Since then, women across the world have continued to encourage change – from voting rights to equal pay.
We would like to thank all the women that have supported SmellTaste and our mission. Whether you have been affected, provided support or helped further research, you have all made a positive impact on the lives of people affected by smell and taste disorders.
On the 8th of March 2021 at 20:00 (GMT), we have a certified aromatherapist and podcaster Frauke Galia hosting a FREE #LetsTalkSmellAndTaste event where she will be discussing smell training using essential oils.
To book your place, please visit the SmellTaste website and follow the instructions provided.
SmellTaste Ambassador, Max Law recently caught up with our old friend Daniel Schein, the man who started Anosmia Awareness Day back in 2012. Born with anosmia, Daniel is an American working at a US-based Technology Consulting firm. Daniel’s discovery that his congenital condition had a name, prompted him to create this special day. He runs the website anosmiaawareness.org, a focal point for Anosmia Awareness Day and a valuable resource for those keen to know more about the condition. Â
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Hi Daniel, It’s great to catch up with you a year on from when we last spoke.  Given that anosmia is a known symptom of Covid 19, we wondered if you’ve had more enquiries from people, from the media or other organisations? Â
We have seen an increase in communications from individuals and several organizations that are now starting up. One outcome of this is a new partnership we formed with STANA, an advocacy group that is just getting started here in the USA.  Â
Have you seen an increase in hits on anosmiawareness.org? Â
 Since Covid broke, we have certainly seen an uptick in site visits and had a number of Covid-related enquiries.   Â
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How has Covid affected your social media activity?  Â
 Covid has not really affected our social media activity publicly. However, we do respond to individuals who reach out through our social media channels. Â
 How will Covid affect your plans and/or content for Anosmia Awareness Day this year? Â
 As part of a website refresh, we will be adding a page dedicated to Covid-19Â
 To what extent do you think Covid 19 has increased public awareness and/or understanding of anosmia? Â
 Covid 19 has certainly brought about much more awareness for anosmia and unfortunately, there are many individuals who still have anosmia from Covid. We are there to provide any support we can.Â
 Do you see any positives arising as a result of this dreadful disease? For example, do you think there might be a greater appetite for olfactory research?  Â
 Given the increase in visitors to our site and the increase of public awareness, I believe that olfactory research will increase and labs all over the world will invest more resources into learning the pathophysiology of anosmia.Â
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If you are not on social media, we hope you enjoyed the video and if you are, you can share the video:Â
Go onto your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok account (or even better all of them!)
and share this link (by copying and pasting it)
SmellTaste SmellySneakerChallenge for anosmia awareness – YouTube
To take part in the campaign and share your own #SmellySneakerChallenge:
? Grab a sneaker and camera.
? Film yourself sniffing the sneaker (you can be as creative as you want to be!)
? Tag @FifthSenseUK (on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok) and include the hashtags (#) #anosmiaawarness and #SmellySneakerChallenge to help raise the profile of anosmia awareness.
Teaser alert… we are teaming up with our Ambassadors and our commercial partners at FlavorActiv and Cadent to raise awareness…..stay tuned for a new campaign dropping soon…
#anosmiaawarenessday2021 #anosmia #sensory #sensorydevelopment #alltheosmias #smell
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The smell of gas is invisible to people with anosmia
Most of us do not even realise what an important role the sense of smell plays in our lives and the problems people who are deprived of it face. Our sense of smell does not only let us smell and distinguish the different aromas that things have it can also act as a main early warning system for our bodies and help keep us safe.
If you are affected by #anosmia the loss of or lack of the ability to smell and you use gas appliances, you may be at risk if there is a problem with your gas. We’ve partnered with @Cadent to create some simple tips to help you use gas safely  Click here to read more
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In The Conversation, Prof. Carl Philpott discusses parosmia and how smell training can help. Parosmia is believed to occur due to partial recovery of the smell receptors in the top of the nose. Because we recognise smells as mixtures of odour molecules, if some receptors aren’t working, the pattern recognition is affected, and this leads to a distorted signal, which more often is interpreted as unpleasant (troposmia), but can sometimes be a pleasant distortion (euosmia). Nonetheless, the symptom of parosmia is seen by olfactologists as an encouraging sign, even though sufferers find it very hard to contend with. – Click here to read more
SmellAbility tools () are a brilliant resource to help people with smell training. Not only are some downloadable but we also provide free smell training #LetsTalkSmellAndTaste online support sessions and YouTube video smell training demonstration. As a bonus, professional aromatherapist, Frauke Galia is one of our ambassadors who contributes to this and has written a great article for HuffPost about her motivations to help people with smell training.
For Anosmia Awareness Day 2021, our SmellTaste Ambassadors have been busy! Here they share their personal messages to everyone affected by smell and taste disorders. #wehearyou #youarenotalone
Click here to watch and hear their messages to you
This week, we are focussing on Anosmia Awareness Day 2021 which is Saturday 27th February. Our SmellTaste 
Ambassadors have already been busy. @girlwhocantsmell has created graphics to help spread the word. Is there anything you are doing that you would like us to share? Email us info@fifthsense.org.uk
The Smell & Taste Disorders Priority Setting Partnership Survey is now live.
Working with the University of East Anglia and the National Institute for Health James Lind Alliance, the purpose of the survey is to help researchers and research funders understand what are the most important questions that people with smell and taste disorders, their family, friends, carers and the clinicians who work with them,  want to be answered by research.
The results of this survey will help influence funding for research and categorise these questions in order of importance.
We would like to hear your thoughts so we can produce an accurate representation of the needs of people affected by a smell and/or taste disorder.
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If you are not already a member of the SmellTaste community, membership is free and you will receive access to free online information, support and resources. Click here to join and enjoy these and other benefits.
Professor Carl Philpott was recently interviewed by Claudia Hammond from BBC Health Check about how COVID -19, amongst other virus’s, affects people’s sense of smell and taste and the importance of smell training. Carl describes the evidence behind using four familiar scents and changing them every few months, using memory and feelings to help achieve the best results. Lizzie Bullock Rhinology Clinical Nurse Specialist and SmellTaste #LetsTalkSmellAndTaste presenter was also on the show, describing her experience of losing her sense of smell and how consistent smell training has helped towards her recovery. Michelle Devine, SmellTaste member describes how anosmia and parosmia has affected her quality of life but how she isn’t losing hope.
Thank you to BBC Health Check for including us in their show and for directing people to our SmellAbility online tool – click here to access the toolkits.
Please click the link provided to listen to the full episode –https://www.bbc.co.uk/(smell training element appears at 14 minutes 56 seconds).
Professor Carl Philpott, Professor of Olfactology and Rhinology at the University of East Anglia Medical School, founder of the UK’s first smell and taste clinic and Director of Research and Medical Affairs at SmellTaste, has spent many years researching and supporting patients with smell and taste disorders. As Covid-19 continues to leave 
increasing numbers of people affected by anosmia, hyposmia, parosmia and phantosmia, the research he (and other esteemed colleagues) have been doing, is constantly seeking answers. The Conversation highlights what people can do to at home to aid recovery click here to read more .
Recovery from smell disorders has been researched for many years and it continues to find encouraging evidence that associates smell training with parosmia recovery following a viral infection. For more on the science click here.
At SmellTaste, we have been supporting people to undertake smell training and have a raft of online and downloadable resources, instructions and toolkits. SmellAbility©:Training & Testing is available to help people to help themselves – click here to access the easy to use tools.
If you need guidance on coping with parosmia or phantosmia, this guide may also help:
We are honoured to be involved with the British Academic Conference: BACO International 2021- Virtual on the Students and Foundation Doctors in Otolaryngology day.
‘Understanding Smell’ is the first talk with SmellTaste’s own Nina Bleasdale with Lisha McClelland and introduced by Dheeraj Karamchandani and Prof Nirmal Kumar. Lisha and Nina explored the importance of the sense of smell, the causes of smell and taste loss and the impact it has on the quality of life.
Nina’s presentation will be made available on our social channels after the event.
Nigel Slater’s Salt Crust Potatoes
This recipe includes a goat’s curd and blue cheese dip. Ok, so I have no idea what goat’s curd is but I’ll take the blue cheese, thanks! And as with all of Nigel Slater’s recipes, this can be adapted to your own specific tastes. Don’t be afraid to experiment! This recipe was featured in on Monday 23rd November, along with a whole load of fabulous-looking variations on Christmas theme.
Serves 4-8
smoked sea salt flakes 5 tbsp
sea salt flakes 5 tbsp
thyme leaves 2 tbsp
floury potatoes 8, medium-sized
thyme 6 whole sprigs
garlic 6 large cloves
For the dip
goat’s curd 175g
blue cheese 100g
Mix the smoked and natural sea salt flakes then tip them into a roasting tin. Set the oven at 180C fan/gas mark 6.
Chop the thyme leaves then toss them with the salts. Wash the potatoes thoroughly, then, while they are still wet, roll them in the thyme salt, pressing down so the salt adheres to their skins. Set them well apart in the roasting tin, on the bed of salt.
Tuck the whole thyme sprigs and cloves of garlic, unpeeled, among the potatoes and bake in the preheated oven for an hour, till the potatoes are crunchy outside, soft and fluffy within.
Warm the goat’s curd in a small saucepan, crumble in the blue cheese. Remove the garlic from the oven, slice each clove open and squeeze the soft, sweet flesh within into the cheese. As the blue cheese starts to melt give it a quick stir, then pour it into a small, warmed bowl.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and wipe off most of the salt; it has done its job. Split the potatoes open, then serve with the cheese and garlic dip.
Written by Ruth SullivanÂ
