How and why to improve our sense of smell

 

The sensory experience of smell modifies our behavior and influences our actions and emotions, often  without us even being aware of it.  Eighty percent of the taste of food is derived by the sense of smell.  Human bonding is highly influenced by the sense of smell.  Our own smell is influenced by our psychophysiological state, and thus communicates to others the inner states of our beings.  Psychologists have long-known smell and memory are linked in multiple ways.  The sense of smell, in fact, is closely associated with the emotions.  Recall a time when a waft of a fragrance has taken you back in time and place where lies your strong association with the particular smell, and you are flooded with a particular associated emotion.  In fact, the condition known as anosmia, the inability to perceive smell, makes people more vulnerable to disease, including  infections.  

One can enhance the experience of the sense of smell by once or twice daily very gently massaging the inner nasal cavity with a small bit of sesame oil.   Here’s how to do it:

1.       Wash hands thoroughly.

2.       Gently blow your nose well.

3.       Put two drops of organic cold pressed sesame oil from a dropper bottle into your palm.

4.       Dip your little finger in the oil and rub the inside of the mucus membrane with that oil.

5.       Sniff in the oil once or twice. 

This lubricates the receptors in the nose and makes for a more heightened sense of awareness through smell.  We all inhale as much as two and a half tablespoons of irritants every day. This includes the man-made irritants like car exhaust fumes and perfumes, as well as the natural offenders like pollens, mold spores, animal dander, air-borne particles and dust. These irritants often get trapped in your nasal mucus membranes, and can cause nasal infections and often dull our sense of smell.

Sesame oil has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, it also works as a barrier between your nasal passage and unwanted microbes. By applying sesame oil in your nasal passages, you help prevent these irritants from clogging up your nasal passage in the first place.

After about four weeks of nasal lubrication, you may find that you don’t want to stop. That’s a clear sign that your body is benefiting. Also you might notice:

• You start to feel less dryness and crusting in your nose.
• You have less congestion in your nasal passages.
• You may be less sensitive to pollutants and pollen.
• Your sense of smell is enhanced.
•  Your breathing is easier.
•  You are able to enjoy deeper sleep and feel more refreshed in the morning.