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Have you ever lost your sense of smell or know of someone who did? Chances are you do, because with the advent of Covid 19 this invisible disability made a strikingly visible appearance. Loss of smell tops the list of the top four most lingering symptoms after a mild case of Covid 19. Early on, it emerged that many people were losing their sense of smell, even without displaying other symptoms. I had an experience where my husband lost his sense of smell for approximately 2 years, starting in the spring of 2019. You can hear more of that story on my Instagram TV.
A June 2020 survey compiled data from 8438 people and found that 41% of those had lost their sense of smell. Another test involving 100 individuals found that 98% could not identify common smells when presented to them.
While most regained their sense of smell, some regained it very gradually. In fact, while in recovery, scents were actually distorted to the degree that things that usually smelled pleasant were now smelling rancid. This phenomena is called parosmia.
Smell training or Olfactory training is a method used to re-train the nerves and brain to heal again. "There is evidence from even before the pandemic that it can improve smell function in some people with such impairments." --nature.com
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Thanks to Aromafloria for providing product for Review purposes |
The idea is that the brain has something called "neural plasticity" and over time you can retrain your smell nerves and brain to smell again. The original study used 4 different smells: Rose, Eucalyptus, Clove and Lemon.
I was fortunate to discover the "Sniff Project" from Aromafloria, a company that has been involved with everything aromatherapy and has made a study of the benefits of the gift of smell for almost 3 decades. It is Woman-Owned and has a sister company, Cannafloria. Both companies are under the umbrella of Affloria, Inc.
The Sniff Project, Olfactory Training Kit was designed by a Pharmacist, a certified aromatherapist and a certified integrative health coach. It is modeled after the original studies which found that actually training the nose to smell could help those who suffer with lose of smell to gain back that ability. I think of it as physical therapy for the nose.
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| Sniff Kit provided for Review Purposes! Thanks to Aromafloria |
It is a multi-sensory approach, using sight, sound, and smell, which allows the brain to utilize those several senses to recognize the aromas. You're helping to stimulate the cells and neurons of the olfactory system with parts of the brain that regulate memory.
I have made great use of my Olfactory Training Kit! My husband is getting his smell back and this kit is helping him fine-tune his smelling capabilities. By the time we're through, he should be able to pinpoint many smells that he wasn't capable of doing before.
I also have an elderly dad who has lost his overall sense of smell and this training could enhance his overall quality of life, warding off depression, retaining the ability to taste food and maintaining the ability to regulate his living space by being able to smell good and bad aromas.
Everything you need is provided in the kit. Simply follow the directions and track your progress! The kit includes: 6 nasal aroma sticks, 6 visual cue cards and intentions, and a log sheet to track your progress.
You can follow Aromafloria on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Also, check out this video about the Sniff Project!
