What does human fat smell like?

You'll know it when you smell it. Burning muscle tissue gives off an aroma similar to beef in a frying pan, and body fat smells like a side of fatty pork on the grill. But you probably won't mistake the scent of human remains for a cookout.

slate.com - What does burning human flesh smell like?

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Police in Houston said on Saturday that the remains of a woman who had been strangled by her ex-boyfriend may have been burned over a barbecue on his balcony. * Neighbors said they noticed an awful, acrid odor coming from the grills for two days. What does burning human flesh smell like?

You’ll know it when you smell it. Burning muscle tissue gives off an aroma similar to beef in a frying pan, and body fat smells like a side of fatty pork on the grill. But you probably won’t mistake the scent of human remains for a cookout. That’s because a whole body includes all sorts of parts that we’d rarely use for a regular barbecue. For example, cattle are bled after slaughter, and the beef and pork we eat contain few blood vessels. When a whole human body burns, all the iron-rich blood still inside can give the smell a coppery, metallic component. Full bodies also include internal organs, which rarely burn completely because of their high fluid content; they smell like burnt liver. Firefighters say that cerebrospinal fluid burns up in a musky, sweet perfume. Burning skin has a charcoallike smell, while setting hair on fire produces a sulfurous odor. This is because the keratin in our hair contains large amounts of cysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid . * (Hooves and nails also contain keratin, which explains why real tortoise shells smell like hair when lit on fire.) The smell of burnt hair can cling to the nostrils for days. The operators at crematoriums heat bodies to 1,750 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours; they liken the smell close-up to a burnt pork roast. Unless someone’s standing at the door of the actual cremator, however, it’s unlikely anyone will catch a whiff. Modern cremation systems feature smoke stacks and exhaust fans that remove almost all odor. Decomposed bodies smell especially bad when they’re set on fire. Bacteria inside the organs—starting with the intestines and the pancreas—reproduce and release methane byproducts, which give corpses their distinctive stench. Firefighters call these types of bodies “bloaters,” as the decaying body grows swollen with foul-smelling gases; bloaters that catch fire release the noxious stink. It’s easier to recognize the smell than to describe it. Emergency workers and survivors of war atrocities say charred flesh simply smells like nothing else. The scent is nauseating and sweet, putrid and steaky, or something like leather being tanned over a flame. The smell can be so thick and rich that it’s almost a taste. (Anthropologists and journalists have written about what it’s like to eat human flesh.) J.D. Salinger, who helped liberate concentration camps in World War II, told his daughter, “You never really get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose entirely. No matter how long you live.”

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Explainer thanks Elayne Pope of University of Arkansas.

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What does untreated diabetes feel like?

Symptoms include sexual problems, digestive issues (a condition called gastroparesis), trouble sensing when your bladder is full, dizziness and fainting, or not knowing when your blood sugar is low.

webmd.com - How Uncontrolled Diabetes Affects Your Body - WebMD

It can take work to get your diabetes under control, but the results are worth it. Uncontrolled diabetes means your blood sugar levels are too high, even if you're treating it. And you may have symptoms such as peeing more often, being thirsty a lot, and having other problems related to your diabetes. If you don't make the effort to get a handle on it, you could set yourself up for a host of complications. Diabetes can take a toll on nearly every organ in your body, including your: Heart and blood vessels

Eyes

Kidneys

Nerves

Gastrointestinal tract

Gums and teeth

Heart and Blood Vessels Heart disease and blood vessel disease are common problems for many people who don’t have their diabetes under control. You're at least twice as likely to have heart problems and strokes as people who don’t have the condition. Blood vessel damage or nerve damage may also cause foot problems that, in rare cases, can lead to amputations. People with diabetes are ten times likelier to have their toes and feet removed than those without the disease. Symptoms: You might not notice warning signs until you have a heart attack or stroke. Problems with large blood vessels in your legs can cause leg cramps, changes in skin color, and less sensation. The good news: Many studies show that controlling your diabetes through medication, diet and exercise can help you avoid these problems, or stop them from getting worse if you have them.

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