Tag Archives: fibromyalgia

Videos: What’s Making us Sick? The Chemical Erosion of Public Health

Posted on August 1, 2016 | 2 comments

If you prefer getting your research information by watching and listening  instead of reading, here are a couple of video presentations by the esteemed Dr Stephen J. Genuis, who is one of the leading experts on  environmental health.

In these presentations he discusses the increases in chronic illness and mental health problems, chemical and other causes and effects,  shortcomings in our health care systems, as well as some treatment options to improve health.

I’ve also linked to related research for those of you who like to read.

videos 4 Genuis

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Posted in Disability, Education, Environmental Health, Health, Public Health, Research

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Ontario Announces the Task Force on Environmental Health

Posted on June 3, 2016 | 12 comments

The Government of the Province of Ontario, specifically the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) finally announced the establishment of a Task Force on Environmental Health.

Let’s hope this new project creates the long overdue and effective changes and access to basic services that are needed by people with environmentally linked, disabling,  chronic health conditions like MCS/ES, unlike the 1985 project which created a  600+ page report with recommendations that were largely ignored (see links below), which allowed these and other problems to fester and increase in severity and magnitude.

Ontario Task Force 2016

The news release about the new task force follows:

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Posted in Environmental Health, Environmental Sensitivities, Government, Health, Health Care, Human Rights, Policy

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For Me, MCS Means …

Posted on May 12, 2016 | 6 comments

mcs es invisible disability framed“For me, MCS means having to wear a mask when I go out”

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MCS Awareness Month Guest Post from Laura J Mac

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or MCS (also known as Environmental Sensitivities) is a chronic and disabling condition characterized by symptoms from low-level exposures to common chemicals. To put it simply, really common chemical exposures are disabling to some people, even in very small amounts.

ES has been recognized as a disability in Ontario since 2000, and federally (in Canada) since 2007, yet most people, and in fact many medical professionals, have never heard of it.

May is MCS Awareness Month, though I promise you, we are aware of it all year!

Instead of asking others to imagine something so unimaginable, we asked 1500 people with MCS to share what life is like with MCS. These memes are some of the responses.*

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Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environment, Environmental Health, Human Rights, Pollution

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MCS/ES Symptoms

Posted on May 11, 2016 | 9 comments

MCS/ES and EHS symptom lists resemble several other symptom lists.

There are many symptoms. Not all are immediate. Some can be delayed.

MCS Definition Criteria 1999

1999 Consensus Definition Criteria:

1. MCS is a chronic condition.
2. Symptoms recur reproducibly.
3. Symptoms recur in response to low levels of chemical exposure.
4. Symptoms occur when exposed to multiple unrelated chemicals.
5. Symptoms improve or resolve when trigger chemicals (incitants) are removed.
6. Multiple organ systems are affected.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: a 1999 Consensus.
Archives of Environmental Health. 54: No 3, May/June 1999; 147-149.

…

EHS symptoms WEEPEHS symptom chart from WEEP

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MCS ES symptoms include:

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9 Comments

Posted in Chemicals, Disability, Environmental Health, Environmental Sensitivities, Health, MCS/ES, Public Health

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First Municipal Government Adopts Life Saving Plan for People With MCS/ES, CFS/ME, and FM

Posted on January 11, 2016 | 9 comments

Good news for some people who have MCS/ES, CFS/ME, and FM

Tarragona SPAIN

RESCUE PLAN FOR PEOPLE WITH CENTRAL SENSITIVITY SYNDROMES:

THE CITY OF TARRAGONA (CATALONIA, SPAIN) IS THE FIRST MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT THAT IMPLEMENTS IT!

The first municipal government that has stepped forward to implement this plan, is the City of Tarragona Municipal Government (Tarragona is a major city 100 kilometres south of Barcelona). In the plenary session held last November 30th, the “Institutional Declaration of support for people with Central Sensitivity Syndromes” was approved, which consists of a concrete programme of measures. This is a historical step.

In part, the agreement includes:

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9 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Health, Government, Human Rights, MCS/ES, ME/CFS, Policy

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Can’t You Hear Me? Why Can’t You See I Need Your Help?

Posted on January 5, 2016 | 16 comments

Guest post by Kelly N.

The Scream by Edvard Munch

The Scream by Edvard Munch

It’s the most heartbreaking thing when you realize that you have no one…. zilch zero that will help you!  All you are is a stranger in a strange land with no one hearing your plea.  All the faces look around and stare at you like you have no face, no meaning.

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16 Comments

Posted in Disability, Environmental Health, Human Rights, Interconnectedness

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Research Shows Harmful Chemicals Can Remain In Clothing Even After Washing

Posted on November 21, 2015 | 16 comments

“Exposure to these chemicals increases the risk of allergic dermatitis, but more severe health effect for humans as well as the environment could possibly be related to these chemicals. Some of them are suspected or proved carcinogens and some have aquatic toxicity,”

textile chemical release

Giovanna Luongo found that there are harmful chemical residues left in clothing even after 10 washes and presents the information in her Doctoral Thesis, Chemicals in textiles A potential source for human exposure and environmental pollution.

This scientifically validates what some of us have been saying for years, that some harmful chemical residues can be extremely difficult if not impossible to remove, (as the rigmarole we have to go through in an attempt to have safe to wear clothing to wear attests), and that normally undetectable trace levels can cause disabling effects.

Many chemicals present in clothing (and bedding) enter the human body via dermal absorption, and can be detected in urine hours later!

This poster shows how chemicals enter our bodies:

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16 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, chemicals in clothing, Environmental Health, Fashion, Laundry, Toxic Trespass

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Scent Marketing or Scented Drugging?

Posted on November 20, 2015 | 9 comments

The May June 2015 issue of Costco’s magazine had an article about scent marketing.

The Economist had an interesting article in 2007 regarding manipulative chemical use.

Women’s Voices For the Earth has several reports about fragrances and the fragrance industry.

Why should you be concerned? Read on:

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9 Comments

Posted in Air Quality, Brain, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Health, Human Rights, Neurotoxicity, Pollution, Public Health, Toxic Trespass

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When Programmers Send Old Computers Into ICU and Palliative Care

Posted on November 1, 2015 | 8 comments

My computer and old Operating System have seen better days. Things are crashing almost hourly now. I am so grateful that the original donor was twice able to get this computer back up again (with telephone advice) after a partial freeze and fully appearing meld-down, but it is still malfunctioning online, so I have to shut it down frequently, as the sites I use seem to have updated using technology that is no longer inclusive of XP and my  minimal RAM (adding more would be cost-prohibitive).

I  therefore find myself in critical need of a new computer, even with all the toxicity and adverse health risks involved, and without the time to mitigate them (like running things somewhere else that is also fragrance free, for however long it takes to off-gas everything).

Eeks! image from pixabay 2

Here are some details:

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8 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Health, Human Rights, Indoor Air Quality

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Why We Need “Sensitive” Human Canaries

Posted on September 8, 2015 | 13 comments

“Sensitive” humans are not defective or here to inconvenience you.

maybe it is not me…

Some canary history:

“Carbon monoxide, a potentially deadly gas devoid of color, taste or smell, can form underground during a mine fire or after a mine explosion.

Today’s coal miners must rely on carbon monoxide detectors and monitors to recognize its presence underground. However, before the availability of modern detection devices, miners turned to Mother Nature for assistance.

Canaries — and sometimes mice — were used to alert miners to the presence of the poisonous gas. Following a mine fire or explosion, mine rescuers would descend into the mine carrying a canary in a small wooden or metal cage.

 

Any sign of distress from the canary was a clear signal that the conditions underground were unsafe, prompting a hasty return to the surface.

 

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13 Comments

Posted in Air Quality, Chemicals, Ecocide, Environmental Health, Human Rights, Pollution, Public Health, Toxic Trespass

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