How to Improve Your Sense of Smell

There are many reasons you may wish to improve your sense of smell. For one thing, it's closely linked to your sense of taste. Try tasting food with your nose pinched! It is also a required skill to describe aromas in wine, coffee, beer, even tea. Our sense of smell tends to decline with age, and there are a number of more serious smell disorders which require medical treatment, but you can take steps to improve and maintain your sense of smell.

Taking Action to Improve Your Sense of Smell

Pay more attention to what you already smell. People often say "use it or lose it" about muscles, but the same can be applied towards the senses. The more you use your senses, the better you get! Learn how to describe smells. You might even want to keep an olfactory journal! For extra practice, have someone hold various things to your nose while you're blindfolded and see if you can identify the smells.

• Next time you are drinking a cup of coffee take a time to really breathe in the smell before you drink it. When you are about to bite into some strong cheese, be sure to smell it before eating it.

• If you regularly smell things before consuming them, you can help improve your sense of smell over time.

Knowing What to Avoid

Avoid foods that cause excess mucus production. Have you ever noticed that your sense of smell fades, or perhaps completely disappears, when you have a cold? Congestion in the membranes in the nose that contain the smell-sensitive nerve endings can dull your ability to smell, and avoiding foods that promote stuffiness (generally dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream ) might help. Gradually re-introducing these foods one-by-one will help you to identify which have the biggest impact.

• There is a channel from the back of your throat to the sensory cells in your nose. If this channel is blocked by any kind of congestion, your ability to taste food will be affected.

Analyzing Your Sense of Smell

Understand the causes of a diminished sense of smell. There are numerous potential causes of a loss of sense of smell. These include damage to the mucous membranes lining the inside of your nose and obstructions to your nasal passage. Damage to mucous membranes can occur when you have a cold, flu, or suffer from hay fever or sinusitis. These are the most common causes of a loss of smell and are generally temporary.

• Obstructions, such as nasal polyps, can cause problems with smell and may in some cases require surgery.

• Damage to your brain or nerves can also affect your sense of smell. A head injury can result in a loss of sense of smell.