SLIMist: The Science Of Smell

Wednesday 15 June 2005

SLIMist: THE SCIENCE OF SMELL

Dr. Hirsch's research into how smell can help weight management first started with the treatment of patients who had suffered head trauma.

"We observed that those patients who lost their sense of smell, which leaves them with a diminished ability to taste*, often tended to gain weight. When they regained that sense of smell, they started losing the extra kilos," says Dr. Alan Hirsch.

"Many people believe the sensation of fullness comes from the stomach, in fact it comes from an area of the brain we call the satiety centre," says Dr. Hirsch.

When odour molecules are in the air they are directed through the nose to the olfactory bulb, which is connected to the satiety centre. This allows the brain to correlate the amount of food we have eaten with the amount of odour in our nose. In other words, the satiety centre uses the odour molecules to tell us "You've eaten enough, you are satisfied now.

"This message might actually be, "I've smelled it therefore I've eaten it". That is, we don't actually have to EAT the food to get the satiety centre to send out its ŒI'm full' signal ­ we just have to smell it," says Dr. Hirsch.

* More than 90 percent of taste is actually smell [ENDS]

Media Release, embargoed until Wednesday 15 June 2005

SLIMIST: THE MAN BEHIND THE SCIENCE

Dr. Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., F.A.C.P., is the world's leading expert on taste and smell.

Both a neurologist and psychiatrist, Dr. Hirsch has written more than 100 articles on the psychological power of scent and how it affects human behaviour.

His studies have been published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and numerous other prestigious publications.

As the founder and neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, Dr. Hirsch has put his theories to the test in more than 180 documented studies.

The Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation also works on the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of smell and taste-related disorders. In addition, the staff's research extends to the effects of odours and flavours on human emotion, mood, behaviour and disease.

Dr. Hirsch's foundation has performed studies on the effects of smell and taste on weight management, sleep, consumer preferences and sexual habits, among many other topics. [ENDS]

Media Release, embargoed until Wednesday 15 June 2005

SLIMist: FACTS AND FIGURES

* More than 90% of taste is smell ­ if you hold your nose and take a bite of an apple, you probably won't know it's an apple

* Sprays offer the most efficient delivery systems for medications and nutritional supplements ­ they are nine times more effective than tablets as they by pass the digestive tract

* 3,193 people lost an average of 14 kilos each over six months of using the Scentsifiers in the largest clinical trial of SLIMist

* Dr. Hirsch's analyses of the participants in the trial mentioned above, found that only 13% were married and still living with their spouse. The others were separated, divorced or had never been married. Dr. Hirsch believes obesity can contribute to many of life's problems.

* Patients who have lost their sense of smell through a head trauma, and therefore have a diminished ability to taste, often tend to gain weight rather than lose it. Once they regain their sense of smell, they start losing the extra kilos

[ENDS]

Media Release, embargoed until Wednesday 15 June 2005

SLIMist: A NEW BUSINESS MODEL

In New Zealand, SLIMist is being distributed through a new company Santé de Suisse New Zealand Ltd, which has been established by Andrew and Marina Arps.

Santé de Suisse New Zealand Ltd is based in Christchurch.

Between them, Andrew and Marina have 35 years of experience in sales, marketing and leadership with major brands, leaving them well placed to ensure the success of SLIMist in New Zealand.

It was their interest in health and well being which attracted them to SLIMist.

"Like us, New Zealanders are becoming more and more interested in products which can help them look better and in turn, feel better," says Andrew Arps.

Andrew and Marina have set up a network of regional distributors to sell the product to retailers.

This is a new business model.

"Previously, unless you were a multi-national manufacturing and marketing company with vast financial resources, you would have found it impossible to launch a new product and distribute it nationally," says Andrew Arps. "Creating a network is the most cost effective and time efficient way to get product from concept to consumer," says Andrew Arps.

"We are in no doubt SLIMist will be a New Zealand success story. The business model is sound, the product is safe and effective and the fact SLIMist is natural will appeal to a society becoming more aware of the additives and chemicals in our diets," concluded Andrew Arps.

[ENDS]

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