NATURAL DEODORANT

So….you’re considering the switch from antiperspirant to deodorant? I’m not going to make any medical or health claims, but there has been widespread documentation on what aluminum, cyclopentasiloxane, triclosan, paraben and propylene-glycol (among other chemical ingredients) do to your body. Bottom line: switching to a more natural deodorant is no big sweat. Seriously!

Armpit Detox

Armpit what? This is the period where your body adjusts from chemical-ladened antiperspirants (which utilize aluminum to clog the sweat glands and block sweat from escaping), and it can last for a couple of days, or a couple of weeks. Your own body chemistry—and even your diet—determines this. Essentially your system needs to get used to sweating again, which is its natural way to regulate body temperature and release toxins via the pores in your sweat glands.

What can you do to help?

• Wear natural fiber clothing (which is breathable). Some examples: cotton, hemp, bamboo
• Sweat it out! Get physical. Work out. Use a sauna. Take a hot bath. Essentially you want to get your sweat glands to start functioning normally again as you “unclog” them from the effects of aluminum and a build-up of amino acids.
• Drink plenty of water. The more hydrated you are, the less amino and fatty acids in the sweat and the less bacteria will have to feed on.
• Watch your diet. I’m not talking calories, but what you eat. Processed foods, white flour, heavy/greasy meats, excess sugar…these can all attribute to more body odor. Essentially your body is trying to rid itself of extra “stuff” and the odor is worsened by these.

During this time, you may notice a temporary increase in:

• Sweat: As you unclog your sweat glands, they may release fluids previously blocked by aluminum in antiperspirants, causing an increase in moisture.
• Odor: The thought is that the flushing of the system and increased apocrine sweat gland activity results in increased moisture and sweat which interacts with odor-causing bacteria. (Tip: Use artisan soap to clean the pits!)

As your body adjusts, try not to get discouraged—it’s worth any type of temporary…adjustment. In fact, many people find that they no longer have much odor after switching to natural products. This may have to do with the way antiperspirants interact with bacteria in your sweat glands—aluminum can essentially eliminate mild odor-causing bacteria Firmicutes and Staphylococcus, however the more pungent Actinobacteria microbes can potentially skyrocket without competitive bacteria in the system. Be patient, though.

And go ahead and buy more white shirts, because aluminum is the culprit of those yellow-ish underarm shirt stains. No worries about that anymore.

Any questions, please contact me.

~Julie