It is the Yuletide season once again; for many people around the world, celebrating Christmas is a yearly statement of their religious beliefs. For others, it is an opportunity to look good and also to exchange gifts with friends and family.

Whatever the reason for celebration, it is very important for you to take care of your body, pamper your body to smell nice and avoid any form of body odour.

Body that gives off smell that others perceive as unpleasant is known as odour. It can become evident if measures are not taken when a human reaches puberty.

Obese people, those who constantly eat spicy foods, as well as people with certain medical conditions like diabetes, are more prone to having body odoup. This can also include people who sweat a lot like those with hyperhidrosis.

Humans naturally sweat either from performing physical activities like walking under the sun or being in a warm environment. This is normal. It is the body’s natural way of regulating its temperature; but, the awful smell that accompanies sweat can be very embarrassing.

Sweat on its own is generally odourless. The unpleasant smell is as a result of the bacteria that build up on your sweaty skin. It reacts with sweat and oils to grow and multiply rapidly. These bacteria break down protein and fatty acids thus, causing body odour in the process.

And this is likely to occur in places such as armpits, feet, genital, groin, belly bottom, anus, behind the ears, under the breasts, public hair/private hair and the rest of the skin to a lesser extent. So to prevent the body from smelling, and to avoid the embarrassment of body odour, it is important you solve the root cause which is bacteria.

Do consider the following tips if you want to stay fresh, smell good everyday, and odour-free fun the Yuletide season.

Wash away sweat and odour causing bacteria by taking regular shower/baths. Be sure to use anti-bacterial soap. These are designed and have proven to remove odour-causing bacteria. Take enough time to wash areas that are susceptible to sweating such as, the underarms and feet, wrap off by drying yourself thoroughly to prevent bacteria from breeding on the skin.

Anti-perspirants reduces the amount of sweat while deodorants mask the smell of odour-causing bacteria. To help avoid body smell, use a combination of antiperspirant/deodorant in the morning and before bed time, to reduce and manage odour. See your doctor if you cannot get a product that works best for you.

Armpit hairs slow down the evaporation of sweat, giving the bacteria more time to break down into smelly substances. Regular shaving has been found to help body odour control in that area.

Watch your diet as you are what you eat. Some foods are responsible for body smell. Examples are onions and garlic which contain an aroma that can come out through your pores when you sweat. Caffeinated beverages and alcohol may intensify the sweating, which can lead to body odour. Always try to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, note that it may not necessarily be about cutting out these foods, but to consume them in moderation.

Hydrated skin is the key to a problem free skin. So, drink at least eight to ten glasses of water, this helps flush down toxins found in the body, and keep the skin hydrated. Absence of toxic means no body odour.

Make use of lemon juice, it has a great antibacterial qualities in effectively curtailing multiplication of bacteria. Most good antibacterial soaps have lemon extracts for this purpose. Lemon is readily available, so you can actually use it to get rid of body odour (BO) by mixing some lemon juice with water and spraying it on areas that are susceptible to BO. Allow it to stay for five-six minutes before you shower, and you will notice the difference within few days.

The type of clothes you choose to wear can also affect the rate at which you sweat. Settle for natural-made fibers with better breathability such as cotton, silk and wool to allow air to enter your fabric, and keep sweat form building up. Workouts are best in moisture-wicking, synthetic materials as they may be able to keep the sweat off your skin. Bacteria cannot grow or multiply on your skin if you sweat less. Never forget to change your socks, bras, under wears and remember to wear breathable sneakers to prevent foot odour as well.

Also, routinely remove dead skin from your feet with the use of pumice stones, or scrub since bacteria thrives on dead skin. If your feet are prone to sweat, just switch your footwear from time to time in order to allow them dry completely before wearing them again. Try walking around barefooted to allow your feet to breathe especially if you spend most of your time in closed shoes.

Used clothes are breeding ground for bacteria to accumulate, and foul smell can stick when they are not properly washed. Be sure to do your laundry so that unpleasant odour-causing bacteria does not stick.

The best way to avoid body odour at the end of the day is to maintain proper hygiene. If all fail, consult your doctor if problem persists to ask for prescription that will help you get rid of the body smell.