Multi-Chemical Sensitivity & Allergies

ALLERGIC to the 21st CENTURY?
MULTI-CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY & ALLERGIES

Multi-chemical sensitivity and environmental allergies are increasing at an alarming rate. What is the cause of this epidemic and what can be done to protect yourself and your family from its devastation?

Did you realize that the organo-phosphates used widely in pesticides today are exactly the same as those used in chemical warfare. They are actually neurotoxins which can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin and directly into the bloodstream. It's interesting to note that vets are trained in treating pesticide poisoning, while doctors aren’t. Sure we don't go round deliberately drinking pesticide, but have we ever stopped to consider just how much pesticide is absorbed by the fruit and vegetables we eat?

A host of symptoms can be triggered inexplicably from exposure to these dangerous chemicals including chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines, allergies, asthma, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and general immune breakdown. Increasingly these are becoming known as "environmental illnesses" which includes Multi-chemical Sensitivity. There are around 75,000 chemicals in use today, and over 4,000 in food preparation alone. The problem is that none of these chemicals are recognised by the liver and cannot be metabolized. Instead they accumulate in the body and cause gradual but very serious breakdown.

Whilst the overall life expectancy has statistically improved over the past 50 years, it must be recognized that this is due solely to a reduction in the infant mortality rate. In actual fact life expectancy for people over the age of 40 has been steadily decreasing. That's quite remarkable given that more money has been spent on medical research in the last 50 years than ever before in history. There has been a 40% increase in asthma since the 1980’s! 33% of the US population are sensitized by environmental pollution effectively making them allergic to the 20^th century.

The truth is that without wealth, you cannot have health. It seems that the politicians of our world do not sincerely care about this issue. Since the chemical industry has a lot more political and economical influence than anything or anybody else, most governments are too scared to tackle the issue in a meaningful way. Some chemical and pharmaceutical companies’ annual turnover is greater than the GDP of many countries! The economic force of these huge corporations in fact underpins our modern society. The tobacco industry is comparatively minute almost next to the pharmaceutical industry.

Just as a frog can be placed in a cool frying pan, and slowly heated till it dies without ever jumping out, so most people fail to perceive the changes happening with the use of chemicals around them. Every day we are exposed to thousands of toxic chemicals. The same chemicals used in laboratories where stringent safety and exposure controls are insisted upon are found on our supermarket shelves. The only difference is the ratio and concentration of those chemicals. Lab technicians are taught safety procedures for dealing with these chemicals, whereas consumers aren’t.

Scientific research into the effects of toxic chemicals on rats has proven conclusively that many of them cause cancer and other abnormalities, yet many companies and even some governments claim that no studies have been undertaken on humans, and therefore the research is not conclusive! If you knew that a particular chemical causes cancer in rats, would you willingly expose yourself to that chemical? It has been suggested that our society is part of a huge human trial experiment which could continue for another 20 years before the same effects are acknowledged. Toxicology is in fact a new science and so it is not taken as seriously as it ought. Especially when there are 100,000 different base chemicals used in consumer products.

Cancer statistics have been steadily rising over the past 50 years (except for lung and stomach cancer which are declining due to a decline in smoking). Today the statistics inform us that 1 out of every 3 people will contract some form of cancer during their lifetime. Our home is not our castle contrary to what we might have believed. It is filled with toxic chemicals. Today people can even get sick from the chemicals in their brand new cars. The same goes for a new house. Particle board for example is compressed with urea formaldehyde, a compound which slowly releases a highly toxic gas. Today’s modern houses are better sealed than older homes resulting in 90% less air flow in newer buildings. It is strongly recommended to keep doors and windows open as much as possible to flush toxic gases out of modern homes. Alarmingly it has been observed that the level of formaldehyde present in caravans and transportable homes typically exceeds building industry regulations. Formaldehyde is a skin irritant, and yet is used widely in nail and hair products. It is known to induce asthma attacks and without question causes cancer in rats. The severity and frequency of cancer is directly proportionate to the concentration of formaldehyde in a product.

VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) are another area of grave concern. It is still not properly known what many of these VOC’s do when they are mixed together. Many of these chemicals are "technical grade" meaning they are not pure, hence they often include other contaminants, many of which are carcinogenic.

10% of people react to detergents. The average home has around 20 different cleaning products all containing various detergents in which the concentrations are often high. The greatest danger of exposure to these detergents is inhalation. Recent scientific research has shown that the most common reactions to chemical detergents used in the home are (in order)...

Respiratory
Skin irritation
Headaches
Nausea

7,000 children in Australia are hospitalized every year from swallowing chemicals in the home which are considered safe by most. The bottom line is if a child gets sick from something, it’s dangerous!

Aerosol cans are another major problem. They not only contain many toxic chemicals, but also contain propellants which atomize and spread the chemicals very quickly under pressure. Remembering that modern homes are well sealed, inhalation is again the prime concern. Many people in our society are becoming sensitized to chemicals. Such constant exposure to chemicals of this nature leads to asthma in many people. By this time it is often too late to do anything about it. The pesticides used in aerosol cans actually cause convulsions and paralysis. It is frightening to realise that a class 6 pesticide is readily available at any hardware store, one can of which is enough to hospitalize 2000 people. Our respiratory system is made to absorb very quickly and is at the greatest risk from such toxic chemicals every day in our homes. There is a difference between "environmentally friendly" and "human friendly". Something may well be biodegradable and hence not a threat to the environment, however our bodies are far more susceptible to breakdown from many of these chemicals. Aerosol sprays move through the air very quickly under high pressure. It can take as little as 5 minutes before these chemicals are detectable in the blood when sprayed from a can indoors. These toxic solvents and VOC’s stay in the body for days and weeks.

One of the biggest culprits are hair sprays which are not only directed at the skin, but are also inhaled quickly. What’s more we walk around with them on our clothes for the rest of the day spreading toxic fumes everywhere we go. Carpets also store chemicals. We bring many chemicals inside on our shoes every day trapped in dirt and dust, especially heavy metals. A vacuum cleaner instead of making the home cleaner actually creates 90 billion microscopic dust particles per minute, which in itself can cause and trigger asthma!

One myth is that plants can clean indoor air. It would take 2.4 square metres of plants to clean the air inside the average home and most people don't have that kind of space free. So the best method is ventilation from open doors and windows. Avoid using aerosols and other products which contain toxic chemicals. Learn to read labels and warn others about the dangers of these chemicals in the home.

The good news is that at least one manufacturer has made it their goal to eliminate all known harmful ingredients in household and personal care products. This means that safe products are available. We might not be able to isolate ourselves from many of the airborne contaminants, but we certainly can avoid using products which contain such toxic ingredients, and in so doing give ourselves and our children a fighting chance of breaking the life expectancy records!

Recommended reading:
"Sick Homes" by Dr. Peter Dingle
"Children of a Toxic Harvest" by Eve Hilary

Doctors worry: Is your baby safe?

The information above is based on extensive generic research and is presented for educational purposes only.
No implications should necessarily be drawn from the above information as to the effectiveness or otherwise of any specific product or treatment.
Consultation with your preferred healthcare professional is strongly recommended prior to changing your diet or lifestyle.
No responsibility will be accepted for injury or incident to any persons acting solely on the information presented above.