Dooley Noted: 8/20/2014
Olfaction is better known as your sense of smell. While this sensation in humans is not as well developed as other species, it is highly primitive and important.
Olfaction is the only human sense with the ability to bypass the sensory relay center, better known as your thalamus. Think of the thalamus like the bouncer of your most exclusive club: your brain. Olfaction has the ability to bypass this bouncer, sneaking through a back door to your prefrontal cortex.
While we concentrate on amazing sensations like sight, pain, hearing and touch, olfaction often gets thrown out the window.
I’d advise you to flip the script.
Anosmia – the loss of sense of smell – is one of the earliest signs of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Perhaps olfaction needs more of your attention.
I perform nasal washing every morning, along with nasal sprays. I use peppermint oil to promote enhanced olfaction awareness, and I carry an Olbas inhaler year round to improve my nasal breathing.
Why nasal breathing for enhanced olfaction?
Well, your olfactory receptors are located at the superior concha of your nasal cavity. The clearer the nose, the better the sense of smell – and the easier it is to breathe. You already know this is true, since it’s hard to smell anything when you have a cold.
Both olfaction and breathing are part of your limbic system, which has a huge affect on all things involving memory and human movement.
If you want to enhance motor memory, use olfaction.
If you want to learn new skills, use olfaction.
If you want to keep the memories you have, preserve olfaction.
Before I lift, study, walk, or treat patients, I use peppermint oil or an Olbas inhaler.
Smell matters.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley