Skip the deodorant and eat an orange: Natural ways to combat body odor

(NaturalNews) Most people attempt to cover up their body odor with a variety of products ranging from deodorants and scented body washes to creams and fragrances. However, a majority of these products have been linked to having a negative impact on health as well as the environment. In the case of deodorant, many popular brands contain an aluminum base and paraben and research has shown that absorption through the skin of such substances plays a role in an elevated Alzheimer's risk and may also lead to a higher risk of breast cancer. (1)

As for body washes, several contain microbeads that promise to slough off dead skin, while rejuvenating and brightening skin. Yet, these microbeads are problematic for marine life, so much so that Illinois recently became the first state to pass a ban on microbeads. (2) The size of the beads make them unable to properly be filtered through water treatment filters and, as such, they make their way into the waterways where marine animals mistake their appearance for fish eggs and eat them. Many other states are following suit with legislation that would ban the distribution and sale of products containing microbeads.

Natural ways to combat body odor

Avoiding such substances, while still fighting body odor is possible and the way to do it may be as easy as turning to foods. Several foods contain nutrients that, when eaten, change the way odor is produced by the body and, in turn, keep unpleasant odors at bay. Even better, these foods are healthy to eat, so people gain the benefit of improving their overall health, while also tackling personal odor.

One key area of focus involves choline, a nutrient that Oregon State University researchers identified as an unpleasant odor-producing culprit. (3) As such, it's thought that diets low in choline can help reduce body odor. Vegetables are low in this nutrient overall; however, the ones with lowest choline have been identified as raw cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, kale and carrots. (3) Fruits with low choline levels include pears, pineapple, watermelon, strawberries and bananas. (3)

Furthermore, fresh citrus fruits, such as oranges and lemons, are considered especially effective in fighting body odor. New York City dermatologist and internist Dr. David Colbert said that "the acids in citrus fruits help flush water through your body. And because citrus also contains fiber, they move through your system slowly and flush out toxins that contribute to body odors. (4)"

Another finding involved a study that compared red meat eaters to non-red meat eaters. Chemical Senses published the study's conclusion: collected odor samples from the non-red meat eating group were deemed more attractive and pleasant.

Sources for this article include:

(1) http://www.naturalnews.com
(2) http://news.therawfoodworld.com
(3) http://www.livestrong.com
(4) http://www.womansday.com

About the author:
Raw Michelle is a natural health blogger and researcher, sharing her passions with others, using the Internet as her medium. She discusses topics in a straight forward way in hopes to help people from all walks of life achieve optimal health and well-being. She has authored and published hundreds of articles on topics such as the raw food diet and green living in general. >>> Click here to see more by Michelle