Smell can reveal a lot about your health. Our breath, sweat, urine, feces, and even body parts like the feet, can give off scent that tells something about our physical condition. In this blog, we take a closer look at what these odors mean and how you can practically deal with them.

Breath Odor

Bad breath can have several causes. Normal, healthy breath is virtually odorless. However, different types of breath odors can indicate different health problems:

• Sweet acetone smell: May indicate diabetes, as your body produces ketones that are released through your breath.
• Ammonia smell: Can be a sign of kidney problems, because your kidneys cannot filter waste products properly.
• Rotten egg smell: May indicate digestive problems or an infection.
• Metallic breath: May indicate kidney failure or liver problems.

Practical Tips

Your lifestyle has a huge impact on your oral health. Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth twice a day with a natural toothpaste. Drink plenty of water to keep your mouth hydrated. Engage in Oil Pulling to remove toxins and support overall oral health. And consider vitamin D to support teeth. Regular dental visits can help rule out dental problems.

Sweat odor

Sweat itself is odorless, but the bacteria on your skin can convert sweat into substances that produce odor. Normal sweat occurs after exercise and does not smell strong. Are you suddenly sweating more or does your sweat smell different? This could be due to the following causes:

• Sharp, acidic odor: May indicate a bacterial infection on the skin.
• Sweet smell: May be a sign of a metabolic disorder such as diabetes.
• Ammonia smell: If your sweat smells like ammonia, it could mean that your body has depleted its glycogen stores during exercise. Instead, it begins to burn proteins (amino acids) to produce energy.
• Fishy smell: May indicate trimethylaminuria, a genetic disorder in which your body cannot break down certain substances properly.
• Sudden change in smell: Can occur because your body is detoxing. For example, have you recently started eating very healthy? Started taking a detox supplement? Or switched to a natural deodorant? If so, your body is removing waste products and your sweat may smell different.
• Sweat attacks: Can be due to stress, medication, menopause or hormonal changes in your cycle.

Practical Tips

Shower daily and use a natural deodorant. If you just switched to a natural deodorant, your body may be detoxing. Hang in there because you are giving your body a chance to find its own balance again. Occasionally exfoliating your armpits helps with the detox process. Wear breathable clothing made from natural materials such as organic cotton. Provide adequate fuel during long exercise sessions. Always consult a professional for persistent, strange body odors.

Urine Odor

Urine normally has a slight odor, depending on your diet and how well you are hydrated. Different odors can indicate health problems:

• Strong ammonia smell: May indicate dehydration. The sex hormones estrogen and progesterone also mildly affect the smell of your urine. Therefore, your ovulation may cause your urine to have a slight ammonia smell.
• Sweet smell: Can be a sign of diabetes.
• Fishy smell: May indicate a urinary tract infection or STD.
• Sulfurous odor: Can be caused by eating foods containing sulfur such as asparagus.

Practical Tips

The most important tip is: drink water. Hydrate enough by drinking at least 2 liters of water daily. Are you drinking enough, haven't eaten any foods that can affect your urine odor and still have persistent, smelly urine? If so, always consult a professional. 

Vaginal odor

Vaginal odor varies and is influenced by the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina. A normal vaginal odor is slightly acidic. Aberrant odors can have several causes:

• Fishy smell: May indicate bacterial vaginosis or an STD.
• Strong yeasty, sour smell: May indicate a fungal infection.
• Metallic odor: May occur during menstruation due to the presence of blood. 

Practical Tips

It is important to keep your vaginal flora healthy. Lifestyle has a big influence on this. First of all, it is important to eat a healthy diet. Make sure to eat plenty of vegetables, healthy fats and few fast sugars. Keep the vagina clean by washing daily with lukewarm water, but avoid soap because it can upset the natural pH balance. Wear cotton underwear to promote air circulation and consider using probiotic supplements to keep the vaginal flora balanced. Consult a professional for persistent or unusual odors.

Stool odor

Feces can vary in odor depending on your diet and health. Normal stools have a slight odor, depending on what you eat. When there are very smelly stools or when stools suddenly change in consistency, there is often a reason for this:

• Rotten egg smell: An odor of rotten eggs may indicate a parasitic infection.
• Sour smell: A sour smell in your stool may indicate the presence of yeasts or fungi causing the smell.
• Metallic: A metallic odor may indicate bleeding in the digestive tract. 

Also read: What does the big message tell us?

Practical Tips

First, it is interesting to keep a food diary. Perhaps you react to certain foods, causing your stools to change. Furthermore, for a healthy stool pattern, it is important to eat high-fiber foods, chew well, drink enough water, exercise enough and relax regularly. Always contact a professional if you have severe abdominal discomfort or blood in your stool.

Foot Odor

Foot odor is often caused by bacteria and sweat. Normal foot odor is not strong. Strange odors may indicate the following:

• Sharp, cheesy odor: May indicate bacterial growth.
• Fungal odor: May indicate swimmer's eczema, a fungal infection of the skin.

Practical Tips

Keep your feet dry and clean by washing daily and drying thoroughly, especially between the toes. Wear breathable socks and shoes. Regular foot care and avoiding synthetic materials can also help minimize foot odor.

Summary

Our bodies use smell as a signal to indicate that something may be wrong. Breath odor, sweat odor, urine odor, vaginal odor, stool odor and foot odor can all signal various health problems. By paying attention to these odors and taking appropriate measures, such as good hygiene, healthy diet and seeking professional help in a timely manner, you can better monitor and improve your health.

If you suffer from strange body odors, consider seeking help. Our therapists are happy to help relieve your symptoms. Schedule here to schedule a no-obligation appointment to see what we can do for you.