Anyone

 Taste of His goodness. See how wonderful [God] is.  Anyone who puts trust in Him will be blessed and comforted. (Psalm 34:8, the Voice)

My mom has been through a lot of emotional turmoil in her life. Three of those events include the death of my father, my younger brother, and my stepfather. I am not sure how she’s dealt with her depression as well as she has without the aid of medication or counseling. In 2015, mom’s body finally decided to revolt to all of her emotional turmoil by taking away her sense of taste (with her sense of smell to follow years later).

Did you know taste disorders fall into three broad categories?

·       Ageusia is the complete loss of taste.

·       Dysgeusia is a distortion in the awareness of taste.

·       Hypogeusia is a diminished sense of taste.

Taste disorders are generally the result of certain medical conditions, surgical interventions, environmental exposure to toxic chemicals, head injury, or advanced age. Poor oral hygiene is a common cause of taste reduction and cacogeusia (a foul or unpleasant taste). Smoking (particularly pipe smoking) can impair taste perception as well as upper respiratory infections do affect both taste and smell.

Dryness of the mouth from inadequate saliva can result in Hypogeusia or Ageusia. Deficiencies in certain nutrients such as zinc, B12, niacin, or copper can result in changes in taste. Endocrine disorders such as Cushing's syndrome, hypogonadism, diabetes mellitus, pseudohypoparathyroidism, and adrenal cortical insufficiency can result in aberrant taste function.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for loss of smell and taste:

Castor Oil

·       Warm some castor oil in a microwave for a few seconds.

·       Put 1 drop of the warm oil in each nostril.

·       Do this twice daily, in the morning and before going to bed.

·       Repeat until you regain your sense of smell and taste.

Garlic

·       Chop 2 or 3 garlic cloves.

·       Put them in 1 cup of water and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

·       Strain and drink while it is still warm.

·       Repeat 2 or 3 times a day.

Ginger

·       Chew small pieces of raw ginger at regular intervals.

·       Mix ½ teaspoon of finely chopped ginger and a pinch of rock salt. Consume it 30 minutes before having your meals every day for a couple of weeks.

·       You can also drink 2 to 3 cups of ginger tea daily.

Steam inhalation

·       Boil some water in a small pan.

·       Add a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil to the water.

·       Cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam for a few minutes.

·       Do this at least 2 times daily.

Cayenne pepper

·       Mix 1 teaspoon each of cayenne pepper and honey and have it a few times a day to loosen up mucus and stimulate secretion.

·       Include cayenne pepper in your cooking to help stimulate your salivary glands. You can also use black pepper as it stimulates the taste buds.

Lemon

·       Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into a glass of warm water. Mix in 2 teaspoons of raw honey. Drink the warm mixture twice daily.

·       Eat a small piece of fresh or pickled lemon between meals to stimulate the taste buds.

·       Put a few drops of lemon essential oil on a handkerchief and sniff it in the morning and evening for a few seconds at a time. Do this for several weeks.

Apple Cider Vinegar

·       Add 1 tablespoon of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to ½ glass of water. Drink this solution 2 times a day.

·       Alternatively, just add 1 to 2 teaspoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and a little raw honey to a glass of water and drink it before meals 2 or 3 times a day.

Oil pulling

·       Put 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin coconut oil in your mouth.

·       Swish the oil thoroughly around your mouth for 10 to 15 minutes.

·       Spit out the oil and rinse your mouth with warm water.

·       Finally, brush your teeth as usual.

·       Follow this process daily in the morning before eating anything.

·       Note: Do not swallow the oil.

Cinnamon

·       Thoroughly mix equal amounts of cinnamon powder and raw honey.

·       Rub this mixture on your tongue.

·       Leave it on for 10 minutes, and then rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.

·       Repeat twice daily for several days.

Zinc-Rich Foods

 

·       Eat more zinc-rich foods like oysters, beans, nuts, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals and dairy products.

·       You can also take a zinc supplement, after consulting a doctor.

“There is little validity to what people call “good taste.” Good taste is like the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause–once you realize that people are inventing preferences for their own comfort to distract and control others, and because it makes them feel cozy and safe. You realize there is no such thing.” (Josh Amatore Hughes)[i]

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[i] Adapted from:

·       “Home Remedies for Loss of Smell and Taste” by Top10HomeRemedies Team

·       “Taste Disorder” by ScienceDirect Topics