diet and body odour

[bannork]

We have a problem at work with a female colleague who quite frankly hums quite a lot.

It's okay when we just use the fans, but when we switch to air-con and close the windows the smell is really quite unpleasant. Being middle-class men and women and none of us being close to the lady, nobody dares say anything. We wondered about the cause and cocluded it could be her diet. She's a vegetarian but seems for breakfast and lunch to exist on simply a diet of chocolate and crisps.

Could these be contributing factors, especially if the crisps are quite pungent and salty?

Thanking anyone in advance.

[Gsxrnz]

I think you mean "men" as opposed to "haawm".

Never came across a Thai girl that smells bad. Maybe she just lacks personal hygiene, which would also be strange for a Thai girl.

Or......I'm no expert on these things but maybe its menstruating smells.

[bannork]

I think you mean "men" as opposed to "haawm".

Never came across a Thai girl that smells bad. Maybe she just lacks personal hygiene, which would also be strange for a Thai girl.

Or......I'm no expert on these things but maybe its menstruating smells.

The lady in question is from the UK

It's every day not once a month.

[Gsxrnz]

I think you mean "men" as opposed to "haawm".

Never came across a Thai girl that smells bad. Maybe she just lacks personal hygiene, which would also be strange for a Thai girl.

Or......I'm no expert on these things but maybe its menstruating smells.

The lady in question is from the UK

It's every day not once a month.

Ahh.......from the UK. That explains it.

[impulse]

The first time I ever got into a crowded Chinese elevator, the stench of garlic just about gagged me. (It's just as bad wherever garlic is prevalent like it is in China)

After living there a few years, I would often ask my friends if I had become one of the garlic people. We had an unspoken agreement that we'd tell each other if odor became a problem, because it's impossible to tell when it follows you 24 hours a day.

[glegolo]

For God sake Man, dont be such a damn whimp. TELL HER THAT SHE STINKS.......

There is NO excuse NOT to tell her,,,,

Glegolo

[ravip]

Body odor (or B.O., bromhidrosis, osmidrosis or ozochrotia) is a perceived unpleasant smell our bodies can give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids - some say it is the smell of bacteria growing on the body, but it really is the result of bacteria breaking down protein into certain acids.>>> http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173478.php

Most of the time, with conscious effort about personal hygiene this problem can be solved.

It is strange that on occasions, the person concerned does not realize the their own smell - hence it is best that she is told.

Best of luck!

[TigerandDog]

The smell could be one of 2 things.

1. BO - and we all know what that smells like

If it's not BO, then it could be the same bad smell my ex used to have on a daily basis, and I've come across it with other people.

2. The smell of stale, dry shit that hasn't been properly wiped from her backside.

Believe me that smell always makes me want to puke.

If you get close enough to her you'll know which it is without to much trouble.

Once you ascertain which crappy (sic) smell it is then if it's 1 and if you don't have the guts to tell her, just leave a gift wrapped can of antiperspirant and some perfume on her desk anonymously, with a message attached explaining why the gift has been left. If it's 2, leave a roll of toilet paper wrapped as a present with written instructions on how to wipe her arse properly.

Either way, she should get the message. If she's too dumb to get the message after that, you'll just have to grow a set and tell her to her face that she stinks, and why you think she stinks.

Believe me it works, had to do the same with my ex and a work mate. Both had 2 as their problem.

Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. It's called tough love.

Edited August 5, 2015 by TigerandDog

[SOTIRIOS]

....hmmm...vegetarian you say.....

[balo]

So British girl, vegetarian living in Thailand and smell bad. I hope she's not a memberr of this forum.

[Suradit69]

I think you mean "men" as opposed to "haawm".

Never came across a Thai girl that smells bad. Maybe she just lacks personal hygiene, which would also be strange for a Thai girl.

Or......I'm no expert on these things but maybe its menstruating smells.

The lady in question is from the UK

It's every day not once a month.

Personal hygiene then. Give her a gift basket of soap, deodorant and laundry powder for her birthday or some imaginary office lottery. Maybe it'll sink in. Or circle her desk with scented candles or incense.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Suradit69

[Puccini]

Body odor (or B.O., bromhidrosis, osmidrosis or ozochrotia) is a perceived unpleasant smell our bodies can give off when bacteria that live on the skin break down sweat into acids - some say it is the smell of bacteria growing on the body, but it really is the result of bacteria breaking down protein into certain acids.>>> http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173478.php

Most of the time, with conscious effort about personal hygiene this problem can be solved.

It is strange that on occasions, the person concerned does not realize the their own smell - hence it is best that she is told.

Best of luck!

Agreed.

Sweat per se gives off no unpleasant odour, it is the byproduct of bacterial activity that does. Bacteria are living organisms. They eat, the digest, and they defecate. It is these feces that smell bad.

[timmyp]

It depends on the smell. There are different stinks... I think generally people smell because they aren't bathing properly.

Unless you have a rare problem, sweat doesn't stink. But old sweat does. Some people just don't shower, or don't use soap in the shower. Oils on the skin can trap in sweat and bacteria, so if the person doesn't scrub or use soap, then it's going smell, despite going into the shower and getting wet (because the oil needs to be scrubbed away or removed with soap).

This is an extremely hard thing to approach with people, I don't blame you for being hesitant. Some people really relish telling others off, it fills them with glee, all under the guise of being open/honest/direct.

If it's a fish stink, it could be this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimethylaminuria

I had a coworker with that... pretty nasty.

[mrfaroukh]

We had a same problem with a guy at my office, you could not even stay with him in the same place for a minute. After I came back from my holiday some ladies in the office conviance him to cut his hair. And that was it. The whole smell was from his hair. Probably he was never washing it.

May be the lady you talk about have the same problem, not taking bath, or washing hair. Or eating too much garlic or food like that

[thailandforumaddict]

How could a vegetarian smell bad ?

[NickJ]

Have a kegg 'r and dip her......

[mankondang]

This reminds me of an incident I had whilst working in a hot regeon of Australia. (Note, there's always what the Aussies call Pommy bashing going on there, and visa versa).

This young English conservation concerned vegetarian guy who cycled to work, and stunk to the hell, was always keen to spread his word, and one day stated that he never used soap whilst taking a shower as soap killed the good bacteria on our bodies.

So one day this old Aussie asked these questions in front of us all:

Q1: "How do you get an English guy into a shower?

A1: "Throw a dollar coin in".

Q2: "How do you get an English guy out of a shower?

A2. "Throw the soap in".

So maybe the subtle solution for the OP would be to retell this yarn in front of her and the whole office.

[mrfaroukh]

By the way I also have a friend that his mouth smell like a hell whenever his hungry. The moment he eat food it will be fine. May be the problem with your lady is the same too much hungry and not eating, but then it probably should effect her mouth only.

[Wasima]

I did that once... told someone that she smelled bad... in class... and I was looked upon as the outcast... even though EVERYONE could smell it but nobody had the balls to say it. In hindsight, I guess I should have taken her one side and told her in private to spare her feelings and also of course not to be look like a complete tosser to the rest of the class... . But the next day, she smelled like a daisy... and haven't spoken to me since...

[TheKnave]

For God sake Man, dont be such a damn whimp. TELL HER THAT SHE STINKS.......

There is NO excuse NOT to tell her,,,,

Glegolo

Glegolo teaches the "How to Win Friends and Influence People" course at the local Dale Carnegie Institute.

Listen to him...

[ldnguy]

I doubt it's anything to do with her being vegetarian because meat diets tend to produce more body odors. Sounds like maybe she doesn't shower often enough.

[sirocco]

she may eats Munster cheese or durian?

[ggt]

My 30+ year old unmarried son "waffs" when he enters a room...heaven forbid if he takes his shoes off to relax...

Bought him a large bottle of men's cologue and suggested more frequent showers...tactfully of course...

He still does not take frequent showers...but uses so much cologue to mask over his BO that he smells like a cheap French whore...

I am undecided which is worse...

[glegolo]

For God sake Man, dont be such a damn whimp. TELL HER THAT SHE STINKS.......

There is NO excuse NOT to tell her,,,,

Glegolo

Glegolo teaches the "How to Win Friends and Influence People" course at the local Dale Carnegie Institute.

Listen to him...

Yes maybe, but I am right, arent I? And you contribute with absolutely nothing to solve this..

Congrats to that!!

Glegolo

[Shaunduhpostman]

There is also plumming issues in many areas of Bangkok. About 5 years ago, Nobody in my area could get their clothes clean for months without leaving the area, Din Daeng, or washing clothes by hand in the sink. Sewage was literally backing up through the pipes at many apartment and condo complexes, including our own, such that putting your clothes in a washing machine was simply subjecting your clothes to varying degrees of sewer water. The smell was not fecal but a strong sour garlic and mildew smell plus other unique stomach turning smells. On the subway, the bus, when standing in a crowded area somewhere, I would catch the same smell from many other people's clothing. It takes a while to realize what is happening as the smell is not overwhelming but definitely present and unpleasant in a closed indoor space. I also notice that people hang their clothes up to dry in fairly posh Sukhumvit areas within ten yards of very wide open sewer/klongs. With the drought, it smells very distinctly and strongly of sewer water. It wouldn't surprise me if people's clothes are picking up additional odors that way.

Perhaps it would be a more indirect, non-insulting way of suggesting to the person that they have an issue, to suggest that they might have an issue with dirty water coming into the washing machines at their apartment. They may do an investigation and find that is the problem or something else.

[Shaunduhpostman]

Also, if it is raining and the streets flooding, those same sewers are over flowing into the flooded streets. Either few people know it, or nobody wants to think or talk about it, but those flooded streets that we brave getting to work are half flooded with sewage. You might want to suggest she avoid any splashing about in the flooded streets on the way to work as well, if that seems to be the issue.

[nithisa78]

The smell could be one of 2 things.

1. BO - and we all know what that smells like

If it's not BO, then it could be the same bad smell my ex used to have on a daily basis, and I've come across it with other people.

2. The smell of stale, dry shit that hasn't been properly wiped from her backside.

Believe me that smell always makes me want to puke.

If you get close enough to her you'll know which it is without to much trouble.

Once you ascertain which crappy (sic) smell it is then if it's 1 and if you don't have the guts to tell her, just leave a gift wrapped can of antiperspirant and some perfume on her desk anonymously, with a message attached explaining why the gift has been left. If it's 2, leave a roll of toilet paper wrapped as a present with written instructions on how to wipe her arse properly.

Either way, she should get the message. If she's too dumb to get the message after that, you'll just have to grow a set and tell her to her face that she stinks, and why you think she stinks.

Believe me it works, had to do the same with my ex and a work mate. Both had 2 as their problem.

Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. It's called tough love.

cruel to be kind; I call in lazy and inept.

[Briggsy]

It is not the diet.

The base level of body odour is prmarily determined by genetic factors which govern the levels of various chemicals in sweat.

The base level is, in turn, controlled by washing and the use of deoderant.

I strongly suspect this final factor or lack of it is the problem.

I have met a number of European women, including Brits, who decided that "chemicals" were bad and that included deoderants. The fact this woman is a vegetarian makes me suspect this is the issue. She may have decided deoderants are "bad". On top of that, Brits are often anti-washing and have bad personal hygiene. I know, I am British.

[uptoyoumyfriend]

i think finding a female co worker who will then break it to her discreetly is the way to go

[menzies233]

go get a cheap deo at the 7/11, put it on her desk and a nice printed word : USE IT, YOU STINK

maybe she quits?

problem solved

Subtle eh! Love it, she might just top herself.

I once worked with a Brit years ago in a German Hotel, he stunk to high heaven, in the end I really felt sorry for the guy, he swore he showered every morning, and I had no reason to think he was lying, he just had a terrible body odour, he ate and drank the same as us, but within an hour of coming to work he just stunk out the kitchen.

All of the Germans used to remark "Missed The Shower Again Did We" in the end he quit the job.

I must admit, I have found the Asian Nose to be much more sensitive than the Western Nose, they can smell things that a dog couldn't detect.

My missus could smell "woman scent" on me after going to the local bars! (and a few long black Asian hairs that tend to cling to the clothes) Be warned!

She even knew when my roomates GF had given him a BJ, she reckoned it stunk in her hair.

Edited August 5, 2015 by menzies233