Sweat’s main purpose is to help the body cool down. Sweat glands release sweat onto the skin, which then evaporates and helps reduce the body’s internal temperature. If you’re in a hot climate and sweating a lot, be sure to replace the fluids you’re losing with plenty of water. Sweat literally leaves your skin glistening, but more importantly, exercise gets the blood circulating throughout the body, which gives your skin a healthy glow from the inside out. Proper blood flow allows oxygen and nutrients to circulate and nourish skin cells. Sweat will help the skin look moisturized and ‘dewy,’ which may be seen as improving its appearance.
What Causes Sweating?
Sweating is your body’s built-in cooling system. When the temperature rises, millions of tiny sweat glands in your skin are activated and sweat is released through your pores. As your sweat evaporates, it cools you off. Yet leftover sweat can leave your skin soaked – especially on humid days when the air is already so saturated with moisture that your sweat evaporates more slowly. Exercising turns up your body’s internal heating system. As you pump your arms and legs, your body temperature rises.
Sweating is your body’s way of getting rid of that extra heat. It tends to happen all over or in one general area instead of on the hands, underarms, face, or feet. Unlike primary hyperhidrosis, this type is more likely to cause sweating during sleep. And in this case, there is something that’s causing hyperhidrosis: a medical condition or a medication. A number of medical conditions have the potential to cause hyperhidrosis.
What Causes Body Odor?
Body odor is a perceived unpleasant smell our bodies can give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids – some say it is the smell of bacteria growing on the body, but it really is the result of bacteria breaking down protein into certain acids.
Sweat itself is virtually odorless to humans; it is the rapid multiplication of bacteria in the presence of sweat and what they do (break sweat down into acids) that eventually causes the unpleasant smell. The smell is perceived as unpleasant, many believe because most of us have been brought up to dislike it. Body odor is most likely to occur in our feet, groin, armpits, genitals, pubic hair and other hair, belly button, anus, behind the ears, and to some (lesser) extent on the rest of our skin.
Homeopathic Medicines for Excessive Sweating (Hyperhidrosis)
Persons suffering from increased or excessive sweating can hugely benefit from the use of homeopathic medicines. Those suffering from excessive sweating are in the habit of using antiperspirants to tackle the problem. Let’s see major homeopathic medicines and their various symptoms of sweating.
- Conium: Excessive sweat while sleep starting.
- Sambucus: Excessive sweat on the face and entire body when waking up.
- Pilocapus: Pilocapus/Jaborandi, in its mother tincture form, is also useful in copious sweating.
- Calcarea Carbonica: Cold, sweaty hands and feet. May also have excessive sweating on the chest and upper body. Calcarea carbonica patients tend to be chilly, obstinate, constipated, often desire eggs (especially hard-boiled), milk, and cheese.
- Silica: Profuse sweating of head, hands, feet, and underarms. The sweat of the feet can be quite offensive.
- Carbo Animalis: For example, it is most useful in individuals who are visibly hypersensitive and suffer from foot sweats with an extremely foul odor.
- Thuja & Caladium: Sweating like honey smell.
- Arsenicum Iodatum: Excessive Sweat on body fatigue in the night time.
- Sepia: Excessive sweat between thighs and armpits with sour odor.
- Natrum Mur: Excessive seating while doing small work.
- Acidum Hydrofluoricum is, likewise, useful in individuals who have excessive sweating of palms and feet but feel better in the cool, open-air, or under a ceiling fan.
- Ammonium Mur is effective in overweight individuals presenting symptoms of profuse, uncontrolled sweating.
- Iodum is useful in excessive sweating in humid conditions. It suits individuals who constantly try to keep themselves cool.
Best homeopathic medicines for excessive sweating: Baptisia, Calcarea Carb, Hepar Sulphuris, Nux vomica, Merc. Sol, Nit Acid, Petroleum Silica, Psorinum, Sulphur, and Thuja.
Homeopathic Medicine for excessive sweating on palms, soles, underarms: Psorinum, Nit Acid, Silica, Natrum Mur, Calcarea Carb, and Baryta Carb.
Homeopathic Medicine for hot, sweaty soles: Alumina, Ammonium Mur, Baryta Carb, Calcarea Carb, Merc. Sol, Lyco pus, Psorinum, Sanicula, Silica, Tellurium, and Zinc Met.