Re: book / chemical sensitivities

July 21, 2008

Also- speaking of sensitivites and swimming, do you react alot to pools with

chlorine?

From: angie huiz <angiehuiz@...>

Subject: book / chemical sensitivities

Date: Monday, July 21, 2008, 10:27 PM

-

Thanks so much for sharing all of this information. My son has a very sensitive

and strong sense of smell, which I have known, but did not really think it would

/ could affect him to this degree as you stated. Especially since my sense of

smell is not the greatest.

Do any strong natural smells affect your system like this, like cleaning with

vinegar, etc., or just usually if they are artificial?

What air purifier do you find to be the best at absorbing these chemicals?

Thanks also for sharing the book, and will purchase it.

Not that we are in a place to move, but am curious to know what area you have so

far found the best to live in relating to less pollution, etc.

Thanks again!

Angie

August 20, 2008

I apologize for taking so long to reply to this message, I wasn't

aware until now that there were some replies to what I wrote-

To reply to your question Angie-

To answer your question on 'chemicals' I personally do not find

vinegar to affect me. I've noticed as a 'general' rule, if it is

'natural' it doesn't really seem to bother me. Things like Windex

glass cleaner, bleach, 409 cleaner, artificial air fresheners,

perfumes, colonge, new carpeting, carpet shampoo, etc- ALL bother me

greatly. (That isn't a FULL list, but some examples of things that

bother me.) IF you go to a store that sells 'natural' and alternative

foods and cleaners, they tend to have quite a few cleaners they offer

that don't bother me. A GOD SEND!!! I actually now make my own

laundry detergent. There is a recipe for making it, and it includes

Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, Borax, and Ivory non-scented soap. It is

quite effective, inexpensive, easy to make and doesn't affect me

negatively as far as I can tell.

As for air filters- all the research I've done point me to essentially

to anything with 'activated carbon' and HEPA filters. Some examples

would be 'Austin Air,' 'Allerair', etc. If you look up 'Multiple

Chemical Sensitivities' and air purifiers used for those people, it

will ususually give some good examples.

As for locations I find that don't bother me... well that is an

'ongoing' question. I currently live in Southern California, but find

I'm frequently bothered by the level of smog, allergens, etc. I'm

originally from Greeley, Colorado and I've noticed that if I go back

during the winter to visit- while I'm outside I feel GREAT! There

aren't leaves on the trees, the air is pretty clear, and I find I am

MUCH improved.

However, if I go back there during the summer in Greeley, Colorado I

ironically noticed I am much more bothered by 'something' there.

After trying to figure it out for a few months while visiting my

family whom still lives there- I believe it to be allergens from trees

like 'cotton wood trees,' BUT more than that, I've realize that the

town is surrounded with fields growing things like corn, beets, etc.

They use LOTS of chemicals on the fields, fertilizers, pesticides,

fungicides, etc. (As well as chemicals being sprayed for West Nile

Virus.) There is a faint smell in the air that doesn't really go

away. I believe that during the winter when there are NO crops

growing, there are ALSO no chemicals being sprayed and it is rather

the chemicals that bother me more than anything, MORE so than the

allergens in the air. SO- places with reduced levels of pollution

such as Colorado, Washington, etc., would be good but being careful of

chemicals being sprayed in those areas is a good thing.

I hope that answers your questions- I'm VERY interested in hearing

about the improvements in all of your children as you begin to attempt

to address some of these 'lesser' discussed problems. Please report back.

Thanks,

, CA.

>

> From: angie huiz <angiehuiz@...>

> Subject: book / chemical sensitivities

>

> Date: Monday, July 21, 2008, 10:27 PM

>

> ï¿½

> -

> ï¿½

> Thanks so much for sharing all of this information.ï¿½ My son has a

very sensitive and strong senseï¿½of smell, which I have known, but did

not really think it would / could affect him to this degree as you

stated.ï¿½ Especially since my sense of smell is not the greatest.

> Do any strong natural smells affect your system like this, like

cleaning with vinegar, etc., or just usually if they are artificial?ï¿½

> What air purifier do you find to be the best at absorbing these

chemicals?ï¿½

> Thanks also for sharing the book, and will purchase it.

> Not that we are in a place to move, but am curious to know what area

you have so far found the best to live in relating to less pollution, etc.

> Thanks again!

> ï¿½

> Angie

>

August 20, 2008

I WOULD say the smell from the Chlorine does effect me. After a while

of smelling it or some other strong chemical smell my thinking begins

to become cloudy. My mood begins to take a nose dive, I begin to feel

more agitated, I feel more sluggish, less aware of my surroundings,

and a lot of times my skin will become increasingly more 'irritable'

when stimulated or marked on with a physical object. Another thing-

the inside of my nostrils begin to swell. After a while of being

around strong chemicals I can't breathe out of my nose very well.

I've been told by doctors it is referred to as 'nostril swelling' in

which the tissue on the inside of the nose swells to the point I can't

breathe out of one or both sides.

I'm UNAWARE if this is the case with many of your children so I don't

want to 'assume' my experience is the same as your young children, BUT

'if' your child is like me, one of the ways I can tell how things are

affecting me is by how well I can breathe out of my nostrils. It

'might' be possible to plug one side of your child's nostril nose and

see if they can breathe out of the other side (checking both sides of

course). OR have them close their mouth and see if they can breathe

out of their nose- checking to see if chemicals or allergens in the

air are affecting them. There is a 'chance' they might experience

some of the same physical symptoms of chemicals/elements in the air

affecting them. If that is the case, checking their ability or the

variations in their ability to breathe out of their nose 'might' act

as a physical 'baraometer' of how external elements might be affecting

their immune system. (I want to note that I'm not describing a lot of

mucus being the cause for 'blockage' in my nostrils, but actually the

tissue swelling the nostril partial or entirely shut.)

Obviously keep in mind your children 'could' still be affected by

certain things but show little to no 'physical' symptoms such as what

I've mentioned above.

Thanks,

, CA

>

> From: angie huiz <angiehuiz@...>

> Subject: book / chemical sensitivities

>

> Date: Monday, July 21, 2008, 10:27 PM

>

> ï¿½

> -

> ï¿½

> Thanks so much for sharing all of this information.ï¿½ My son has a

very sensitive and strong senseï¿½of smell, which I have known, but did

not really think it would / could affect him to this degree as you

stated.ï¿½ Especially since my sense of smell is not the greatest.

> Do any strong natural smells affect your system like this, like

cleaning with vinegar, etc., or just usually if they are artificial?ï¿½

> What air purifier do you find to be the best at absorbing these

chemicals?ï¿½

> Thanks also for sharing the book, and will purchase it.

> Not that we are in a place to move, but am curious to know what area

you have so far found the best to live in relating to less pollution, etc.

> Thanks again!

> ï¿½

> Angie

>

August 24, 2008

Thanks for the feedback it is helpful and also for the book name you sent

a while ago. I am almost done with it and it is really good.

Angie

From: <javanfirkins@...>

Subject: Re: book / chemical sensitivities

Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 7:39 PM