Sweating is a normal body reaction. It’s a way for the body to cool itself. But excessive sweating is another matter. If you sweat a lot, you’ll feel self-conscious in public. Most people try to counter this condition by taking cold showers and reapplying antiperspirant several times during the day. Does this sound like you, and have you considered changing your diet? Just like there are foods that make you sweat a lot, there are also foods that can reduce excessive sweating. Here’s a list of healthy foods you can add to your diet to reduce excessive sweating.
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Fruits and Vegetables
Everywhere you turn, there’s an article, a news piece, or a friend telling you to include fruits and vegetables in your diet. Do you want to prevent sweaty hands? Eat fruits with high water content like grapes, watermelons, pineapples, and apples. Watermelons will keep you hydrated and cool, hence reducing excessive sweating. You can find more about it here. At the same time, they are high in fiber, promoting digestion and improving metabolism. Additionally, fruits like oranges, pineapples, and lemons have a nice citrus smell that will leave your skin smelling fresh. Water-dense vegetables include red cabbage, spinach, eggplant lettuce, and cucumbers.
Water
It may seem like drinking a lot of water can contribute to sweating, but it’s actually vice versa. When you drink water, your body cools, meaning you won’t sweat much to lower your body temperature. Keep your bottle close throughout the day, and you’ll be fine. Unlike in the past, when people were advised to drink eight glasses of water, that rule no longer applies. Things like your exercise levels, overall health, and environment will contribute to how much water you should take. The U.S. National Academies of Medicine suggests taking 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women. This recommendation includes water in foods and beverages.
Green Tea
While drinking something hot may seem counterproductive, green tea helps. Unlike stimulants like coffee which will put your nervous system in high gear and lead to sweating, green tea acts differently. It contains antioxidants that produce calming effects. As a result, it helps keep your nervous systems cool, keeping your sweating under control.
Foods Rich in Calcium
Calcium is an essential nutrient for maintaining strong bones and teeth. But beyond that, it also helps regulate body temperature, thus suppressing sweating. By eating a good serving of calcium-rich foods, you’ll experience less sweating. Some of the foods that contain calcium include baked beans, almonds, kale, and cheddar cheese. If you can’t seem to keep up with a healthy portion of calcium every day, try taking low-fat milk in the morning. The body takes a long time to digest high-fat foods, hence the suggestion of fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
Foods Rich in Fiber
One of the reasons your nutritionist tells you to consume fiber-rich foods is that they help ease the digestion process. Go for whole grains like brown rice instead of processed grains like white bread. The latter makes your digestive system work extra hard to break down food, which contributes to excessive sweating. Whole grains break down easily, making them a good option to reduce excessive sweating.
Foods Rich in Vitamin B
B vitamins help regulate and maintain the nervous system. Low levels of vitamin B can make the body overly sensitive to stressful situations, leading to excess sweating. Stress sweating is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. It’s important to keep this system healthy by giving it the nutritional support it needs. That means consuming foods rich in vitamin B like salmon, beef, eggs, and leafy greens.
Magnesium
Foods rich in magnesium improve digestion, speed up metabolism and strengthen the immune system. At the same time, sweating excessively can lead to magnesium deficiency which opens doors to other health issues that will make you sweat more than usual. Be sure to include magnesium-rich foods in your diet. Some examples include almonds, pumpkin seeds, legumes, and dark chocolate.
Olive Oil
Prepare your food with olive oil or use it in salad dressings. This is another food that contains antioxidants which help boost your metabolism and digestion. As already mentioned, the less your body works to digest foods, the less you’ll sweat. Replace vegetable oil with olive oil the next time you cook. Aside from reducing excessive sweating, it also reduces cholesterol and keeps your blood pressure healthy.
Whey Protein
Are you about to join an important meeting and are nervous? Try taking whey protein. This is a fitness supplement that contains tryptophan and L-glutamine. Both these elements can calm your nervous system. This will fight any jitters or nervousness that can make you sweat excessively. This popular supplement also regulates blood sugar and boosts digestion. Add it to your yogurt or smoothie before leaving for work or school.
Keep your sweating under control by paying attention to what you eat. And now that you know foods that can reduce sweating, start including them in your diet from today.