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There are many lifestyle changes and modifications that can improve smell loss. You can wait the condition out if it is due to a cold or allergies. Other things you can do are engage in mild exercise and eat spicy foods to open up the nasal passages. You should also consider smoking cessation because it could help improve smell loss. The use of over-the-counter medications and nasal sprays may offer some temporary relief of smell loss, but it is important to avoid these methods long term, because it can actually cause permanent nasal damage.

What are the other types of smell disorders?
Anosmia is the total loss of smell, but there are also other disorders which can affect smell. Hyposmia happens when a person’s ability to detect certain orders is reduced. Dysosmia involves a change in the way a person perceives odors, familiar odors become distorted or an odor that smells sour may smell sweet.
Smell loss due to aging is called presbyosmia.
What were the results of the scientific study concerning high fat diet and smell loss?
In a study conducted by neuroscientists for Florida State University, mice were fed a high fat daily diet while being taught to differentiate between a particular smell and a reward. Researchers found the mice being fed a high fat diet were slower to learn the associated task than the control group. When researchers introduced a new smell to monitor the adjustments, the mice on a high fat diet could not quickly adapt, which demonstrated a reduced sense of smell.
When the high fat fed mice were put on a diet of controlled food, they were able to return to a normal weight and blood chemistry, but still had a reduction of smell. The mice that were exposed to the high fat diet had only half the neurons needed to encode odor signals in the brain. This study is the very first time researchers have been able to establish the effect of a high fat diet on odor.
See Also: Will a Tax on High-Fat Foods Rescue Americans from the Obesity Pandemic?
Conversely, a high fat diet can be unfit for both sensory organs, as well as the physical body because it contributes directly to an increase in the risk of obesity.
Prognosis
Smell loss is not serious, but it can sometimes be a signal of an underlying health condition which requires medical attention. If a person has a problem with smelling, there are many treatment options to explore which can make life easier. If your sense of smell has changed or disappeared, or if you have noticed the problem has been going on for a while, it is important to seek help from your doctor. With the proper treatment and lifestyle modifications, you can dramatically improve or recover your sense of smell.
- Photo courtesy of Luke Price by Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/lukeprice88/8937541843
- Photo courtesy of goblinbox_(queen_of_ad_hoc_bento) by Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/goblinbox/5495182882