If you have recently suffered from COVID, you know how hard it can be to get back to normal. And if you were one of those unlucky people who lost their senses of taste and smell, I really do feel for you.
However, don't despair. Apparently, there's an easy trick some people swear by to regain those important senses. Keep reading to find out what it is.
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There's a TikTok video that explains this easy and somewhat effective DIY remedy you can try today.
And all you need is an orange! But first, let's find out more about how this odd recipe came about. Shall we?
Kemar Gary Lalor, who goes by the TikTok handle @toosmxll, posted a video recently that quickly went viral.
He learned this trick from his mom after contracting COVID and losing his senses of taste and smell. His mom told him about an old Jamaican recipe.
Apparently, what you need to do is eat a burnt orange.
Unsplash | Saifullah Munqad
For some people, this unusual recipe triggers their senses of taste and smell to return.
Okay, before you try it, let's go over the necessary steps so you do this right. We need to be safe here, after all.
The first thing you need to do is to burn the outer peel of the orange.
You can do this on an open flame of a stove or perhaps a gas BBQ. Get it really charred so the entire outside peel looks completely black.
Now you're going to have to cut off that peel.
You can use a knife and fork to do so. Get the whole peel off of the orange, and all the charred pieces. Do it while the orange is still hot (be careful not to burn your fingers). This is a very crucial step.
Once the peel is totally off, simply put the orange flesh in a cup or a bowl and mash it all up.
Do it quickly, so the orange stays hot. Then add about 2-3 teaspoons of brown sugar and mash it up together.
Once it's all mashed up, eat the mixture.
For some people, they reported that their senses came back within a few hours or a few days.
So how does this even work, you ask? Well, it has to do with something called olfactory training. Let me explain it further.
The olfactory nerve communicates with your brain and contributes to the senses of taste and smell.
This viral orange recipe acts as olfactory training, meaning that it helps retrain the nerves just like physiotherapy would with a limb injury or a similar event, according to Dr. Karan Rajan in an interview with Buzzfeed.
Apparently, after this video went viral, plenty of people tried this remedy and it actually worked for them.
So they were more than happy to come back and let Kemar know it worked out. It's good news for all others who were wondering.
However, some people said they also tried it, but sadly, it didn't work out for them.
So you see, this remedy isn't a sure thing. It may or may not work for you but it could be worth a try.
Some people even joked that they would still try this recipe even though they haven't lost their senses ha, ha.
Unsplash | Theme Inn
If it really does taste as delicious as it sounds, then I say why not? I would try it myself, too.
And then there are those folks who are saving the recipe just in case they get COVID.
I honestly don't even want to entertain the thought of it, but I guess you can keep this in your arsenal if you need it.
According to Dr. Rajan, this recipe might not work for everyone to restore their lost senses..
Unsplash | National Cancer Institute
"Nothing in medicine is ever one size fits all," Dr. Rajan said.
Since the recipe has gone viral, other doctors have confirmed that it's safe for people to try at home themselves, but there's no guarantee on if it will work.
h/t Buzzfeed
