Why are my armpits smelly?

Have you noticed that your armpits are a little more ……  pungent than normal?

Our body odour is something we don’t tend to talk about, so you may be relieved to know you are not alone! 

The hormonal changes around perimenopause can change our body odour.

On a simple level, we may be sweating more, especially if we experience hormonal hot flushes and night sweats. This is due to the fluctuations in oestrogen levels.

Are you more stressed? We can also sweat more when we’re stressed.

Where are you in your cycle?  We can experience changes in our sense of smell at different points in our cycle.  Maybe your sense of smell is heightened. I know that my own sense of smell is super-acute about a week before my period.  

How is your digestive system?  Are you having a good regular bowel movement? If you’re a bit constipated, you may not be eliminating toxins as effectively. The skin is one route of detoxification, so you may notice that you’re sweating more and that odour is more noticeable in this case.

Certain foods may cause a change in body odour, in particular alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine.

How are your bacteria?  OK, we might not know the answer to this, but we do know that the composition of our microbiomes (gut, vagina, skin, oral cavity, urinary tract – all over our body) changes as oestrogen declines. It’s the bacteria that cause the odour, so it could simply reflect the change in our hormones.

Underlying health issues could also be behind increased sweating and you may wish to discuss this with your GP as excess sweating could be a symptom of thyroid imbalance, Type 2 Diabetes, kidney dysfunction or liver related complaints.

6 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

1. Look after your gut health. Feed your good gut bugs and make sure you’re having at least one good bowel movement a day. Digestive health is one of my key (and favourite) areas, so do get in touch if you are suffering needlessly! (If you’re signed up to my newsletter this month (May 2021), you will receive a £30 discount on my Thrive Foundation package for digestive health support.) I will tailor a programme to suit your gut.

2. Hydrate well – this will help keep you regular and will support elimination.

3. Reduce your toxic burden.  Avoid dietary toxins as far as possible (processed foods, alcohol, smoking, high sugar foods, poor quality fats), but also look at your skincare (this is a huge separate topic!). Choose natural and organic where possible. And do avoid any kind of douches or anti-bacterial skin products that could play havoc with the delicate balance of bacteria on your skin.

4. Allow your body to sweat. Avoid under-arm antiperspirants that block your sweat glands and use a natural deodorant that will reduce the odour whilst still allowing you to sweat. And of course, take a regular shower.

5. Incorporate as many moments of calm as possible in your day. If you feel flustered, even a couple of minutes of conscious breathing can help you relax.

6. I know this is all-encompassing but a good wholefood diet with plenty of fibre and plant-based foods compared with a high sugar, processed food diet is fundamental.

For a free Digestive Health Discovery call, email me to book on alexis@alexispriornutrition.com