Staff Writer, DL Mullan
MCS Awareness / Environmental Illness____________________________________
In this educational video about going fragrance-free, a loved one gave up fragrances in order to have a relationship with the other person.
Living with Environmental Illness is a challenge that often brings about isolation from public, friends and family.
Many loved ones feel overwhelmed by the endeavor of going fragrance free. They don't know where to start, where to buy products and often fear making someone ill by missing something. Thus, they often avoid the issue and in turn avoid the person living with chemical intolerances.
As I tell everyone I come in contact with, using fragrance free and natural products is health choice for everyone. In other words, it is a positive change for all.
For those who for whatever reason don't want to change out all their soap, shampoo, deodorant, lotion and hair products, one suggestion I have for people is to keep a Fragrance Free Kit.
Of course, if they want their loved one to visit their home, it will probably need to not have any air fresheners, new carpet, paint, lots of candles, carpet shampoo, stains, harsh cleaners, smokers, regular perfume wearers, etc. On the other hand, if these are not an issues, often there can be some compromise.
First, if the loved one cannot tolerate fragranced laundry products, those will need to be changed long term. These do not wash out easily and linger for many months or longer even when washed multiple times
Remember fragrance-free is not the same as unscented. Scents can be masked by other chemicals to give the illusion of no scent. So going unscented is the best policy.
There are so many chemicals in commercial products, especially scented products, that the scents can cause asthma attacks, respiratory problems, sinusitis, rashes, and immune dysfunction. If you or someone you know has any of these medical issues, you may want to ask them about their home products.
But the heaviest health burden falls on the 2 percent of the population [6.2 million people in the U.S. alone] who are chemically intolerant. This heightened chemical sensitivity can be incapacitating in the most extreme cases, rendering sufferers unable to leave the house because they are so bothered by certain synthetic molecules in scents. Chemically intolerant people are also more likely to experience panic attacks or develop major depressive disorder, according to a recent study conducted at two Texas family medicine practices.
Even scarier is that you don't know everything you are putting on your body or breathing into your lungs, manufacturers do not have to disclose all the chemicals:
Though the vast majority of the population is not effected by such severe side effects, people who wear perfume should still be cautious of the chemicals in the bottle. In a 2010 report from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in partnership with the Environmental Working Group, researchers found 14 potentially harmful chemicals that were not listed on fragrance product labels.
In the long run, even if you are healthy, going unscented will help your health and pocketbook. All the while you will be helping people who cannot be around the toxic chemicals in today's commercial, personal, and household products.
The best way to eliminate cost but be very clean, try vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar is also great as a rinse agent in the dishwasher and wash machine. Imagine how much money you could save saving your and another person's health.
Source: Youtube, Huffington Post,
