Home » Voices » Columns »

Not all smells are pleasant with the warmer weather

By on March 19, 2010 2:15 am in Columns / 8 comments

 
Not all smells are pleasant with the warmer weather
email

Michigan has received something this year that has been very rare in recent years — a warm, pleasant mid-March.

However, as the weather warms up, there is one thing every last person who will spend an extended period of time in a college classroom must remember to do daily.

Wear deodorant.

It seems simple, it seems silly, and most people do it every single day.

However, in a warm classroom, it only takes one sweaty nonconformist to ruin it for everybody.

This is a good rule for all year round, but it becomes more important when the heat and the humidity get the sweat glands pumping, and that lecture hall slowly turns into a pressure cooker.

This soon after spring break, I’ve already noticed that certain ripeness during a class.

Someone who does not wear deodorant indicates many things about themselves by their choice not to do so.

It says they can’t spend $2.50 and 10 seconds a morning to take a step toward personal hygiene.

It says they have too little consideration for the people around them to prevent a sweaty stink from reaching their nostrils.

It also tells you things about that person based on what they will not be doing.

They will not be making new friends. They will not be trying to win over a romantic interest.

They will not be going to a formal event or a job interview.

As mentioned earlier, most people simply apply deodorant after they get out of the shower as a part of the morning routine.

Deodorant is cheap and easy to apply, and there is no reason to not wear it.

Sadly, my nostrils often tell me this is not the truth.

In a class of 40 people on a warm day, it is guaranteed that 39 of them will have put on deodorant that morning.

But there’s always that one guy.

I don’t understand That Guy’s reasoning. Does he just have no regard for personal health or hygiene?

Is he protesting or making a statement?

Does he hate people?

That Guy is a difficult creature to understand, and he rarely takes the time to explain himself.

Whatever the reason, his stink is indomitable and it overpowers everybody within a 10-foot radius.

But it’s just deodorant. There is no good reason not to wear it. That Guy has no reason to exist.

As easy as it is to actually apply deodorant, it’s just as difficult to walk up to somebody and tell them, “Homeboy, put on some deodorant.”

But a little thing like that is the kind of thing that can really stifle and taint the college education process.

So if That Guy is reading this — and I hope he is — homeboy, put on some deodorant.

 

Tags

, ,

Related Posts

 
  • That Guy

    Hilarious! I love the article. Unfortunately I cannot put deodorant on my bridge card so you’ll have to suffer as long as I am getting the short end of the Michigan Promise. I suggest we put baby powder dispensers next to the hand sanitizer and soap dispensers. We could fund this by raising the freshmen parking even more, which will be easier when we avoid looking at Ross’ and Yonder’s salaries.

  • Colleen McNeely

    Why be “that girl”, you ask? Perhaps because conventional deodorants and antiperspirants – that is, the most commonly purchased, unnatural brands – contain aluminum, parabens, and other chemicals that have been linked to a slew of scary maladies. This includes the neurotoxicity of aluminum, which can lead to DNA damage and has been linked to Alzheimer’s. Studies have also shown a correlation between deodorants and cancer, especially that of the breast, since breast tissue lays so close to the area in which deodorants are commonly rubbed. When we put things on our skin – whether deodorants, lotions, or other potions and perfumes – the ingredients, including the dangerous chemicals inside of them, seep through our skin and absorb into the bloodstream. Studies have shown that when toxic chemicals such as parabens enter the breast tissue and increase the production of estrogen, there is a greater likelihood of cancer growth.

    Furthermore, it is natural for humans to sweat; thus, it will be natural for humans to smell. Accept the wonders of mother nature. Your ideas that someone who doesn’t care for personal health and hygiene are obviously far from the truth, and in fact quite the opposite. I consider myself a health crusader and aim to go au natural every day. I might be a little earthy (i.e., stinky) from time to time, but it is scientifically supported that I am less likely to be the one suffering from chemotherapy in years to come. Your personal comfort is a sacrifice I am willing to make for that, as many others hopefully are.

    So, while your article may aim to make a comical point, the logic behind it is insufficient and lacking in scientific backing. Research shows that, whether or not the extra stink may be the greatest joy of life, abstaining from these dangerous deodorants is better for your health. Just because humans are “evolved” and have the capacity to use dangerous substances to make us smell less, does that mean we should? Does that mean that humans should use tobacco, alcohol, and drugs just because we can? If you can’t bear to abstain, just go with an all-natural deodorant. It won’t cover you up like a stick of chemical-ridden madness, but it will be more than tolerable and, most importantly, better for your health. (I recommend Tom’s!).

  • Me

    Go Collen couldn’t agree with you more, some people don’t want to put metal in their system.

  • Jim O’Bryan

    HAHAHAAH I would LOVE to see Collen in action whenever anyone complains in satire about anything. Way to take an opinion article of a college newspaper and drop the lack of sufficient scientific evidence BOMB.

    “Can I borrow a piece of paper, please? I want to show my buddy I can make a shot into the garbage from here.”

    CM – “PAPER IS THE RESULT OF THE UNNATURAL DEPLETION OF TREES FOR PROFIT-MONGERING COMPANIES WHO CREATE AN UNBALANCE IN THE FOREST, THUS RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL KILLING OF SPECIES! YOU LACK THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH NEEDED MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT PAPER! RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WE COULD DO AWAY WITH MORE THAN 50% OF THE PAPER USED IN THIS COUNTRY AND YOU WANT TO THROW IT INTO THE TRASH?!?!?!!”

    “Uh, yea, he bet me like 10 bucks that I couldn’t do it.”

  • Layla

    Actually, Colleen,I think your argument is the one that’s lacking in scientific backing. There are currently absolutely no studies that have conclusively linked deodorant to breast cancer. Additionally, I think it’s important to differentiate between deodorant and antiperspirant. Deodorants simply cover the smell do not normally contain aluminum. Antiperspirants must be what you’re thinking of, as they contain aluminum compounds to block up sweat ducts temporarily.

    Studies were done on the build-up of parabens in tumors taken from breast tissue in 2004 and yes, there was a build up of parabens. However, the study was completely unreliable as absolutely no research was done to determine the content of parabens in healthy breast tissue or in other tissues of the body, Their results were as valid as saying, “Fatty tissue was found in 100% of the breast tissue of women who have breast cancer, therefore, fatty tissue must cause cancer.” Having no control in their study made their findings meaningless. In addition to this, and perhaps most importantly, most major brands of deodorants and antiperspirants do NOT contain parabens at all. Those that do are easy to avoid with a simple glance at the ingredients, as parabens are recognizable by name (propylparaben, benzylparaben, etc).

    Studies done in 2006 found that use of antiperspirant had no association with the occurrence of breast cancer, and those women who did use antiperspirants and developed breast cancer also had a family history of the cancer.

    Furthermore, aluminum is the third most abundant element in earth’s crust, so if you think not wearing antiperspirant is keeping aluminum out of your body, you’re very wrong. Aluminum is found in drinking water, food, food packaging, and can even be airborne. So, unless you intend to give up breathing too, you’re out of luck.

    Long story short, many studies have been done on the topic of deodorant and breast cancer, and none of them have produced any valid, definitive link between the two. Even the National Cancer Institute states that antiperspirants and deodorants do not cause cancer.

    You also state that aluminum causes Alzheimer’s disease. This, too, is flawed. Many studies came to the conclusion that because a buildup of aluminum was found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, that it must imply causation. They were wrong, however, as they failed to take into account that Alzheimer’s causes the brain to shrink. If you’ve taken any science classes, you probably know that as volume decreases, concentration increases. Healthy brains appear to have lower concentrations of aluminum than brains affected with Alzheimer’s because the healthy brains had not shrunk. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology found that there was no association between the use of products containing aluminum and the occurrence of Alzheimer’s. Even the VP of the Alzheimer’s Association has said that the claim that aluminum in antiperspirants could cause Alzheimer’s is an “old legend.”

    Perhaps you should look a bit more into the actual scientific studies being done on the subject before you shape your life around flawed studies and email rumors.

  • Colleen McNeely

    I read all of what I stated in reputable, academic sources (not “e-mail rumors,” but nice quip?). I don't see any citations whatsoever in your statement, just more rhetoric, but I can provide the sources easily. I recommend you start with “Poisoned Nation.”

  • Layla

    Okay. I hope you're not including “Poisoned Nation” as one of your “reputable, academic sources.” First of all, anything you read in ANY book must be taken with a grain of salt because books are published based on whether the publisher thinks will sell, not based on what is factual or true information. Books have no peer review process. Let me repeat that. Books have NO peer review process. That means any bat-shit, conspiracy ridden author can write whatever they want, pick and choose various facts and figures from various sources to “support” their claims, and still get it published just because it might make a few bucks. Peer review is one of the most important functions of the scientific community. Peer review is what keeps researchers honest, makes published scientific studies trustworthy, and ensures that people who do their research will find solid, reliable information.

    I'm not saying there's anything wrong with reading books and getting information from them, but they are a far cry from “reputable” or “academic” as you said.

    As for sources, check out what the National Cancer Institute has to say about breast cancer and deodorant. The article links to quite a few studies done on the topic.

    http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Ri…

    The Alzheimer's Association published this article in response to the rumors flying about how antiperspirants “cause” Alzheimer's.

    http://www.alz.org/news_and_events_alzheimer_ne…

  • Colleen McNeely

    Who funded the studies? Who conducted them? What industries are they linked to? Sorry, but I don't trust people who, all for a dime, insist it's okay that you rub aluminum and chemicals that you can't even pronounce onto your skin every day, especially when there is plenty of research — not just in books — that will say it is not okay. You think authors are concerned with making a few bucks? Try taking a look into the companies that work with researchers to manipulate studies that will favor their products. It happens all of the time, regardless of whether or not the diet/practice/commodity in question is healthy or not. I understand what the peer review process is. Books cite research that undergoes the peer review process. I'm honestly not so much concerned with all of the conflicting information and whether or not it has undergone peer review but rather am using my own head. Common sense tells me that if there is a natural alternative to a daily dose of chemicals that may or may not be (but most seemingly are) detrimental to my health, then I'm going with the alternative. Sweat is natural, smell is natural, crystal deodorant is natural, stopping your sweat flow with a stick of parabens, talc (a classified carcinogen) and steareth-n (another known carcinogen) – just to name a few – is not natural. Do what you want, but I don't give into societal pressures – the kind that are posited with this very article – when it jeopardizes my health.