GenInv – Health and Wellness

If you suffer from excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, you’ve probably already tried a number of ways to manage or cure the problem. But have you ever wondered whether your diet has got anything to do with it? Could what you eat and drink be making the problem worse? And are there any foods that help to relieve the problem?

Firstly, there are a number of food and drinks that are notorious for increasing your body temperature and/or making your sweat. These are; spicy foods, processed foods

, garlic, red meat, high fructose corn syrup, alcohol and caffeine. Greasy or deep fried foods also put pressure on your digestive system which can increase sweating problems.

Luckily, there are also a number of foods that have been shown to reduce excessive sweating. Fruit is a great source of fibre and vitamins which can be beneficial in improving both your immune and digestive systems as well as your overall health. Similarly, complex B Vitamins (found in whole-grain foods, fruit and veget

ables) also help your body to eliminate waste products efficiently. Eating foods that support your health can greatly reduce imbalances, which can lead to problems such as excessive sweating. Not only that, you will look and feel great too!

Chamomile tea has been cited as a good way to reduce sweating. If you think anxiety and stress cause your excessive sweating this is even more helpful as it helps you relax. Also, drinking herbal teas is another way of increasing your water intake. Similar

ly, as fruit and vegetables have a high water-content, they are another easy way to get more water into your system.

There is a belief that drinking more water will make you sweat more. Whilst it’s possible that drinking tap-water may increase the toxins in your body, (which stress your system) drinking filtered or mineral water can be beneficial. In fact, for health reasons, it’s important that you drink plenty of water. Your body needs water to survive – even more so if you sweat. So, if you suffer from excessive sweating, you should try to replace your body’s lost fluids to maintain your health.

Some experts even recommend a water fast as treatment for excessive sweating. This is where for a period of time you eat and drink just water. This means your body can flush out the toxins you have accumulated. As your body sweats to get rid of toxins, having less toxins to get rid of should mean less sweating. However, any extreme fasting or detoxing should always be undertaken with medical supervision.

Whilst excessive sweating can be the result of a number of problems, being overweight is one of the most common. In this instance, diet will play a pivotal role in excessive sweating problems. If you think your weight could be a cause of your excessive sweating, this is an added incentive to eat more healthily. If you know certain foods will make you put on weight which will increase the sweating symptoms that make you miserable, you are more likely to avoid them.

Excessive sweating can also be a symptom of food intolerances. If you eat food that your body can’t tolerate, it puts your immune system under stress. A side-effect of this is increased sweating. The most effective way to identify these is a food diary. When you begin to closely monitor your diet and notice which foods cause reactions, it becomes easy to identify the ones that increase your excessive sweating problems. You can then make an informed decision as to whether to eliminate them.

It may seem obvious but the temperature of what you eat and drink can affect your body temperature. For example, drinking hot drinks makes you feel hot, whilst cold drinks make you feel cooler. If your excessive sweating is linked to your body temperature, it makes sense to opt for cooler drinks – jut as long as they’re not sugary, caffeinated or alcoholic.

You can reduce your excessive sweating symptoms by making a range of changes to your diet. However, regardless of any specific tips, making more nutritious food/drink choices will improve your health and wellbeing. This will have an effect on your self-esteem and confidence which will naturally have a positive effect on reducing your excessive sweating – meaning you can start to enjoy life.