Smell Yeah‪!‬ Irene Plax

It’s Episode 5, and also the Season 1 Finale! Thank you to everyone who has tuned in, sent in their Smell Mail questions, and shared episodes! We’re out on a short note, 5 minutes to be exact, with a Smell Meditation. You’ll need something scented and a place to sit, but REMEMBER! Using your sense of smell to connect to yourself and the rest of the world is available to you anytime, any place, for free.
This guided meditation is even suitable for people who may feel they have a weak sense of smell. Every expert we’ve spoken to suggests practicing smelling things around you to improve your awareness and sharpen the ability to smell. This is a great chance to engage in play of the senses, think outside the box, and ground yourself in your environment and the present moment. 

It’s Episode 4, Smell Loss and Dysfunction. The Absence of a sense of smell is called Anosmia. Some are born without it, and others lose it for a variety of reasons, including head trauma or illness, such as a viral infection. When smell loss emerged as a feature of Covid-19 in March of 2020, it signaled a change for the field of chemosensory research, meaning the research of smell and taste, our chemical senses. It’s estimated that over 9 million people worldwide will have sustained smell loss. The community of scientists and patients who were studying and dealing with smell loss and dysfunction are at a unique moment, and they have responded in powerful ways. Jenifer Trachtman, Director of Development at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, will share resources, and talk about this turning point in her field and what moving forward looks like. We’ll hear from Dr. Danielle Reed, a researcher at the Monell Center and one of the founding members of the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research, better known as the GCCR, which is a group of dedicated scientists and advocates that formed to share information and advance scientific knowledge about the correlation between the chemical senses and respiratory illnesses like Covid-19. Katie Boateng, an anosmic patient advocate herself, is the creator of the Smell Podcast. She’ll share her wisdom from over 90 episodes.
While this episode will focus mostly on Anosmia, you’ll also hear mentions of Smell Dysfunctions. Parosmia is a distorted sense of smell, where things that used to smell nice can smell unpleasant. Hyposmia is a decreased sense of smell, and Phantosmia is a condition where smells are perceived that are not there, it’s sometimes referred to as having olfactory hallucinations. Please check out the resources offered in this episode and if you or a loved one is new to smell loss or dysfunction, from Covid or otherwise, pull up, this one’s for you.
 

 It’s Episode three, the Spiritual Sense of Smell! Three different spiritual practitioners share how smell is used in their tradition. Episcopal Priest Steve Paulikas, Lukumi Priestess Maya Louisa, and Ayurvedic physician Dr. Sundara Raman are dropping jewels. When you scent your space, when you scent your body, when you choose to add scent to an experience, it adds a sensory element. It heightens things, it makes you more aware, and it adorns the present moment, brandishing it in your memory. Smells have always seemed spiritual to me because they’re mysterious, like vapors, as if they’re coming from another realm or a higher power, and at the same time, they ground us to our own earthly presence. Smell is used to clear our auras, spaces, connect us with altars and ancestors, create holy moments, and provide renewal and protection. The Writer Diane Ackerman points out that the Latin roots of the word “perfume” mean “through smoke”, and incense has long been an offering to the gods. Whatever your own spiritual beliefs may be, the act of tuning in to smell can be a meditation, or in the case of some smell loss, a road to recovery. And as always, we’re giving you tips.
 
 

It’s Episode 2, the link between taste and Smell! In Part 4, I chat with Chef Angie Marin. We used to work at the same recreational cooking school and became friends. She tells you where to go for the best Colombian food in Queens, and what makes coastal Colombian food extra special. She is having an arepa pop up in Brooklyn June 5th and 6th at King Tai bar. Plus, hot tips on how to shop for fish!

It’s Episode 2, the link between taste & Smell. In Part 3, we chop it up with Chef Matt Eckfeld. I know him because he married my dear friend, but I’ve also experienced his leadership in the kitchen at the Seagram Building firsthand. He’s opening Contessa in Boston at the end of June and talks using smoke and fire to incorporate scent into meals. Plus, hot tips on developing your palate. 

It’s Episode 2, the link between taste & Smell. In Part 2, we’ll hear from Chef Shaday Sô. I met her at a midnight beach trip, where we were two of four ladies present with the same birthday. How often does that happen? More importantly, I got to taste her food, and she joins us to talk about the smells and tastes of Senegalese cuisine. She will host a tasting event for the launch of Sohteyd Kitchen in Atlanta this June. Plus, hot tips on how to cut onions without crying.