We all have a body odor that characterizes us. There are people with better body odor than others and this is mainly due to lifestyle, eating habits and hormones, specifically pheromones.

A study by the University of California states that all of us have our own ‘odour signature’ that is largely determined by our genetics, health, personal hygiene and our diet as well.

Gustav Jäger (1832-1917), a German doctor, was the first scientist to introduce the idea of human pheromones, and called them anthropokines. He claimed that they were compounds associated with skin and follicles that marked the individual signature of the smells of each human individual.

“Pheromones are chemicals that animals and humans produce, which change and influence the behavior of another animal or human of the same species,” says Erica Spiegelman, wellness specialist, and author of The Rewired Life. “Pheromones are a hormone and—fun fact—are secreted outside the body, unlike other hormones that are secreted internally.” Studies suggest that they’re secreted by the skin, sweat glands, saliva, and urine.

“It’s all about the DNA,” Spiegelman explains. “If someone smells unattractive to you It could mean that your DNA is similar. They have done many studies and found that T-shirts of people with different DNA than their own smell better to most people.” Basically, our bodies protect us from procreating with people who have similar DNA by making them smell bad.
As we age, our pheromones actually change. “Look at how a newborn smells: sweet and powdery. That changes as we become teens, too—different hormones are released internally and smelled externally.”  Spiegelman says.

Lifestyle and body odor

In addition to inadequate hygiene, bad body odor can be caused by various alterations in our daily lives; The following reasons are the most common for the appearance of stinky smell:

• Constipation.
• Stress.
• Vitamin and mineral deficiency.
• Fried foods.
• Bad breath.
• Urinary tract infections.
• Deodorants or personal care products.
• Medicines.

Check if any of these factors may be the cause of your body odor and so you can find solutions to eliminate it.

Foods that make your sweat smell good

There is a natural and simple way to improve your body odor. It's about the way you eat and how you hydrate yourself
Eating fruits and vegetables helps detoxify your body and the fiber will also help you to have regular bowel movements.

Drink plenty of water, until your urine is light in color. Water helps counteract strong odors, also helps digestion and replenishes fluids after you have perspired.

In the other hand, there are some specific foods with high sulfur content, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic and onions that are all capable of producing a pungent body odour.

Although the perception of smell is somewhat subjective and varies from person to person, there are some food choices recommended by science that can help you smell better and even feel sexier.

Apples

The naturally occurring anti-bacterial agent in apples helps fight bad breath and act like a mouth freshener. Apples also help prevent the build up of plaque and other bacteria causing by foods.

Citrus fruits

The body absorbs and emanates the naturally occurring smells from citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons and pineapples, leaving you with fresh smell from your skin. Additionally, the acids in these fruits causes water to flush out toxins that cause unpleasant odours out of the body.   

Yoghurt

Known for its positive effect on the digestive health, the live active cultures inherently found in probiotic yoghurt also helps neutralise odour causing sulfur compounds in your body. The beneficial bacteria found in yoghurt also help further combat toxins in our system, which further helps neutralise odour causing bacteria.

Green tea

Not only does green tea contain catechins but also polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants that reduce odour causing sulphur compounds in the body and help fight off other bacteria that can cause bad breath. Additionally, the tannins found in both green and black tea can help keep your foot dry, preventing a foot odour.

Green tea supports detoxification by aiding production of glutathione, a carrier-antioxidant that eliminates harmful toxins from the body. The fewer the toxins in your body, the better your body will smell.

Celery

Chewing on the stalk of celery causes a release in androstenone and androstenol molecules in your mouth. This eventually causes your body to send out pheromones to make you more desirable.

Fennel seeds

This item is used extensively as the go-to mouth freshener in most restaurants in India. Not only do they fight off bacteria causing bad odour in your mouth and neutralise them, they also effectively wash away bad bacteria and act as an aid in digestion.

Lemon water

While the high amount of antioxidants and acidic properties in limes help the disinfect and detoxify the body, water is the best natural element that can flush out your entire body effectively eliminating toxins that can cause body odour. This is a potent combination that can keep you smelling clean. 

Cardamom and cinnamon

While cardamom is known for it’s properties of making breath making it smell fresher leaving behind a pleasant aroma, cinnamon helps better your body odour not worsen it. They also make for ideal spices that can not only make your food tastier but also make you smell more desirable.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties that help cut down the amount of odor-causing bacteria in the body. Also, being a natural astringent, tomatoes help shrink pores and block the ducts that secrete sweat, thus controlling excessive sweating. Even drinking tomato juice can help lower your body temperature, which in turn will reduce sweating.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil makes a wonderful and natural deodorant to help your body smell pleasant. The antimicrobial property of the medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil help keep the growth of odor-causing bacteria in check. Intake of coconut oil also supports digestive health, another important element in fighting both body odor and bad breath.

Rosemary

The volatile oils in rosemary can help combat any type of odor that comes from your body by inhibiting the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Also, the compounds menthol and chlorophyll in rosemary help neutralize strong body odor and lend a nice fragrance to your body.

Sage

Sage is another herb that can help your body smell sweet and nice, due to the presence of aromatic compounds like diosmetin, apigenin and luteolin in it. Its antibacterial effects also prevent bacteria from multiplying on the skin, thereby eliminating body odor. Plus, this herb reduces the activity of sweat glands, so that you sweat less. It even aids in flushing out harmful toxins from the body.

Parsley

The strong oils in parsley help overpower nose-offending scents.
Parsley also contains a good amount of chlorophyll, which has alkalizing effects. This means it helps alkalize the body and purify the blood. Parsley also aids in detoxification.

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass contains large amounts of chlorophyll, a compound that counteracts body odor.
Wheatgrass also helps reduce excessive sweating by balancing the acids and toxins in the blood that cause sweating.

Aditional tips to smell good

• Avoid foods like garlic and onions that cause strong body odor.
• Avoid foods that have a high sulfur content.
• Avoid foods like red meat, alcohol, artificially flavored foods and junk foods. They contain toxins that are released through sweat and can give you a foul body odor.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables to detoxify your body and control body odor.
• Drink enough water every day to prevent a buildup of toxins in your body.
• Bath at least once a day.
• Always wash your clothes after wearing them once.
• Do not wear tight shoes and avoid wearing shoes for long periods of time.
• Keep yourself dry as much as possible.
• Use a good antiperspirant and deodorant like Duradry daily.