Not Just for MCS

Hello, Friends,

Waylaid this week by an aggressive bronchial infection, each series of coughs is an exhausting session -- a rib-racking event that one both hopes for and dreads.  But it's the only way through.

As I do precious little while trying to recover, I have much opportunity to reflect.  It came to me that I would be much happier telling you about natural health supports I come upon along the way.  It occurs to me that, from my long years of more acute chemical sensitivity, I must have so many references of health supports stored up in my brain.  Because these references have simply become part of me, I hadn't thought of pulling them "out of the files," so to speak, to share with you.

But maybe it would be interesting -- and enjoyable -- for me to do just that.

With this new approach, I officially open the doors of this blog to all who suffer physically in any way whatsoever.  Whoever can benefit from this or that natural measure I mention -- please do!

I might not introduce each subsequent post with "Hello, Friends" -- I say this because it might be awkward to do so for a simple nutritional bulletin or other such "strictly information"-type items.  But, always, I think of my readers as friends.  :)

I'll work on putting together some "natural support" information for my next post.  Thank you for tuning in!

Cheers!

~ Carolyn

The Sweetest Flame

Hello, Friends,

I'm happy to report that I stumbled upon a measure of relief!  

Finding myself in the presence of someone whose clothing and hair had absorbed chemical scents along the way, I began to feel the usual facial inflammation, headache, and systemic "jitters."  At some point in our conversation, we turned to the topic of beeswax candles.  We discussed how they ionized the air and purified it as a thunderstorm does.  Finally, it occurred to us to burn them!

I ran to fetch my trusty supply (I will now always keep extras on hand) and plunked down two beeswax candles under our very noses.  We lit them and continued talking.

Within about a half-hour, we both noticed a difference.  The candles had imparted a physically calming and very pleasing sensation mentally.  It was as though a healing hand had been placed on my central nervous system, slowing down the pace of things and soothing the physically raw nerves.  My mind glowed with the delicious scent of warm honey emitted from the candles.  My friend, too, felt the systemically calming influence of the beeswax.  The tranquil, pure flame, as always, was a visually heartwarming and room-altering experience.

All afternoon, I expected to have to take another ibuprofen as I generally do after this particular chemical exposure.  This morning, it occurred to me that I never took that tablet.  I didn't have to!  The headache had evaporated.

The implications of this small but significant measure of relief may be more vast than I can realize at present.  I will begin burning beeswax candles more regularly in my home.  I'm wondering if this will have a therapeutic effect on my overall reactivity to chemicals.  Since the triggering chemicals seem to enter my brain through my nose, perhaps the ionizing elements of the burning beeswax, entering through the same pathway, will have some chance to transform -- or at least diffuse -- the chemically sensitized facial and head nerves.

I'll let you know!  Cheers!

~ Carolyn

Ideas, Precautions, and Hopes

So far, I've put forth a rough, anecdotal picture of typical daily living with MCS.  I do this in the hopes of affirming, as much as a non-medical layperson can, the similar experiences of others along this peculiar path.  I also do this (for those new to MCS and "green" issues) in order to raise questions about things that we don't normally think to question, such as, "Can 'typical' cleaning, deodorizing, and synthetically fragranced products be making us sick (or 'sicker,' as the case may be) even in the medical offices we visit in order to 'feel better'?"

The same question, of course, applies to all chemical, synthetically fragranced products used on the person and in the home.

There are some pleasant alternatives to such chemicals and synthetic fragrances.  Granted, in a medical facility, there might always be a baseline of chemical, antiviral, antibacterial agents that must be used under specific conditions in order to prevent infection and contagion.  Still, might we not hope to keep such applications to a minimum?  Might we, at least, hope not to continue mixing those "baseline chemicals" with other completely unnecessary airborne chemical toxins, to our own cellular destruction?

Going yet further, perhaps scientific minds could come up with natural alternatives to the baseline disinfectants necessary in medical settings?

I don't know exactly how far, for example, tea tree oil can go against major strains of resistant bacteria. But I do know that, for the average person cleaning his own household, tea tree oil can be an effective defense against many potentially harmful germs.  I ask for reader feedback on the many applications and uses of tea tree oil.

Distilled white vinegar, as another example, can literally absorb odors from the air.  Mixed with baking soda, it forms a pleasing cleaning solution around the house where hard water deposits do not make this difficult.  I ask for reader ideas on natural alternatives to softening hard-water deposits in sinks and bathrooms.   

Completely natural beeswax candles  ("100% natural") can, likewise, help to purify the air and absorb odors.  These should have cotton wicks and non-lead bases.

One wants to be extra careful, however, about supposedly "natural" or even "organic" products that are scented with essential oils or other supposedly "natural" fragrances.  Some of these essential oils and "natural" fragrances are not completely natural and, in some cases, are quite harmful.  For more specific scientific findings on this noteworthy topic, please see the following link:

http://missourikidshealthcoalition.wikifoundry.com/page/Dr.+Anne+Steinemann,+PhD

I look forward to hearing from you regarding your own experiences, ideas, and solutions!

Cheers -- and, on a much more somber note, prayers for those in the U.S. hit by the massive onslaught of tornadoes. May your new homes be strong and safe.

~ Carolyn