It all started with a bolt up my nose. When I was four
years old, I inadvertently put a small, metal bolt in my
nose, which I could not remove. Afraid to tell my mother,
the bolt became a part of me. Kids do things like that!
Almost 20 years later, after a series of x-rays relating to
some oral surgery, my dentist pointed to the mysterious
object in my nasal passage and asked whether I was aware of
it. They say that smell triggers memories, so after a brief
look at the x-ray, the light went on. "Yes!" I exclaimed.
"I remember lying in bed and putting that thing in my nose."
For health reasons, the object was subsequently removed and
the vignette has provided lots of laughter whenever I bring
it up. I don't think it has enough weirdness to make the
Ripley's Believe It Or Not list, but it does reveal a life
long bond with my sense of smell that has now, 50 years
later, built the foundation of my health and wellness
business.
Of our five senses, our sense of smell is unlike the
others. Everything about our sense of smell sets it apart -
the way it works, its influence on behavior, its control of
our cravings and its usefulness to our health and wellness.
Why has it been relegated to the bottom of the sensory pile?
I've spent the last three years fascinated by the power of
the olfactory system. I've spent hours discussing this
enigmatic sense with one of the world's leading smell
scientists, Dr. George Dodd. I've explored the use of
scents and aromas in our environment and how companies are
increasingly using aromas to influence buying decisions. I
probably know more about this sense that most, and yet I'm
no scientific researcher or smell academic. I'm just
fascinated at how our sense of smell can be used for so
much more than just the occasion whiff of a fine wine, an
exotic perfume or the smell of a cappuccino.
Whenever I'm asked what it is that I do, I reply, "I
develop products that use our sense of smell to enhance
moods and influence behavior." It certainly gets a better
response than, "I'm a teacher." Or, "I'm a carpenter."
Everyone knows those occupations! But mention the sense of
smell and people look at you with some suspicion. Who knows
much about our olfactory system and the part it plays in
our health and well being?
Our sense of smell is a new medical frontier and amazing
research is being conducted at leading universities and
laboratories that's elevating this sense to new heights.
Because the research delves deeply into biology, psychology
and physiology, unless you got a bent for the sciences, it
can get pretty technical - even boring. But for most of us,
just a basic understanding about this enigmatic sense is
all that's necessary to start enjoying its benefits.
Whether you're sniffing wines, savoring gourmet foods,
turned on by your lover's scent, relaxing with scented
candles or trying to identify that fleeting odor,
harnessing the power of your sense of smell will go a long
way to enriching your life and providing you with an
effective tool to manage your moods.
----------------------------------------------------
Luke Vorstermans is the founder of The Sense of Smell Lab,
a world leader in the development of innovative products
that use our sense of smell to influence behavior, trigger
memories, manage cravings, enhance moods and improve sexual
health. To learn more about enhancing your sex drive, go
to http://www.scentuellepatch.com
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