A Program of Inner Cleansing Can Control Body Odor.

There's a sewage system inside your body. It's called the intestine, of course-the interior tube where food is digested and wastes are processed.
"The only thing separating that system from the rest of your body is a membrane as thin as an eyelid," says Peter Bennett, N.D., a naturopathic and homeopathic physician in Victoria, British Columbia.

If that system is filled with toxins from a diet loaded with processed foods, from environmental chemicals, or from medications, those toxins can cross the membrane, enter the bloodstream, exit via the sweat, and create offensive body odor, he says. Truly bad body odor-the kind that obviously offends your friends or coworkers or makes your mate ask you to see a doctor to solve the problem-is not common, he says. If you do have the problem, however, he believes that internal cleansing is the best way to correct it.

Here are suggestions from Dr. Bennett and other alternative practitioners for detoxifying your body.

CHLOROPHYLL: Nature's Deodorizer
The plant chemical chlorophyll is a natural purifier, and taking it as a supplement can help detoxify and deodorize the body, Dr. Bennett says. "Chlorophyll is absorbed from the intestinal tract into the blood stream and has a very purifying and deodorizing effect," he says. In fact, chlorophyll is so powerful that it is typically used to reduce the odor of stool in patients who have had their colons removed and have waste routed to a bag outside the body.

"Buy a bottle and take a teaspoon two or three times a day," says Elson Haas, M.D., director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California. Also eat more fresh, chlorophyll-rich leafy greens, such as spinach, chard, and kale.

WATER: Add a Squeeze of Lemon
Drinking lots of water every day helps the body dilute and get rid of odor-causing toxins, Dr. Bennett says. He recommends 100 ounces a day. You may want to add a squeeze of lemon juice to each glass, says Dr.Haas. It is excellent for helping the body detoxify. GOLDENSEAL: A Killer of Bad bacteria The herb goldenseal can kill toxic bacteria in the intestines and can help reduce body odor, says Dr. Bennett. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

PROBIOTICS: More Bad News for Bad Bacteria

Taking a probiotic, a food supplement that contains "friendly" bacteria that help maintain the health of the intestines, is a must for reducing the bad intestinal bacteria that can trigger strong body odor, says Tara Skye Goldin, N.D., a naturopathic physician in Boulder, Colorado. Look for a product containing the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum as well as FaS (fructo-oligosaccharides), which help to keep bad bacteria to a minimum. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

MASSAGE: Try Dry Skin Brushing
Brushing your skin with a natural-bristle dry skin brush every day stimulates the skin, improves circulation, removes old (and possibly smelly) dead skin cells, and can help the body get rid of odor-causing toxins, Dr. Bennett says.
Brush daily, using short, brisk strokes. Start with the fronts and backs of your arms, moving from the fingertips toward the armpits and always toward the heart. Then brush the fronts and backs of your legs, starting at your feet and brushing upward. Don't forget the bottoms of your feet.
Move up through the pelvic area, buttocks, abdomen, and lower back, and finish with your chest and upper back, again, always brushing toward the heart. Do your chest, abdomen, and inner thighs carefully and gently. To prevent mold, never let the brush get wet. If brushing is painful, do it lightly and persevere. The discomfort will pass, says Dr. Bennett.

FOOD: A Detoxification Diet
Simplifying your diet is a must for allowing the body to cleanse itself of old, odor-producing wastes and for reducing internal toxins and poisons, says Dr. Bennett. He recommends following a 7-day purification diet that includes specific foods and avoids certain others.

Allowed foods are fruits and vegetables, olive oil or unheated flaxseed oil, herbal teas, green tea, water, lemon water, diluted fruit juices, vegetable juices, whole-grain rice and rice products (including brown, basmati, Thai, and wild rice), mung beans, bean thread noodles, and miso (a flavorful soybean paste). Foods to avoid are meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, fats and oils (other than those listed above), chocolate, nuts, beans (other than those listed above), grains (other than those listed above), sugar, alcohol, coffee, and black tea.

Choose A Natural Deodorant.
Many commercial deodorants and antiperspirants contain aluminum or other synthetic chemicals. Alternative practitioners believe that daily exposure to those chemicals is not healthy. "Every patient who goes through our clinic gets a thorough analysis for metals that may be damaging health, and the number one toxic metal that we find is aluminum;' says Peter Bennett, N.D., a naturopathic and homeopathic physician in Victoria, British Columbia.

"I don't want my patients using aluminum-containing antiperspirants:' "Aluminum and other chemicals are toxic to our own bodies and to other people;' says Elson Haas, M.D., director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California. "I encourage my patients to use natural antiperspirants and deodorants that are free of toxic chemicals." Look for chemical- and aluminum-free products in health food stores.