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September 14, 2004
Appreciating Your Sense Of Smell
Interview
with Dr. Alan Hirsch, Smell & Taste Research Foundation
Mike
Carruthers:
Your sense of smell is kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of
the five senses. It doesn't get much respect.
Dr. Alan
Hirsch:
When you go to your physician's office for instance
for just a physical exam they make check your vision or your
hearing but I would predict they won't check your sense of smell.
Yet smell loss is can have a major effect on your life and smell
loss could be due to all sorts of diseases.
Doctor Alan
Hirsch Neurological Director of The Smell and Taste Research
Foundation in Chicago says your sense of smell is more important
than you might think.
About
ninety percent of what we call taste is really smell so if you
hold your nose when you eat chocolate it tastes just like chalk,
there is no taste at all. If you hold your nose when you're
eating an apple and an onion or even a carrot and potato they
taste the same.
Different
people says Dr. Hirsch have different levels of smelling ability.
Korean
Americans have a better ability to smell than White who are
better than Black who are better than Japanese. As you get older
your sense of smell drops down about half of those over the
age of sixty-five and three quarters of those over the age of
eighty have a reduced ability to smell. Women have a better
ability to smell than men. And when you are hungry your sense
of smell is better than when you are full. And the first thing
in the morning your sense of smell is best.
It's very
common for people who loose their sense of smell to gain weight.
And smoking and drinking will often reduce your sense of smell.
And the best way you can protect your sense of smell…
Always
wear your seatbelt because the number one cause of smell loss
that we see is from head trauma from motor vehicle accidents.
At somethingyoushouldknow.net
I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.
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