When bad smells fill a room, you certainly do not want to wonder if it’s coming from you! After an intense workout or a garlicky dinner, the source of the odor may be a little more obvious. But some less expected factors, however, can also affect your body odor.
Fortunately, there’s a fix for that stench.
You Don’t Dry Off After Showering
A quick pat of the towel after showering may end up causing an odor problem later on. Moisture gets traps between folds of skin such as under the breasts, the groin area and between toes. Once moisture gets trapped and there is little to no air hitting these spots, bacteria and fungi can multiply and cause odor.
Fix it: After you shower and towel dry off, stand in front of a fan or set your blow dryer to the cool setting and wave it over those susceptible areas. If the odor is bad enough, you may also want to consider using an absorbent, antifungal powder in these areas.
You Slip Your Bare Feet into Shoes
Closed shoes can act as a bacteria breeding ground, trapping moisture and causing that stinky feet stench. When you don’t wear socks, there’s nothing to absorb the sweat from your feet.
Fix it: You can rub an antiperspirant on the bottom of your feet and between toes. It’s also a good idea to…
…dab your feet with an antifungal powder if the stench tends to get bad. At night, soak your feet in 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water or a black tea soak for about 30 minutes. The tannins in black tea kill bacteria and close up pores, which help keep your feet dry.
You Brush Your Teeth Instead of Cleaning Your Whole Mouth
Your tongue is covered with thousands of small hair-like projections called papillae, which can trap and harbor tiny scraps of food. So even if you brush and floss regularly, small remains from your meals can hang behind, collecting bacteria and emitting bad breath.
Fix it: Mouthwashes may help, but the best way to remove bacteria, dead cells, and food debris from the crevices of your tongue is with an inexpensive tongue scraper. Brushing your tongue with a soft-bristled toothbrush works well too. Gently clean as far back as you can without gagging.
You’re on a Low-Carb Diet
Some of these high-protein diet plans have you consuming between 30 and 50 percent of total calories from protein. Because carbs are your body’s normal energy source, when you consume too few, you start burning your own fat stores for energy, which releases substances called ketones into your bloodstream. These can make your breath smell funky—some describe it as a combination of nail polish and overripe pineapples.
Fix it: Low-carb diets have been proven to not be very healthy in the long term. So instead, cut calories to lose the weight. You should consume at least 130 g of carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans daily.
You’re Constantly Stressing
In stressful situations, our bodies overheat and cause excessive sweating.
Fix it: Try sage tea. It contains the astringent tannin and several antiseptic compounds that may act to calm down the sympathetic nervous system, which is what triggers all those stress symptoms. Sage tea should reduce overall perspiration if sipped frequently in small quantities throughout the day.
You Have Allergies
When nasal fluid drips from the sinuses to the back of your throat, it can cause sour breath. Breathing from your mouth when nasal passages are blocked also causes stinky breath because this dries out your mouth. A dry mouth prevents saliva from keeping your mouth moist and clean, making dead cells more likely to accumulate on your tongue, gums, and cheeks. When dead cells decompose, they produce a nasty odor.
Fix it: Drink lots of water and try to limit alcohol and caffeine. Also, irrigating the sinus cavities with lukewarm salt is an effective way to flush out the mucous that causes halitosis. Use warm, distilled water and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt per 1 cup of water.
By following the steps above, you’ll be smelling like roses before you know it!
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