It is normal to perspire and in today’s world it is normal to mask your natural body odour and even try and stop perspiration all together by using an antiperspirant. Is this good for your health? Go Vita reviews the facts. While deodorant mask body odour they continue to allow you to sweat, however, antiperspirants are formulated to block the sweat glands and stop you from sweating. Now the problem with this is that human armpits were designed to sweat! Perspiration plays a vital role in controlling body temperature, so this begs the question is it wise to block a normal bodily process.

Does your deodorant contain aluminium?

Another concern is that many antiperspirants contain aluminium compounds, which have reportedly been linked to breast cancer. There are many that believe the danger is very real including Heidi Rose, a Colorado-based naturopath, who explains "We know that 75 per cent of breast cancers attach to the outer half circle of the breast, close to the armpit, exactly where your lymph glands are. A biopsy of these cancerous tissues taken from this area usually shows aluminum chlorohydrate – the primary toxic chemical in antiperspirants – embedded in the tissue. So we know that it is absorbed there.”

Is aluminium in deodorant safe?

The American National Cancer Institute disagrees with such theories and says that there is no conclusive proof and deems aluminium in antiperspirants to be safe. There are always different perspectives and viewpoints about health care. Naturopaths at Mr Vitamins consider a wholistic view to be most valuable and always worth exploring. Whilst the jury is still out, you may like to look at natural alternatives to aluminium-containing antiperspirants, some based on herbs and essential oils, that act to reduce odour-causing bacteria and reduce but not block the body’s natural production of sweat. With many natural alternatives to commercial products come and talk to Mr Vitamins about Natural Deodorants and ‘ask a Naturopath’ about the best one for you.