Tag Archives: MCS

Wearing a Mask / Day 31 In the Pursuit of Love

Many of us (too many now) have to wear a mask to filter some of the pollutants out of the air we have to breathe. I guess I am lucky that I have not cared about what people think when I wear mine to protect my health.

Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution

Seriously “Sensitive” to Pollution

For others, it’s not an easy decision, for a variety of reasons, and sadly, most of them have to do with a lack of understanding and acceptance in our communities.

In January, three bloggers that I am aware of have written about their mask wearing experience.

Continue reading

Can a New Normal Be a Good Thing?

Over the years, when discussing life with MCS/ES, it is often mentioned that this is a life with a new normal. It’s a new normal that none of us asked for, and too often, it is not a very nice new normal at all.

Recently, I’ve been able to explore some of Charles Eisenstein’s work and ran across this quote:

ANewNormal

I’m pretty sure he wasn’t thinking about MCS/ES when he said that, as we aren’t the only ones on this planet who are experiencing radical changes, but those of us with MCS/ES have been learning important lessons that we can share as a part of this new way of being that is slowly emerging.

When we develop MCS/ES, everything (or almost everything) changes.

Continue reading

New PAGE on Statistics for MCS/ES, FM and ME/CFS

I’ve assembled prevalence statistics from Canada and the US into one place, including images and links to documents with more information.

Included are links and images with Canadian stats for MCS/ES, FM, and ME/CFS, and US stats for MCS. I will update to include more stats from more countries when I have reliable sources for them. Please share any that you are aware of.

The new page is located at the top of this site under the MCS/ES page, or via this link:

Statistics for MCS/ES, FM and ME/CFS

Here is a sample of what you will find there:

According to The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and Statistics Canada, between 2005 and 2010 the rates of people diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), Fibromyalgia (FM) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in Canada increased significantly.

The number of people diagnosed with MCS increased by 31%
The number of people diagnosed with FM increased by 15%
The number of people diagnosed with CFS increased by 24%

Chronic Conditions Prevalence Comparisons
(for perspective)

You can find all the statistics, links and images in the ‘Statistics for MCS/ES, FM and ME/CFS’ page at the top of this site under the MCS/ES page, or click on this link:

https://seriouslysensitivetopollution.wordpress.com/mcses/statistics-for-mcses-fm-and-mecfs/

With gratitude to the National ME/FM Action Network for much of the material.

Personal Update: It’s No Longer All In My Head!

Well, it never really ever was all in my head.

My arms, legs and the rest of my body have been affected too. But most of it was because things weren’t functioning as intended in my brain (which still IS in my head), and since brain functions control so many other things (like how our body functions, and how we communicate), when brain chemistry is altered (with or without choice or permission) then body functions will be altered too.

Think of what happens when you have a drink, then a few more, and then finish the bottle… Are you functioning the same way before drinking as after?

Personal Update Part One:

I am doing a lot better these days, in some ways even thousands of times better than I was doing by the time I left Bloor Street in May of 2010. I can now usually get through most of my days without everything requiring constant, exhausting effort, but it hasn’t turned into me being able to do or accomplish that much more in actual practical terms.

I still have brain issues and most of the other practical limitations that come from MCS/ES and a toxic brain injury, but recently, I have started feeling so much better!

I am trying to wrap my mind around that because it doesn’t make logical, rational sense to me. How is it that I can feel so much better without doing so much better?

Maybe it has just been so long since I’ve felt even halfway ok, and because some part of my brain chemistry is working differently and more normally…?

Whatever it is, it isn’t tangible, but it is a very welcome change!

water dance

Part Two: Insights

Continue reading

Allergic to a World Full of Cats?

Warning: This post contains many photos of cats.

What follows is something I thought was a great response by Kristine Kruszelnicki  to someone who trivialized her MCS and compared it to his cat allergy

(shared with her permission, and with many photos of cats added by me):

Continue reading

MCS Video Interviews

Enlightening (in a relative way)…

Before watching, it might be helpful to get really grounded and plan how you will deal with the emotions that come up.

These interviews and the roundtable discussion were filmed in Sante Fe, New Mexico in 1995. Parts of this piece are in the full documentary, Homesick: Living With Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.

Also check out MCS Under Siege by Ann McCampbell, MD
http://annmccampbell.com/publicationswritings/publication-1/

Learn more about the film Homesick at: http://www.homesick-video.com

may all beings be free

Personal Care Products, Pesticides, Health and Water…

The Toxic Evidence Piles Up and Doesn’t Wash Away

We all breathe the air. We all drink water. We all eat. We all wash ourselves.

We should be able to do this safely.

SO WHY ARE

so many toxic chemicals used in everyday products and materials, and found in our air, in our water, in our food, and in our brains and bodies?

Did you consent to this?

New reports have been released about toxic chemicals and health harm from products and materials most of us are exposed to a multitude of times on a daily basis…

Personal care products and pesticides

Poisoning Our Future
“Poisoning Our Future: Children and Pesticides”

PAN AP launched a (free) book on insidious effects of pesticides on children

Continue reading

A tale of two colleges: is it really controversial to advise mothers about potential health effects of chemical exposures?

More about OBGY initiatives to inform women of childbearing age about the hazards that toxic chemical exposures can present to our future generations… from H&E, which is published by the Cancer Prevention and Education Society:

A tale of two colleges: is it really controversial to advise mothers about potential health effects of chemical exposures?.

I wrote about the UK announcement here:

OBGYs Advise Pregnant Women to Live As If They Have MCS/ES!

MCS/ES Page

I have finally added a Page to the top of the blog that deals with MCS/ES under the following headings:

MCS – Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, etc
Environmental Sensitivities
Categorical guidelines for levels of disability
Getting diagnosed
ICD Codes
Treatment Options
Mind and Brain
Support
Human Rights and Accommodations

https://seriouslysensitivetopollution.wordpress.com/mcses/

seriously sensitive to pollution

How to Get Toxic Products Out of Stores

Would you like stores to stop selling everyday things that are full of harmful toxic chemicals?

What if you could feel better not only because you could be assured that the things you brought home were safe and healthy, but also because they were no longer full of the harmful chemicals that have been making you feel like crap?

In the absence of (and obstruction of) health protective regulations, we need to find other ways to get the changes happening that will allow ourselves and our grandchildren to live healthier lives.

Continue reading