The Pits; why you should go natural under the arm.

THE PITS! They're a smelly bunch. Naturally, we all want our friends to stay close and our enemies closer, so have no doubt been rather UNnaturally slathering aluminium based antiperspirant deodorants on our underarms to keep the sweat at bay.

Unfortunately, the toxic load on our systems from these heavy-metal-laden deodorants is hugely detrimental to our health. In particular, these highly "effective" products have been linked to cancer and Alzheimers, and although the science on this isn't entirely conclusive, for me there is enough of a potential risk that I'm not really interested in taking a gamble, if I can use something natural and effective.

The fact of the matter is, an antiperspirant actively prevents your body from performing a normal function to rid itself of toxins, by blocking the pores and preventing the toxins from being excreted via sweat. The smell that you get when you perspire is from the bacteria that is in your armpit. So when switching to a natural deodorant, it is good to remember that the natural deodorant is at its most effective if applied directly after a good scrub in the shower, as that way it prevents the bacteria from growing in the first place, which is how it prevents the smell.

A natural deodorant WON'T stop you sweating. So you likely will get sweat marks on a grey t-shirt if you go for a run. Or a brisk stroll. But you should find that after a transition period (your body needs to adjust back to its normal, natural way of expelling toxins) it settles down, and becomes less obvious.

I used to think I needed Clinical Protection deodorant. Particularly under the right arm as it would sweat more than the left (weird). I would literally cake that stuff on and it would be the only thing to do the trick. Then after having a baby, I felt really uncomfortable that he would be feeding so close to where I was applying this aluminium based product, as well the fact that I was using it at all. After all, our skin absorbs everything we put on it, and it ends up to some degree in our bloodstream, and breastmilk is an extension of that bloodstream.

I started using natural deodorants, and it did take a couple of weeks for my body to recalibrate, but now it's all I use, for about 2 years now, and it's only every now and then when I'm in a super sweaty situation that I remember I'm no longer using Rexona Clinical Protection. But it's fine cos sweat is normal and thanks to the natural deos, it doesn't smell. Ace.

So. Disclaimer - what works for me might not work for you - like anything it's personal. You may need to try a couple of brands before you find the one and sometimes you just need to give it time. 

Annnnnd that is all, folks

x

Written by Harriet McDonald from the ConsciUS group.