Q: I suffer from a rather embarrassing problem and it gets worse in the summer. I sweat excessively under my arms. I don’t want to put chemicals into my skin but unless I use a hard core deodorant, I get terrible body odour and sweat so much that I have to change my clothes. Are there any natural ways to deal with this problem?

A: Although sweating is perfectly normal, naturally and necessary as it’s your body’s way of getting rid of toxins and cooling you down when you are over heated, I can understand why you feel distressed as excessive sweating is an embarrassing condition. There are a number of causes and these include hormone imbalances, which often occur around the menopause, anxiety or an underlying disease.

 

If an hormonal imbalance is causing your problem may I suggest that you try the herb agnus castus. If anxiety is a contributory factor, I would suggest either herb passiflora or Siberian ginseng. Relaxation techniques such as yoga to calm your nerves, increase circulation and reduce stress can also be helpful.  To make sure that your sweating isn’t linked to an underlying condition, such as heart disease, diabetes, thyroid problems and other illness that cause excessive perspiration, do be sure to speak to your doctor to have these ruled out.

 

Also bear in mind that hot flushes are common in women approaching the menopause. This is thought to be due to lack of oestrogen affecting the region of the brain that controls body temperature. The herb black cohosh could be helpful for this stage of your life (see the Resources Page for herbs).

 

As far as your diet is concerned you should ensure that it is as fresh and whole food as possible. Reduce your caffeine intake and substitute tea and coffee with herbal teas such as chamomile or cooling peppermint. Eat little, regular meals as the heat generated by the process of digesting a large amount of food can sometimes bring on a flush or sweat. A good multivitamin and mineral is a good investment in your health and you may also want to add in a good vitamin B complex supplement to nurture your adrenal glands and build up your resistance to stress – another cause of excessive sweating.  (I use the multivitamin and mineral MenoPlus which contains good amounts of the B vitamins and well as magnesium, which is known as nature’s tranquiliser.)

 

As well as stress; exercise, alcohol, smoking and spicy food can make sweating worse. Being overweight is another trigger so if you’ve got weight to lose then slimming down may well help. This is because obesity places an insulating layer around your body that stops heat leaving and results in more sweating. If none of these common causes applies to you then some people simply have a tendency to sweat more than others.

 

It goes without saying that personal hygiene is essential so showering or washing with natural soap first thing in the morning and before you go to bed at night is essential. Keep a small spritzer bottle handy, filled with witch hazel, three drops of lavender essential oil and three drops of peppermint essential oil. Lightly mist yourself during the day when you feel hot and sticky. Also use an absorbent natural body powder and wear clothes made from natural, breathable fibres such as cotton.

 

There are many natural products on the market that work as well as deodorants so experiment with these. I know it is tempting to use regular antiperspirants and deodorants but I strongly advise against doing so as the chemicals they contain place an unwanted burden on your body and some studies have even linked them to an increased risk of breast cancer. They also contain aluminium which has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. The answer is to search for chemical free, aluminium free deodorant from a health food shop. A natural deodorant will not be as effective against sweating but it will stop the odour. Crystal rock deodorants, work well in some cases.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 1st, 2008 at 1:40 am and is filed under Ask Marilyn. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.