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Check nowOur senses of taste and smell are really important. We need to be able to appreciate and enjoy our food and our smell forms a lasting impression of our surroundings and atmosphere. We derive such a vast amount of pleasure and comfort from smelling and tasting. In the UK, as much as 20% of those over sixty have a reduced ability to smell which is potentially very impactful on an individual's daily experience. There many things that can affect or change our senses. In this article I look at some of them.
Some common reasons for a change in taste and smell are:
Read on to find out about these issues in more depth!
I have always associated this time of the year with those early morning walks to school after a lazy summer. The air starting to chill slightly. Sounds and smells seem sharper and somehow clearer. We should all be enjoying the scent of the last few blossoms. Soon we will have the start of that slightly sweet, mushroomy and earthy smell that is Autumn. Of course, it may be diesel and cigarette fumes with a dash of coffee if you are an urban inhabitant. All of these olfactory cues we take for granted and so it can take a while to notice if they aren't there anymore.
The other thing that can be hard to tell is the difference between the loss of taste and the loss of smell. The two are so entwined, as so much of our appreciation of food is the aromatic smell that gets the mouth-watering in anticipation. If all of your food is tasting more cardboard-like, maybe get a friend to give you an 'is it taste or smell?' test. Have a root around in the kitchen: you don't need to try anything fancy. Stick on a blindfold - no cheating. If you block your nose, does chocolate taste the same? With your nose blocked, can you tell the difference in taste between a lemon and a lime?
Also, try testing your sense of smell. Cinnamon, pineapple, rose, smoke and onions are all good smell indicators. Can you smell through both nostrils? Can you even breathe through both nostrils?
Losing your sense of taste is rare; it's called ageusia. We tend to get flavour and taste mixed up, flavour being the whole experience of foo - temperature, texture, and aroma. The recognised tastes are sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami (tasty). These are recognised by taste receptors on our tongue and in other parts of the mouth.
In most cases the sense of smell is more likely to be affected. In the UK, it affects up to as many as 20% of adults over 601. In younger adults, the numbers are smaller but still relevant. That's a lot of people not enjoying their food properly. My dad can't taste or smell much of anything anymore. He's been getting his food kicks from supermarket packet tiramisu. While calorific and fatty, it is bringing nothing nutritionally beneficial to the table. The worry is that he will get really run down if that is all he is eating. If sugar and salt are the only things you can taste, it can be hard to make healthy food choices.
Any change in taste or smell is important to identity. This video gives my ideas on how you might identify any change in your senses.
The causes of a lack of smell and taste are many and varied. Here are some of them:
Keep that nose clean and clear. I love neti pots, nasal sprays and rinses. The basic premise is that you use a saline or salty solution to wash out the nose on a regular basis. This has numerous benefits.
A neti pot is like a mini watering can that you fill with a warm saline solution. You then gently pour it up one nostril and down the other. It works really well and can be done every day, so it's a great long-term solution. Never let someone you fancy see you doing this - it's not pretty! For the squeamish, or those who cannot spend much time leaning over the bathroom sink, there are other options. A nasal spray may be more convenient, for instance.
A.Vogel have three saline nasal sprays. All of them are free from preservatives and can be used long term. Here's a run-down of their differences:
If your allergies are really bothering you, don't be afraid to take action. You can use more than one remedy when the symptoms are severe. I like to bulk up on things like vitamin C and nettle, which we know can have a positive effect on lowering histamine levels. If at all possible, try to identify what is bothering your poor nose and avoid it.
The herb Plantago or plantain has traditionally been used as a herbal decongestant. We used to call the plant 'soldiers' because the flower looks a bit like the Queen's Guard's tall furry hats. Like rustic cotton buds or little nose cleaners, they help to keep the nose clear. We want to stop the nasal smell receptors from being buried under a layer of impenetrable goo.
Vitamin C and zinc are both important nutrients for the immune system. They have been used to help inflammation and wound-healing. Together, they can help repair any damage to the nose and airways. This is important, if you are being bombarded by a cold, allergies or dirty pollution.
Drink water - lubrication is important for taste and smell. Thirst will make your tongue furry. It will stick to the roof of your mouth. It won't be receptive to succulent and exciting flavours. Equally, a dry nose will not be able to detect many delightful odour molecules, it may just sneeze them out again.
Keep a food diary if you suspect that you are not eating well enough. We are all creatures of habit and tend to eat the same kind of things every day. It's easy to fall into a habit of not eating as well as we should, and then we may fall short of zinc or vitamin C or iron. By eating the right food every day, we can protect our ability to taste and smell it. Sounds like a fair deal.
Finally, do go to your GP if you have a sudden loss of taste or smell. Covid-19, but also many other corona virus and colds and flu, can affect taste and smell. Many of these are not at all serious, but some are and therefore these symptoms should be investigated by your doctor or other qualified medical professional.
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Take our quick quiz to discover just how healthy your immune system is, as well as some useful information about your general health and wellbeing!
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