sweaty garments should be cleaned as soon as possible.
Antiperspirants and deodorants are also good body odor remedies in the battle against strong body odor. An antiperspirant will reduce the amount of sweat that is produced, limiting the food for the odor-causing bacteria and the bad smell. This remedy is a good choice when a person sweats excessively. In order for a deodorant to be effective, it must contain antibacterial agents. These components will reduce the body odor by curtailing the amount of bacteria feeding on the sweat and decreasing the odor-causing bacterial waste.
There are also a variety of natural, at-home body odor remedies. Apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or witch hazel can be applied to the underarms to shift the pH of the underarms and make it inhospitable to bacteria. Baking powder or corn starch can also be applied to the underarms to absorb and neutralize the sweat. Turnip juice, shredded and rubbed onto the underarms, is a good neutralizer of strong body odor.
The second cause of foul body odor is a poor diet. A daily sustenance composed heavily of meats, hydrogenated oils, white flour and refined sugars will cause constipation and slow digestion. The longer it takes to eliminate the byproducts of these foods, either through the bowels or by sweating, the smellier the waste. A good way of preventing body odor is to eat less meat and processed food and more fruits and vegetables. In addition, chlorophyll, in the form of wheat grass supplements, parsley, and alfalfa, is a good intrinsic deodorant, neutralizing odor-causing toxins before they are released.