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By Dr Tariq Jagnarine

Global Health Perspectives
We have all experienced it at some point. Perhaps it was after a long day at work, after eating garlic, or first thing in the morning. Bad breath and body odour are common, but when they become persistent, they can affect confidence, relationships, work, and overall quality of life.
As a family physician, I have met many patients who delay seeking help because they feel embarrassed. Others spend large amounts of money on perfumes, deodorants, mouthwash, or chewing gum without addressing the real cause. The truth is that persistent bad breath or body odour is often a symptom rather than the problem itself.

What Causes Bad Breath?
Bad breath, also known as halitosis, affects millions of people worldwide. In about 80–90% of cases, the source is inside the mouth.
Common causes include:
Poor brushing and flossing
Gum disease
Tooth decay
A coated tongue where bacteria accumulate
Dry mouth from dehydration or certain medications
Smoking and tobacco use
Dentures that are not cleaned properly
Certain foods such as onions, garlic, alcohol, and coffee can also temporarily affect breath.
However, persistent bad breath may point to medical conditions such as:
Sinus infections
Tonsil stones
Diabetes (which may produce a fruity smell)
Kidney disease (ammonia-like breath)
Liver disease
Acid reflux (GERD)
Lung infections
If bad breath continues despite good oral hygiene, it deserves medical evaluation.

What Causes Body Odour?
Sweat itself has very little smell. The odour develops when bacteria on the skin break down sweat, particularly in areas such as the armpits, groin, and feet.
Factors that increase body odour include:
Poor hygiene
Hot weather
Heavy sweating
Obesity
Hormonal changes during puberty or menopause
Certain foods and spices
Alcohol
Smoking
Stress and anxiety
Medical conditions that can contribute include:
Diabetes
Overactive thyroid
Kidney disease
Liver disease
Certain skin infections
Rare inherited metabolic disorders
Some medications may also alter body odour.

When Should You Be Concerned?
Seek medical advice if you notice:
Bad breath that persists for several weeks despite good oral care.
Bleeding gums or loose teeth.
Sudden changes in body odour.
Excessive sweating accompanied by weight loss or palpitations.
Fruity, fishy, or ammonia-like odours.
Fever, skin infections, or unexplained illness.
These may signal an underlying condition requiring treatment.

Tips to Keep Breath Fresh
Brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
Floss every day.
Clean your tongue using a tongue scraper or toothbrush.
Visit your dentist every six months.
Drink plenty of water.
Avoid tobacco products.
Limit sugary foods and drinks.
Manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

Tips to Reduce Body Odour
Bathe daily using soap and water.
Dry skin thoroughly after bathing.
Wear clean, breathable clothing.
Change socks and underwear daily.
Use an antiperspirant or deodorant.
Stay well hydrated.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Wash exercise clothing after every use.
One of the most rewarding moments in medicine is seeing a patient regain confidence after identifying and treating a hidden cause of bad breath or body odour. What many people think is “just a smell” may actually be an early sign of gum disease, uncontrolled diabetes, or another medical condition.
I encourage my patients to remember that these issues are common, treatable, and nothing to be ashamed of. Looking after your oral health, maintaining good hygiene, and seeking medical advice when symptoms persist can make a remarkable difference—not only in how you smell, but also in your overall health and wellbeing.
Your body often gives subtle clues before more serious problems develop. Listening to those signals is one of the simplest ways to protect your health.
Take-home Message: If bad breath or body odour persists despite good hygiene, don’t just cover it up; find the cause. Early assessment can improve your health, confidence, and quality of life.

The post HEALTH TIPS: Bad Breath and Body Odour: What Your Body May Be Trying to Tell You appeared first on Guyana Times.

Ever since the sinking of the MV Barima, there hasn’t been a single connection to the tragedy that hasn’t precipitated an orgy of political drama!! Now no one gotta tell your Eyewitness this is a tragedy of Biblical proportions in our history – marine or otherwise. But why does the Opposition have to create a circus around everything?? Why can’t they look at the bigger, GUYANESE picture and put their shoulders to the wheel – along with the Government and the Guyanese nation – to help us navigate out of this difficult period??
Clearly, we need to know the facts on how the Barima went down. Now, President Ali moved with alacrity to appoint a Commission of Inquiry to ascertain those facts. But instead of supporting this initiative and at least commending the President for appointing only foreign experts – thus excluding Guyanese who may have some bias – what does the Opposition do?? Launch a seek-and-destroy mission to impugn the credibility of the Commissioners – even before they were sworn in!!
Then they embarked on countrywide protests demanding the resignation of Ministers Edghill and Indar – and as such pronounce them guilty of some kinda malfeasance or dereliction of duty in the sinking of the ship!! But simultaneously they trenchantly criticise the DPP – with the Govt thrown in for good measure – as jumping the gun when the former decide to advise that the Captain and a number of his crew be charged with murder!!  They’re still raising Cain over getting Edghill and Indar fired!!
Finally, the straw that broke your Eyewitness’s patience was the Opposition’s demand that the Barima – which could contain up to some 30 bodies – be raised!!  When the Government – which they constantly accuse of acting highhandedly – said they’d consult with relatives to find out if they wanted to leave the ship undisturbed as a monument to all those affected by the tragedy, the Opposition immediately screamed this was a ploy to literally bury the evidence!! Evidence of what?? They don’t say – but knowing looks are exchanged to suggest smoking guns that’d tie Govt officials to the sinking!!
Sanction Man – who just happens to be the LOO – then dramatically announced he could raise the Barima – at his expense!! Confirming, of course, that he still hasn’t used up all his tax evasions to buy credibility!! But having conducted their survey of the victims’ relatives, the Govt – through MARAD – just announced a tender for bids to raise the Barima!!
Let’s see if Sanction Man gonna now put his money where his mouth is and put in a bid – since he assured us he’d already made all the necessary arrangements!!
But then he wouldn’t be able to accuse the Govt of “tampering” with the evidence!!

…political nexus
In the wake of the Sanctimonious Gangster’s PNC/APNU trying a Burnham “thing” to hijack the 2020 elections and ultimately had the whole sordid mess pass through our Courts – all the way to the CCJ to decide whether 33 was greater than 32!! – a new phrase entered our local political vocabulary via some UWI academics: the “judicialization of politics”!! That is the political types just couldn’t settle their differences by themselves!!
But it seems that the nexus between politics and the Judiciary extends even into the international political realm – in relations between nations!! Here the members of our supposedly natural, organic “Community” – Caricom!! Since last year, T&T’s Kamla had taken issue with what she saw as backroom deals that saw Dr Carla Barnett reappointed as Caricom’s Secty General – without T&T being consulted!!
Finally, acceding to a request by T&T’s Kamla, the Heads of Government  (HoGs) of Caricom have agreed to have the issue of the reappointment referred to the CCJ for judicial review!!

…Guyana’s flag
In our moment of national mourning, the Guyana Amazon Warriors lifted the national spirit by spectacularly defending a score of 85 to defeat the San Francisco Unicorns in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) T20 final!!
Go Warriors!!

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As we know to our cost in the feeding frenzy by the Opposition right now, politics thrives on opinion. Economics, however, has an inconvenient habit of insisting on evidence and that is why the latest IMF Article IV assessment of Guyana deserves careful attention. The International Monetary Fund is not a partisan institution. It does not vote in Guyana’s elections, attend political rallies or draft campaign manifestos. Its responsibility is to examine economic performance through the unforgiving lens of fiscal management, macroeconomic stability and long-term sustainability. Its conclusions, therefore, carry a credibility that transcends domestic political debate.
The IMF’s verdict is unmistakably positive. It describes Guyana’s economic transformation as “advancing strongly and broadening in scale”, noting not only the spectacular expansion of oil production but also, most critically, robust growth across the non-oil economy. Agriculture, construction, services and manufacturing continue to expand while unprecedented public investment is reshaping the country’s infrastructure. The Fund projects continued strong growth over the medium term while observing that inflation remains relatively contained, external balances remain strong, and the Natural Resource Fund continues to accumulate substantial savings.
These findings matter, because they directly rebut the narrative that Guyana’s economy is little more than an oil boom waiting to collapse. The IMF recognises that while petroleum is the engine of current growth, Government investment in roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, energy, sea defences and climate resilience is helping to generate broad-based expansion beyond the oil sector. It also notes that continued infrastructure investment and productivity improvements are expected to lift non-oil growth well above its pre-oil trajectory.
This is precisely the challenge confronting every resource-rich developing nation: whether to consume today’s wealth or invest it in tomorrow’s prosperity. The Government has clearly chosen the latter. The expansion of highways, new hospitals, schools, housing developments, power generation, port facilities and hinterland infrastructure represents more than an ambitious construction programme. It is an attempt to convert finite petroleum wealth into permanent national assets that will continue generating social and economic returns long after the last barrel of oil has been extracted.
Naturally, no Government is beyond criticism. The IMF itself cautions against the risks of overheating, inflationary pressures and the need to preserve macroeconomic stability as spending accelerates. These are not signs of failure, but reminders that managing extraordinary success can be every bit as difficult as managing economic decline. Indeed, the challenge facing our nation today bears little resemblance to the challenges of previous decades. The country is no longer grappling with stagnant growth, chronic foreign exchange shortages or debilitating fiscal crises inherited from the post-Independence PNC Government. Instead, policymakers must manage rapid expansion while ensuring that prosperity reaches every region and every community.
That requires competent governance, prudent fiscal management and constant vigilance against waste and corruption for which it commends the Government. Economic success cannot become an excuse for complacency. If anything, it demands even greater accountability. Yet fairness also demands acknowledgement of achievement where it exists.
For years, critics insisted that the Government’s development strategy was reckless, unsustainable, and destined to unravel. The IMF’s independent assessment suggests otherwise. It finds an economy with strong fundamentals, favourable prospects, growing reserves, expanding non-oil production and a Government investing heavily in infrastructure while simultaneously building financial buffers through the Natural Resource Fund.
Political disagreement will always remain healthy in a democracy. But there comes a point when facts deserve recognition irrespective of partisan preference. The IMF has now provided that recognition. Its report does not suggest that Guyana has reached the end of its development journey. Rather, it confirms that the country is travelling in the right direction.
The task now is to ensure that this remarkable economic transformation translates into lasting improvements in living standards, stronger institutions, greater opportunities for all Guyanese and a diversified economy capable of thriving for generations to come. That is the true measure of success. And, judging by the IMF’s latest assessment, Guyana is considerably closer to achieving it than even many of our most optimistic citizens imagined possible.

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