My blog contains a large number of posts. A few are included in various other publications, or as attached stories and chronicles in my emails; many more are found on loose leaves, while some are written carelessly in margins and blank spaces of my notebooks. Of the last sort most are nonsense, now often unintelligible even when legible, or half-remembered fragments. Enjoy responsibly.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Sneezing Fit After Eating

Do you or a family member have sneezing fits after eating, sometimes, with different types of food, that you can't control? It's called "Snatiation" and it happens because the reflex nerve that trigger sneezing are closer in proximity to the nerves that sense fullness in you than in others. So the more you eat, the more likely you will be to sneeze. Also, if you end your meal with something extra aromatic, (ripe fruit, coffee...) the ups the trigger. The easiest way to combat snatiation is to not eat so damn much and end your meal with something bland. If you feel sneezing coming on, holding a ice firmly against where your gum palate or alveolar ridge (top of your mouth) with your tongue until the feeling subsides (it works best for me when I wiggle the ice around a bit, pressing hard). After a few seconds (or what can seem like minutes) the combination of the pressure on the roof of your mouth and the severity of the ice redirects your brain's reactionary trigger, letting the sneezing subside. With some practice, you can learn to do this subtly at a dinner table with several other guests with no one being the wiser.