can't taste or smell anything

    Can you imagine life without being able to taste or smell anything whatsoever? For Olympic gold medallist, James Cracknell, it's a scenario that's all too real after a horrific accident left him partially brain damaged.

    Along with the ability to taste and smell, Cracknell was also left with a poor short term memory, lack of empathy and trouble concentrating after being knocked off his bike by a petrol tanker during a charity triathlon.

    And as he revealed to Go Faster Food author, Kate Percy, learning to cope without taste has been tough. 'Before the accident I absolutely loved food and cooking but the only real enjoyment I can get out of it now is through texture,' he admits.

    While Cracknell has previously discussed his struggle to overcome his injuries - recently revealing that he once tried to strangle his wife while recovering - this is the first time he has talked about the loss of two of his senses.

    He reveals: 'In hospital after the accident I would mix starter, main course and dessert together and smother the whole thing with mustard.

    'Dining out in restaurants is no longer a pleasure for me. Eating is something I have to do to survive. For me, food is fuel, a means to an end, just like you might put petrol in the car to make it go.'

    The loss of his sense of taste seems particularly cruel when you consider that as an athlete, Cracknell has to consume more than most.

    'I’ve always had to eat all the time, both when I used to row, and now, as an adventurer. The South Pole trip was the toughest,' he admits. 'I lost three stone simply because my body couldn’t absorb nearly as many calories as I burnt.'

    But despite not being able to enjoy a restaurant supper anymore, Cracknell says that some positives have come out of losing his sense of taste.

    'Now I’m not influenced by the taste of food, I just eat what’s good for me [and] there’s no temptation to eat junk. I see people all around me piling on the pounds by eating far too much.'

    'We’ve got to buck this trend as a society. We can survive on much less.  We overeat massively and don’t do enough exercise to burn off these excess calories.

    'It’s not rocket science, we should ditch processed rubbish and eat good, wholesome foods, pulses, fruit and vegetables, fish, good fats, quality protein. Simply put, we should move more and eat better.'

    VIDEO: Watch James and wife Beverly launch his new book