If You Can’t Smell These Five Things, You Might Be Knocking at Death’s Door

It's hard to believe it, but your nose might actually be able to tell you if you might be dead in the next five years.  According to the lead author of a new research piece, Dr. Jayant M. Pinto, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago, the best way to predict whether you'll die soon might have something to do with your sense of smell.

Researchers looked at more than 3,000 men and women between the ages of 57 and 85, and asked them to identify five different scents . . . peppermint, fish, oranges, roses, and leather.

After five years, they determined that those who had failed the scent test were much more likely to have died.

39% of the ones who failed the test were dead, and 19% who just barely passed were also dead; compared to just 10% of people who passed with flying colors.

The authors of the study say they're not sure why that's the case. But they think losing your sense of smell is an early warning sign of other age-related issues.

So, if you find yourself unable to pick up the scent of a new baseball glove or a fresh peeled orange, you might want to make a call to your life insurance agent.