why do we cry? and how to stop?

Question

why do we cry when chopping an onion ?
my eyes are extra sensitive to it and first cut makes tears come out like crazy.
I barely cook with onion but i like the flavour it brings to some food. Sometimes i get hubby to do it for me cause it get so bad i cant even open my eyes! just want to know why it happens? and if anyone has any tips on how to stop the tears?
I feel like a freak, cause it doesnt affect my hubby at all, and it didnt do much to my mum, but to me its really bad.
any tips will be greatly appriciated.

thanks.

im not sad! the onion brings the tears..not cause im sad!

Answer 1

i vote for the swimming goggles..... until i put on my kid's sunglasses, which are a tight fit, i always cried when chopping onions. i guess the tight sunglasses keep the fumes out of my eyes. don't care how silly i look, cuz it WORKS !!!! :-)

Answer 2

Try putting your onions in the fridge for a few hours before chopping them. Another trick is to chop them near an open flame. Causes the gases to evaporate I've heard. Take a look at the book "Like Water For Chocolate" and it will tell you why.

Answer 3

I agree with the swimming goggles suggestion. Onions really, really bother my eyes. I've tried everything to keep from crying when I chop onions. I have discovered that when I'm wearing my contact lenses, they don't bother me at all! So seriously, try the swimming goggles like suggested previously. I bet they'd work great.

Answer 4

Crying or weeping (psychic tears): The third category, generally referred to as crying or weeping, is increased lacrimation due to strong emotional stress, depression or physical pain. This practice is not restricted to negative emotions; many people have been known to cry when extremely happy or when they are laughing. In humans, emotional tears can be accompanied by reddening of the face and sobbing — cough-like, convulsive breathing, sometimes involving spasms of the whole upper body. Tears brought about by emotions have a different chemical make up than those for lubrication. The limbic system is involved in production of basic emotional drives, such as anger, fear, etc. The limbic system, specifically the hypothalamus, also has a degree of control over the autonomic system. The parasympathetic branch of the autonomic system controls the lacrimal glands via the neurotransmitter acetylcholine through both the nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. When these receptors are activated that the lacrimal gland is stimulated to produce tears.[

Answer 5

Basal tears lubricate your eyeball. Your eyeball is really not very smooth, so without tears to smooth it over, you wouldn't be able to see very sharply. Various tear glands produce about 5-10 ounces of basal tears daily. These tears flow over the eye and into the lachrymal ducts in the inside corners of your eyes and then into your nasal cavity.

REFLEX tears protect your eyes against irritants, such as onions, and foreign objects or blows. That's why you cry.

So, how to stop crying?

Use your body language to make yourself feel better. Stand up straight. Force yourself to smile. Put your shoulders back. Put your head up straight. Listen to exciting music, like techno music, and jump up and down. Motion is emotion. It sounds absurd, but when you put your body in this type of position it is very hard, if not impossible, to feel depressed. The body will trick itself into not being sad.

I hope this helps!!

Answer 6

Put a swimming goggle on

Answer 7

the gas irritates the eye.