Holiday Recipe Help for People With Trouble Smelling and Tasting Food

News provided by

Dec 16, 2010, 10:41 ET

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While most of us are enjoying the smell and taste of holiday food, it can be a very challenging time of year for the up to 14 million Americans with smell and taste problems. The American Academy of Neurology is now offering help for people with smell and taste disorders through its new book called Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders. The book, which includes 36 recipes and tips on food preparation, is now available online and in bookstores across the United States.

"More than 200,000 people visit doctors each year for smell and taste problems, which can be the first sign of neurologic disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, head injury, or multiple sclerosis," said DeVere. "Neurologists with the American Academy of Neurology recognized the need for more information to help these people reconnect with the pleasure of food with patient-tested recipes and trusted advice to make food attractive again, especially around the holiday season."

Navigating Smell and Taste Disorders is a unique collaboration between DeVere, a neurologist, and food consultant Marjorie Calvert that is a must-have reference book for all those living with smell and taste disorders.

Some of the many tips for making the holiday meals more enjoyable include:

Emphasize texture, spices and presentation
If serving turkey, stuff the cavity with onions, garlic, and herbs or with apples, oranges, and apricots. Try seasoning the skin well with coarsely ground pepper, sea or kosher salt, and garlic powder
If preparing a ham, use a maple-brown sugar glace and push whole garlic cloves into the fat side of the ham before baking to enhance aroma and flavor

Smell and taste disorders affect a person's ability to enjoy food and drink and may result in decreased appetite, weight loss, and too much added sugar and salt in the diet. In severe cases these disorders may lead to depression. Smell and taste problems can also interfere with personal safety, limiting the ability to notice smoke and potentially harmful chemicals and gases.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 22,500 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury and Parkinson's disease.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com.

SOURCE American Academy of Neurology