Wednesday, March 4, 2009

A helpful discovery


I made an interesting discovery yesterday. This discovery is by no means based on scientific evidence but on pure personal experience. But since it worked for me, it might work for you so I just have to share.

I've been getting over the flu and every time I get a bad cold, 2-3 days into it I can't smell or taste a thing. To prove how non-existent my sense of smell becomes, I will tell you that I did a load of dirty cloth diapers yesterday and didn't smell a thing. NADA!!

So I needed to cut an onion for dinner last night, and I dread cutting onions. The burning and tearing of my eyes is so bad, I take breaks and leave the room at least three times while cutting a single onion. I've read about running the water next to you while cutting them, heard about turning on the flame of your stove, etc. none of which have worked successfully. But yesterday as I anticipated the unpleasantness of cutting this onion, I noticed nothing happened. I chopped an entire onion into minuscule pieces and NO BURNING, NO TEARS! It was as if I was cutting an apple. The discovery? If you can't smell an onion, the onion won't bother your eyes. I couldn't believe it myself! Now how I will block my sense of smell when I don't have a cold well, I'm working on ideas. Maybe a mask? Boy I will sure look silly! Do they really sell those nose tweezers looking things that pinch your nose shut? Even sillier, but really, I'm desperate, suggestions?

3 comments:

Megan said...

If you put the onion in the freezer first it makes it better.

I also find that if I have contacts in, I am much less affected by an onion than when I don't. So I guess having your eyes covered matters too...?

Paula said...

Interesting. My MIL swears that if you cut an onion with your mouth open (and breathe through your mouth) you will not suffer the affects. This seems to go along with your discovery too! Perhaps there is something to this! YAY!

Josie said...

Well that's easy enough to do Paula! I'll try it next time.