Why are we so sensitive to bodily odors?

[biophilia23]

Actually, having lived and worked in the bush for ten and twenty day stints, I know that after about a week, you do not smell anymore. I believe this is because the bacteria and natural oils on our bodies get into balance. Your hair doesn't look or smell dirty. Your face isn't oily. It's quite interesting.

Also, diet has a huge impact on a person's smell. Often with our very acidic diets today, our bodies smell more. I have gone on long juice cleanses to 'reset' my body's systems and clean out my digestive tract. The body stinks badly after three to five days (regardless of how many times you brush your teeth or shower) and then you just don't smell anymore--no coating on your tongue, no need for deodorant. Cool hey?

 

[Evo]

Actually, having lived and worked in the bush for ten and twenty day stints, I know that after about a week, you do not smell anymore. I believe this is because the bacteria and natural oils on our bodies get into balance. Your hair doesn't look or smell dirty. Your face isn't oily. It's quite interesting.

You still stink, you just get used to it so you don't notice.

Frequent washing actually stimulates oil production, the longer you go without washing, the less oil you produce.

 

[Drakkith]

You still stink, you just get used to it so you don't notice.

Frequesnt washing actually stimulates oil production, the longer you go without washing, the less oil you produce.

So if you and a group of people you live around smell for a long period of time, no one notices anymore?

 

[Evo]

So if you and a group of people you live around smell for a long period of time, no one notices anymore?

You get used to it, as long as it's not changed. That's why people that live in stinky houses don't realize how bad the house and everyone and everything in it smells.

 

[Antiphon]

If you somehow sterilize your skin with maybe rubbing alcohol and then don't bathe (in a sterile bubble to avoid bacteria) would you avoid BO?

 

[Evo]

If you somehow sterilize your skin with maybe rubbing alcohol and then don't bathe (in a sterile bubble to avoid bacteria) would you avoid BO?

Since rubbing alcohol won't kill all external bacteria, and under the surface we have more bacteria in glands, mouth, etc... my opinion is no.

 

[DaveC426913]

If you somehow sterilize your skin with maybe rubbing alcohol and then don't bathe (in a sterile bubble to avoid bacteria) would you avoid BO?

And there's bacteria on everything you touch including the air you exist in. If you wipe out bacterial cultures on your body, you provide a very fertile virgin soil in which all sorts of hazardous things can take over.

To be clear: the non-harmful bacteria on your skin provide hefty competition against the invasion of more harmful types that would be happy to feed on your skin waste products.

This can be very bad. It happens in the stomach and colon, when harmless or even beneficial bacteria get purged, and some very nasty bugs can get a foothold, making you very sick and possibly dead.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

If you somehow sterilize your skin with maybe rubbing alcohol and then don't bathe (in a sterile bubble to avoid bacteria) would you avoid BO?

Skin flora is a necessary component of your body and provides not only protection in the form of competition with harmful bacteria but also stimulates your immune system. The latter is paramount, being too clean especially in childhood is hypothesised as causing allergic diseases in later life.

 

[turbo]

Have you ever gone hiking-climbing with a member of the opposite sex? You're going to both get a bit fragrant with the exertion. That should not be a problem, if you are a normal person. In fact, you might find a new obsession.

 

[nitsuj]

Love is in the air, at least it smells like it.