How nutrition affects body hygiene

Overview
The food you eat and the vitamins and minerals you consume through supplements play significant roles in your hygiene. Strong odors can linger on your breath and ooze from the pores in your skin. Greasy food touches your face when you eat it and can lead to acne outbreaks. Beans and other fibrous foods can cause embarrassing flatulence.

Environment
There is a strong relationship between personal hygiene practices and healthy nutrition, according to a study in the "Indian Journal of Community Medicine." Poverty and a lack of education often are at the root of the problems. Poor sanitation is a major contributor to nutritional deficiencies in populations that display a lack of hygiene. Garbage and contaminated eating surfaces left unattended can lead to worms. Intestinal parasites eek out any nutrition consumed and negate the benefits of food when allowed to fester. In children, the poor hygiene practices at home lead to malnutrition, impaired development and reduced cognitive performance.

Acne
A common myth about acne is that it is caused by what you consume. Acne is more likely caused by your hygiene practices. Keeping your face and skin clean and free from pollution and greasy foods that clog your pores is the best antidote for acne, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Eating greasy food or sweets does not promote acne outbreaks. Eating a diet high in antioxidants that can work to reduce the effects of free radicals that don't get washed off your skin can aid in the fight against pimples, however.

Body Odors
Bacteria in your intestines lead to foul-smelling flatulence that affects your overall presentation and may reflect negatively on your hygiene practices. Certain carbohydrates don't get broken down sufficiently in your digestive system and create the odor as they pass through your colon. Undigested food produces carbon dioxide and hydrogen, and, for about one-third of the population, it also creates methane, the strong smell that brings your hygiene into question. Foul flatulence is a personal issue and the causes vary from person to person. The most effective means of preventing smelly gas is to experiment and avoid those foods that cause the problem. The most common culprits include the natural sugar found in fruit called sorbitol and raffinose, a complex sugar contained in beans, broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

Considerations
While you may use garlic and other alternative treatments for various conditions, the substances can lead to hygiene issues. Before making any changes, however, you should talk to your doctor. Garlic is one of the most common substances used to treat a variety of ailments -- from infection to high cholesterol. Unfortunately, the oil in garlic contains sulfur-like properties that create bad breath and body odor. Excessive use of garlic, more than two cloves a day, can lead to smelly flatulence as well, according to the American Family Physician, a publication produced by the American Academy of Family Physicians.