Those Embarrassing Body Problems

But wouldn't you know it, just when you want to project an image of cool confidence, "body central" has other ideas.

"There are some people who actually have a problem with overactive sweat glands, but for the most part, excessive sweating that occurs only in certain situations is all about stress," says Siegel.

A by-product of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, Siegel says nervous sweating is a reflection of sympathetic nerve discharge - a manifestation of the fight-or-flight response that kicks in when we're anxious.

The way to prevent it, he says, is to condition ourselves ahead of time for facing stressful situations. "It's a matter of brain retraining. Gradually expose yourself to the nervous situation, and eventually your body won't respond as if you're in danger."

An easier way to prevent excessive sweating is simply to try an antiperspirant deodorant, Siegel says.


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