Psychochemical Odor Test

The Odor Test is a screening method that allows to identify the intermediate metabolism of a subject, the process of energy production, through the oxidation of nutrients, necessary for cellular life.

The Odor Test is based on the principle that the perception of a certain smell by a subject is influenced by its biochemical characteristics, that is, by the more or less accentuated functioning of the different metabolic cycles that produce energy in his body; in fact the speed and efficiency of these cycles are able to produce small changes in blood pH which in turn clearly affects the chemical-olfactory perception.

This test consists in making the patient smell, in sequence, the substances contained in six different numbered bottles (3 containing substances of plant origin and 3 substances of chemical origin) and record the answers you choose from the options in a special list.

The Odor Test provides a profile of the nutritional status of the subject, which is derived from the content of sugars, fats and carbon dioxide present in his blood, giving a clear and immediate view of how the body uses the different nutrients to supply itself with energy.

METABOLISM

The term metabolism refers to all chemical processes that take place in the body and includes both catabolism and anabolism.

• A catabolic process is a chemical reaction by which a complex substance is broken into simpler substances and is associated with energy release.
• An anabolic process is a chemical reaction by which simpler substances are transformed into a complex substance and is associated with energy consumption, the same energy provided by catabolic processes.

The "basal" metabolism is the amount of energy needed to make our body work at rest, that is, it represents the minimum energy to maintain breathing, heart rate, body temperature and other vital functions.

The "intermediate" metabolism is the source of all energy from various organs, apparatus, systems and consists in a process called cellular respiration that takes place in each cell.

Upstream of this process, complex foods are broken into simpler substances so that they can be oxidized (burned) within individual cells.

Already in the 50s - 60s US biochemists had understood how individual food components undergo a series of complicated chemical transformations (oxidations) to be converted into energy within the individual cells of our body.

These oxidative phenomena occur due to the action of complex enzyme systems, the main ones are the Krebs cycle and the Citric Acid cycle, at "different levels" they break down complex substances such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats into simpler compounds (amino acids, sugars, starches) from which energy is then processed for all the different organic functions.

These systems are influenced by the type of power supply, the type and quantity of various hormonal secretions and especially the individual tendency to use more certain substances rather than other, that is by your own Intermediate Metabolism.

METABOLIC CLASSES

Normally, at birth, all or almost all of us present a neutral metabolism that tends physiologically towards the fast, this is a metabolism that can assimilate all the different constituents of food and gives us the possibility to grow in a healthy way without particular imbalances.

In many cases, over time, this is altered, deviating towards types of incorrect metabolism that can bring various disorders and even real pathologies.

The intermediate metabolism was "discovered" and analyzed, among others, by a great American biochemist George Watson, one of the fathers of Orthonutrition.

After more than 20 years of study (1952 to 1972) and thousands of cases analyzed he classified three different types of intermediate metabolism, coining the following terms:

• HYPOXIDIZER or Slow Oxidizer: the individual does not metabolize fat well, little protein, better sugars; is characterized by a lack of physical strength. The problem is that the body does not use blood glucose properly and is therefore unable to convert proteins and lipids into energy.
• HYPEROXIDIZER or Fast Oxidizer: the individual has a imbalance similar to the Slow Oxidizer but for the opposite reason, he metabolizes sugars too quickly, less proteins, better fats.

Since the metabolism of proteins and lipids depends directly on the oxidative rate of blood glucose, and since about 80% of the energy that is acquired from food comes from complete digestion of proteins and lipids, Fast Oxidizers lack motivation, interest and are generally unable to overcome obstacles or even less to excel.

• NORMOSSIDIZER or Sub Oxidizer: the individual does not have particular metabolic imbalances, so metabolizes well all three components of food. He usually has no particular problems and is balanced in weight but may follow a diet not adequate to its potential.

The metabolism of Sub Oxidizers is unstable and changes from day to day or even within the same day, they could be hyper at breakfast and hypo at dinner and consequently, alternate "moments up and moments down".

Each "metabolic type" therefore has specific characteristics in converting, "burning", food into energy.

For the specialist, know these features means know what tendencies to develop diseases the person to be treated has, what are the eventual minerals and vitamins he may need and especially know exactly the correct nutrition for obtaining the best from nutrition.

Particularly, in case of overweight, knowing the Intermediate Metabolism, makes it possible to prescribe nutritional advice, free from calories calculation, which does not involve drastic reductions in food, but simply consist in following food sequences throughout the day, excluding foods not fit for the metabolic type to be treated, in favor of those better metabolized.

HOW ODOR TEST WAS BORN

Dr. George Watson was a professor at the University of Southern California. His research in biochemistry began in 1950 and continued until the mid-1980s.

His studies have made it possible to understand the role of biological oxidation in the definition of metabolic individuality, with particular reference to psycho-chemical condition and personality disorders.
The rate of oxidation, as he describes it, is the speed at which the tissues of the organism convert food into energy; in this complex process glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, the Citric Acid cycle and beta oxidation are involved.

Through his tests, he classified people as Fast Oxidizers, Slow or Balanced/Variable/Sub.
Fast Oxidizers produce a venous blood with an acid pH, whereas the Slow Oxydizers have a venous blood with an alkaline pH.
Dr. Watson found that the manifestations of physical and psychological imbalance occur when the venous pH changes, deviating more or less from the optimal blood pH of 7.4.

He studied health and nutrition as a patient-specific problem rather than a disease-specific problem, and stated that when metabolism (interpreted as oxidative capacity and as the value of the pH of venous plasma) deviates significantly from the equilibrium condition, the patient is more prone to contracting diseases.
In his book "Nutrition and Your Mind" he clearly describes his research.

NUTRIZIONAL INDIVIDUALITY

Dr. Watson showed that foods that have an alkalizing effect on a subject can have an acidifying effect on another.
Each organism is different from the others and everyone has specific nutritional needs individually different; quoting Dr. Watson it can be said that "What is food for one person, can be poison for others".

Only after identifying the metabolic typology in a given subject will it be possible to know whether an acidic food will have, for his organism, an acidifying action and whether an alkaline food will perform an alkalizing action.

Also, since the effect of supplements varies according to oxidative type, if you do not know the type of individual, it will not be possible to know whether a nutritional supplement such as e.g. Calcium, zinc, etc. is actually appropriate and effective as a specific supplement.
Therefore, in addition to knowing the acid or alkaline nature of food, it is of primary importance to know the oxidative level of an individual so as to choose foods correctly, specific nutrients and supplements to bring the PH of venous blood to the optimal value.

To quickly and easily detect the oxidative state of a subject, Dr. Watson devised an analytic system called Psychochemical Odor Test.
During his post-doctoral studies at the University of Southern California, while researching theories about the function of smell, Watson found that the subjective smell of a particular vitamin, was perceived differently when the same subject had been given several doses of the same vitamin and noticed in addition, that some subjects had different olfactory reactions depending on the dose of vitamin taken.

Through the Odor Test system, Dr. Watson was able to pinpoint precise correlations between the perception of smell and the levels of pH of venous blood and established that any divergence in the pH of blood, the ideal level of 7.4, was associated with the development of psychological suffering and other symptoms of metabolic and physical imbalance.

According to Dr. Watson and his researchers, nutritional supplements prescribed without knowing blood pH values have often given paradoxical results: some people have sometimes experienced an improvement in blood pH, and sometimes they have experienced a deterioration in their health.

Instead, using the results obtained by applying the Odor Test and then making use of a nutritional diet plan targeted and related to the metabolic typology, studies have shown a significant improvement in the patient’s psychological and physical state.

In short, the Odor Test reveals the Metabolic Typology (or oxidative rate or, indirectly, venous pH) of the subject and therefore also the state of the acid/base ratio and the homeostatic balance of the organism, allowing quickly and safely through a proper diet and supplementation, the resolution of numerous disorders and constituting a valid system of prevention that allows to intervene in the initial phase of metabolic disorders.

CORRECTION OF THE OXIDATION RATE

The Metabolic Types identified by Dr. Watson, as already mentioned, are three:

• Fast oxidizer, with more acidic blood pH;
• Slow oxidizer, with more alkaline blood pH;
• Normoxidizer, with balanced blood pH.

It should be remembered that the values of blood pH and tissue pH are always reversed; if the blood pH is acidic, the tissue pH will be alkaline and vice versa.

This happens because the metabolic waste, which is not possible to eliminate through normal emuntors, in this case kidneys and lungs, are stored in that immense and ubiquitous warehouse which is the so-called mesenchymal tissue, in order to minimize damage to the organism.
The fast oxidizer, or hypermetabolizer, is characterized by an acid blood pH and an alkaline tissue pH. The most frequent disorders are:

• Sudden tiredness, hypoglycemic crisis.
• Nervous hyperexcitability, nervousness.
• Allergies, dermatitis.
• Digestive ulcers, cardiovascular diseases.
• Decreased immune system, relapsing infections.
• Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis.
• Collagenopathies, obesity, excessive thinness.

The slow oxidizer, or hypometabolizer, is characterized by an alkaline blood pH and an acidic tissue pH. The most frequent disorders are:

• Excessive and continuous fatigue, hypoglycemic crisis.
• Depression, migraines, headaches.
• Dryness of the skin, acne.
• Digestive disorders, constipation.
• Heart disease, vasculopathy.
• Asthma, allergies.
• Osteo-arthritis, muscular dystrophy.
• Obesity, diabetes.

The balanced oxidizer is characterized by a slightly alkaline blood pH and a slightly acidic tissue pH and has a normal homeostatic balance, in practice the absence of active diseases and a condition of optimal strength and well-being.

Very few people belong to this group; It is normally assumed that about 80% of the population belongs to the group of hypometabolizers and the remaining 20% to that of hypermetabolizers.

Once the metabolic typology has been established, if it is not balanced, strategies should be put in place to bring the oxidation rate back into physiological parameters.
This result is achieved by using the correct nutritional supplements to which it is necessary to accompany appropriate drainages to avoid overloading the excretors of toxins; drainage is essential because the correction of metabolic rate always involves also a considerable detoxifying action of tissues and in particular of mesenchymal.

During the treatment of correction of the oxidation rate, intense detoxification may make it necessary to use symptomatic remedies, to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Finally, it is absolutely necessary to associate the treatment of supplementation, a proper diet, to avoid making vain and frustrating all the rebalance treatment.

Another objective of the Psychochemical Odor Test is to identify the optimal amounts of nutrients in relation to individual needs. There is no standard nutrition plan for everyone, the nutritional requirements are somewhat comparable to a fingerprint and are individual.
The Odor Test, together with a set of guidelines based on individual needs, is the only way to understand whether a nutritional program is optimal for a particular subject.

Before anything else, make sure you prescribe the right amount of proteins, which is essential for good physical performance.
Proteins means meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and cheese. Only these proteins, all of animal origin, contain the 8 essential amino acids that form a complete protein.

Cereals, nuts and vegetables, while providing several essential amino acids, they have no protein value as the body requires that all 8 essential amino acids are present in the right proportion and at the same time and the proteins incomplete, instead, are used by the body only as a caloric value.

Not all complete proteins are similar in amino acid composition, some of them, in particular, contain nucleic acids from which purines are derived.
These are very important for Fast Oxidizers and Normo-Oxidizers because they are an essential biochemical component for energy storage.

Slow Oxidizers instead should limit the amount ingested.
The Odor Test kit consists of six numbered bottles each containing odorous substances (three bottles contain natural aromatic substances and three synthetic aromatic substances).

Following the numbering, the bottles should be quickly made to smell one at a time to the subject, who must detect, through the answers suggested in the questionnaire, what sense of smell they evoke in him.