MCSA NEWS
– Online Edition
August 2009, Volume
4, Issue 8
Entire PDF Edition: http://mcs-america.org/August2009.pdf (View, Download, and
Print)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
The Facts About
Cell Phone Radiation
Social Security Disability,
Step 5, Vocational
Vaccine Adjuvant
Linked to Autism and Cellular Damage
Hope for Singles with
Chemical Sensitivity
Time to Look at Your Living
Space in a Different Light
Toxic Exposures and Dose
Additive Effects
Drugs Contaminate
Drinking Water
The Facts About Cell Phone
Radiation
I was an amateur radio enthusiast
before becoming a professional biologist, but kept my interest in radio
throughout a long career as a lecturer at Imperial College London. No one
appreciates more than I the wonders of engineering that have gone into even the
cheapest cell phone, but equally I know the very real dangers that cell phone
signals present to both the user and people living near cell towers.
Unmodulated radio waves are relatively safe
It has been known since the work of
Suzanne Bawin and her co-workers in the mid 1970s
that pure low power radio waves, of strengths similar to those used by cell
phones, are relatively harmless. Pretty much the only damage that can be done
by an unmodulated signal is due to the heating effect
of the radiation as it passes through the body, and the ICNIRP safety
guidelines adopted by many governments are more than adequate to protect you
against that.
Modulated radio waves are not safe
Bawin et al.
also showed that the situation changes drastically when the signal is
“amplitude modulated” so that its strength rises and falls in time with a lower
frequency. In particular, they found that signals that were far too weak to
generate significant heat, could now drive structurally important calcium from
the surfaces of brain cells. Other work showed that pulses with very sharp rise
and fall times were even more effective. The loss of this calcium weakens the
membrane and makes it more likely to leak and gives unwanted biological
effects.
Cell phone signals are modulated
Cell phone signals have to be
“modulated” if they are to carry information such as speech and the various
control signals needed to make the system work. Most digital modulation systems
involve sharp changes in signal strength. These occur over a wide range of
frequencies, some of which are biologically active. Furthermore, they occur at
radiation levels many orders of magnitude lower than those specified by the
ICNIRP guidelines. These guidelines are therefore set far too high to protect
us from modulated radiation.
How the radiation affects us
The body can collect the signal and turn it
into electric currents just like the antenna of a radio set or a cell phone.
These currents are carried by ions (electrically charged atoms or molecules)
flowing through the living tissues and in the blood vessels (a system of tubes
full of an electrically-conducting salty fluid that connect almost every part
of the body). When these currents impinge on cell membranes, which are normally
electrically charged, they try to vibrate in time with the current. Pure unmodulated radio frequency signals change direction far
too quickly to cause serious vibration. Almost as soon as the membrane starts
to move in one direction, it is driven back in the other so it remains more or
less stationary.
However, living cell membranes are able to
demodulate these modulated signals and extract the more dangerous lower
frequencies, which can now cause significant vibration on a molecular scale. In
particular, they drive the negatively charged molecules of the membrane and the
positively charged ions, which are attached to it, in opposite directions. As a
result, some of these ions are shaken loose. Those with a double charge, such
as calcium ions are lost preferentially and replaced by others with only one
charge, which are less affected. But ions with one charge are less able to
stabilise the membrane, which therefore becomes weaker and more inclined to
leak. This in turn can produce all sorts of unwanted biological effects,
ranging from electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) to a loss of fertility and
an increased risk of getting cancer.
How cells demodulate the signal
The mechanism of demodulation is
controversial, but there is no doubt that it occurs. The best explanation is
that the multitude of minute ion channels found in cell membranes act as electrically-biased
point contact diodes (the inside of a cell is normally several tens of millivolts negative to the outside). These can rectify and
demodulate the signal, even at microwave frequencies, so that the low frequency
component appears across the membrane, where it can do most damage. A good
demonstration of this demodulating effect can be found at http://tinyurl.com/m4u75o , where you can see and even hear a
complete radio set, based on a single carbon nanotube,
which can receive, amplify and demodulate regular radio programmes.
Furthermore, it also works at microwave frequencies.
How people become electrosensitive
A cell phone signal, when
demodulated in this way generates a whole family of low frequency components,
some of which are biologically-active and cause membrane leakage. One
consequence of this leakage is to make the sensory cells of electrosensitive
individuals give a whole range of false sensations.
We all have countless sensory cells
that sense touch, heat, pressure, pain etc. but they nearly all work on the
same principle. When they sense whatever they are programmed to sense, their
membranes “deliberately” leak ions, which short-circuit the natural electrical
potentials across them, and this triggers them to send the relevant nerve
impulses to the brain.
Unfortunately, people suffering from
EHS have significantly higher natural rates of membrane leakage as measured by
their skin conductance (Eltiti et al. 2007). Since their
leakage rates are already high, even small amounts of electromagnetic radiation
that would not affect non-sensitive individuals can trigger their symptoms. Not
everyone gets exactly the same symptoms, but they include false feelings of
heat, touch, pressure, crawling sensations, pins and needles and pain.
The radiation can also affect the “hair cells
of the inner ear, which work in much the same way. Leakage here can trigger
false sensations of sound (tinnitus). There is a similar effect on the hair
cells of the part of the inner ear that controls balance. Leakage here gives
feelings of dizziness and symptoms of motion sickness, including nausea.
We are all at risk
EHS may become a major problem for
us all. Although only a few percent of the population are at present
electrosensitive, the condition can be brought on in hitherto healthy people by
repeated or prolonged exposure to the radiation. However, it sometimes takes
many years to develop so, even if you are currently one of the lucky ones who
are not affected, there is no guarantee that it will stay that way.
Effects on the brain
When the neurons of the brain leak,
they become more likely to transmit nerve impulses, some of which are spurious
and have no right to be there. This explains many of the symptoms reported by
people living near cell towers. They include brain hyperactivity, mental
fogginess, loss of concentration, sleep disturbances,
stress headaches, migraine and possibly an increased risk of people with
epilepsy getting seizures.
Another effect on the brain is the
disruption of the blood-brain barrier. This is a layer of tissue between the
blood system and the brain, where the gaps between the cells are sealed, so
that no unwanted materials can enter the brain. Electromagnetic exposure makes
this layer leak potentially toxic substances that can cause permanent brain
damage. The effects of this may not be immediately apparent because the brain
has spare capacity, but are likely to be progressive and lead to early
dementia.
Effects on the heart
People exposed to the radiation from
cell towers sometimes report cardiac arrhythmia and palpitations. These too can
be explained by membrane leakage. The cells of the heart muscle have also been
shown to lose membrane calcium following electromagnetic exposure and may also
leak. Normally, the rhythm of the heart is controlled electrically by waves of
programmed ion leakage that spread through the heart causing it to contract.
Unscheduled ion leakage brought about by electromagnetic radiation can disrupt
this process and induce cardiac arrhythmia, with a consequent increased risk of
getting heart attacks.
Effects on the skin
Leakage in the cells of the skin, can cause inflammation as their contents leak out. There is also a barrier layer in the skin (the stratum granulosum) in which the gaps between the cells are sealed, as in the blood brain barrier. When this leaks, it allows toxins and allergens to enter the body more easily. This can explain the current increase in multiple chemical sensitivities and allergies, which appear to coincide with our ever-increasing exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. You can find more about the biological and health effects of this sort of radiation (including references) at http://tinyurl.com/5ru6e6 .
Can we act responsibly?
Almost no one wants to give up the
convenience of having a cell phone. But at present, the toxic effects of their
radiation are unacceptably high. Much of this seems to be due to the way in
which the microwaves are modulated to carry information. A great deal could be
done to improve the modulation process; e.g. to remove the low frequency
changes in signal strength that appear to be particularly damaging. This work
will need to be done by engineers working in concert with biologists, but it
may be some time before we have an inherently safe system. In the meantime, we
need to do everything we can to reduce our exposure levels. No one wants a
“nanny state” but it is the duty of Governments to warn us of the health risks
of using cell phones so that we can use them responsibly.
The cell phone operators have responsibilities too
The radiation from cell towers is
potentially more dangerous than cell phones because they run continuously day
and night and have been shown to have many unpleasant effects on people living
near them. These appear to be due to an attenuation of their normal circadian
rhythms, leading to tiredness during the day, poor sleep at night and a weaker
immune system. The immune system is linked closely to these rhythms, and any
reduction in their efficacy will increase the risk of general ill health.
Furthermore, the immune system also gets rid of incipient cancer cells so, if
compromised by radiation, it will increase the risk of getting cancer;
something that is already being reported in people living near cell towers.
It is now up to the cell phone operators. At present, the law allows
them to put cell towers pretty much wherever they like. But this law was made many years ago before
many of the non-thermal biological effects of electromagnetic radiation were
discovered; let alone understood. The fact that many of these effects now have
plausible scientific explanations strengthens the need for more rigorous
legislation with tighter limits on base station power and restrictions on
placing them in densely populated areas, especially in sensitive locations such
as schools. The question is, are they yet fully aware of the dangers they pose
and do they have sufficient of a social conscience to do this on a voluntary
basis?
Andrew Goldsworthy BSc PhD
Lecturer in Biology (retired)
Copyrighted ©
2009
Andrew Goldsworthy
*Reprinted with Permission
Andrew Goldsworthy was born in 1939. After
a conventional Grammar School education he obtained a First Class Honors Degree
in Botany followed by a PhD for research into plant physiology and biochemistry
at the
The History of Social Security Disability
Part 5 Vocational
Vocational
It used to be that the SSA had a
vocational expert at each and every hearing.
Vocational experts are people who are experts on jobs. Many of them do job placement for workers
compensation insurance carriers. Not
only was it expensive to have a live expert at each hearing, but the opinions
varied widely. This was not an exact science.
To solve these problems, SSA promulgated
regulations in 1978 which set up criteria to be followed to analyze vocational
issues. The results were put together in
a chart, which looked like a spreadsheet and quickly came to be known as “The
Grid”. Under “The Grid” certain
questions are asked which are:
(1) How old is the claimant?
(2) How far did the claimant get in school?
(3) Does the claimant have any skills?
(4) Are any of those skills transferable to lighter work? And,
(5) How much physical work can the claimant do despite the impairment or
impairments?
In terms of “age”, the only point where
that is really considered for most people is if they are over 50. If you are under 50, you have to be unable to
do all forms of work. They then proceed
in five year increments so there is one category if you are 50 to 55, another
if you are 55 to 60 and the final one if you are between 60 and 65. If you are within six months of the next
category, you can be bumped up.
For “education”, again there are
categories. The first is “less than a
High School diploma”, the second is “High School
diploma”. That’s it other than being
“illiterate or unable to read and write English”. College and advanced degrees do not matter except
in the sense that they confer skills.
For skill levels, there is “unskilled”,
“semi-skilled”, and “skilled”.
“Transferability of skills” has to do with
how long it would take to learn a new job to which your skills could transfer, ie. 30 days, 60 days, or longer. You can’t transfer skills from
unskilled.
For work levels, which are described as
“exertional limitations”, there are five categories: (1) Sedentary; (2) Light;
(3) Medium; (4) Heavy; (5) and Very Heavy.
I won’t go into how each one is defined, but there are specific
definitions for each. Doctors often call
anything that is less strenuous than the job the person was originally doing as
“light”, but that may not meet the definition used by SSA. You therefore have to be careful to get the
actual limitations from the doctor in terms of weight able to be carried, amount
of time able to stand and walk, lift, sit, etc.
We have forms that we send the doctor for this.
If you are unable to do your regular job,
SSA will define how much work you can do from an exertional standpoint based on
the medical opinions, and plug you into the “Grid” to make their
determination. The difference between
being able to do “Medium” work versus “Light” or “Light” versus “Sedentary” can
make the difference in whether the benefits are awarded or denied, so this is
critical in these types of cases.
If you have “non-exertional” impairments,
such as environmental restrictions, or mental impairments, the Grid does not
strictly apply and SSA has to employ a vocational expert to give an opinion on
your specific situation. The “Grid” rules can still be used as a “guide”,
however.
In terms of MCS cases,
assuming we are not approaching it from a mental impairment perspective, the
issues are environmental. You must be
able to work on a regular basis without any accommodations being made for you.
If you are sensitive to perfume, for example, there is really no job you can do
as you will inevitably have to come into contact with someone, either from the
general public or co-workers, who will be wearing something. If the problem is cleaning products, you
can’t control what is used to clean the building, which are usually the
harshest chemicals available that are not actually banned. The same is true of pesticides, as most
buildings have regular spraying programs.
If air fresheners are used in bathrooms, you can’t use those facilities
and would have to leave the building which may not be allowed.
Therefore, the vocational issues usually
aren’t that significant in MCS cases.
However, if your main problems are fatigue or pain, they can play a
role. Otherwise, my only question to the
vocational expert is “assuming that the claimant has all of the sensitivities
alleged, would there be any jobs?” The
answer is always “no”. Work out of the
home or part time work, or work where accommodations are made, is not
considered “substantial gainful employment”.
You must be able to take a 40 hour per week job, not have to be absent
more than one or two days per month, and not need any special accommodations.
“Jobs”
Just a word here about
what we mean by “jobs”. SSA does not consider what they
call “employer hiring practices”. This
means they do not consider whether or not you may be discriminated against due
to the presence of various impairments.
In reality, employers don’t want to hire people who have problems. SSA does not live in reality. They only consider if you could actually do
the job on a regular
and consistent basis over time IF it were offered to you.
They also don’t consider how much the job
pays, what the benefits are, or where it is located. They don’t consider how you would get to work
so long as you can take public transportation.
It does not matter if there is actually any public transportation where
you happen to live. They are looking at
this from a national perspective. If you
can’t drive, you can move to someplace where there is a bus or train. For MCS people, however, public transportation
can be a particular problem as you are forced to remain in close proximity to
others who may be wearing something to which you are sensitive. Therefore, if you can’t tolerate that, and
you can’t drive due to fumes on the street, you wouldn’t be able to work.
To be continued.
Michael Walkup is an experienced
disability practitioner with over 25 years of experience in the disability law
field. In 2001 he became disabled due to
MCS, CFS, and FM. He is now providing a
service to advise clients with potential disability claims who have MCS, CFS,
and/or FM. As these programs and law are
usually Federal, he is able to practice in all 50 states, so your location does not matter.
Michael is a long time
Sustaining Member of the National Organization for Social Security Claimants’
Representatives (NOSSCR), the only national body for disability
representatives. He is also certified as a Federal Trial Lawyer and is admitted
to the
Michael would welcome the
opportunity to try to help you with your legal claims. His web site may be
found at www.MCSLegalHelp.com,
or he may be contacted at MJWalkup@Amertech.net, or at 866-880-HURT (4878).
Vaccine Adjuvant Linked to Autism and Cellular
Damage
Mercury has known neurotoxic properties, yet it was routinely used in a wide range of medical products and procedures for over 70 years, including childhood vaccinations.
Thimerosal, a vaccine preservative, is an ethyl mercury compound known as ethylmercurithiosalicylic acid. Thimerosal was routinely administered to children in amounts greater than those which the EPA considers safe for a full weight adult. With the advent of multiple vaccines being given in one day, this unsafe amount of mercury was further multiplied by the number of vaccines received.
Parents have reported seizures, brain inflammation, high-pitched screaming, sudden infant death, paralysis, fever, autism, autoimmune diseases, and other adverse reactions which occur immediately following vaccination. While a temporary fever may not be a concern, brain inflammation, autism, paralysis, and sudden death are life changing.
The medical community and politicians have continued to push vaccination as the best known way to prevent disease. Objections have been met with dismissal and claims that “there is no proof of any relationship”, yet there is also refusal to perform truly unbiased double blind studies of vaccinated and unvaccinated populations.
Some parents believe vaccination is the biggest threat to the health of our children today. It is true that autism, asthma, and attention deficit disorders were rarely heard of 20 years ago. Now, they are so commonplace that nearly everyone knows a child with one of these diseases.
Looming in front of us now is the new H1N1 vaccine, an untested vaccine which is poised to be pushed onto children first and, historically, caused hundreds of cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome during the 1976 Swine flu outbreak. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is screaming “unstoppable pandemic”, reality shows that the Swine Flu is no more dangerous than the ordinary flu.
Parents are weighing in the odds and denying vaccination looks pretty good to many of them.
One the one hand, chances could be taken with the Swine Flu. Typically, symptoms are mild and recovery is full. Death is rare and is usually not directly related to the Swine Flu virus. There is little chance of any lifelong impact with just a week of flu misery.
While on the other hand, vaccination is unproven, risky, and becoming a more and more questionable practice as people increasingly blame vaccines for outbreaks of new autoimmune and neurological diseases. These diseases were all but unheard of just 25 years ago at a time when vaccinations numbered a mere fraction of what children receive today.
Why are parents concerns dismissed? Why won’t the government fund truly unbiased double blind studies of vaccinated and unvaccinated populations? Does cellular damage occur as a result of vaccination? A new study published in Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry says that, yes, as far as thimerosal is concerned, it does!
Geier and colleagues found that thimerosal induced mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired oxidative-reduction activity, degeneration, and death in human neuronal and fetal cells.
“Thimerosal-induced cytoxicity is similar to that observed in autistic disorders,” says Geier, “Thimerosal was found to be significantly more toxic than the other metal compounds examined.”
Parents do have pause for concern when it comes to vaccination. Given any choice, some will be forgoing the Swine Flu vaccination, which contains a new adjuvant, squalene (MF59) that causes a long-lasting massive immunity response and could lead to autoimmune disorders. This vaccine is little tested and it won’t be tested for effects in combination with other vaccinations children will receive at the same time in preparation for school.
The administration of multiple vaccinations at the same time has also been called into question.
A recent announcement confirms that the makers of the H1N1 vaccine have been granted immunity from law suits. Anyone injured by this experimental vaccine will not be able to sue the manufacturer or administrators of the vaccine. Instead they will have to apply to the federal vaccine injury compensation program. This is also in effect for all childhood vaccinations.
Doctors and vaccine makers are not responsible for injuries and deaths as a result of their vaccine recommendations, which are often forced upon parents and children by lawmakers and doctors alike. If a blanket mass immunization policy is forced upon people who would otherwise not choose to vaccinate, the enforcers should bear responsible for the damage done by these vaccines.
One may wonder how many more lives have to be ruined before the public is heard and concerns are addressed with real science. What is the real agenda of vaccines? Does it go beyond the huge profits of pharmaceutical companies and political campaign contributions ensuring every man, woman, and child is a customer?
Reference
Geier, DA, King , PG, Geier, MR. Mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired oxidative-reduction activity, degeneration, and death in human neuronal and fetal cells induced by low-level exposure to thimerosal and other metal compounds. Toxicol & Environ Chem/, June 2009, 91:4;735 – 749.
Hope
for Singles with Chemical Sensitivity
People with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) often face unique
challenges meeting a soul mate. These
challenges begin with finding someone who is willing to live a healthy,
nontoxic lifestyle and support the needs of a partner with MCS.
Though this sounds
easy, there are many people who have been tricked into thinking that the
products sold on the open market are safe to use. The fact that over 80% of chemicals are
untested for human safety remains as evasive to the average person as
understanding why some people are more susceptible to the effects of chemicals
and are unable to clear them out of the body.
As a result, many
people with MCS find themselves alone.
Still others settle for less than supportive relationships or find
themselves in a relationship with a person who cannot accept the limitations of
MCS and provides a consistent supply of ridicule.
MCS is not a
choice; it’s an illness. Asked her
opinion, one woman with MCS said, “I would never date or marry someone who was
not interested in my health or did not believe MCS was real. If
I became sick after I was married and my spouse was not supportive, I'd leave
as soon as possible whether or not I had anywhere to go or any money to get
there.”
Many people with MCS suffer at the hands of
their spouse while hanging on the dream that one day their spouse will get
it. They suffer needlessly for years and end up separating anyway.
Sometimes the spouse tries to force useless treatments on the person with
MCS, failing to understand that there is no cure yet.
A few are
occasionally committed for psychiatric evaluation by their spouse under the
mistaken belief that s/he is just depressed or psychotic. All have been released after an evaluation since
MCS is not psychiatric, but the scars of additional chemical exposures, stress,
frustration, anger, and resentment continue to build.
This is needless
trauma that may actually lead to emotional problems that would not have
manifested if not for an unsupportive spouse. This kind of stress may
worsen physical condition and prevent the needed rest, recuperation, and proper
medical care.
“I don't advocate
for anyone staying in a dysfunctional relationship like this. It's too
damaging,” says Lourdes Salvador of MCS America.
People who want a meaningful relationship
need not fret though.
Much is lacking in so many of today’s failed
marriages in the mainstream community, and MCS is no different. There are good people out there who are
supportive and intelligent about physical limitations and disabilities.
They are harder to find, but they do exist. And they make excellent
long-term mates due to their higher level of emotional maturity.
Welcome to MCS Time to Look at Your Living Space in a
Different Light
Intro
For many people who have had MCS for some
time, they have slowly made their living space their sanctuary. For those who
are newly diagnosed, things are going to be different, and need to be for you
to stay as well as possible. That means looking at your home in a different
light. This series of articles will walk through the kinds of elements that I
look for in a healthy house, and where the potential problems lie within a
home. We will focus on the sneaky things that you may have missed in your own
process.
Living Rooms
This is a main gathering space, both for
social events, and relaxing, but also for potential toxins and triggers.
Consider this space as a place that improvements can be made, if you take the
time to figure out what could be causing a reaction.
Furniture
Furniture, in all it’s soft comfortable
goodness, can be a trigger for many people with it’s
chemicals and dust occupying a couch just as much as a teenager. Most
furnishings have a petroleum-based fabric such as polyester and other
synthetics. It’s structure is typically framed
together with a fiber board or particleboard, which is bits of wood product
glued together with some formaldehyde based glue, that off gasses quite a bit.
Add to this the typical flame retardants, PBDE’s,
which can leach out during use, and you have the potential toxic couch that for
many people can impact their health. So what do you do? I recommend old
furniture, first, so that many chemicals have off gassed. That could be second
hand, used, thrift store finds or antiques; call them what you want, get them
where you can. They are a good start,
and for the budget conscious, a smart solution.
Of course it comes with challenges, as the
last person could have been a heavy perfume wearer, smoker, or sprayed cleaning
products everywhere, so it’s not a trip to be taken lightly. Since all of these
are impacted by the presence of soft goods on the furniture (read fabrics and
cushions) find something with little bits or no fabrics and cushions and add
them later.
Ditto for the particle board made
stuff. It wasn’t good quality the first time around, so don’t think the second
time around it’s worth anything. Keep your money in your pocket and search for
solid wood furniture so you can eliminate one thing from your concerns. Much
solid wood furniture can be cleaned if odors are present. TSP (Tri Sodium
Phosphate) or other cleaners that you can tolerate are good places to start on
anything you bring home. Pull drawers out, tear off the thin fabric covering on
the bottom of a couch, whatever it takes for you to get in and get it cleaned.
Try to do this cleaning outside of your house in case things go bad and it
can’t stay. You don’t want to have the
new furniture make the rest of the house toxic.
If you can’t clean it elsewhere, put it on a balcony or make a plastic
containment to keep it in while you work on it and wait to see if it’s
suitable.
If you do buy something with fabrics, use
a HEPA vacuum to remove as much of the dust and debris as possible. Take it out
into the sun and let the sun’s ultraviolet light bleach out the dust mites and
other yucky stuff. That will also help freshen it up a fair bit. If you have
carbon or charcoal that you can tolerate. you can use
that to help take out odors. Finally, pull off all the fabrics that you can and
wash them in safe laundry soap.
The foam can be a challenge since most
foam is petroleum-based and glued together with formaldehyde. If it’s in bad shape it may be off gassing,
especially if it’s starting to break down into little pieces. Consider wrapping
any exposed pieces of foam to prevent spreading or becoming airborne.
Leather furniture is typically better
suited for those with sensitivities. It is significantly better with respect to
dust and because the surface is less flexible, it does not shed chemicals as
easily as a softer fabric. Everyone is different and I have had people react to
leather. It has to do with things like how it’s tanned, the colors added, and
other such variations. It’s not free of chemicals by any means, but it could be
a more tolerable option for you.
You may consider covering offending
furniture with a cover of tolerable fabric. In a pinch this could be an old
sheet that you have lying around. You could then look at some tolerable organic
cotton, hemp, or other fabric. Wash it first in powdered milk, rinse, and
follow by a regular washing. Repeat as often as necessary to make the fabric
safe. This recipe came from the founder of the International Institute for
Building Biology and Ecology.
Fireplaces
Fireplaces are typically found in living rooms and there may be problems
with these units. First, hot air
rises. That, we all
seem to know. Do you also know that cold air falls? So when the chimney
isn’t hot from a fire, cold air is drawn in.
Since you don’t wash and vacuum your chimney very often, it’s dirty,
sooty, and possibly contains bird nests. Air is drawn into your house due to
the building pressure, which is affected by temperatures inside and outside,
the number of openings in the house, and the direction and strength of the wind
on the house.
Even airtight fireplaces are not
completely airtight. If you have a fireplace and are not in the midst of using
it, consider plugging it up until you are. A cost effective solution is to find
a batt of insulation and put it into a big garbage
bag. Stuff that bag of insulation into
the fireplace hole as best as you can. Now what you have is a thermal barrier
(the insulation) stopping heat loss. The
garbage bag is an energy sieve and an air barrier which stops the airflow
between the chimney and your space.
PLEASE NOTE that you should hang a flag of some kind low enough that you
will see it if you go to open the fireplace and start a fire, otherwise you
will have a toxic gooey mess on your hands in short order. Also, remember to
have your chimney inspected and cleaned frequently to ensure proper operation
and safety.
Flooring
Flooring is a whole article unto its own.
Consider the installation of hard surface flooring over soft flooring as a best
practice to reduce dust loads and to control chemical inputs into the home. If
you want something soft, look at area rugs as they can be washed, beaten, and
taken outside to be aired out, which is significantly trickier with regular
carpets.
Conclusion
By adding this information to other
elements such as paints and ventilation, you can improve the living space that
you relax in by quite a large amount. This information will also help you make
choices for newer pieces to your home to help you live healthier and safer.
Stephen Collette is a
Stephen Collette is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -
Accredited Professional (LEED AP), which allows Stephen to use the
705-652-5159
Dampness Linked to Allergies
Researchers have confirmed that dampness
in students’ dormitories leads to allergy and airway infection, a finding that
also applies to home and office environments.
An extremely strong correlation was found
between building condensation and dry cough, an unproductive cough in terms of
the lack of expectoration. Other symptoms related to moisture in the air were
wheezing, rhinitis, eczema, ear inflammation, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Even
the risk of coming down with the common cold was significantly increased in
damp dorm rooms.
Signs of indoor moisture to watch for
include mold, dampness, water damage, condensation on windows during winter
months, and discernable odors. Some
molds are known to cause allergy, while others may induce toxicity.
A mold allergy produces hay fever like
symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itching, nasal
stuffiness, watering eyes, wheezing, and coughing. Allergy symptoms are
generally regarded as different degrees of a nuisance. The symptoms are usually easily observable by
a physician. Diagnosis can be confirmed
with typical allergy tests for elevated immunoglobulin E (IgE).
The symptoms of mold toxicity are
typically neurological and may include headache, extreme fatigue, dizziness,
weakness nausea, disorientation, memory problems, slowed reaction time,
peripheral neuropathy, sensory neuropathy, and personality/mood changes. Other
symptoms may include respiratory difficulty, rash, burning sensations in the
nose and mouth, and gastrointestinal disorders. Serious toxicity may result in
impaired speech, seizures, stroke, and paralysis.
Mold toxicity is not regarded as a
nuisance, but rather a major life altering crisis. Victims of toxicity will
take extreme measures to avoid further exposure to molds that add to their
toxic load and induce cellular inflammation, nutritional deficiencies,
malabsorption, and impaired liver detoxification. If mold toxicity is suspected, medical
treatment should be sought immediately.
A dehumidifier may be helpful to reduce
moisture. Water damage should be
repaired immediately. Rooms with ongoing
moisture, such as the bathroom, should have an exhaust fan or window fan
blowing outward to remove excess moisture.
Zeolite may be purchased in rock form to absorb odors from the air. Various moisture absorbing materials are
available as well.
Regular building inspections can help to
uncover and remediate mold problems. Rather
than trying to clean them, the best way to remediate mold to replace all
affected materials.
Reference
Sun Y, Zhang Y, Sundell J, Fan Z, Bao L. Dampness at
dorm and its associations with allergy and airways infection among college
students in
Q&A
Controlling Head Lice
Q: What is safe, natural, and effective for head
lice?
A: Most
head lice products contain dangerous pesticides. One such pesticide, lindane,
has been banned in some states and is linked to serious health effects.
Your kitchen contains several natural
non-toxic head lice solutions.
Olive Oil
Apply a copious amount of olive oil by
working it into the hair and scalp.
Leave it on for up to an hour and then wash out. The oil will suffocate the lice.
Salt
Tilt the head back so that the scalp and
hair is submerged in salt water for 15 minutes.
The salt kills lice. Swimming in
the ocean works too.
Heat
Cover head with a shower cap and sit under
a hot dryer to kill lice.
Cider Vinegar
Once the lice are dead, work on finding
and removing the eggs. Work cider vinegar
into hair and scalp to loosen lice eggs and then comb them out.
Q&A Treatment Not Working
Q:
I have multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and
typical treatment has failed. I don’t
even tolerate taking supplements and can eat very few foods. What am I missing?
A:
If you are not improving and practice avoidance, then your doctor has
probably failed to find and eliminate a long-term or ongoing toxicity. This
could be an ongoing exposure that initiated your MCS, such as mold in your home
or formaldehyde in your furniture, or even flame retardants found in your
bedding that cannot be smelled.
Or, it may be a build-up of heavy metals
or other toxics in the body which have not been removed. Toxics
still present in the body can lead to malabsorption and nutritional
deficiencies which are generally treated and reversed by eliminating the toxic
substance from the body and discontinuing exposure.
Conditions which mimic MCS, such as porphyria and mast cell disorders
may be at fault. Treating these is essential to recovery. There are
many conditions which often occur with and worsen MCS, particularly endocrine
disorders of adrenal. Adrenal problems can worsen MCS and MCS worsens
adrenal problems, so no real improvement may be seen until both are treated
simultaneously.
With regard to supplements, purity is important, as is taking very small
doses to begin with and building up as tolerance increases. The right
supplements are important in the right doses. The wrong mix can make
matters worse. Nutritional status tests can be very revealing as can hair
tests, which may indicate malabsorption. In malabsorption, hair and blood
vitamin and mineral levels may be extremely high because the cells are not
absorbing and using the nutrients. This may lead to symptoms of
supplement and food intolerance when the cells are really starving for the
nutrients. Think of it like having toxic
levels of vitamins in the bloodstream, but deficient levels in the cells
because the door between the blood stream and cells is locked.
Please consult with a qualified medical professional for testing and
treatment. This column should not be
construed as medical advice and no such claims are inferred.
Toxic Exposures and Dose Additive Effects
Each day, people are exposed to a myriad
of potentially toxic chemicals in low doses, such as having a workplace or home
sprayed for bugs, outdoor environmental pollution, and the use of cleaning
chemicals, personal care products, and fragrances.
Previously, scientists have studied each
chemical exposure separately and set safe exposure limits for individual
products. With people are increasingly
becoming ill from low-dose chemical exposure, scientists are just beginning to
understand that this may not be effective.
Wolansky and colleagues hypothesized that that the
cumulative neurotoxic effects of pyrethroid mixtures in rats could be predicted
using the default dose-addition theory.
The researchers’
uncovered significant dose-related decreases in motor activity at
below-threshold levels for each pyrethroid.
Not only do various exposures accumulate,
but similar exposures may have more than an additive effect. In some cases, two exposures may act
synergistically to produce more of an effect than simply that of two individual
substances added together. It’s an
increased potency at a lower dose and this may account for an epidemic of
reports of chemical sensitivity and toxic reactions.
Chemicals have become ubiquitous in the
environment. Even people who avoid the
use of any toxic chemical product find they cannot avoid being exposed to
neurotoxic chemicals such as the use of pesticides in public places, herbicide
use in parks, and others’ use of perfume, scented lotions, and use of clothing
laundered in fragranced detergent.
Anytime air is shared, such as in a
school, workplace, or movie theatre, everyone in the room is subject to
exposure to the products everyone else has used or worn.
A conscious effort is needed by a vast
majority of people to reduce everyone’s exposure.
Most of us don’t even realize that our
shampoo, lotion, and after shave is scented or that the pesticide we applied yesterday
will persist in our home for months where our children and pets crawl and
rest.
Beginning at home, unscented laundry and
personal care products are a great start.
Pests can be controlled by natural means and keeping the home clean and
free of debris. Weeds can be pulled,
weed whacked, or mowed.
Health begins at home!
Reference
Wolansky, MJ, Gennings, C, DeVito, MJ, and
Crofton KM. Evidence for Dose Additive
Effects of Pyrethroids on Motor Activity in Rats. Environmental Health Perspectives.
doi:
10.1289/ehp.0900667 (available at http://dx.doi.org/) Online 8 June 2009.
Drugs Contaminate Drinking Water
With the increased use of prescription medications,
pharmaceutical products are routinely found contaminating surface, ground, and
drinking water worldwide.
Not only are lakes, streams, and municipal
water contaminated, but wells tested in villages near drug manufacturing plants
were all contaminated.
This presents several interesting and
controversial moral issues.
First, people are being drugged by this
contamination at low-levels against their knowledge and, perhaps, against their
will. Water and air should be clean and
uncontaminated.
Second, individual medical and health
status may contraindicate exposure to certain drugs found in water. Given the wide variation of dosage through
varying water consumption patterns, innocent people could be injured or killed.
Third, serious concerns about the
potential development of mass antibiotic resistance exist. Exposure to antibiotics in the water supply
builds bacteria’s resistance to them.
When an infection occurs and antibiotics are mandated, they may no
longer be effective against the bacteria.
This open s up the potential life-threatening strains
of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Though use and disposal of these drugs has
been blamed, recent research suggests that wastewater from the production of
drug is the largest factor.
Lawmakers are faced with the task of regulating wastewater distribution
while balancing the huge political campaign contributions drug makers are often
accused of buying loyalty with.
Reference
Fick, J, Söderström, H, Lindberg, RH, Phan
C, Tysklind, M, and Joakim
Larsson, DJ. Contamination
of surface, ground, and drinking water from pharmaceutical production. Environmental Toxicology
and Chemistry. DOI:
10.1897/09-073.1
Indoor Air More Polluted
Researchers say that indoor air is more
polluted than outdoor air… up to six times more polluted!
Ward and colleagues from the Center for
Environmental Health Sciences say toluene the most abundant toxicant in indoor
air.
Toluene is clear and colorless, though it has
a very distinctive odor in its raw form.
It is most often found in automobile exhaust, fingernail polish,
lacquers, paints, glues, and other products.
Rubber, inks, and leather products may also contain toluene… all
products commonly found in the home.
Toluene is on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Priority List for toxic chemicals. The production of toluene in the Unites States exceeds 1 million pounds annually.
The
health effects of toluene range from dizziness, fatigue, confusion, weakness,
nausea, and loss of appetite to drunken-like behavior and vision loss. In high or chronic exposures situations, the
kidneys may be affected.
A developing fetus may be affected by
toluene, which is a recognized developmental toxicant. It is also suspected as a cardiovascular,
gastrointestinal, liver, immune, kidney, neurological, skin, and respiratory
toxicant.
Toluene exposure can be detected in blood
and urine up to 12 hours after exposure.
Risk of exposure can be reduced by tightly
sealing toluene containing products and storing them out of the main living
area, though this creates a challenge when it comes to rubber products and
inks, such as that found in books and magazines.
Opening windows increases air
exchange. A window fan can be placed in
one window blowing out and another can be placed in an opposite window blowing
in to ensure constant air exchange.
The use of a whole house air filtration
system attached to the HVAC can help during cold months or when it’s not
practical to open windows. If HVAC is not available, several room air purifiers
may be useful.
It is important to consider that most
people spend half their day at home and the other half at work/school. These places should be as ventilated and
clean as possible
Reference
Ward TJ, Underberg H, Jones D,
Resources and Support
MCS
MCSA
Public
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcsa-public/
Open to the general public open to discuss MCS, support,
ideas, information, announcements, news and activism. No application is
required.
MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-america-members-support
This group also fulfills the function of discuss support, ideas, information, announcements, and/or share personal activism like the MCSA-Pubic group, only with a closed membership that requires a membership application. This group also has the added benefit of being a place where individuals and other organizations and activists can engage in collaborative efforts with MCS America and being recipient to all the news feeds (see MCSA Feeds below). Members of this group are considered associate members of MCS America. Members do not operate MCS America in any way, but rather collaborate with the organization and are privy to some internal operations, activities, and events.
MCSA
Feeds
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcsafeeds
The purpose of this public access group is to receive daily distribution of news and research studies on multiple chemical sensitivity, chemical injury, environmental concerns, and other related environmental illnesses and disorders. Anyone can join without an application. Only the moderator posts to this group. This is not a discussion group. This group distributes about 15 articles on average each day.
MCS
Salvage and Share
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSA-safer-salvage-and-share
A public access group similar to Freecycle,
except it's a free recycling program for safer reusable's
geared towards individuals with MCS, CFS, FM, and other related disabilities
correlated with the environment. The purpose of this program is to find,
give, and recycle needed "safe" or "safer" items. All
items are exchanged for free. Shipping cost are arranged between donor and
recipient. Anyone can join without an application.
Multiple
Chemical Sensitivities and Toxic Injury
http://groups.google.com/group/mcs-ti
This is
a small non-Yahoo based group open to the general public to discuss MCS,
support, ideas, information, announcements, news and activism.
MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-hawaii
Open to the general public residing in
MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Nebraska
Open to the general public residing in
or subscribe at:
MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-michigan
Open to the general public residing in
Support Forums Outside the
MCS
4Mom
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4MOM/
According to
Bay
Area MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/bayareamcslist/
Classified
ads and notices for people with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in the San
Francisco Bay Area.
CFS
CFIDS ME
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CFS_CFIDS_ME/
This
Group is to promote friendly discussion about places where people have gone and
feel more or less recovered from CFS/ME/CFIDS.
Chemical
Disability Australasian NETwork
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CDANET/
A
Discussion/Chat/Mutual help list run by and for the chemically disabled.
CMCS-EI
Christian MCS, CFS, FM, and EI Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CMCS-EI/
We are
a Christian group who have invisible illnesses like MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity)
or Environmental Illnesses like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ( CFS ), Fibromyalgia
( FM ), GWS, Lupus, Anxiety, etc.
Creative
Canaries Community
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CreativeCanariesCommunity
This group is an online meeting place for creative artists with Chemical Sensitivities. We offer connections between - and information for - artists whose (artistic) life is affected by Chemical Sensitivities and the consequences they have.
Detox
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcs-america-members-support
"Detox"
is a group to serve chemically injured, environmentally ill, multiple chemical
sensitivity, and related illness such as chronic fatigue, candidiasis,
hypoglycemia, lupus, and others.
Disinissues
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disinissues/
The purpose of Disinissues is to share experience and advice about the processes of obtaining and maintaining Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and long-term disability insurance. The group is targeted mainly towards those with invisible disabilities, such as CFIDS and other conditions not on Social Security's Listing of Impairments.
EMF
Refugee
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/emfrefugee/
This
ML has been created with the intent of bringing refugees together in countries
around the world to form their own EMF-free communities in natural environments
where they can heal and create healing environments for the Earth and others.
Environmental
Illness 001
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/environmental_illness001/
This
group is dedicated to curing / resolving all issues related to Environmental
Illness, including but not limited to: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS),
Multiple Food Allergy, Leaky Gut Syndrome, Candida, Epstein Barr Virus, Chronic
Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Heavy Metal Poisoning, Porphyria, endocrine system dysregulation,
etc.
eSens - Electrical
Sensitivity
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/eSens/
Do you feel ill when you're near computers, cell phones, fluorescent lights, or
wireless internet? If so, you may have "electrical sensitivity".
Gasslist-L (Glutaraldehyde, Aldehyde, and Solvent Sensitivity)
http://www.ncchem.com/snftaas/gasslist.htm
This list
has been established to serve persons interested in Glutaraldehyde,
Aldehyde, and Solvent Sensitivity, especially
darkroom personnel, radiographers, and diagnostic medical sonographers. The
purpose of the list is to promote internet-wide exchange of research and
information.
Green
Canary
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GreenCanary
This
list is dedicated to a life free from toxic chemicals, and the health problems
that they can cause. Here we can come together and share the information
and experiences that have taught each of us a piece of the knowledge necessary
to survive and thrive, eliminating unnecessary toxic chemicals from our lives,
and replacing them with the elements of health and the alternatives offered by
the natural world around us.
Immune
http://immuneweb.org/lists/immune.html
This
is the list for support and information about multiple chemical sensitivities,
chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis, porphyria,
allergies, asthma, and other immune-related ailments.
Immune
Parenting
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/immune-parenting/
This
list is for both men and women who have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, or other immune system
medical issues--or their partners--who are parents, pregnant, trying to
conceive, or who are thinking about parenthood.
Live
Chat at the Health and
This chatroom is not
associated with any group. It is unmoderated and no password is required. Chat
Times: Saturday - 7 pm ET, 6 pm CT, 5 pm Mtn, 4 pm
Pac; Monday - 9 pm ET, 8 pm CT, 7 pm Mtn, 6 pm Pac;
Wednesday - 8 pm ET, 7 pm CT, 6 pm Mtn, 5 pm
MCS
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Canada/
This
group was formed to assist patients and concerned parties from all
nationalities learn to cope with environmental injury, including disorders such
as
MCS
Canadian Sources
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-CanadianSources
MCS
Canadian Sources is a support, information and resource exchange for those
living and coping with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Environmental
Illness (EI), or Chemical Injury (CI).
MCS
Photography
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSphotography/
MCS Photography
is a group for those with multiple chemical sensitivity who capture and share
the world and their life through photography.
MCS
Recycle
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSRecycle/
The objective
of this group is to be able to share with each other items that are chemical
free and have been used in a non-toxic environment. This group is planet-wide.
MCS
Safe Shelter
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcssafeshelterusa/
Short-term
and long-term housing for people with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity).
Check our database for listings by state. (Please use the two-digit code.) Find
rentals, hotels, and housing to purchase.
MCS
Survivors
http://communityzero.com/mcsurvivors
For those who
experience environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), here
is a place to gather, exchange ideas, links to helpful websites, even have live
chats. Enjoy!
MCS Toxic Injuries
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCS-Toxic-Injuries/
MCS-Toxic-Injuries
is a self-moderated, secular, apolitical newsgroup for toxically-injured
environmentally sensitive people to support one another and exchange coping
methods, treatments and experiences.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MCSVillage/
The
purpose of this group is to discuss the feasibility of building a village(s)or
community in which MCS/EI patients can live safely, and to provide a forum in
which the legal, medical, geographic, architectural, social and funding issues
relating to building such a community(ies) or
village(s) may be discussed and resolved.
MCS
Writers Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mcswritersgroup/
A place
for writers who have chemical sensitivities (or chemical injury) to share their
stories and articles, work on and develop public writing skills, exchange
editing skills and perspective, and develop ideas in order to bring awareness
and education to the published world about what it is like to live with
MCS/ES/CI/EI.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MO-MCS/
Midwest
Oasis MCS E-mail Support is the e-mail arm of the Midwest Oasis MCS Support
Group. Although people from all geographical areas are welcome to join, a
partial focus of this list will be discussion of regional issues affecting MCS
(Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) in
Multiple
Chemical Sensitivity (Chemical Sensitivity, Porphyrin & CO)
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MultipleChemicalSensitivity/
Discussion
group where people afflicted with Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Carbon Monoxide
Poisoning &/or Disorders of Porphyrin Metabolism can talk about their
illness, inquire with others on avoidance, methods of cleaning & products
one can use for necessary hygiene.
Old
Dominion MCS-FMS_CFIDS Support Group · A Virginia Fibro MCS CFIDS Group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/OldDominionMCS-FMS_CFIDSsupportgroup/
Too
many people in
Planet
Thrive
A
dynamic online community for those activity seeking answers and support for a
variety of health concerns. A place where people around the world help
each other get well and stay well.
Sick
Buildings
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/sickbuildings/
Toxic
molds are running rampant in our homes, offices and schools. Exposure to
mycotoxins has been linked to the death of infants, as well as
immune-compromised adults. Despite increasing reports of mold-induced illness
and health problems associated with mold exposure, our public health agencies
offer little, if any support or funding for research into this growing problem.
Sprayno
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sprayno/
This
is a list to exchange information regarding environmental issues in the
northern suburbs and NY metro area focusing especially on encouraging activism
in this area and educating the public about toxic effects of
pesticide/herbicide usage.
Tenth
Paradigm Society
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TenthParadigmSociety/
The
Tenth Paradigm Society mailing list is for the dissemination and discussion of
information concerning the NO/ONOO- cycle mechanism, a new paradigm of human
disease, proposed by Martin L. Pall, Ph.D. Dr. Pall adopted the term
"Multisystem Illness" to describe those diseases that fall under the
tenth paradigm. They include: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/CFIDS/M.E.),
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Fibromyalgia (FM/FMS), Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Gulf War Syndrome (GWS).
The
Sanctuary
http://www.mcs-international.org/phpBB3/
MCS-International.Org's Holistic Support Forums For sufferers of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and all other forms of Chemical Injury and Environmental Illness.
Toxics Discussion
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ToxicsDiscussion/
If you're keen on a toxics-safe future for the planet, then this is the
discussion group for you. Toxics are defined here as naturally occurring or
man-made chemicals (elements/compounds/mixtures) that have a toxic effect.
WSMCSN
(
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WSMCSN
WSMCSN
is a decentralized network of groups and individuals in
Additional
Forum Listing Webpage
http://ww.mcs-america.org/forums
Physician & Dentist Referral Lists
Physician Referral List by State
http://mcs-america.org/doctorlist.pdf
Proper medical care is most crucial to recovery for individuals with MCS. Some of the physicians on this list specialize in MCS, others in FM and CFS. It is recommended that patients and doctors consult with one another prior to beginning any treatment to ensure understanding of the patient’s needs and compatibility of patient and physician.
Dentist Referral List by State
http://mcs-america.org/dentistlist.pdf
Dental care is often challenging for individuals with MCS. Dental materials may cause reactions and should be tested for biocompatibility prior to use. A holistic dentist Is generally more familiar with the needs of individuals with MCS. Some of the dentists on this list are specifically familiar with MCS, others are not. It is recommended that patients and dentists consult with one another prior to beginning any treatment to ensure understanding of the patient’s needs and compatibility of patient and dentist.
Air Quality Reports
Air Now Air Quality Reports
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/whereyoulive.html
The National Association of Clean Air
Agencies 4 Cleaner Air
American Lung
Association: State of the Air
http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2007.htm
Current Local & National Allergy
Levels
http://pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp
Scorecard:
Pollution Index by Area
Toxmap Hazardous Waste
Site Locations
http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/main/index.jsp
http://www.firedetect.noaa.gov/viewer.htm
Antenna Search (
http://mcs-america.org/index_files/www.AntennaSearch.com
EPA Safe Drinking Water Information by
State
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/
EPA Radon Zone Map
http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html
Brochures
Air Fresheners & Plug-Ins
http://mcs-america.org/airfresh.pdf
Chemical in Air Fresheners Reduces Lung Function
http://mcs-america.org/lung.pdf
Consequences of Childhood Chemical Injury Poster By Margaret S. O’Nan
http://mcs-america.org/onan.pdf
Electrosensitivity Brochure by Kato Yasuko
http://mcs-america.org/KatoYasukoElectrosensitivityBrochure.doc
Fabric Softener
http://mcs-america.org/fabricsoftener.pdf
Fragrances
http://mcs-america.org/fragrances.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: General
Cleaning Solutions
http://www.mcs-america.org/general.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: Kitchen
Cleaning
http://www.mcs-america.org/kitchen.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: Personal
Care
http://www.mcs-america.org/personal.pdf
Grandma’s Cupboard: Laundry
http://www.mcs-america.org/laundry.pdf
Household Mold brochure from
http://publications.msss.gouv.qc.ca/acrobat/f/documentation/2002/02-214-01A.pdf
ILRU: Understanding &
Accommodating People with MCS in Everyday Living
http://mcs-america.org/ilru.pdf
Indoor Air Chemistry
http://mcs-america.org/indoorair.pdf
Interior Design and MCS
http://mcs-america.org/interior.pdf
Jill Mellum: Breathe Easier, Hold the Fragrances Brochure
http://mcs-america.org/fragrancefacts.pdf
MCS Task Force of
http://mcs-america.org/newmexico.pdf
MCS Public Accommodations
http://www.nettally.com/prusty/PUBLIC%20ACCOMMODATIONS.pdf
MCS Statistics
http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSStatistics.pdf
No Scents Makes Sense Brochure
http://www.nb.lung.ca/pdf/NoScentsMakeSense.pdf
Theory on the Cause of MCS:
Peroxynitrite and Nitric Oxide
http://www.mcs-america.org/cause.pdf
Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
http://www.mcs-america.org/understanding.pdf
Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide
http://mcs-america.org/fungicide.pdf
Vaccine Poster - Are We Poisoning Our Children?
http://www.generationrescue.org/pdf/080212.pdf
Visiting a Person with MCS
http://mcs-america.org/visiting.pdf
What you should know before visiting a person who has NRLA and/or MCS
http://mcs-america.org/VisitingNRLA-MCS.pdf
Signs
Acute Toxic Effects of Fragrances Business
Card
http://mcs-america.org/acutetoxiceffectsoffragrancescard.pdf
Chemical Awareness Ribbon
http://mcs-america.org/ribbon.gif
Electrosensitivity Sign - Please
Turn Off Your Cell Phone
http://mcs-america.org/KatoYasukoElectrosensitivtySignTurnOffYourCellPhone.pdf
Facemask on Tweety
http://mcs-america.org/tweety.jpg
Fragrance Free Sign: Brooks University
http://www.brocku.ca/oehs/graphics/Fragrance_Free_Sign.pdf
No Scents Makes Sense Sign
http://mcs-america.org/scentssign.pdf
No Latex Sign by Jane Sagmoe
http://mcs-america.org/nolatex.JPG
You Could Be Next Sign
http://mcs-america.org/nextsign.pdf
Want to Put Your Friends and Family in
Jail?
http://mcs-america.org/jail.pdf
Wood Smoke Trespass Flyer 8 1/2 x 11
http://mcs-america.org/woodsmokeflyer.pdf
Activist Materials
Fragrances on Mail and/or Catalogs
http://mcs-america.org/FragrancedMailCatalogBillsLetterforActivists.doc
Air Freshener Use
http://www.mcs-america.org/customairfreshenerletter.doc
Use of Fragrance,
http://mcs-america.org/UseofFragranceLetterforActivists.doc
Fabric Softener Emissions
http://www.mcs-america.org/LetterAboutFabricSoftener.doc
Letter to State Representatives to Ban
Woodsmoke
http://mcs-america.org/woodsmoke.doc
Letter to Doctors and Medical Boards
Supporting MCS as a biological Illness (fully cited and scientifically
supported)
Website:
http://mcs-america.org/MCSPositionStatement.htm
PDF:
http://mcs-america.org/MCSPositionStatement.pdf
*This work is copyrighted. Permission granted for personal use in
activism provided that original copyright and authorship are maintained. For permission to reprint, mail admin@mcs-america.org.
Request for Accommodations Under the
Americans with Disabilities Act
http://www.mcs-america.org/RequestforAccomodation.doc
Public Service Announcements
Public Service Announcement #1
Air fresheners have been pulled off thousands of shelves nation-wide!
http://www.mcs-america.org/AirFreshenerPSA1.pdf
Public Service Announcement #2
When you use fragranced products, did you know you are
wearing toxic chemicals!?
http://www.mcs-america.org/WhenYouUseFragrancedProductsPSA2.pdf
Public Service Announcement #3
Secondhand Fragrances are Like Secondhand Smoke!
http://www.mcs-america.org/SecondHandFragrancesPSA3.pdf
Public Service Announcement #4
Scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners pollute indoor and outdoor air!
http://www.mcs-america.org/ScentedLaundryDetergentsPSA4.pdf
Public Service Announcement #4 (SPANISH)
Scented laundry detergents and fabric softeners pollute indoor and outdoor air!
http://mcs-america.org/mcsamerica/ScentedLaundryDetergentsPSA4Spanish.pdf
Public Service Announcement #5
Wood Smoke... The Other Secondhand Smoke!
http://www.mcs-america.org/WoodSmokePSA5BurningIssues.pdf
Public Service Announcement #6
Fragrances undermine public health!
http://www.mcs-america.org/FragrancesPSA6.pdf
Public Service Announcement #7
Fragranced Laundry Products Pollute Our
Air
http://mcs-america.org/PSA7FragrancedLaundry.pdf
Clothing & Novelties for
Activism
MCS
http://www.mcs-america.org/MCSstore..htm
Zona’s T-Shirts and Stuff Zone
http://members.shaw.ca/zonaszone/shop/tshirts.html
Virtual & Work-at-Home
Jobs
Agent, Staffing at Home
http://www.staffingathome.com/
Agent,
West at Home
Agent, Working Solutions
http://www.workingsol.com/home.htm
Blogger, PayPerPost.com
http://payperpost.com/blogger_signup.html
http://www.accoladesupport.com/
Caller Employee, Customer Loyalty Concepts
http://www.customloyal.com/Employment.aspx
Chef Instructor, Chefs Line
Customer Care, VIP Desk
http://www.vipdesk.com/info/default.asp
Customer Service, Alpine Access
http://www.alpineaccess.com/external/index.html
Editor,
EditFast.com
Expert,
JustAnswer Corp
Freelancer, Team Double-Click
http://www.teamdoubleclick.com/freelance.html
Guide, About .com
Guide, ChaCha
Home Agent, Convergys
http://www.convergysworkathome.com/
Telemarketing, Intrep Sales
Partners
Online Juror, eJury.com
Online Juror,
OnlineVerdict.com
Online Juror, Trial Practice
Inc.
Third Party Verifier, BSG Payments LLC
Virtual Assistant, Virtual
Office Temps
http://virtualassistantjobs.com/
Virtual Services, Arise
Virtual Solutions
http://www.arise.com/Content/default.asp
Writer, Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.com/
Writer, CyberEdit
Inc.
Writer, MyEssays.com
http://www.myessays.com/sell.php
National
Telecommuting Institute, Inc.
Environmentally Safer
Housing
Allergy And Environmental Health
Association Of
http://www.aeha-quebec.ca/bb_housingproject.htm
Barrhaven Non-Profit Housing Inc.
Environmental Sensitivity Units
Steepleview Crossing,
(613) 823-6230 Fax: (613)
825-7724
http://ehaontario.ca/barrhaven-housing.htm
Canada-wide
Housing Connection
1-613-278-0463
http://ehaontario.ca/interview.htm
Ecology House,
(415) 456-4453
Escalante House
Phone/Fax: (435) 826-4778
toripat@color-country.net
Green Homes for
Safe Haven Community Housing
http://www.geocities.com/safehavencommunity/#ntact
The Pandora Initiative (
Quail Haven - MCS Housing
Just North of Tuscon, AZ
Call Diane Ensign for details:
May through January call: (406) 586-3658 (
January through May call: (520) 825-7276 (
http://madelinx.tripod.com/
Seagoville Ecology Housing
(972) 287-2059 Fax: (972)
287-7682
http://www.ehcd.com/resources/ecologyhousing.html
The
954-428-5438
http://www.thenaturalplace.com/default.htm
Safer Building &
Regulations
American Lung Association: Resources & Referrals for and from the
Master Home Environmentalist program.
http://tinyurl.com/5vvk9e
Architectural House Plans Healthy Homes
Construction Guidelines
Information: http://tinyurl.com/6dteuz
Booklet:
http://www.architecturalhouseplans.com/products/
Assessment of the
Indoor Air Quality of a Suite for an Environmentally Hypersensitive Occupant
http://mcs-america.org/IAQforanEIOccupant.pdf
Considerations For
Safer Construction And Renovation By
http://www.environmentalhealth.ca/w9394safer.html
Dr. Grace Ziem’s Environmental Control
Plan for MCS Patients
http://www.mcsrr.org/resources/articles/S3.html
The
The Effect of Housing on Individuals with
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
Building for Health Materials Center
http://www.buildingforhealth.com/
Environmental Home Center
http://tinyurl.com/5ssv8a
Heal Your
The Healthy Housing
Coalition: Basic Needs for Rental
Housing for Chemically Sensitive Persons
http://www.herc.org/hhc/Basicrentalneeds.html
Healthy Housing Practical Tips
IEQ Indoor
Environmental Quality
http://ieq.nibs.org/ieq_project.pdf
International Institute for Building
Biology and Ecology
http://www.buildingbiology.net/
LEED®
http://www.cagbc.org/leed/systems/index.htm
The Medical Perspective on Environmental
Sensitivities: Building codes, regulations
and guidelines
Moving House - Things To Look For If You
Suffer From MCS
http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/article.cfm?id=147
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS): The
Controversy and Relation to Interior Design
http://www.idec.org/publication/JIDarticleMCS.pdf
Optimum Environments for Optimum Health
&Creativity: Designing and Building a Healthy Home or Office, William J.
Rea, M.D.
http://www.ehcd.com/books/home_building_designing.html
Recommended Architectural Features for Multi-Family
Housing to Better Accommodate Chemical and Electrical Sensitivities, Susan
Molloy, M.A,
http://www.ctaz.com/~bhima/recommcshous.htm
Research House for the Environmentally
Hypersensitive
Safer Construction Tips for the
Environmentally Sensitive
Understanding & Accommodating People
with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in Independent Living, Chapter 4, The
Housing Challenge in MCS
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/bookshelf/MCS.html#chapter4
http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/2008NHHC.cfm
Builders and Building
Material Suppliers
http://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/naturalpaints.php
Healthy Buildings, Inc (Air Quality
Testing)
http://www.healthybuilding.com/html/about_us.html
Resources for the Chemically Injured:
Building Materials
http://www.lassentech.com/eibuld.html
Tad Taylor’s Healthy Homes, LLC
Other Housing Resources
Extreme Home Makeover
http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance
Program for Persons with Disabilities (Canada).
http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/prfinas/prfinas_003.cfm
Disclaimer
This date
is for informational purposes and is not intended to replace the examination,
diagnosis and treatment of a licensed physician and no such claims are
inferred. MCS
Community News
Subscribe to News
& Media Articles
To receive free daily news and research feeds about MCS & the environment
as they happen,
send an e-mail to:
mcsafeeds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Think you have food allergies? Think again
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-allergies20-2009jul20,0,6771090,full.story
Potential Neurotoxin Could Be in Our
Food
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/pbde/
U.S. EPA's Region 2 Awards $1.4
Million in Recovery Funding
to Reduce Diesel Emissions and Create Jobs
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/7E5E5BB928F3BE0D852575F6005F4D89
Special Report: Toxic Neighbors?
http://www.kmph.com/global/story.asp?s=10742117&ClientType=Printable
Asthma study finds seasonal surprises
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1530125.html
Politics of the Plate: Toxic
Strawberries?
http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2009/07/politics-of-the-plate-toxic-strawberries?printable=true
Coroner: Indiana Teen Died From
'Huffing' Air Freshener
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,533106,00.html
Chemicals and Our Health
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/opinion/16kristof.html?_r=1
Autism: It's the Environment, Not Just
Doctors Diagnosing More Disease
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/07/16/hearstmaggreen442306.DTL
'Save the Air Day' starts at home
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=113348
Featured
Research Studies
Nowhere to hide: Chemical toxicants and the unborn
child.
Reprod Toxicol. 2009
Jul;28(1):115-116. Epub 2009
Mar 31. LinkOut
Genuis SJ.
Contemporary reproductive aged
women and their offspring are facing an unprecedented onslaught of toxicant
exposures from myriad sources in their day-to-day life. Public health
recommendations regarding optimal diet and nutrition in pregnancy must
incorporate several considerations including safety of available foodstuffs,
cultural practices and lifestyle issues. Gestational consumption of
contaminated seafood remains a potential source of toxicant exposure, including
mercury, for the developing child. Health care professionals responsible for
the care of women and their developing children need to become apprised of: a)
risks associated with toxicant bioaccumulation in pregnancy; b) ongoing
information emerging in the important field of reproductive toxicology; and c)
strategies within the clinical setting to facilitate nutritional sufficiency
and precautionary avoidance of adverse exposure among young women.
PMID: 19596629 [PubMed - as supplied by
publisher]
Contact sensitization to fragrances in the general
population: a Koch's approach may reveal the burden of disease.
Br J Dermatol. 2009
Apr;160(4):729-35. Epub 2009
Feb 4.
Thyssen JP, Menné T, Linneberg A, Johansen JD.
National Allergy Research Centre, Department of
Dermatology and Allergology,
BACKGROUND: Contact sensitization to fragrance mix (FM) I
and Myroxylon pereirae (MP)
is common among European patients with dermatitis. Recently, FM II was included
in the European baseline series as an additional marker of fragrance
sensitization.
OBJECTIVES: This literature review aims to assess the
prevalence of fragrance sensitization in the general population, and to suggest
how future population-based studies and questionnaires should be constructed,
better to assess the prevalence and burden of fragrance sensitization. This is
of relevance as it is often difficult to establish causality in biological
systems.
METHODS: A systematic review of
the literature was carried out by searching Pubmed-Medline,
Biosis and contact dermatitis textbooks.
RESULTS: Nineteen studies were
identified, of which 13 were performed among adults. Sample sizes varied
between 82 and 2545 tested subjects, and 11 648 subjects were tested in total.
The median prevalence of FM and MP sensitization among adults was 2.3% (women,
1.7%; men, 1.3%) and 1.1% (women, 1.4%; men, 0%), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the
reliability of patch test data from the general population and exposure data
obtained from patients with dermatitis, the prevalence and burden of fragrance
sensitization in the general population is significant.
PMID: 19210499 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine:
July 2009 - Volume 51 - Issue 7 - pp 838-847
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181a7f021
The Idiopathic
Environmental Intolerance Symptom Inventory: Development, Evaluation, and
Application
Andersson,
Maria J. E. MSc; Andersson,
Linus MSc; Bende, Mats MD, PhD; Millqvist,
Eva MD, PhD; Nordin, Steven PhD
Objective: To develop, evaluate, and apply a questionnaire-based instrument for
investigation of specific symptoms in idiopathic environmental intolerance
(IEI), called the Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance Symptom Inventory
(IEISI).
Methods: Participants with IEI to chemicals responded to 82 candidate symptoms
and to three subscales of the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity
Inventory (QEESI) at a test (n = 207) and retest (n = 193) occasion.
Results: The 27 most commonly reported symptoms were selected and grouped into
five symptom categories. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and concurrent
validity were found to be satisfying. Cluster analysis identified two subgroups
of IEI to chemicals.
Conclusions: The results provide support for the IEISI being a reliable, valid,
and fast tool for the study of specific symptom prevalence in IEI and encourage
further study of subgroups.
Disclaimer
This newsletter is for informational purposes and is not
intended to replace the examination, diagnosis and treatment of a licensed
physician and no such claims are inferred.
Articles are not necessarily the opinion of MCS America and printing of
others’ opinions does not constitute endorsement. MCS America, Lourdes Salvador, Board Members,
and associate members of MCS America will not be responsible for misuse of this
information.
We welcome appropriate submissions for articles,
letters-to-the-editor, poetry, artwork, jokes, cartoons, photos, and whatever
else is physically printable. Submissions may be sent to
publisher@mcs-america.org. We attempt to
publish monthly.
Contact Us: admin@mcs-america.org
To subscribe to this free newsletter,
send an email to:
subscriptions@mcs-america.org
Copyrighted © 2009 MCS