ChemSense

Miles of Smiles

2012-01-23T17:18:00.000-08:00

CSDA's January speaker was Dr. Sammy Noumbissi, DDS. Larry reported that he gave "one of the most enlightening talks I have ever heard about rational, non-toxic dentistry." Dr. Noumbissi studied at Montreal University, Howard University School of Dentistry, and did post graduate work at Loma Linda University, and earned a Masters of Science in Implant Surgery. His website is milesofsmilesdental.net .

Alan R. Vinitsky, MD to Address CSDA in Baltimore area.

2011-11-17T19:01:00.000-08:00

The Nov. 19 (2011) meeting of CSDA will feature Dr. Alan R. Vinitsky speaking on "New Horizons in Repair and Healing." Dr. Vinitsky is especially interested in the Autonomic Nervous System, preventing and curing chronic illnesses, mold exposures, Lyme disease and co-infections, thyroid disorders, Autism, ADD & ADHD, sports, nutrition, behavioral conditions, and growth and development. Dr. Vinitsky is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He has focused on environmental medicine and nutrition for two decades. His website is enlightenedmedicine.net.

Why is Anyone Opposed to Better Nutrition?

2011-04-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

An attorney looks at Nutrition and the Politics of Food at the National Fork blog. A recent post on cancer makes some interesting points. Here's one on physician attitudes:

...doctors are extremely educated. Instinctively one might think that such a quality may assist them in their waking up. Actually, it doesn't.

Educated people are successful advancing in school. Advancement in school requires a large degree of compliance and willingness to follow authority. Educated people in general tend to be of the type that obeys their parents, obeys school rules, studies hard, obeys the law, saves their money, and otherwise respects the structure and norms of society. In other words, they are less inclined to question or challenge the status quo.

In addition, because educated people obviously spend more time in school than otherwise, their minds are well trained. Others like myself may prefer to use the word "indoctrinated".

Special Meeting Features Debra Lynn Dadd

2011-03-30T21:59:00.000-07:00

Date and Time: Sunday, April 10, 2011 2:30 PM

Event: A talk and dialog with noted chemically sensitive author Debra Lynn Dadd
For 30 years, Debra Lynn Dadd has written about healing through toxics avoidance, attested by the books below that she has published which I copied from Amazon.com. She is traveling through our area on April 10 on the way from giving the keynote address to the Earth Weekend Festival in New Jersey, and has agreed to speak to CSDA Sunday April 10 at 2:30 p.m. We have secured the Russett Library meeting room and want everyone to have a chance to meet and talk with her. This is a rare opportunity to hear and question this world-famous expert in environmental health.

Books by Debra Lynn Dadd:

Nutritional Analysis System : A Physician's Manual for Evaluation of Therapeutic Diets, with Special Emphasis on the Rotary Diversified Dietby Robert C. Dadd, Joseph J. McGovern, Jr., Robert W. Gardner Debra Lynn Dadd (Jan 1, 1980)

A Consumer Guide For the Chemically Sensitive by Debra Lynn Dadd (1982)

Nontoxic & Natural by Debra Dadd-Redalia (Nov 1, 1984)

The Nontoxic Home by Debra Dadd-Redalia (Oct 1, 1986)

Nontoxic, Natural & Earthwise by Debra Lynn Dadd, Judy Collins and Steve Lett (Sep 1, 1990)

The Nontoxic Home & Office by Debra Dadd-Redalia (Feb 1, 1992)

Healing Environments: Your Guide to Indoor Well-Being by Carol Venolia and Debra Lynn Dadd (Nov 1, 1995)

Home Safe Home by Debra Dadd-Redalia (Jan 1, 1997)

Toxic Free: Your Essential Guide to an Organic Home and Life by Debra Lynn Dadd (Sep 8, 2011)

Toxic Free Zone by Debra Lynn Dadd--a monthly newsletter

Location: The Maryland City Library, 3501 Russett Common, Laurel, MD.

DIRECTIONS: From the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, head west on Route 198 less than 1/4 mile, then turn right at the first traffic light onto Russett Green East. Go past the Wal-Mart entrance, then turn left onto Russett Common. The library is on the left. Do not come via I-95, as Rt. 198 through Laurel is slow.

New Book on Chemical Hazards and Health

2011-01-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

Journalist McKay Jenkins has written a book What's Gotten into Us?: Staying Healthy in a Toxic World which will be available in April 2011. The book promises practical ways for us to regain some control over our lives, to make our own personal worlds a little less toxic.

See What's Gotten into Us? on Amazon.com.

CSN Blog

2010-09-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

We've added a valuable link to Chemsense.com: The Chemical Sensitivity Network Blog (English version). The network is an international group with it's homepage in German.

Notice of Conference on Children's Health

2010-08-18T13:40:00.001-07:00

The 8th Annual Conference on Children's Health and the Environment
For details, visit the website at:
http://www.childrensnational.org/MACCHE/conference/default.aspx

Healthy Homes, Healthy Schools

The Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Washington, DC
September 24th, 2010

Join us for the 8th Annual Conference on Children's Health and the Environment.

This year's conference will explore how children's health is affected in the home and school environment. Such issues include

Topics for the hour long workshops include:
- Healthy Homes
- Bisphenol A & Phthalates
- Schools

The conference is targeted to health care providers, public health professionals and the interested public.

Continuing education credits (CME, CHES, CNE and CEU) will be available to participants.

Maryland to Start Spraying for Gypsy Moths 4/27/2010

2010-04-24T15:31:00.001-07:00

The State of Maryland plans to start spraying for gypsy moths on April 27 in Talbot County. See their page on identifying gypsy moths and do your part by physically removing egg masses. Spraying can be hazardous to sensitive persons so we want to avoid it as much as possible.

Health Insurance Premiums - the Rockefeller Committee Report

2010-03-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

What Happens to Health Insurance Premiums? - ABC News

"A significant portion of health insurance premiums go not for actual medical care but for private jets, generous CEO salaries and underwriters who decide when to drop patients who become too expensive, according to a Senate committee report."

2009-12-25T21:23:00.001-08:00

Raise money for United Way - Greater Augusta (Fishersville just by searching the web and shopping online!

Search the web now!

Money-saving coupons!

Zero Emissions Buildings

2009-12-18T21:29:00.000-08:00

The Triple Zero Energy House is described in Scientific American as "energy self-sufficient (zero energy consumed), produces zero emissions, and is made entirely of recyclable materials (zero waste)." A company is Stuttgart is building these.

Infants Born with Toxic Chemicals in their Blood

2009-12-15T20:23:00.000-08:00

The Environmental Working Group has posted a report on a study that found "up to 232 toxic chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of 10 babies from racial and ethnic minority groups. The findings constitute hard evidence that each child was exposed to a host of dangerous substances while still in its mother’s womb."

EWG offers these suggestions for women who plan to have children.

Eat fewer processed foods, because they often contain chemical additives.
Eat organic produce.
Don't microwave food in plastic containers. Use glass or ceramics.
Filter your tap water.
Eat fewer meat and high-fat dairy products.
Use fewer cosmetics and other personal care products.
Avoid artificial fragrances.
Don't use stain repellants on clothing, bedding or upholstery.
Use fewer strong household cleaners, more soap and water.
Use manual or electric yard tools instead of gasoline-powered models.
Avoid gasoline fumes when you're filling your car.
Eat seafood known to be low in PCB and mercury contamination, such as wild Alaska salmon and canned salmon. Avoid canned tuna — it contains mercury.

Browsing Similar Blogs

2009-12-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

At the top of this blog are some buttons and one of them says Next Blog>>. It's a feature that Blogger offers and you can use it when you have time to browse various blogs.

It used to work randomly, taking to any blog that had recently been updated. Now it uses a formula to take you to a blog that has similar subject matter -- maybe. First, of course, it has to pick out some words on this blog to judge what this blog's subject matter might be. Judging from what I saw when I tried the button, the formula has decided this blog is about health, wellness, and disease. Which is true in a broad sense. Try it and see if you find it useful.

Blogger Buzz has a post about the Next Blog>> feature.

Community in Takoma Park

2009-12-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

Maitri House near Washington DC is said to be "inspired by Nonviolent Communication and shares
the intention to be safe for people with chemical sensitivities."

Their housing vacancies are listing at maitrihouse.org.

Vitamin D Fights Viruses

2009-11-10T18:14:00.000-08:00

Gerry Schwalfenberg, M.D., spoke at the AAEM meeting October 30 about the innate immune system and how it would either prevent or help us fight the H1N1 flu. Then he went into the discussion on the autoimmune disease link and vitamin D. There are at least 12 TLRs that have various functions not all clearly outlined yet.

Since this is such an important issue at this time, he sent AAEM an article that accurately shows how this system can respond within minutes to fight pathogens and down regulate the inflammatory response in a dose dependant manner. This is huge and may save many lives.

He is using 10,000IU q12 h of vitamin D for five doses and 10,000iu daily for a week in patients who acutely come down with viral symptoms with astonishing results (better within 24hr and well within 48). He does not use as much if they already use vitamin D daily.

Gypsy Moth Spraying May be Unhealthy

2009-05-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

We've updated Chemsense.com with gypsy moth spraying schedules for the mid-Atlantic states. There's even a letter that claims that the Maryland Department of Agriculture "can save at least $1 million annually in its budget while at the same time improving the health of Maryland residents, race horses, farm animals, family pets, and crabs ... The way to do all this is to suspend the gypsy moth suppression program in Maryland."

2009-04-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

Pam Gibson of JMU has published new papers on the MCS Research site.

Of the world but not in it: Barriers to community access and education for persons with environmental sensitivities. Health Care for Women International.
Of the world but not in it: Barriers to community access and education for persons with environmental sensitivities. Health Care for Women International.
Sickness related dysfunction in persons with self reported multiple chemical sensitivity at four levels of severity. Journal of Clinical Nursing.

Another Kinds of Sensitivity

2009-04-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

Wind power sounds like a healthy idea, but some people living near wind turbines are experiencing debilitating symptoms: see windturbinesyndrome.com. (But if you dislike sites that talk to you, turn off your sound first because a video starts playing without prompting.)

Wind Farm on a West Virginia Ridge

Greenway Homes in Virginia

2009-03-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

Greenway Homes near Lexington, Virginia specializes in hypo-allergenice construction. Read about the cottage community in Rockbridge County.

Quote from Eleanor Roosevelt

2009-02-22T22:17:00.000-08:00

Doing the Best We Can
Someone once asked me what I regarded as the three most
important requirements for happiness. My answer was: "A
feeling that you have been honest with yourself and those
around you; a feeling that you have done the best you could
both in your personal life and in your work; and the ability
to love others."
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Letter, Disability Inaugural Ball

2009-02-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

This is an excerpt from a letter to invitees of the Disability Power and Pride Inaugural Ball.

Note the fourth paragraph asking attendees to "refrain from using perfumes or other scented products so that those among us with chemical sensitivities can enjoy the evening."

NaturalPedia

2009-01-26T17:40:00.000-08:00

Natural News NaturalPedia™ looks like a useful site. They say they are "a non-commercial, non-profit public education initiative that allows readers, researchers, authors and naturopathic health practitioners to explore health-oriented information condensed from more than 1,000 of the top health books and articles."

Chemsense Page Gets Logo

2009-01-24T19:28:00.000-08:00

We revised the Chemical Sensitivity Disorders Association Homepage. A member designed an attractive graphic and I posted it on the page.

The yellow canary is a reminder that a canary in a coal mine is used to warn miners that the air is unhealthy. The bird is more sensitive to pollution than humans are.

Chemical Sensitivity Research at JMU

2008-11-30T10:06:00.000-08:00

The MCS/Environmental Sensitivities Research Team at James Madison University is looking for chemically sensitive persons to interview See their current studies page for details.

Also, read about their team and see the homepage at MCSResearch.net.

Four tips for People Who are Sensitive to Chemicals

2008-11-15T21:43:00.000-08:00

A few years back I created a message board on AOL that was interactive. Eventually I had to discontinue it due to spam. But from that board, I saved this 2005 post contributed by a reader named Andy:

Things that helped me with MCS
1- get away from city water - use well or rainwater (get away from chlorine, flourides and a fistful of other surprises)
2- get rid of clothes and wash/dryer machines that have been exposed to regular detergents (can't use washaterias)- buy some new clothes, detox them in baking soda water for a few hours at least, and if you cant afford new machines hand wash with nontoxic detergents. Watch out for "non fragant" labels, sometimes they just mask the fragrances (regular detergent co. new "green" products do this making them actually even more toxic). You want to use companies that never have made regular detergents.
3- eat properly - processed foods are the worst! No sugar, flour, yeast, alcohol, preservatives, pesticides, hydrogenated oils.
4- of course avoid toxic chemicals!

Ten Ways to Feel Better

2008-11-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

Psychologist Marvin A. Hoss presented the following tips to the Chemical Reaction Support Group:

In a World Filled with Chemical Smells and Toxic Fumes How Am I to Survive?

The 10 very hard answers to fight depression and anxiety:

Stay healthy
Find substance in life
Fight the daemons
Keep the faith
Resist easy answers
Learn all you can
Look at the positives
Laugh all you can
Know your resilience
Be unafraid

Tip on CFL Bulb Safety

2008-11-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

Any of us could be faced with cleaning up a broken CFL bulb or a broken mercury thermometer, so we need to be familiar with the hazards ahead of time. Read the EPA guidelines now at http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/. It's important to note that in cleaning up a broken fluorescent bulb (CFL or otherwise) you should

Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up pieces of the broken bulb.
If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder, throw it away!
Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.

When CFL bulbs burn out, don't throw them away. The mercury can be hazardous in landfills. Take them to a place that recycles them - Home Depot and Ikea are pioneers in accepting them to recycle.

Migration to Blogspot

2008-10-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

This blog has been moved from AOL Journals to Blogspot /Blogger because AOL is discontinuing Journals. Fortunately they worked out a way with Google to make it easy to migrate to Blogspot.

I've always found Blogspot easy to work with anyway. I have a blog called The View from Squirrel Ridge on Blogspot and I update it almost every day.

A Woman Tells her Story

2007-12-22T21:21:00.000-08:00

A reader named Michelle writes:
hi
I have been reading this site and I know what your all going thru....I'd
like to share my story
2005 I was taking 3 antibiotics for 15 months for a lung problem...stopped
in march. I was in a construction situation for 3 months in a very old
building. I was always sweeping and cleaning.....I was in my pool(cloreen)
and my eyes started burning and then my face....I lived with ice packs on my
eyes and face for 4 months. I thought I was going to have a nervous break
down.my left eye had an infection in it 3 times, couldn't open it.I would
get chills up and down my back and up into my head.I also would get this
heat attack 4-5 times a day. (almost lived in a shower)(worse than hot
flashes) my left ear would start to hurt, then it would stop. I couldn't
touch it....then nothing
went to different drs. had brain mri, cat scans meds and to this day no one
knows what it is...I started to feel better but it still comes and goes.
one day I poured Windex on a paper towel and cleaned a window and 5 mins
later my eyes started to burn really bad. I was cleaning in a hair salon(my
daughters) with Windex and would notice later it would start burning....I
also found that ornamental grasses, fumes from nail polish and bleach and
color for hair...really bad...I have been researching this problem for over
a year and a half....I think it started with taking the 3 types of
antibiotics for so long. they killed my good bacteria and I mentioned this
to my infectious disease dr. and he said no. well, everything I bring up in
my research says to take probiotics when taking antibiotics because
antibiotics for a long time will weaken the imune system.i think this is
what happened to me, but no one will listen..... I have started to take the
probiotics and vitamin 6....every dr. said it could be something else, just
guessing...I'm going to have the patch test in Jan...I know I'm not bothered
by any food...I kept a diary....going to will's eye hospital in Jan to have
my eyes check out.....hope you find help.....I'm staying away from Windex
and any other household product. I use vinegar and water. I have never been
allergic to anything before in my life and I'm 70...it has been a hell of a
year and 1/2.

Skin Care Resources

2007-06-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

Harmful Ingredients in Skin Care Products

Do It Yourself: Make Your Personalized Skin Care Products

Ask Annie on Skin Care

Blue Sage Naturals

Mindful of Links

2007-06-17T14:13:00.000-07:00

Mindfully.org has multiple pages of useful links including health and environmental information.

Symptom Checker

2007-06-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

About.com has an interesting new site called Symptom Checker. It's a tool to tell you what your symptoms might add up to and whether to see a doctor.

Mold inspections

2007-05-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

Someone wrote to me saying that she has "chemical allergy, mold and dust allergies as well. I
am in search for someone who comes into peoples houses and can help
determine where the toxins (such as mold) are and how to remove them. Do you
know of anyone in the maryland area that does this?"

Response: If you search for "mold remediation maryland" you will see some companies. Also realtors and home inspectors can refer you to someone. You'll want to talk to several people and try to determine who uses the least-toxic method.

The first step is to control moisture by eliminating leaks and maintaining good air flow. Read HUD's page and links at www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr04-087.cfm.

Safe cleaning products

2007-05-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

Mary writes:
"I feel for you. I have been chemically sensitive for years. You will find that everyone is different and reacts differently to products.

These are some products I use.

Sunlight sensitive skin laundry soap is fragrance free also No Name brand
carries a scent free one. No Name fabric softener - fragrance free
Nature Clean products if you can find who sells them close to you. cleaners,
shampoo
Simple Green cleaner. Gallon is vary affordable. use for every cleaning
needs.
Water, 1 ounce of vinegar and one drop of dishsoap in a spray bottle work
really well for glass
baking soda cleans sinks and tubs really well
Jergens hand soap is fragrance free and gentle on the skin
Also check your local health food store for products such as shampoos and
conditioners look for the scent free products.
look for the scent free products such as soap, dippety do hair gel, under
arm deodorant in your local grocery store
The best to you."

Unhealthy Car Smells

2007-05-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

Jeanne writes: "I have had problems buying a used car. They must be using some newer foams, glues, etc. I am having problems with odors in even 2002 models. My husband thinks the odors are coming from the fabric in the seats. I can’t stand leather because of the dyes. Do you have any suggestions?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jeanne, I just read that Car Talk has a page on their website about car odors: http://cartalk.com/content/features/toxic/

Follow their link to the fascinating interview and then go to www.healthycar.org for more information. Good luck!

Tags: health, cars, odors

Dr. Ziem's Chemical Injury Website

2006-10-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

Grace Ziem has a helpful website at http://www.chemicalinjury.net. If you want to know what nutrients can help the chemically sensitive, read one of the articles on the neural protocol.

Scent-free workplaces

2006-10-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety posted an informative page at http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html on scent-free policies in the workplace.
They mention that "Allergic and asthmatic patients report that certain odours, even in the smallest amounts, can trigger an attack."

Laminate flooring

2006-09-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

I got an email from Jana who asks: "I recently moved into a home where the previous owner had burned many highly scented candles whose fragrance now permeates the home. It's hard to tell what the worst source is, but I think it's the carpet, although I have it hi-temp steam cleaned twice since I moved I'm thinking about replacing my bedroom carpet with laminate flooring. I'm worried about offgassing, though, and I wondered what experiences other
people have had with that?
Do you find that new laminate flooring bothers you?
Are there better brands or types to use?
Are there any treatments for this condition?
Thanks.
_____________

Hi, Jana. Personally I am okay with laminate flooring but I am not as highly sensitive as some folks.
I can post your question but you may want to ask other people - http://groups.yahoo.com is one place to search for chemical sensitivity discussion lists.

I see that http://www.buildingforhealth.com/categories.php?cat=363 has flooring that is supposed to be safe. Also, www.needs.com has a sealer for carpet which might be worth trying before you go to the expense of replacing the carpet.

There are so many articles and books on treatment for chemical sensitivity that you may get frustrated, especially since treatment is controversial and recovery is usually slow. I recommend reading Pam Gibson's study at http://www.ehponline.org/members/2003/5936/5936.html Probably the most important actions to take are avoiding unnecessary toxins and getting good nutrition. And remember to relax and enjoy life as much as possible. Good luck!

Linda

New Journal for Chemically Sensitive

2006-09-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

I'm trying out this journal as a way of replacing the Chemsense Messageboard which got bogged down by spammers. I cleaned out their posts but they kept trying.

Whether they will overwhelm me here remains to be seen.

My hope is that people will be able to add comments and questions easily. The subject is chemical sensitivity. Please confine your posts to chemical sensitivity, environmental toxins, and detoxification. Thanks.