It is ingrained in us that sweat is dirty and gross and an overall somewhat shameful process; however, we might just be looking at this all wrong. Sweat is GREAT for your skin and it keeps your body healthy. So, before you become embarrassed by sweat, consider the following:

 

Reasons For Sweating

People sweat for a number of reasons. Your body is trying to tell you something each time you sweat, you just have to learn to listen to the signs. The most obvious reason being that you are hot and your body is trying to cool you down. Whether you are a dainty and petite 100-pound woman or a tall and big-boned man. If it is 90 degrees and humid outside, you are going to sweat. Another reason you might sweat is if you are ill or fighting off an infection. You could start sweating simply from eating spicy food or being stressed.

 

If you are experience hormonal changes in your life such as puberty, pregnancy, menopause, or menstruation, you could also experience heavy sweating. And, your body may start to sweat as a way to remove the toxins in your body such as after drinking too much alcohol or eating too much salt. While perspiration may be unpleasant in certain circumstances, the good news is that you will experience many benefits to sweating no matter the reason.   

 

Benefits of Sweating

Some benefits of sweating may be a bit more well-known than others. One lesser-known benefit is that sweating helps to heal cuts and wounds on the skin. Sweat is filled with antibiotics that assist in the process of healing surface wounds. In addition to removing toxins from our bodies, sweat also removes pollutants and impurities we ingest or inhale from the environment such as BPA found in plastic water bottles, canned foods, soda cans, beer cans, fast food, processed foods, and cash register receipts.

 

When you sweat, BPA particles are removed from your body. Perhaps the greatest benefit of sweating is an indirect correlation from working out. When you sweat and exercise , your body releases chemicals that make you feel happy. And, another indirect benefit is that sweating as a result of exercise can help reduce the risk of kidney stones due to the increase in water consumption and the flushing out of toxins from your body.

 

Sweat Dangers

While sweat has many life-enhancing benefits, keep in mind that excessive sweating can be harmful. Regardless of the reason for sweating, be sure to replenish your lost fluids or you will run the risk of becoming severely dehydrated. According to the British Medical Journal you should choose water over sports drinks as a way to rehydrate. And, several Harvard advisors to the Boston Marathon warn of overhydration and recommend to use thirst as the basis for the amount of water you should consume to hydrate appropriately. So, basically, if you are thirsty, drink water. Once you are no longer thirsty, you should stop drinking water as several marathoners have died in recent years due to overhydration, but none have died of dehydration.

 

Sweat and Your Skin

The process of sweating is a dream for the condition of your skin. The release of sweat helps to push out dirt and other bacteria-hosting components that clog your pores and lead to acne. Essentially, sweating cleans out your pores for a glowing result if properly treated and cared for in a timely manner. After you sweat, be sure to wash your face and any other part of your body that is prone to breakouts to keep your pores clean and clear . Whether you wear a lot of makeup or not, it has been recommended to wash your face before you work out to remove much of the dirt and oils before you begin. If you leave the impurities from sweating on your skin for too long, you could create additional acne breakouts rather than to reap the rewards sweating has for your skin.