The Comfort of Stale Coffee

Well, this time I'll strike while the iron is hot.

It's a sunny, warm Saturday eve, a holiday weekend, July 2nd, 5:26 p.m.  I've just returned home, having unintentionally put the damper on a lovely, inviting party within 10 minutes after arriving.  I now feel rather like a child who's been assigned to "the dunce chair" -- except that no human being assigned me here.  My family is still at the party.  I'm . . . . here.

So what, exactly, conspired to send me to "the dunce chair?"

Well, it was a toss-up between the chlorine emanating from the truly gorgeous pool, the scented laundry products used, and the scented candles on the deck.  All combined, I see now that I didn't stand a chance.

Within those brief 10 minutes, my sinuses puffed up and my eye movements grew labored, with an unsettling, quickened pulse jiggling somewhat electrically behind my brow.  The overall feeling is something like the forehead and eye sockets thickening, and the rest of the feeling is very "neurologically afflicted" -- jittery head, spacey, dazed, wiped out, down for the count.  No "negotiated choice" remained today, there would be no ability to "ration" my time in different corners of the yard.  Today, there was simply nowhere to go and the reaction was fast and furious.

Driving home was difficult -- with "cement eyes" trying to maneuver against the glare of the sun.  Then the arrhythmias began.

All too much.

So here I sit in my easy chair, nursing a banana for the potassium but not very enamored of eating.  Maybe I'll try some stale coffee for the anti-inflammatory action of the caffeine.  Then, most likely, the trusty old ibuprofen to deal with the fulminating migraine lurking behind the "cement eyes."

Ah . . . just heated up the coffee.  Stale though it is, it does pick up the spirits. 

Here's to taking comfort in the little things --.

Cheers!   :-)

~ Carolyn

Pure Elegance

Candles. 

Romantic, soothing, prayerful, inspiring, poetic, sublime, glowing, elegant . . . . . 

Who doesn't love burning a beautiful candle?

Even the chemically sensitive need beauty and loveliness!  However, paraffin and/or synthetically scented candles are a health hazard for all, in varying degrees and at varying rates.  For the chemically sensitive, the harm done by paraffin and/or synthetically scented candles is quickly detected in sudden sinus/facial heat and inflammation, rapid-onset migraine, balance difficulties, restricted eye movement, shaking arms/hands, intense brain fog, a drugged and spacey feeling, impaired coordination in general, cognitive slowdown, breathing difficulties, blood pressure fluctuations, arrhythmias . . . . .  The list goes on and on, and the suffering can last for days at a time following exposure.

What is the reason for this damage when paraffin and/or synthetically scented candles are burned?  Paraffin, a petroleum product, and many scents which are totally synthetic or synthetically based combine to exude airborne mixtures of irritants, carcinogens, and neurological toxins.  Soot, also a by-product of this combustion, is then deposited throughout the area.  These airborne toxins and soot, in turn, are absorbed by nearby fabrics, carpets, and plastics.  The soot lingers on the walls and in the environment.  Cleaners, also often chemically based, cannot remove these contaminants.

So, readers, please do not miss the results of Dr. Anne Steinemann's scientific study on the hazards of common cleaning and air-freshening products, below.  This priceless report happens to include, also, the hidden risks of some corrupted "essential oils" and other supposedly "natural" or "organic" fragrances which are added to many household products and candles:

Dr. Anne Steinemann, Ph.D. - Letter to Missouri Green Cleaning for Schools . . .

For the chemically sensitive, moreover, not only does the burning of paraffin and synthetically scented candles potentially bring on degrees of systemic meltdown, but even unburned synthetically scented candles can fill a room with layers of toxicity, literally thickening the air with unseen but physically felt debris.

Is there any lovely, pleasing, and safe alternative to such contamination?

Yes!

100% pure beeswax candles.  These naturally honey-scented gems of any size or shape illuminate, sweeten, and cleanse the atmosphere, giving off a sleek, chic glow that burns most cleanly.  For more facts about beeswax -- plus life-lengthening and vital home-preservation information -- be sure to read the following links:

"Beeswax Benefits - Beat Nagging Allergies and Sinus Problems" by Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.

"Are Scented Candles Making You Sick?" by Melissa Breyer

"Are Scented Candles Damaging Your Home?" by Insure.com

EPA Report: Candles & Incense

Wishing you the rarefied pleasure of purified air,

Cheers!

~ Carolyn

Welcome!

Thanks for stopping by!  This blog is for chemically sensitive people, those interested in learning about chemical sensitivity, and "green" enthusiasts everywhere.

Although Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a serious reality, I will keep this blog upbeat and ever-brimming with hopeful ideas and solutions along the way.

My strange and aversive journey into MCS began 20-something years ago with frequent exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke.  It gradually mushroomed over the years to embrace many other synthetic fragrances and substances -- synthetically scented and paraffin candles, natural gas, scented detergents, fabric softeners, air fresheners, mainstream household cleaners . . . . .

Just reciting the list gets me tired!  Not a very exciting pursuit.  There's so much more to think about and live for, don't you think?

But still, we MCS'ers must survive.  The problem is staring us in the face.  There is no escaping synthetic scents or cleaners in any public place. 

This blog, in the most optimistic way possible, will be dedicated to SURVIVAL in a chemical-laden world.

Cheers, for now!

~ Carolyn