A friend an I were talking just the other day about all the chemicals women use on a daily basis. Here's a link that goes along with that:
Women and Chemicals
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Masking Phenomenon
"New fragrances bother me for a few days, but then I get used to them."
You go to work in a new office building. The first few days you don't feel well--headaches, dizzinesss, and watery eyes. But after several days your symptoms go away. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing. It's hard to tell what's behind the mask.
What mask, you say? The one that your body put on when you kept ignoring the warnings it was giving you. You see, your body will send you warnings by way of your immune system--usually for about three days-- but after that, if the challenge remains, the body has to get serious about figuring out how to handle this problem on a long-term basis.
Let's back up a bit. Let's go back to the first few days when you felt so rotten. The fact that you reacted to the new surroundings was an indication that your body was not able to break down certain substances that you encountered. (See What Is MCS?) But then you became more accustomed to the surroundings. How? Did you suddenly acquire every nutrient, every enzyme, your body needed to break down those chemicals? No, rather your body learned to adapt to the ongoing challenge by releasing anti-inflammatory hormones to cover up the symptoms that you felt initially. No problem, then, right?
Wrong. Your body is kept in a constant state of adaptation, and it doesn't come without cost to the body. It is an added stress called a "hidden allergy." Unlike a fixed allergy--one which will illicit a reaction upon every challenge--a hidden allergy may be endured for weeks, months, or years without even being recognized. On the other hand, with repeated stresses, nutritional deficits, lack of sleep, and so on, your body may eventually lose the ability to adapt and develop a fixed allergy, one that cannot be ignored.
So what if you have been using fragranced products and other chemicals regularly for quite some time? How do you know if you can really tolerate them or if your symptoms have simply been masked? The best way to determine this is to try to get away from the chemicals in question for a week or more, if possible, and then see if you have any symptoms upon returning. This may take some doing. You need to identify as many hidden sources of chemicals as you possibly can for the experiment. If you leave the perfume and smoke of the office and then hang out in a lounge, you are not going to get accurate results.
I will warn you that once you determine that perfumes and other chemicals are making you sick, it will be hard to live with them again. Many people do not realize just how bad they feel until they get a taste of feeling good. In fact, some people know that chemicals are making them sick but feel that to do anything about it would require such radical changes that they would just rather live behind the mask. Is that wise?
If your body sends you strong signals indicating that you can't tolerate something, you will eventually have to listen. You can live behind the mask for a while, but eventually something's gotta give. Better it is for such a person to try to limit their exposure to whatever degree possible and to take whatever health measures they can to build up their system.
You go to work in a new office building. The first few days you don't feel well--headaches, dizzinesss, and watery eyes. But after several days your symptoms go away. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing. It's hard to tell what's behind the mask.
What mask, you say? The one that your body put on when you kept ignoring the warnings it was giving you. You see, your body will send you warnings by way of your immune system--usually for about three days-- but after that, if the challenge remains, the body has to get serious about figuring out how to handle this problem on a long-term basis.
Let's back up a bit. Let's go back to the first few days when you felt so rotten. The fact that you reacted to the new surroundings was an indication that your body was not able to break down certain substances that you encountered. (See What Is MCS?) But then you became more accustomed to the surroundings. How? Did you suddenly acquire every nutrient, every enzyme, your body needed to break down those chemicals? No, rather your body learned to adapt to the ongoing challenge by releasing anti-inflammatory hormones to cover up the symptoms that you felt initially. No problem, then, right?
Wrong. Your body is kept in a constant state of adaptation, and it doesn't come without cost to the body. It is an added stress called a "hidden allergy." Unlike a fixed allergy--one which will illicit a reaction upon every challenge--a hidden allergy may be endured for weeks, months, or years without even being recognized. On the other hand, with repeated stresses, nutritional deficits, lack of sleep, and so on, your body may eventually lose the ability to adapt and develop a fixed allergy, one that cannot be ignored.
So what if you have been using fragranced products and other chemicals regularly for quite some time? How do you know if you can really tolerate them or if your symptoms have simply been masked? The best way to determine this is to try to get away from the chemicals in question for a week or more, if possible, and then see if you have any symptoms upon returning. This may take some doing. You need to identify as many hidden sources of chemicals as you possibly can for the experiment. If you leave the perfume and smoke of the office and then hang out in a lounge, you are not going to get accurate results.
I will warn you that once you determine that perfumes and other chemicals are making you sick, it will be hard to live with them again. Many people do not realize just how bad they feel until they get a taste of feeling good. In fact, some people know that chemicals are making them sick but feel that to do anything about it would require such radical changes that they would just rather live behind the mask. Is that wise?
If your body sends you strong signals indicating that you can't tolerate something, you will eventually have to listen. You can live behind the mask for a while, but eventually something's gotta give. Better it is for such a person to try to limit their exposure to whatever degree possible and to take whatever health measures they can to build up their system.
Friday, October 30, 2009
MCS and the Immune Cycle
While worsening of MCS symptoms can often be explained by poor diet, lack of sleep, exposure to chemicals and other reasons, sufferers are often discouraged when a bad spell hits them out of the blue with no recognized trigger. It seemed to me that these bad spells came in a sort of pattern--that about every three months I would have one or two really good days that were always followed by a horrible crash to the bottom. I reconstructed my past performance with the help of friends and family (i.e: "Remember the weekend I got so sick at 'so-and-so's' wedding? When was that?"), and we were able to plot my worst episodes on a calendar.
I saw clearly that my bad episodes always came at three week intervals, and that my very worst episodes came at twelve-week intervals. (With my daughter's help, I later determined that these twelve-week intervals were when my three-week immune cycle and my four-week menstrual cycle coincided.)
So what explanation is there for this cyclic activity? How can it be used to help the MCS sufferer maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses?
It is important to keep in mind that MCS is directly related to the immune system, and the immune system works in a cycle rather than in a constant, steady flow. When we are threatened by some bodily invader, such as some virus or bacteria, our immune system goes to work immediately to resolve the situation. T cells and B cells are put out at the rate of thousands per second. These cells are then sent to the thymus and the lymph nodes where they can be changed to acommodate the particular needs of the body in facing its current challenge.
The total amount of cells produced is mind-boggling. But the cells produced by the immune system during this time of need do not hang around long. They have a job to do, they do it, and then suppressor cells generally come in and announce that the job is done, the enemy has been defeated. The cells produced by the immune system usually have a life cycle of 7, 14, or 21 days, and that is usually more than enough time for a challenge to be met.
But what if the challenge is ongoing, as in the case of someone whose body has put up a red flag to particular chemical groups that are all around us? What happens when 21 days has come and gone, but the challenge still remains?
Well, the immune system does not leave one in the lurch, but will stay "on the job". However, since the life cycle of these "fighter cells" is up, more will have to be produced. This time period, when old fighter cells are dying off and new ones are being formed, can leave a person in a vulnerable state. Remember, all these fighter cells rallied together upon being met with some great challenge, and they will all die off at about the same time as well. Imagine a factory full of workers: Would you expect peak production from the workers at the time of a shift change? No, because most workers are either clocking out or clocking in, and not many are active in the work of production at that time.
This is what happens in the case of MCS sufferers. When the cells are experiencing a "change of shift", the immune system will not be in a good position to ward off attackers, and then when all the new workers are "on the job", there may be a short reprieve until the life cycle of these new cells is over.
MCS sufferers do well to recognize these patterns and work along with the body. If one has had some bad episodes with regard to MCS, or if they have had any other challenge to the immune system, they would do well to mark it on the calendar. Underline the date that falls 7 days later, and the one that falls 14 days later. Take it easy on these days. Now circle the day that falls 21 days later. This is the one of which to be especially cautious. The MCS sufferer should realize that he or she will be more vulnerable at these times and do all that can be done to avoid situations that may present a challenge to the system. It is important to get extra rest and relaxation starting a day or two before the 21st day, and continuing a day or two after. This would be a good time to do some extra reading or watch that six-hour presentation of "Pride and Prejudice" while enjoying your favorite tea!
This knowledge of how the immune system works can be invaluable to the MCS sufferer. By working with the body instead of against it, you may begin to enjoy an increase in your good days. And don't we all want more good days?
From http://livingwithmcs.com/mcs/immune.html
I saw clearly that my bad episodes always came at three week intervals, and that my very worst episodes came at twelve-week intervals. (With my daughter's help, I later determined that these twelve-week intervals were when my three-week immune cycle and my four-week menstrual cycle coincided.)
So what explanation is there for this cyclic activity? How can it be used to help the MCS sufferer maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses?
It is important to keep in mind that MCS is directly related to the immune system, and the immune system works in a cycle rather than in a constant, steady flow. When we are threatened by some bodily invader, such as some virus or bacteria, our immune system goes to work immediately to resolve the situation. T cells and B cells are put out at the rate of thousands per second. These cells are then sent to the thymus and the lymph nodes where they can be changed to acommodate the particular needs of the body in facing its current challenge.
The total amount of cells produced is mind-boggling. But the cells produced by the immune system during this time of need do not hang around long. They have a job to do, they do it, and then suppressor cells generally come in and announce that the job is done, the enemy has been defeated. The cells produced by the immune system usually have a life cycle of 7, 14, or 21 days, and that is usually more than enough time for a challenge to be met.
But what if the challenge is ongoing, as in the case of someone whose body has put up a red flag to particular chemical groups that are all around us? What happens when 21 days has come and gone, but the challenge still remains?
Well, the immune system does not leave one in the lurch, but will stay "on the job". However, since the life cycle of these "fighter cells" is up, more will have to be produced. This time period, when old fighter cells are dying off and new ones are being formed, can leave a person in a vulnerable state. Remember, all these fighter cells rallied together upon being met with some great challenge, and they will all die off at about the same time as well. Imagine a factory full of workers: Would you expect peak production from the workers at the time of a shift change? No, because most workers are either clocking out or clocking in, and not many are active in the work of production at that time.
This is what happens in the case of MCS sufferers. When the cells are experiencing a "change of shift", the immune system will not be in a good position to ward off attackers, and then when all the new workers are "on the job", there may be a short reprieve until the life cycle of these new cells is over.
MCS sufferers do well to recognize these patterns and work along with the body. If one has had some bad episodes with regard to MCS, or if they have had any other challenge to the immune system, they would do well to mark it on the calendar. Underline the date that falls 7 days later, and the one that falls 14 days later. Take it easy on these days. Now circle the day that falls 21 days later. This is the one of which to be especially cautious. The MCS sufferer should realize that he or she will be more vulnerable at these times and do all that can be done to avoid situations that may present a challenge to the system. It is important to get extra rest and relaxation starting a day or two before the 21st day, and continuing a day or two after. This would be a good time to do some extra reading or watch that six-hour presentation of "Pride and Prejudice" while enjoying your favorite tea!
This knowledge of how the immune system works can be invaluable to the MCS sufferer. By working with the body instead of against it, you may begin to enjoy an increase in your good days. And don't we all want more good days?
From http://livingwithmcs.com/mcs/immune.html
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Germicides--Friend or Foe?
Yesterday and friend and I went to visit someone and were told it wasn't a good time because they had the H1N1 virus (swine flu) in the house. So we went back to the car and she asked me, "What do you do about germicides? Can you use them?"
My first response was, "You don't really want to hear my whole rant on germicides. But here's the short version. Germs don't scare me as much as germicides do. If germs can kill, and germicides can kill the germs, which is really the more dangerous of the two?"
My point was that some people are so scared of germs they don't think twice about whatever it is that they are using to get rid of them. It reminds me of some of those old western movies--Just imagine, the town is worried about a law-breaker in their midst, so they bring to town a gunfighter who can bring down the big, bad outlaw. This gunfighter is usually someone who operates on a moral value every bit as low as the bad guy they are trying to eliminate, and he is stronger and faster with a gun to boot. Which would scare you most? Which should scare you most?
It seems to me there are two types of thinking when it comes to germs: One group takes an offensive approach--Get rid of the germs at all cost. Use whatever is at our disposal to kill them, and do it now! Don't worry about whatever else may be killed in the process. The other group thinks more defensively, in terms of building up the immune system to be able to handle the germs. They know that our bodies can handle a staggering amount of invaders as long as we have an equally staggering amounts of antibodies and other good things ready to attack.
Of course, the latter way may involve changing eating habits, drinking habits, maybe even sleeping habits, and more, and this is not very appealing to them, so they prefer the offensive approach. Unfortunately, the things most people use to attack germs offensively are very harmful to the immune system, so they are shooting themselves in the foot, and maybe worse.
Basically, it's good to remember that one of the functions of the immune system involves recognizing foreign invaders, that is, things we were never intended to take into our bodies. Chemical germicides, no matter how effective they are at killing germs in a test tube, are still going to be seen by the body as a foreign substance, so, at least to some extent, our bodies will be fighting the germicide itself, and likely sacrificing some of its fighters in the process. How much better to use things that the body will not see as foreign--garlic, onions, raw greens, etc. These will support the immune system rather than fight it.
One very good natural anti-bacterial agent is salt-water, something our body needs, and something I have addressed in other posts. People deficient in salt are often the ones to succumb to viral illnesses to begin with, because germs cannot survive in a salty solution. People who get too much salt may be prone to many other maladies (I will get into that another time), but it is often observed that they don't get the flu as often as others do. (I'm not saying to get too much salt; I'm just making a point.)
Advocates of drinking water are quick to remind people that the body is 70% water, but they usually fail to mention that it is 70% salt-water out of necessity. We would never be able to know what it would be like to live with only pure water flowing to and from our cells, for we would die long before it would get to that point. Salt has had a bad rap, but it is very necessarily to our life and health. One of the longest standing recommendations for defense against colds and flu has been to gargle with saltwater, and I have seen it recommened as a defensive measure against the H1N1 virus as well.
Well, I may not have felt I could share my "rant" on germicides with my friend, but I will share it here.
More on the immune system, and how it works with MCS, next time...
My first response was, "You don't really want to hear my whole rant on germicides. But here's the short version. Germs don't scare me as much as germicides do. If germs can kill, and germicides can kill the germs, which is really the more dangerous of the two?"
My point was that some people are so scared of germs they don't think twice about whatever it is that they are using to get rid of them. It reminds me of some of those old western movies--Just imagine, the town is worried about a law-breaker in their midst, so they bring to town a gunfighter who can bring down the big, bad outlaw. This gunfighter is usually someone who operates on a moral value every bit as low as the bad guy they are trying to eliminate, and he is stronger and faster with a gun to boot. Which would scare you most? Which should scare you most?
It seems to me there are two types of thinking when it comes to germs: One group takes an offensive approach--Get rid of the germs at all cost. Use whatever is at our disposal to kill them, and do it now! Don't worry about whatever else may be killed in the process. The other group thinks more defensively, in terms of building up the immune system to be able to handle the germs. They know that our bodies can handle a staggering amount of invaders as long as we have an equally staggering amounts of antibodies and other good things ready to attack.
Of course, the latter way may involve changing eating habits, drinking habits, maybe even sleeping habits, and more, and this is not very appealing to them, so they prefer the offensive approach. Unfortunately, the things most people use to attack germs offensively are very harmful to the immune system, so they are shooting themselves in the foot, and maybe worse.
Basically, it's good to remember that one of the functions of the immune system involves recognizing foreign invaders, that is, things we were never intended to take into our bodies. Chemical germicides, no matter how effective they are at killing germs in a test tube, are still going to be seen by the body as a foreign substance, so, at least to some extent, our bodies will be fighting the germicide itself, and likely sacrificing some of its fighters in the process. How much better to use things that the body will not see as foreign--garlic, onions, raw greens, etc. These will support the immune system rather than fight it.
One very good natural anti-bacterial agent is salt-water, something our body needs, and something I have addressed in other posts. People deficient in salt are often the ones to succumb to viral illnesses to begin with, because germs cannot survive in a salty solution. People who get too much salt may be prone to many other maladies (I will get into that another time), but it is often observed that they don't get the flu as often as others do. (I'm not saying to get too much salt; I'm just making a point.)
Advocates of drinking water are quick to remind people that the body is 70% water, but they usually fail to mention that it is 70% salt-water out of necessity. We would never be able to know what it would be like to live with only pure water flowing to and from our cells, for we would die long before it would get to that point. Salt has had a bad rap, but it is very necessarily to our life and health. One of the longest standing recommendations for defense against colds and flu has been to gargle with saltwater, and I have seen it recommened as a defensive measure against the H1N1 virus as well.
Well, I may not have felt I could share my "rant" on germicides with my friend, but I will share it here.
More on the immune system, and how it works with MCS, next time...
Monday, October 19, 2009
Why Do My Symptoms Come and Go?
"Last week my perfume made my friend sick, and this week it didn't. I think it must be in her head."
The fact that certain substances have a debilitating effect one time and a milder effect another time is confusing to the those who suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. This temporary boost in resistance often causes the MCS sufferer to mistakenly think that their body is now able to tolerate former antagonists, only to find that the tolerance is very short-lived. Is there an explanation for these temporary reprieves and for the setbacks that inevitably follow? Yes, and recognizing the reasons for these ups and downs can be a great boon for anyone with MCS, for learning to work with their body rather than against it will mean greater productivity for the sufferer.
It is common for the MCS sufferer to experience symptoms that come and go, especially in the earlier stages, and perhaps again when improvement is made. Unfortunately, when MCS becomes extremely debilitating, the fluctuations are rare and being able to count on a few "good days" is not as likely, so enjoy the "ups" while you can.
Often good and bad days can be easily explained by the sufferer who has learned to recognize how the body is affected by our own habits and life-style changes. Sufferers soon see that their symptoms can be triggered by a hair if they fail to get enough sleep, eat the right foods, or fail to limit their exposure to chemicals. Eating the wrong foods or being exposed to chemicals increases our total body burden, which will make us react more quickly to new triggers. And since we get rid of toxins most effectively when we sleep, a sleepless night or two is one of the quickest ways to increase our own body burden, making it more difficult to deal with new toxic burdens upon being exposed to them. If we should happen to backslide in several areas--losing sleep and then reaching for junk food to wake us up--we multiply the total body burden and our chances of being quickly set off by any trigger we may encounter.
We are also affected for the good and the bad by our own immune cycles. We tend to go through life without any knowledge of these cycles, but learning more about them can actually help us to optimize our strengths and increase our good days. It also helps us to see ahead of time when our vulnerable times will come and be prepared to take extra care at those times.
It's a good idea to explain to family and friends why symptoms fluctuate so, as it often looks to them like we just choose when to be affected and when not to be. When someone apologizes to me for setting off my symptoms, I often come back with "Oh, I haven't been eating right (or getting enough sleep, etc) lately, and it's made me more susceptible." This takes our friends off the hook and make them less inclined to assume that our symptoms are imagined.
Whether due to our own body cycles or occasional backsliding with our health regimen, we will likely always experience fluctuations with our MCS symptoms. At any rate, it helps to know why, and can serve as an impetus for us to respond to the body's needs. So try to look at it as a good thing, and hopefully it will mean more good days for you.
The fact that certain substances have a debilitating effect one time and a milder effect another time is confusing to the those who suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. This temporary boost in resistance often causes the MCS sufferer to mistakenly think that their body is now able to tolerate former antagonists, only to find that the tolerance is very short-lived. Is there an explanation for these temporary reprieves and for the setbacks that inevitably follow? Yes, and recognizing the reasons for these ups and downs can be a great boon for anyone with MCS, for learning to work with their body rather than against it will mean greater productivity for the sufferer.
It is common for the MCS sufferer to experience symptoms that come and go, especially in the earlier stages, and perhaps again when improvement is made. Unfortunately, when MCS becomes extremely debilitating, the fluctuations are rare and being able to count on a few "good days" is not as likely, so enjoy the "ups" while you can.
Often good and bad days can be easily explained by the sufferer who has learned to recognize how the body is affected by our own habits and life-style changes. Sufferers soon see that their symptoms can be triggered by a hair if they fail to get enough sleep, eat the right foods, or fail to limit their exposure to chemicals. Eating the wrong foods or being exposed to chemicals increases our total body burden, which will make us react more quickly to new triggers. And since we get rid of toxins most effectively when we sleep, a sleepless night or two is one of the quickest ways to increase our own body burden, making it more difficult to deal with new toxic burdens upon being exposed to them. If we should happen to backslide in several areas--losing sleep and then reaching for junk food to wake us up--we multiply the total body burden and our chances of being quickly set off by any trigger we may encounter.
We are also affected for the good and the bad by our own immune cycles. We tend to go through life without any knowledge of these cycles, but learning more about them can actually help us to optimize our strengths and increase our good days. It also helps us to see ahead of time when our vulnerable times will come and be prepared to take extra care at those times.
It's a good idea to explain to family and friends why symptoms fluctuate so, as it often looks to them like we just choose when to be affected and when not to be. When someone apologizes to me for setting off my symptoms, I often come back with "Oh, I haven't been eating right (or getting enough sleep, etc) lately, and it's made me more susceptible." This takes our friends off the hook and make them less inclined to assume that our symptoms are imagined.
Whether due to our own body cycles or occasional backsliding with our health regimen, we will likely always experience fluctuations with our MCS symptoms. At any rate, it helps to know why, and can serve as an impetus for us to respond to the body's needs. So try to look at it as a good thing, and hopefully it will mean more good days for you.
Friday, October 9, 2009
MCS and Colder Weather
Brrrr!!! The mornings are getting colder! And that can mean trouble for people with MCS since they often deal with chronically low body temperature. In fact, Wilson's Syndrome--an illness characterized by low body temperature and classic low-thyroid symptoms, even in the absence of abnormal test results--is one of the underlying causes of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.
Low body temperature slows the metabolism because many of our body's enzymes need a normal body temp of 98.6 in order to function optimally. To run even one degree lower than normal can cut enzyme action by 10-20%, a very significant change! When I first started having seizure-like reactions to many different chemicals, my body temperature was often as low as 95.5, which, as seen above, could result in a 30-60% reduction in enzyme action!
Since enzyme action is critical to breaking down toxic chemicals, a low body temperature can make a person very intolerant of chemicals and other toxins. No wonder MCS is sometimes called "Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction."
Daily saunas are often recommended for people suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and often bring significant improvement. At the suggestion of my doctor, I did daily saunas--usually 3 per day--for about five years and noticed a huge improvement. If I had to be away from the sauna for several days in a row, I could really notice the difference and would react to chemicals at a much lower level of exposure than I would while doing the saunas.
There are other things that can increase body temperature, though perhaps not as strikingly as the sauna. Ginger tea or hot ginger baths (not too much) are very warming, and exercise is helpful if it is not counter-indicated. Many people with Wilson's syndrome are treated with T-3 therapy, which helps to raise the body temperature by addressing thyroid issues.
So be mindful of the effect that colder weather can have on your MCS.
Low body temperature slows the metabolism because many of our body's enzymes need a normal body temp of 98.6 in order to function optimally. To run even one degree lower than normal can cut enzyme action by 10-20%, a very significant change! When I first started having seizure-like reactions to many different chemicals, my body temperature was often as low as 95.5, which, as seen above, could result in a 30-60% reduction in enzyme action!
Since enzyme action is critical to breaking down toxic chemicals, a low body temperature can make a person very intolerant of chemicals and other toxins. No wonder MCS is sometimes called "Multiple Enzyme Dysfunction."
Daily saunas are often recommended for people suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and often bring significant improvement. At the suggestion of my doctor, I did daily saunas--usually 3 per day--for about five years and noticed a huge improvement. If I had to be away from the sauna for several days in a row, I could really notice the difference and would react to chemicals at a much lower level of exposure than I would while doing the saunas.
There are other things that can increase body temperature, though perhaps not as strikingly as the sauna. Ginger tea or hot ginger baths (not too much) are very warming, and exercise is helpful if it is not counter-indicated. Many people with Wilson's syndrome are treated with T-3 therapy, which helps to raise the body temperature by addressing thyroid issues.
So be mindful of the effect that colder weather can have on your MCS.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
MCS and Sea Salt, cont'd
This is a continuation of the previous post--If you have not read the previous post, you may want to read it now.)
When my naturopathic doctor told me that one thing they were discovering that MCS patients seemed to have in common was sodium deficiency, I began to understand why the saline IV's were bringing me some relief. I now know that many people with MCS have imroved with saline solutions or supplements like Tri-Salts. I stopped trying to restrict my salt intake, and I switched to natural sea salt (I like Redmond's), which is not treated chemically and has many naturally-occuring trace minerals to boot, and with this, along with drinking lots of water, I did experience improvement. (Before this, drinking water alone didn't seem to help as it went right through me. For more information, see http://www.watercure.com/.)
Still, I was worried that I would actually get too much salt, though I was eating mostly fruits and vegetables and getting very little salt compared to what one gets in the standard American diet. Some estimates suggest that about 70% of sodium intake comes from processed foods, so when processed foods and fast food are cut out, sodium intake can plunge rapidly. Actually, the recommended amount of sodium is about 1,500-2,000 mg/day, though the average fast-food, processed food diet provides more like 4,000 mg/day.
Well, quite by accident, in the spring of '08, I was having trouble finding a toothpaste I could tolerate, and I began to brush my teeth with sea salt. After about three weeks, I noticed that I was tolerating fragrances much better than before! Was it the sea salt? Well, since that time I have gone back and forth on using the sea salt and have definitely found that--for me--taking or using sea salt definitely increases my tolerance to offending chemicals. I still react to chemicals, and still have seizures at times, but when I am giving attention to my sodium intake I generally find that my seizures are less frequent and not as severe.
Now, I would not go so far as to tell people to add salt to their diet. That is not for me to say. However, it might be something for consideration. Give it some thought, do some research, talk to your doctor. Sea salt might be a plus for you.
When my naturopathic doctor told me that one thing they were discovering that MCS patients seemed to have in common was sodium deficiency, I began to understand why the saline IV's were bringing me some relief. I now know that many people with MCS have imroved with saline solutions or supplements like Tri-Salts. I stopped trying to restrict my salt intake, and I switched to natural sea salt (I like Redmond's), which is not treated chemically and has many naturally-occuring trace minerals to boot, and with this, along with drinking lots of water, I did experience improvement. (Before this, drinking water alone didn't seem to help as it went right through me. For more information, see http://www.watercure.com/.)
Still, I was worried that I would actually get too much salt, though I was eating mostly fruits and vegetables and getting very little salt compared to what one gets in the standard American diet. Some estimates suggest that about 70% of sodium intake comes from processed foods, so when processed foods and fast food are cut out, sodium intake can plunge rapidly. Actually, the recommended amount of sodium is about 1,500-2,000 mg/day, though the average fast-food, processed food diet provides more like 4,000 mg/day.
Well, quite by accident, in the spring of '08, I was having trouble finding a toothpaste I could tolerate, and I began to brush my teeth with sea salt. After about three weeks, I noticed that I was tolerating fragrances much better than before! Was it the sea salt? Well, since that time I have gone back and forth on using the sea salt and have definitely found that--for me--taking or using sea salt definitely increases my tolerance to offending chemicals. I still react to chemicals, and still have seizures at times, but when I am giving attention to my sodium intake I generally find that my seizures are less frequent and not as severe.
Now, I would not go so far as to tell people to add salt to their diet. That is not for me to say. However, it might be something for consideration. Give it some thought, do some research, talk to your doctor. Sea salt might be a plus for you.
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