Body odors & bad breath = red flags….how our body tells us when something is wrong.

Most of us know the unpleasant smell of body odor (B.O.) but do we really understand the root cause and what we can do about it? Obviously, it's not just about sweaty armpits or a lack of personal hygiene. Instead, both "B.O." and bad breath are more about several things including bacteria coming in contact with the skin, breaking down protein into certain acids causing our body to react through smell. Several factors that play a part in our body producing certain smells include reactions to medical conditions, spicy food and even obesity. Here are some ways in which you can tell what might be the culprit to what odors your body is producing (including bad breath):

*Spicy food, seafood, coffee, alcohol (just to name a few) – How a person's body metabolizes food has a lot to do with our body odor. Each time we eat/drink anything, our body processes the content through our liver and kidneys, which then feed back into our blood stream. The end result flushes out through our body, eventually reaching our skin's pours, emitting proteins. Once these proteins reach our sweat glands they interact with the proteins found in our blood stream, producing certain smells.

*Medical conditions – Anaerobic bacteria, which thrives in the absence of oxygen, reproduces itself in the liver and gastrointestinal tract producing certain smells which then emit from our body. As our metabolism begins to work toxins are released through our body/pours. Imbalances in our metabolism produce certain smells (strong odors) signaling us that something is out of balance and/or that we are "toxic".

*Vitamin and mineral excessiveness or deficiencies – Our body requires a balance of both and when we are exceeding or lacking the daily requirement, our body will signal us through such things as constipation and odors. For example, vegetarians ingest more "choline" through vegetables, legumes, and seafood than the average person. Choline, which assists in moving/metabolism fats and is sometimes part of Vitamin B complex, will produce certain "fishy" smells when consumed in excess of what the body can metabolize.

*Obesity/excessive weight gain – Everything we ingest requires digestion and/or distribution for rebuilding/restoring/renewing our body. When we overload our body with refined sugar, processed food, fried/unhealthy food, our body has to not only process what we consume but also metabolize it through our internal organs (i.e. liver, kidneys and blood stream). As this process occurs, the breakdown of the food/beverage either naturally distributes or begins to "clog" the organs/tissues and internal functions of our body. As toxins begin to build up in our system, certain odors begin to release waving a "red flag" telling us that something isn't working properly or is toxic. Something as simple as "refined sugar" causes a domino effect in our body, hardening/lining our arteries, while also feeding the bacteria and fungus found on our skin.

*Bad breath – All food is initially broken down in our mouth before it begins its journey into our stomach. Eventually, the food is distributed through our organs but it's the lungs that emit the odor of the food back through our mouth. Bacteria build up in our mouth also contributes to these odors, thus being one of the reasons why brushing and flossing are so important to the health of our teeth and gums.

So how do you know when your body is telling you something is wrong?

…..the odor is strong, pungent and continues beyond a 24 hour period (which is the average amount of time it takes for our body to process food/beverage through our system – complete digestion can take 24-72 hours on the average).

…..the odor occurs after consumption of certain food/beverage/spices/medicines/vitamins/minerals.

…..other signals are occurring (i.e. constipation, cramping, fatigue, headaches, nausea, etc.).

If you suspect that you're having a reaction to something you've consumed or are concerned that your body may be "toxic" see your doctor for a proper diagnosis. Always write down your symptoms, including when they began (i.e. day/time) and what you consumed within a 24-72 hour period prior to noticing them. Something as simple as changing your diet and detoxifying your body, while practicing better hygiene, may resolve your "B.O." and bad breath.

Quick tip for wellness: Body odors occur through external bacteria or internal toxins. Any excessive odor that continues beyond 72 hours should be viewed as a medical "red flag" that may require a doctor's advice or intervention.