Am I Susceptible to Chemicals?

 

Lots of household chemicals are harmful to your health

Everyone is susceptible to chemicals. Some people are affected by chemicals more than others. These people often have a lower immune system than others. People with a lower immune system include people who suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ME, CFIDS, Glandular Fever, repeated infections, allergies and chronic diseases.

Let's make a list of the places people work or jobs people do that can make them more susceptible to chemicals. I cannot list all of them so would be happy if you wanted to add to them.

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.office .workers .cleaners .farmers .gardeners .cooks

.stay at home Mums  & Dads .school children .petrol station attendants .people who work at airports .people who work in clothes shops

.nurses .doctors .factory .workers .bakers .train travellers

.babies .taxi drivers .woodworkers .elderly people in nursing homes .laboratory workers

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Everyday Products containing chemicals
Most people use some form of chemical in their daily life without even realizing it. Some of these products are:
deodorants, shampoos and conditioner, makeup, dishwashing detergent, laundry detergent, air fresheners, toilet paper, floor cleaners, insect spray, garden sprays, polish for cars, petrol, lawn mower fuel, computer printers, ballpoint pens, textas, whiteboard markers.

As you can see, this is only a small list of things used in the home. There are chemicals you are subjected to whilst traveling in trains, cars and planes. Even when walking we breathe in the fumes of the cars that pass by. In the our place of work - the office or factory there are a miriad more chemicals we either touch or breathe in.

Everyday Products
Many of our everyday products are made from chemicals too. These include polyester pillows, sponge mattresses, doona fillers, carpets, plastic utensils used in the kitchen and even your comfy lounge chairs.

Our Cars are Made of Chemicals Too
Your car is also full of chemicals from the glue that hold lots of it together to the vinyl seat covers or the synthetic removable covers over the seats to the sponge rubber inside the seats. And don't forget the plastic dashboard, the lubricants containing chemicals and the all important petrol or gas your engine runs on.

If you are affected by chemicals, try to minimise them in your life.

Photo with thanks

I HATE Scented Toilet Paper

Why have Scented Toilet Paper?

 

Everyone Uses Toilet Paper

Why, oh why do they have to make scented toilet paper. When I go into a toilet with these perfumes it takes my breath away. 

'Smells nice’ you say. Have you stopped to think what these perfumes are made of? Do you really think that manufacturers would buy expensive aromatherapy oils to perfume their toilet paper? Of course not!

Well, how do they perfume the toilet paper? What do they use? Have you ever heard of chemicals?

Who are the most sensitive people in our society?

Everybody needs to go to the toilet a few times a day, some more than others. Who are the most vulnerable people in our community? Babies, toddlers, older people and people who are ill. We’ll discount babies in our present discussion because they don’t go into a toilet.

Do you want your toddler exposed to chemicals?

Toddlers go to the toilet often when they are being toilet trained, and later as young children. Every time they go into a toilet that has scented toilet paper available they are inhaling a lung full of chemicals. Even worse is when a basket full of spare toilet rolls is sitting in the open air in the toilet. The perfume is overpowering. If the perfume is overpowering then the chemical overload is overpowering also. Do you want to inhale this? Do you want toddlers to breathe in chemicals that may affect their little tender bodies?

Buy Fragrance Free or Hypoallergenic

To protect ourselves and our loved ones, look for fragrance free or Hypoallergenic toilet paper. These are free of perfumes and much safer for us. Read the back of the packet of toilet paper. Look for the words ‘Fragrance Free’.

Making your own safe scented toilet paper

If you really want your toilet to be perfumed buy some pure aromatherapy oils. These are sometimes called Essential oils. These are oils of plants themselves. This is where real perfume comes from. Do not buy fragrance oils. These smell nice, but guess what? They are made from chemicals too. The fragrance oils cost around $5. Real aromatherapy oils will cost closer to $20. Which would you choose – the chemical or the pure perfume?

To perfume your toilet paper place a couple of drops of aromatherapy oil on the inner cardboard then place it on the holder as usual. Aromatherapy oils are good for you so long as you choose an oil you like. Fragrance oils are not.

Let me know what you think about inhaling unwanted chemicals in your own home.

MDF and Chemical Sensitivities

 

This display board is made from MDF but well sealed

Health Risks of MDF

Medium Density Fibreboard, or MDF for short, is the wooden product many artists use when they paint in folk art style, Tole painting or Decorative painting.
It is a manufactured wood product containing chemicals that may be hazardous to humans.

The original wood is finely powdered then bonded together with resins and bonding agents. It may also be made retardant to fire, water or stains - with chemicals.

Toxic Chemicals are a Major Health Risk

The main chemical used to form the MDF is formaldehyde.

Symptoms experienced by different people from MDF are

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lethargy flu like symptoms asthma lung conditions rashes chest infections

irritated mucous membranes dermatitis racing mind sweating racing heart

Toxic chemicals are often considered carcinogens, that is, cancer causing agents.

Other Uses for MDF

MDF is often used in building these days too. I was told by medical professionals involved in Environmental Medicine 17 years ago that MDF gives off gases from the chemicals used to make it, for about 30 years.
MDF should never be burnt in a fire, especially an indoor fireplace, because of the chemicals it gives off.

When Artists paint on this board, they also do a lot of sanding. This fine dust can get in your lungs producing irritation and asthma. Always use a mask when sanding this wood.

Children and MDF

Don't use MDF board around children or in their bedrooms. They spend a lot of time in their bedrooms sleeping and playing and they are breathing in the toxic gases all the time. Young children are readily susceptible to chest infection. You don't want to aggravate this.
Increasingly articles of furniture are made from MDF. Kitchen cupbards and shelving are among the myriad items created from MDF. The powdered dust that is the result of cutting and sanding this board are also dangerous. If you are in this industry, make sure to wear a mask. It is better to wear a mask now than to die of lung disease later on.

Sense or No Sense?

Recently I was in a factory where they made furniture. A man was spraying a piece of wooden furniture with varnish (chemical of course). He had on a mask, however the mask was keeping his neck warm instead of covering his mouth and nose!

Cleaning without Chemicals

 

Use environmentally friendly cleaners

Environmentally Friendly Cleaners

Water   Bi-carbonate of Soda   Vinegar

The best thing to use to clean is water. We are very lucky in our Western society that we have clean water and enough water to be able to clean with.

Add to this Bi-carbonate of soda, or often called carb
soda. You will fine bi-carbonate of soda readily available in the supermarket. It is not expensive. 

Who should use Environmentally Friendly Products?

If you care for the environment of our world, EVERYBODY should use these products.
I know most people are hoodwinked by the big chemical companies who make all the cleaning products. After all these products have pretty labels, pretty colours and pretty perfumes (to some).

However there are some people who definitely should use any natural products. These are people with allergies, asthma, hay fever, eczema, a weakened immune system, any illness, especially major illness and any parents with young children. The elderly also come in this group, also people in

Why would you want to submit your baby or toddler or young school age child to chemicals in their surrounding? Their young body is just forming. They do not need to be riddled with chemicals in their system. If you keep your young children safe from chemicals as much as you can while they are at home, which is probably up to 16 hours a day, they will be better able to withstand to the onslaught when they are at school. 

You are the guardian of your young child! Take care.
 

Benchtops

For marks that just will not move with water, sprinkle on some carb soda then rub with a damp cloth. Repeat if needed. If this does not move them, pour vinegar over them, let it sit for a while. Wipe off. If the stain is still there, reapply the carb soda.

Sink

For a sparkling sink, sprinkle carb soda onto a damp cloth and scrub the sink. Use an old toothbrush around the drain. Scrub down into the pipe of the drain with your toothbrush too. It's amazing what gunk attaches itself to the inside of this pipe. Keeping it clean can help eliminate odours. Pour carb soda down the drain then pour some vinegar down after it. It will bubble up. This is okay.  This will also help loosen the gunk in the drain. Rinse clean.

Stovetop

As for the bench, use water and dishwashing detergent. Add carb soda to get off the
greasies. 

Oven

Now, DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES USE PROPRIETARY OVEN CLEANERS. They are dangerous stuff for people with allergies. Have the oven warm, not hot. Sprinkle the base of the oven with carb soda then pour on some vinegar. When the two mix together they will bubble. This is okay. mix these into  paste on the floor of the oven and leave for an hour or so. The gunk will be softened and will come off more
easily. Repeat as often as needed.

One lady I know lost her voice totally for weeks every time she used oven cleaners, or when she went near new carpet.

My Favourite Environmentally Friendly Cleaner

My favourite cleaner is a little hand held steamer. All it uses is water which is heated to boiling point. When water boils it becomes steam. Steam kills off bacteria and cleans amazingly with NO CHEMICALS.

Steam Clean

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sparkling sink clean microwave sparkling stovetop clean oven cleaner than clean window in the oven door handles on cupboards and door toilet button, cistern, seat and lid furniture in the lounge room

mirrors in the bathroom bathroom basin glass shower walls windows edges of the dishwasher that get grotty cupboard doors washing machine mattresses in the bedroom drapes

 

Hand held steam cleaners are not expensive and in my view, worth using. They are environmentally friendly, using no chemicals.

Cheers

Hyperactivity in Children

 

Clothing made from natural fibres is better for children

There must be a reason why so many children these days are  hyperactive. Have you ever thought it might be the clothing they wear?

Synthetic Clothing
Synthetic materials have edged into our way of life. Looking in a wardrobe today I would be surprised if you found an article of clothing that did not have some synthetic fibre in it. Even a lot of cotton clothing often has some percentage of polyester in it.

Children are very susceptible to everything. Their immune system is just developing. As adults we may be able to wear something that children just cannot handle. A baby or toddler cannot tell you if an article of clothing is irritating it. 

Most likely irritants
Any synthetic fibres are most likely to irritate your child. Sometimes you can see a rash and so you know that your child is reacting to a piece of clothing or elastic. Other times it is something invisible.

By the age of two or three some children show signs of hyperactivity.  Especially in these children, I recommend eliminating all synthetic fibres from their clothing. Look for natural fibres. Cotton is good, especially organic cotton. Keep in mind that cotton is grown using vast amounts of deadly pesticides. There must be some residue of this in the fibres. 

However synthetic clothing       like polyester and nylon and acrylics are made from petrochemicals. They do not allow the body to breathe. They do not take moisture away from the body as does clothing made from cotton and bamboo. 

Reactions
Children become hotter when wearing synthetic clothing. They can also be irritated when wearing it. ‘Irritated’ does not mean as in having a rash. If a child wears synthetic clothing he may be on edge, cranky and irritated. The only way he can express this is by being naughty. 

Have you ever noticed your child hot and bothered and take off his/her jacket? Not only does it relieve him of the extra warmth but most jackets, hoodies, cardigans, raincoats and parkas are made of synthetic fibres. Your are relieving your child of the buildup of static electricity in their system. Static electricity builds up when you wear synthetic fibres. Natural fibres prevent the buildup of static electricity.

So when you are out shopping for clothing for your child the next time, look for articles of clothing made from cotton, bamboo, tencel or wool, jute or hemp. Try to minimize synthetic clothing made from nylon, acetate, polyester, viscose, triacetate and acrylic.

Colours for Children

Colours can have an impact on your children

Colours are very important to consider for our babies and children. If you want your child to be hyped up and excited, try dressing him in red. 

Warm and Cool Colours
Colours are divided into warm and cool colours. Warm colours are red, orange and yellow. Cool colours are green, blue and violet. These colours have an impact on our moods. Red, orange and yellow can spark us up if we are feeling down. However if we are already excited by what is going on in our life we can surround ourselves with the cooler colours of green, blue and purple. 

Colour Affects Mood
If your child is excitable try dressing him/her in cool colours. These include shades of pale blue, mid blue, sky blue, royal blue, dark blue, navy, teal, green, emerald, aqua, mauve, violet, lavender. Pale pink is also a calming colour.

When your child wears red, burgundy, orange and bright yellow, he will be more stimulated. 

Pastel Colours
Pastel shades of colours are also calming. You can use pink, apricot and lemon here as these warm colours do not have the intensity when they are very pale. A soft green, baby blue and lavender or mauve are also good pastel colours to use.

Babies are best dressed in pastel colours. Their aura or energy system is still soft and gentle. Any bright colours around them can be too stimulating. After all we do want our babies to be calm and to sleep well because then we feel better too. 

Other articles about children
Cleaning without Chemicals
MDF and Chemical Sensitivities

What Can I Do if My Child Eats Dirt?

Some children like to eat inedible things Does your Child Crave Strange Things? Some children and even some adults have a craving for eating odd things. Odd things can include soil, dirt, chalk, pencils, plastic pegs, dry rice, faeces, soap etc. Other children or adults feel the need to eat flour, dry rice, ice cubes, salt or starch.  This is an illness called Pica. It is not normal to eat these things.  Yes, there is something you can do about it. Some homeopathy remedies can help. Look for a homeopath in your area to go into greater detail for the right 'Designer Remedy' that is needed. Remedies are very broad yet specific.  Homeopathic Remedies to Help Here are a few remedies to give you an idea. A homeopath always asks lots of questions about may things in your life, about likes and dislikes, times of day, emotions and lots more. This way the can find a remedy to help you. Alumina Calc carb Calc phos Nat mur Nit ac Nux vom Silicea These people crave starch, chalk, cloves, tea leaves and coffee grounds, raw rice and acids People who need this remedy crave chalk, charcoal, coal, briquettes and pencils, all very inedible things. They desire eggs but dislike meat and milk These people crave lime - not the fruit, slate, pencils, soil, chalk and clay, raw salt and smoked goods Salt is the desire here. They dislike bread and fatty things These people have a craving for lime, slate pencils, paper and charcoal, fat and salt These people crave charcoal, pepper and chalk, fats and spicy foods   These people crave lime - not the fruit, sand and raw foods Other Symptoms are Important Too Some of these people may be fat or thin, have sweaty heads, large heads, be disturbed in other ways. They may get very excited, irritable, have sore ankles or cannot sleep. These symptoms have to matched up with the remedies then the best one selected.  Many of these things are not readily available these days and so people who crave soil and cannot get to it - they may live in high rise buildings instead of a farm, eat other things more readily available eg plastics, plastic pegs plastic toys, crayons, paper, cardboard etc. Have a great day!

Musty Cupboards, Allergies and CFS

Wash baby clothes so they stay fresh and clean

Musty Odours

Time to wash all the clothes in my cupboard again!

I pulled a summer nightie out of the cupbaord last night and it had not been worn for six months. I am not the sort of fanatical housekeeper that washes all the clothes in my cupboard even though I do not wear them. They sit in my cupboard until the season is right and I am ready for them again. I am sure I am not the only person who does this.

However my breath is taken away when I take a stored item of clothing from the cupboard. Over the years I have had asthma attacks from this and become very ill from going through old boxes with musty odours. I recommend that people with allergies, asthma, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, CFIDS, ME and any other auto immune disease stay clear of anything musty.

If you have to sort through musty goods then use a mask to prevent inhaling airborne particles.

Things that go Musty

This includes clothing in a wardrobe, linen in a closet, musty books in boxes at home or in a Secondhand bookshop, or clothing in Op shops or anything stored in the back of your garage that has not been disturbed for a long time.  All these have old stored goods and can get this musty smell. If you have a basement or unused shed in the back yard be aware of these too.

Precautions for Change of Season 

When the season is changing it is a good time to take out all your clothing for the next season and give it a wash. Wash down the cupboard it is stored in then it will stay fresh for the next few months.

The same goes for the linen in your cupboard. Take out the stored sheets and wash them all, wash the cupboard and replace them.

I have had to do this for years, not because I am a fussy housekeeper, because, believe me I am not. I have had to do this for my health and for my family.

Occasionally I have forgotten to do this and needed a sheet for my bed or a nightgown that had not been washed for a few months. I have wondered how I would get through the night with this musty smell around me. So take precautions and care for your health and that of your loved ones.
Preparing for a new Baby
Young mothers often store clothing used by a previous child waiting for the next addition to the family. This can sometimes take a few years to happen. This clothing for a newborn needs extra care. A tiny baby cannot tell you that it feels unwell if you wrap it in a musty rug or lie it on musty sheets. Give these clothes and bedclothes and bunnyrugs extra care. Washing these clothes twice with a good airing on the outdoor clothes line in the sunshine for a couple of times makes extra sure the clothes are fresh for your new baby.

Often other young mums who feel they will not be extending their family give their used baby clothes to others. If you receive some of these gifts make sure this clothing and wrapping rugs are thoroughly cleaned too.

Have a great day and work towards being healthy.