GOOD
Health
Break a Sweat Sweat it Out
T
hink of sweat as a built-in air conditioner. When we are too hot, our nervous system activates our bodies’ three million or so sweat glands. The released sweat—99 percent water and 1 percent salt-and-fat combo—moistens the skin’s surface, then evaporates to cool us down. The more intense the activity or the hotter and more humid the atmosphere, the more we sweat. We can also sweat more with: • Fever, stress, anxiety, fear, or embarrassment; • Some medications and painkillers; • Illnesses such as cancer, infections, hypoglycemia, and diabetes; • Genetic predispositions or hormonal changes like menopause; • Smoking and obesity; • Spicy food, caffeinated or hot beverages, and alcohol; • Heat-trapping, non-breathable synthetic clothing, such as polyester, acrylic, or nylon.
WE HAVE TWO TYPES OF SWEAT GLANDS ECCRINE GLANDS cover most of our bodies, open directly onto the skin’s surface, and produce watery, odourless sweat. Regulated by the sympathetic nervous system, they are found Eccrine in large numbers on the palms of Hair Gland our hands, the soles of our feet, Follicle forehead, cheeks, and armpits.
Icky, sticky, stinky. Most people have a love-hate relationship with sweat. We love a satisfyingly good sweat during a workout but not so much at a meeting or on a date. But sweating is not only good for us, it’s essential for our well-being. 13 | May/June 2021
Apocrine Gland Hair Follicle
APOCRINE GLANDS open into hair follicles found on the scalp, in armpits, and the groin area. Inactive until stimulated by hormonal changes during puberty, these produce a thicker, fattier type of sweat that results in body odour when it comes in contact with bacteria on the skin.
