According to my good friend Wikipedia, there are two situations in which the nerves will stimulate the sweat glands, causing perspiration: during physical heat and during emotional stress. In general, emotionally induced sweating is restricted to palms, soles, armpits, and sometimes the forehead, while physical heat-induced sweating occurs throughout the body.
People have an average of two to four million sweat glands. But how much sweat is released by each gland is determined by many factors, including gender, genetics, environmental conditions, age or fitness level. Two of the major contributors to sweat rate are an individual’s fitness level and weight. If an individual weighs more, sweat rate is likely to increase because the body must exert more energy to function and there is more body mass to cool down. On the other hand, a fit person will start sweating earlier and easier. As someone becomes fit, the body becomes more efficient at regulating the body’s temperature and sweat glands adapt along with the body’s other systems.
I don’t know about you but when I get stressed out or when I’m really nervous I tend to sweat a lot. I’ve tried all kinds of deodorants and some are better than others but there is a lot of controversy on some of the ingredients found in a lot deodorants especially the high strength ones. The website Cancer.gov has a lot of amazing recourses when it comes to products with any harmful ingredients. It says that articles in the press and on the Internet have warned that underarm antiperspirants (a preparation that reduces underarm sweat) or deodorants (a preparation that destroys or masks unpleasant odors) cause breast cancer. The reports have suggested that these products contain harmful substances, which can be absorbed through the skin or enter the body through nicks caused by shaving. Some scientists have also proposed that certain ingredients in underarm antiperspirants or deodorants may be related to breast cancer because they are applied frequently to an area next to the breast.
Aluminum-based compounds are used as the active ingredient in antiperspirants. These compounds form a temporary plug within the sweat duct that stops the flow of sweat to the skin’s surface. Some research suggests that aluminum-based compounds, which are applied frequently and left on the skin near the breast, may be absorbed by the skin and cause estrogen like hormonal effects. Because estrogen has the ability to promote the growth of breast cancer cells, some scientists have suggested that the aluminum-based compounds in antiperspirants may contribute to the development of breast cancer.
I’m not sharing this to scare you but just to raise some awareness next time you’re deodorant shopping. Steer clear of anything with Aluminium Sulfate in it. Aluminium potassium sulfate and another form of alum, aluminium ammonium sulfate are the active ingredients in some antiperspirants however, beginning in 2005 the US Food and Drug Administration no longer recognized it as a wetness reducer. Whole Foods has a lot of great organic deodorants. Toms of Main makes an amazing aluminum free deodorant as well as a lot of other great brands so be sure to do your research before you put your girls in harms way.
If you’re looking for a fab DIY solution, then look no further! All you need to do is brew a batch of black tea, let it cool and then soak the tea up with a washcloth. Place it under each arm for a couple minutes. Repeat for three weeks once a day. The tannic acid that’s in the tea will permanently reduce the amount of sweat you produce!
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