Escaping a Toxic World: Treating and Preventing MCS
Lindsay peeked out of her room and said, “Remember, don’t wear any perfume or put any hairspray in your hair. Anna is chemically sensitive!”
Fifteen years ago I was going to a party with my best friend, Lindsay. The party was at a house specially built-in the countryside for her friend Anna. Anna had what is called multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Just living within city limits triggered symptoms of chronic pain and nausea.
In multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a person develops markedly negative reactions to everyday chemical exposures. These include exposures to:
- Pesticides in buildings, in gardens, on our food, and on pets
- Chemical cleaners
- Petrochemical heating systems
- Paints
- Perfumes
- Industrial emissions
- A myriad of others chemicals
I’ll never forget wondering what it would be like to never be able to spray on my favorite perfume every day. Little did I know, years later I would understand how toxic perfume could be.
About 7 years ago, I noticed headaches while cuddling up to my husband when he was wearing cologne. I got more headaches when I walked through the perfume section of a department store. Soon, the perfume that I had worn for years was giving me a headache. I even noticed a headache after my mom washed one of my shirts in her scented detergent. All the triggers were pointing toward a chemical sensitivity to synthetic perfumes.
But I’ve often thought of Anna now that I have experienced my own chemical sensitivity. Anna is not an anomaly in her suffering. She is one of nearly 74 million people who suffer from some sort of chemical sensitivity.[1]
It’s likely that you, or someone you know belongs to the millions that experience illness with chemicals. Do you know what is even more alarming? The chronic illness you may be dealing with can be a direct result from these chemical sensitivities. The good news is with simple lifestyle modifications, your illness can disappear. Eliminate the root cause and you can reverse the progress of chemical sensitivity.
Chemical Sensitivity Defined
Multiple chemical sensitivity occurs when there is an adverse reaction to chemicals in the air, food and water. Generally, these chemicals are harmless to the bulk of the population. But when a person becomes increasingly sensitive to a wide variety of chemical substances, a chronic medical condition or state of illness can result. MCS goes by other names as well.[2] Some of these include:
- Toxic Injury (TI)
- Toxic Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT)
- Chemical Injury Syndrome (CS)
- Environmental Illness (EI)
- Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance (IEI)
- Gulf War Syndrome
It is rare that someone is born with MCS. This intolerance to multiple chemicals is typically triggered by a trauma, or large exposure to a toxic chemical. Many times this occurs during a home or office renovation without proper ventilation. Other times, on-the-job hazards expose people to these life-changing chemicals.
Though the cause cannot always be clearly defined, researchers have found that it is twice as common in women than in men and typically occurs after the age of 30.[3]
MCS is an illness that is caused by heavy industrialism. Our industries continue to dump wastes into the air, water and food. As a result, a certain number of people get sick from exposure to these chemicals. In a recent study in the U.S., 11.2% of the respondents reported sensitivities to common chemicals… and this number continues to grow![4]
The most common sensitivities in those with MCS include:
- Cigarette smoke
- Perfumes and fragrances
- Pesticides
- Air fresheners
- Scented soaps
- New carpet or flooring
- Fresh paint
- Chlorine
- Clothing washed in scented detergent or fabric softener
- Newsprint
- Computers, printers, and copiers
- Common household cleaners
- And much more (nail polish, moth balls, vinyl plastic, hair spray, etc.)
As you can see, this list is common in nearly every home and workplace! This causes those who suffer from MCS to feel as though they cannot escape their illness. Many choose isolation and, sadly, become hermits inside their safe home environment.
It is important for every person with MCS to try to create as safe and chemical free-living space as possible. Housing may be the single most crucial element in survival and possible improvement for someone with MCS. This cleanup requires learning about everyday toxins and safer alternatives to perfume, cigarette smoke, air fresheners, pesticides and cleaning products to create a pure and chemical-free living space.
Ironically, environmentalist fight for a less toxic atmosphere. Yet, inside our very homes are where we are exposed to the most pollution. Sadly, most people are oblivious to the chemicals that are chipping away at their health and eating away inside their property line.
City dwellers are subject to industrial emissions, vehicle exhausts, toxins used by neighbors such as lawn chemicals, and a myriad of other poisons. Rural dwellers are exposed to farm chemicals that include pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, which are extremely toxic.
You may not see the adverse effects of these toxicants until the often paralyzing symptoms of MCS or a chronic illness results.
Chronic Disease and MCS
The underlying characteristic of MCS is an abnormal or increased capacity to detect chemicals in the environment, primarily through smell and taste.
Because of the trauma from chemical exposure, the central nervous system and immune system are damaged. Simply from overexposure, the nervous system and immune system go into overdrive in someone with MCS. As a result, the brain remains on hyper alert and begins to react to the slightest exposure.
The over-sensitive brain leaves the person susceptible to the smallest whiff, touch or taste of a chemical substance. People can suffer delayed neurological damage that may include disturbances in sensory experience, motor function, speech, sleep, and emotional stability. Often, the symptoms continue to worsen over time leaving people with MCS miserable and without hope.
Typical symptoms of MCS include:
- Muscle and joint pain
- Tiredness, lethargy and fatigue
- Sore throat
- Memory and cognition impairment
- Headaches and migraines
- Visual disturbances
- Skin irritation (rashes, hives, etc)
- Anxiety or irritability
- Depression
- Asthma
- Gastrointestinal issues (diarrhea, vomiting, nausea)
- Tachycardia
- Seizures
Functional Somatic Syndrome
MCS falls into a category of illnesses labeled functional somatic syndrome. Other illnesses in this category include fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. These illnesses often overlap each other and exhibit similar symptoms. It is fairly common that people who have MCS also have either fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. IBS is another illness that often accompanies MCS.
Many people diagnosed with chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia note a decrease in their symptoms when reducing exposure to chemicals. If you or someone you know suffers from one of these illnesses, then follow these steps to decrease MCS. The tips provided here to lowering your exposure to chemicals can improve the pain and fatigue associated with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and IBS.
Lyme Disease
Some have speculated that undiagnosed Lyme disease can be a cause of MCS. It is estimated that over 18 million people in the U.S. have Lyme disease. In most cases, it is not diagnosed. It is a misconception that Lyme is only spread by ticks and identified by a bullseye rash. More than half of those with Lyme never had a bullseye rash. Also, the spirochete (bacteria) behind Lyme disease can spread via fleas, mosquitoes, mites, food and sexual contact.
Lyme can hide in our tissues giving a false negative on the Western blot test.[5] However, science is discovering new and more accurate tests for Lyme disease. If you suffer from MCS, I recommend one of these newer and more accurate testing methods. The iSpot Test is a good example and is more accurate identifying whether or not Lyme is truly the culprit of your MCS.[6]
PTSD
Gulf War Syndrome and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have a connection to MCS, as well. In 1990, 700,000 went to war and 250,000 came home with chronic illness. Even the CDC established a connection between sick Gulf War veterans and chemical sensitivities.[7]
These veterans were exposed to a plethora of toxic chemicals in pesticides, vaccines, anti-nerve gas pills and much more. Unfortunately, these symptoms did not end with the Gulf War. Servicemen continue to be exposed to toxic chemicals while on deployment.
Research has suggested a common etiology between post traumatic stress disorder and multiple chemical sensitivity, as well.[8] PTSD is a debilitating condition that follows a traumatic event. While not everyone with MCS has PTSD, some most certainly do. The ability to cope with trauma therapy and achieve positive outcomes is low, until the mind-body and environmental stress load is reduced. These two illnesses overlap often enough that researchers are suggesting further study into common causes.
Detoxifying your Home Life
It is imperative that if you have any symptoms of MCS, that you immediately incorporate methods of chemical reduction into your life and home.
Even if you don’t suffer from MCS, lowering your toxic exposure in your environment can still dramatically improve your health. Chemical sensitivities often mimic or induce other illnesses. You could currently be suffering from migraines, dizzy spells or joint pain and have no idea that chemical sensitivity is to blame.
Reducing toxic exposure is beneficial for everyone, from infants to the elderly. Even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is thought to be the result of accidental poisoning due to toxic gases released from baby mattresses.[9]
It is never too early, nor too late to start reducing the chemicals in your home! After all, home is where your health is!
When I first started experiencing headaches from synthetic fragrances, I took dramatic steps in lowering chemical exposure in my home for my own safe and the safety of my family. I began to eliminate excess chemicals in my body care, detergents, and household cleaners long before I ever manifested severe multiple chemical sensitivity symptoms. I’ve found in lowering my exposure to chemicals that I’ve never needed to sacrifice cleaning power, pleasant scents, or even taste!
If you look closely, you will be surprised how toxic your home truly is. MCS inducing chemicals hide out in everything from your household cleaners to the mattress you sleep on! Below are the 5 most important things in your home that need to be replaced in order to detoxify your life and bring about a new sense of health and well-being!
1. Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning supplies are packed full of toxic ingredients that are released into the air with each squirt or spray. Many may kill germs, but the chemicals used to kill the germs can slowly be killing you!
I only use chemical- and fragrance-free household cleaners in my home.
- I use apple cider vinegar with water to clean my floors.
- To clean my countertops, mirrors, and windows, I use Norwex brand microfiber cloths.
- I currently use Biokleen brand for my dish soap and dishwashing detergent.
- I also suggest adding essential oil of lemon to your cleaning solutions for anti-microbial properties and a pleasant chemical-free scent!
Chemical-free cleaners, available at a health food market or online, work just as well as their chemical based counterparts… just without the negative consequences!
2. Body Care
What you put onto your skin, ends up inside your body! This makes chemical-free body care very important, not only to prevent skin reactions, but systemic issues inside the body!
You can purchase natural shampoo, body wash, and face cleansers at your local health food store or online. Some recommended brands include Aubrey Organics, Dr. Bronners, and Devita.
My family and I use completely chemical-free body-care products. We also use a homemade body butter for moisturizing and homemade deodorant as well. See our recipes below.
Thankfully, I have never suffered to the degree that Anna or the thousands of others with MCS. Luckily, my symptoms were mild and my lifestyle was easily modified to reverse the negative reaction to perfume. I currently use a blend of essential oils in place of perfume, although there are several all-natural perfumes also available. Vered organic botanicals makes some wonderful perfumes that are made from essential oils with no chemicals or preservatives.
I currently purchase all-natural makeup from both www.spiritbeautylounge.com and www.gressaskin.com. My skin is far less sensitive, more soft and supple, and I am now headache-free from the lack of synthetic fragrances!
3. Food
Food intolerance is common with those suffering from MCS. Addressing food sensitivities can be the single most effective action to take to reduce the profoundly debilitating effects of MCS. This requires eating chemical-free foods and those in the most natural state possible. This means the food is:
- Minimally processed
- Grown without pesticides
- Free of added hormones and antibiotics
- Contains no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or other artificial ingredients
- GMO-free
Once you understand and suspect that chemicals and foods you’re exposed to everyday may be decreasing your quality of life, it’s time to do something about it.
- Avoid buying foods on the Dirty Dozen list, which contains the foods highest in pesticide residues.
- Instead, purchase foods from the Clean 15 list, which contain the foods lowest in pesticide residues.
- Avoid pesticides altogether and eat organic foods
- Buy organic meat and dairy products that are free from growth hormones and other chemical residues.
- Avoid GMO foods. The top GMO offenders are corn, soy and canola. Look for non-gmo versions of foods that contain these ingredients. GMOs hide out in many foods, even ketchup!
It is no surprise that foods are recommended for their health benefits. Read the labels on everything you purchase. If you don’t recognize an ingredient as a food item, then it is a chemical and avoid it at all costs!
A judicious choice of food will counteract toxic agents. Therefore, your diet can be a major factor in determining whether you show toxic symptoms following exposure.
4. Mattress
Around 4 years ago, we decided to invest in a natural mattress. After researching, we discovered many disadvantages of a regular mattress. A typical bed mattress contains:
- Chemical flame retardants
- Toxic chemical foams
- Formaldehyde
- Many other chemical additives
- Plus, the metal springs can act as an antenna and emit radiation while you sleep![10]
Stay away from synthetic memory foam mattresses, as well. They release volatile organic compounds that give off aromatic properties as they naturally degrade. Many have complained of severe allergic symptoms from the offgassing of the chemicals used to make these mattresses. Consider the effects of sleeping every night, eight hours at a time, breathing in the gasses given off by a synthetic memory foam mattress.
There are many non-toxic and even organic mattresses available today. We chose a natural latex mattress from www.sleepez.com and have never been happier! We sleep more soundly than before. Plus my husband no longer complains of back pain! You spend nearly a third of your life sleeping, so a comfortable non-toxic mattress is a worthy investment!
5. Filters
Purchasing air and water filters for your home are two other great ways to filter out pollution and chemicals from your environment.
I recommend purchasing an air filter fit for your needs. If you have extreme sensitivities, invest in a pricier more efficient filter. Full home filters can even be installed with your heating and cooling system. If you have mild to no symptoms, you can purchase a portable HEPA filter which helps to filter molds and pollen out of the air and also neutralize odors.
Another great investment to purify the air is a salt lamp. These lamps act like a natural ionizer by releasing negative ions into the air. These negative ions help cancel out the electromagnetic radiation being emitted by your electronic devices and help to maintain a normal ionic balance in the air. Many people note an overall sense of well-being as well as better sleep quality when they use these salt lamps.
You know that we are all exposed to toxins in the water we drink. Chlorine used in water treatment reacts with organic (natural) material in the water to form new chemicals like chloroform and other toxic substances. These may aggravate chemical sensitivity when breathed in from shower vapors or ingested via drinking and cooking. Since a lot of exposure occurs during showering and bathing, you should consider installing showerhead and faucet filters or a whole-house water filtration system, which would also treat water used in clothes-washing and dishwashing machines (these uses also release chemicals into your home).
However, for those who want even more filtration, especially fluoride which is very difficult to remove, I recommend investing in a Berkey filter. These filtration systems are not cheap, but they remove nearly every possible chemical, metal, or microorganism that could be present in your drinking water! They are truly the Gold-Standard in water filtration!
Detoxifying Your Body
In these times with so much cancer, chronic and degenerative illness epidemics, it’s to everyone’s benefit to understand detoxing. Your body needs to detoxify substances from outside the body and those made inside the body. People have hundreds of chemicals stored in the body. Ridding your body of these accumulated toxins is very important in keeping your body healthy and free from disease. How well, or how poorly, your body is able to detoxify will in a large part determine how well or sick you feel.
Those with MCS who get better do so through avoidance and careful, controlled detox of existing toxins in the body. There are some great ways to naturally detox the body, like investing in:
- Renew Life’s Cleansemore
- Juice fasting
- Colonics
- An infrared sauna
Chemically sensitive patients often have impaired ability of the liver to detoxify toxic substances. The liver is the primary detoxification organ in the body. This makes it of utmost importance to maintain a healthy, well-functioning liver. Cleansing programs and supplements designed for the liver are important in overcoming MCS. I recommend a supplement that contains milk thistle, dandelion, and artichoke taken daily. This will increase the liver’s ability to detoxify and move chemicals out of the body!
The average person should detox their body at least twice a year using one or more of these methods. Those with multiple chemical sensitivities may have to use detoxification techniques on a monthly basis to clear their body of accumulated toxins.
It is clear that chemical sensitivity can destroy a productive life and do so quickly. Don’t wait until chemicals have taken their toll on your life to make the change to a chemical-free lifestyle. The transition may take some adjustment, but I can assure you once you’ve rid your life of toxic chemicals you won’t go back! You will feel the difference:
- Your mood will improve!
- Your energy will increase!
- And you may even lose those extra pounds that have been hanging around!
For some of you, toxic chemicals have turned your world upside down. You suffer from chemical sensitivities that isolate you from the rest of the world. Don’t lose hope! Take steps to not only avoid the chemicals around you, but to detoxify. You can take your life back.
Remember Anna? She now lives within the city limits with her husband and two children. Though she avoids chemicals and uses natural products, she no longer requires adhering to strict conditions to avoid feeling sick. She now goes to church, to the mall, and among friends without worry or concern. Freedom can be your future as well! You just have to take the steps to get there!
I have included the recipe and directions for the disinfecting cleaner, body butter, and deodorant I personally make and use in my home. They are easy to make and work as well as their chemical-laden counterparts! Enjoy!
Disinfecting Chemical Free Cleaner
Ingredients:
- 3 parts filtered water
- 1 part apple cider vinegar
- 10 drops of lemon essential oil or thieves essential oil
Directions:
Add to spray bottle and shake before each use.
Homemade Whipped Body Butter
Ingredients:
- ½ cup shea butter
- ½ cup cocoa butter
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup light oil like almond, olive or jojoba
- Lavender, orange, or lemon essential oils are optional
Directions:
- In a pan, combine all ingredients except essential oils.
- Bring to low heat and stir constantly until all ingredients are melted.
- Remove from heat immediately and let cool slightly.
- Move to fridge and let cool another 1 hour or until the oils start to harden but still somewhat soft.
- Use a hand mixer to whip for 10 minutes until fluffy.
- Return to fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.
Homemade Natural Deodorant
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder
- 2 T. cocoa butter
- 1 T. coconut oil
- 1 T. sweet almond or olive oil
- 5 drops grapefruit essential oil (or for a more masculine scent use cedarwood or sandalwood essential oil)
- 3 drops tea tree oil
Directions
- Gently melt the cocoa butter, coconut oil and sweet almond oil on low heat. As soon as fat elements are melted, remove pan from heat.
- Add essential oils to melted fats and set aside.
- Add dry ingredients to a separate bowl and use a whisk to combine.
- Add liquid oils to dry ingredients and use whisk to completely combined.
- Immediately pour deodorant into jars while it is a thick, liquefied paste.
- Place your filled jars in the refrigerator to set.
- The result (kept at room temperature) should be a moisture-rich paste.
*If you have very sensitive skin, try substituting arrowroot for the baking soda or for a portion of the baking soda. Please note that this may lower the effectiveness of the deodorant.[12]
If you liked this article, then you’ll love these:
Sources:
[1] http://arizonaadvancedmedicine.com/multiple-chemical-sensitivity-mcs/
[2] http://arizonaadvancedmedicine.com/multiple-chemical-sensitivity-mcs/
[3] http://annmccampbell.com/multiple-chemical-sensitivity/
[4] http://annmccampbell.com/multiple-chemical-sensitivity/
[5] http://www.mcsresearch.net/causes.htm
[6] https://www.neurorelief.com/index.php?p=cms&cid=486&pid=149
[7] http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/publications/gulfwar/report.pdf
[8] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11461161
[9] http://www.johnleemd.com/store/art_sids.html
[10] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/18/your-box-spring-mattress-could-be-acting-as-a-gigantic-cancercausing-radiation-antenna.aspx
[11] Adapted from wellnessmama.com
[12] Adapted from holisticsquid.com
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