DIY solutions for your most embarrassing body blunders

Whether we want to talk about it or not, at some point we've all probably suffered from some embarrassing body issues, like bad breath, sweating profusely or perhaps even a little flatulence? Hey, it's okay, it happens to the best of us! But fear not, we're here to help you solve these problems with some DIY methods using items you probably already have in your house!

Excessive Sweating

Some people, no matter the temperature, constantly run hot. It could be cold outside and you're still a furnace, sweating while others are shivering. The official term for it is hyperhidrosis and there are a few DIY methods to keep you dry:

First up, lemon juice and baking soda. Mix a teaspoon of each in a small bowl and stir it until it becomes a paste (if a teaspoon of each isn't enough to create the paste, keep adding until it is). Then, take a cotton ball, dab it into the paste and then dab on your underarms. Let that sit for about 30-minutes and then wash it off with water. The alkaline in the baking soda counteracts with the acidity of the lemon juice to stop sweating in its tracks.

Another way to use a lemon is to cut it in half, and rub the lemon directly on your underarms. Let it stay overnight and wash off in the morning.

Another grocery item that can help keep you dry are potatoes. Simply slice them up and apply directly to the problem area, whether it's underarm, behind the knee, or feet. Potatoes are super absorbent and will help soak up your excess moisture.

If you don't want to rub produce on your underarms, there are some oral remedies. Drinking a glass of tomato juice or wheatgrass every day will help keep you dry. Tomato juice has anti-oxidant and astringent properties that help shrink skin pores while wheatgrass is high in vitamin C, A , B and folic acid which neutralizes and dilutes toxins.

Bad Breath

We've probably all wondered if we have bad breath after finishing a cup of coffee or a meal featuring foods with strong odours. Chronic bad breath, halitosis, can be a sign of gum disease or tooth decay but if it's just your garden variety bad breath you're looking to get under control, we can help!

First of all, fennel seeds. If you take a teaspoon of fennel seeds after a meal, the seeds act as a neutralizer to help combat bad breath. The seeds also promote saliva production which can help as a dry mouth can cause bad breath. You may say chewing gum is just as, if not easier but many gums contain sugar or aspartame while fennel is all natural.

Now, you can't always have fennel at the ready, so here's how you can make a DIY fresh breath spray that you can keep in your purse. Simply pick up a small spray bottle from your local dollar store, add three drops of peppermint oil, three drops of cinnamon oil, top it up with water, give it a shake and go!

Dandruff

We're inching closer to winter, and with the cold temperatures often comes dry skin. This means that people who suffer from dandruff may find themselves with more flakes than usual. There are a few methods to keep the flakes at bay:

First up, try an apple cider vinegar solution. Mix a quarter cup of apple cider vinegar, a quarter cup of water in a spray bottle and spray it right on your head. The apple cider vinegar changes the PH of your scalp making it harder for yeast to grow. Let this sit for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour then wash your hair as usual.

Another method is coarse salt. The coarseness works great for scrubbing out dandruff before you shampoo.

If those solutions don't do the try, try an olive oil soak. Simply massage several drops into your scalp, throw on a shower cap overnight and rinse out in the shower the next morning.

Flatulence

One of the most embarrassing body blunders — but everybody does it! In fact, it's totally natural to pass gas between 10-18 times a day. But for the sake of those around us, we have some methods to keep it under control:

Avoid notoriously gassy foods like broccoli, cabbage, beans, and Brussel's sprouts. Those are all healthy foods, so you shouldn't cut them out of your diet. Maybe just avoid them if you're going on an important date or job inteview. Substitute in less farty foods like lemons, oranges, natural yogurts, grapes, and bananas.

If you don't want to give up any of your favourite foods, try embracing ginger! Ginger helps gas from forming inside your stomach  Simply chew on some fresh ginger after you eat, or incorporate fresh ginger into your cuisine. You can also make a ginger tea by grating it into some hot water.

Another remedy is mustard. You can use a plain yellow mustard, as long as it contains turmeric. Take a teaspoon at the first sign of intestinal rumblings and it will help tame your tummy.

There's also an exercise you can do to keep toots at bay. Simply lie on your back, lift up your backside and hold it up there with your hands. Move your legs in an upside down bicycle motion (you probably did this in gym class as a kid. While this won't stop you from farting, performing this exercise for about ten minutes will force the gas out of you, so do this at home before you go out.

Do you have any home remedies for dealing with embarrassing body issues? Let us know on our Facebook page.