I was skimming through a magazine(OK!) recently when I came across this:
“…certain smells, such as those of bananas, vanilla, green apples and peppermint, may actually help curb appetite…”
Beaming through the Google-door landed me at the website of The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, ltd. Wow!! With a title like that, who wouldn’t be impressed?! 
The credentials of Dr. Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., F.A.C.P., are certainly noteworthy and impressive and the site contains some very good information about the sense of smell and other equally interesting things.
I found the research page to be of the most interest, including:
The Effect of Inhaling Green Apple Fragrance to Reduce Migraine
“…. effectiveness of the green apple odor seemed to be dependent on whether the volunteer found the scent to be pleasant. Various other studies, such as those on learning speed, weight loss and product appeal, have made such connections between a person’s like or dislike of a scent and its effect on their perception or behavior.”
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Effects of Chronic Malodor Exposure on Olfactory Ability
“…A wide variety of environmental agents impact upon a person’s ability to smell. Ambient aroma can also affect olfactory ability. Those living around a pulp mill site (where paper is produced) have impaired olfactory ability. The affects of chronic exposure to unpleasant or malodor is currently not known. In an earlier study for the Attorney General’s office in the state of Illinois, Dr. Hirsch found that intermittent exposure to the odor of burning rubber impaired olfactory ability.”
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How to Detect Lying and Cheating in Children
“…When a person lies, specific tissues in the nose usually engorge. This nasal engorgement causes mast cells to release histamine, which in turn causes the nose to itch. Dr. Hirsch has dubbed this nasal itching the “Pinocchio Sign” as an indicator of lying. He has demonstrated this phenomenon in adults, but it has never been investigated in children. To address this, Dr. Hirsch is currently studying children during periods of lying and cheating to determine if they manifest some of the same signs as adults.”
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You might like to know some of the things that can go wrong with your sense of smell; check out the disorders page.
I also intend to read some of the articles listed in Dr. Hirsch’s VC, as well as at least one of his books:
What Flavor is Your Personality?
The Amazon reviews were enticing enough to make the book seem enjoyable and worthwhile.
Hope you enjoy browsing around there and maybe even learn a thing or two. I know I did.