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sasha_featherI'm fixating on a problem; sometimes it's very helpful to hash things out here!
In this post I talk about food and eating in relation to a change in taste that i think is due to wildfire smoke. I am looking for suggestions!
Coincides with wildfire smoke, also seems like "yes this is what wildfire smoke would taste and smell like," ie burnt. It comes and goes somewhat. I wrote on Twitter that I was having problems with my eyes, nose, mouth, from smoke, starting Jun 6. On june 30 I wrote about food tasting burnt.
When I walk into a place with hot cooking oil, I can smell it, that burnt smell.
Throat also feels congested, not an unusual symptom for me but maybe is somewhat worse.
Ruled out / stuff I've tried:
Negative RAT covid test every time I've taken one; don't have other symptoms.
Already taking Prilosec for acid reflux.
New med does not have taste change listed as a side effect. Already taking claritin for allergies.
Already running air filters.
Had a brain scan for the concussion so it's not like a tumor or something.
"Safe" foods, taste least affected: fruit, cucumber, popsicles, sugar candy, frozen yogurt.
Moderate: Hard-boiled egg, zucchini bread, salsa and chips (spicier is better). Pizza (which has mozzarella, pepperoni, tomato sauce, bread, oil. Turkey sub with avocado and provolone cheese. Soda (more carbonated is better).
Worst, most affected: salad dressing. Chocolate. Cheddar cheese.
Ideas:
1. Just eat limited foods for a while and wait it out?
2. Schedule another nerve block…? (weirdly my facial pain hasn't been horrible lately; possibly the enforced resting from the concussion is helping the facial pain.)
3. clean the apartment. Will need help with cleaning. In particular, change sheets and pillow cases, clean the fans, clean the AC unit in the bedroom!
4. I can increase my mucinex to 2x a day.
5. Move the larger air filter to the bedroom?
But honestly, I've been managing it OK. I'm fixating on this problem in part because it's upsetting-- I mean, food has been one of my happy places during this concussion recovery--, but I am also avoiding larger, harder problems.
In this post I talk about food and eating in relation to a change in taste that i think is due to wildfire smoke. I am looking for suggestions!
Coincides with wildfire smoke, also seems like "yes this is what wildfire smoke would taste and smell like," ie burnt. It comes and goes somewhat. I wrote on Twitter that I was having problems with my eyes, nose, mouth, from smoke, starting Jun 6. On june 30 I wrote about food tasting burnt.
When I walk into a place with hot cooking oil, I can smell it, that burnt smell.
Throat also feels congested, not an unusual symptom for me but maybe is somewhat worse.
Ruled out / stuff I've tried:
Negative RAT covid test every time I've taken one; don't have other symptoms.
Already taking Prilosec for acid reflux.
New med does not have taste change listed as a side effect. Already taking claritin for allergies.
Already running air filters.
Had a brain scan for the concussion so it's not like a tumor or something.
"Safe" foods, taste least affected: fruit, cucumber, popsicles, sugar candy, frozen yogurt.
Moderate: Hard-boiled egg, zucchini bread, salsa and chips (spicier is better). Pizza (which has mozzarella, pepperoni, tomato sauce, bread, oil. Turkey sub with avocado and provolone cheese. Soda (more carbonated is better).
Worst, most affected: salad dressing. Chocolate. Cheddar cheese.
Ideas:
1. Just eat limited foods for a while and wait it out?
2. Schedule another nerve block…? (weirdly my facial pain hasn't been horrible lately; possibly the enforced resting from the concussion is helping the facial pain.)
3. clean the apartment. Will need help with cleaning. In particular, change sheets and pillow cases, clean the fans, clean the AC unit in the bedroom!
4. I can increase my mucinex to 2x a day.
5. Move the larger air filter to the bedroom?
But honestly, I've been managing it OK. I'm fixating on this problem in part because it's upsetting-- I mean, food has been one of my happy places during this concussion recovery--, but I am also avoiding larger, harder problems.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-12 11:07 pm (UTC)I'm sorry this is happening to you!
no subject
Date: 2023-07-15 04:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-13 12:04 am (UTC)Two tricks I use to get smoke smell out of things (maybe helpful for your cleaning/airing the space):
1) vodka in a spray bottle. Legit the cheapest vodka there is, spray bottle, sprayed on soft or hard surfaces it breaks down oils and smells. This would probably work on your pillows and might work on fans.
2) coffee in a wide tray or dish, so it's really exposed to air. Ditto the cheapest coffee (or some coffee that you got that you hate, or something you can get for free). Unbrewed coffee beans and coffee grounds absorb odors! They use this trick in hospitals. Since you're smelling smoke, though, you don't want a dark roast. If you have a cool local coffee roaster you could ask them if they have any test roast / donation coffee that's not up to their standards but that you could use for this.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-13 08:23 pm (UTC)I am not a coffee drinker so I will think about how to get some grounds, there are plenty of places around here though.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-13 08:42 pm (UTC)Re coffee grounds, it does have to be unbrewed coffee (it doesn't work after the coffee gets wet) but there's a lot of bad coffee around if you're not interested in drinking it.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-15 04:52 pm (UTC)