Oops!
I was doing some adjusting to my blog feed yesterday and an unexpected result was that it sent out a list of old posts.
I'm sorry about that!
I'm not sure what I did but will hopefully have it fixed soon.
:-)
April 28, 2010
oops! Apologies to Subscribers for Feed mixups
Oops!
I was doing some adjusting to my blog feed yesterday and an unexpected result was that it sent out a list of old posts.
I'm sorry about that!
I'm not sure what I did but will hopefully have it fixed soon.
:-)
April 24, 2010
Inspiring People With MCS - Amy Ludwigson
The website of Amy Ludwigson, Pure Habitat, is the home of her insightful blog filled with posts to get your introspective juices flowing. I frequently find it joyful and enlightening and, perhaps even more valuable, it inspires me to get to know myself better, to go within and question myself.
A quote from her About page:
Amy has had MCS for over a decade and has a wonderful dream that I'm sure all people with MCS/EI can appreciate!
Until the time comes for that dream to manifest, Amy is working on creating, "...an online marketplace that sells everything that you need to live consciously - aware of the interdependence of our world. A place that revolutionizes the way that we shop. Where we understand value meaning something sooo much deeper then price."
Amy's voice is a strong, empowered and eloquent one and is a gift to the community.
She recently wrote a wonderful piece entitled Why My Life Is better Because Of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity which was featured on The Canary Report and quickly elicited over 30 heartfelt comments!
If you like to be inspired, click here to sign up to her blog feed.
A quote from her About page: "I have laughed, I have danced, I have cried, but most importantly on this journey I have learned about Love. Not the gushy, you are just sooo cute I wanna kiss you type of love, but the life changing, no strings attached love that breaks all boundaries."
Amy has had MCS for over a decade and has a wonderful dream that I'm sure all people with MCS/EI can appreciate!
Until the time comes for that dream to manifest, Amy is working on creating, "...an online marketplace that sells everything that you need to live consciously - aware of the interdependence of our world. A place that revolutionizes the way that we shop. Where we understand value meaning something sooo much deeper then price."
Amy's voice is a strong, empowered and eloquent one and is a gift to the community.
She recently wrote a wonderful piece entitled Why My Life Is better Because Of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity which was featured on The Canary Report and quickly elicited over 30 heartfelt comments!
If you like to be inspired, click here to sign up to her blog feed.
April 7, 2010
MCS and Chlorine in Paper Products - Healthier Choices
As you may know, chlorine is a chemical that most people with MCS react to.
Aside from being in treated water and laundry bleach, chlorine is also used to whiten paper products of all kinds - from writing and art paper to facial tissues aka kleenex, toilet paper, paper towel and feminine care products like tampons and pads.
Although I am now fine with it, when I was much worse than now MCS-wise, I couldn't even touch chlorine-whitened paper products without reacting. Every paper product I used had to be chlorine-free. Before I found chlorine-free paper, I was using chlorine-free paper towels to write on!
There are two kinds of 'chlorine-free'. One is called Total Chlorine Free (TCF) and refers to products that have never come into contact with chlorine. The second is called Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) and refers to products that may include recycled fibres that originally had contact with chlorine, but in the present product no chlorine was used.
Although some severe MCS people can only use TCF products, I have been okay with PCF products (which is what you will mostly find available).
Chlorine-free products that are whitened use 'oxygen bleach' to whiten - essentially a very strong potency of hydrogen peroxide.
PCF products are becoming more available as the market for 'eco' or 'green' products grows. You can now get PCF toilet paper and paper towels at many regular stores and a few even have PCF facial tissues. One often has to read the fine print on products to find the words "whitened without the use of chlorine" or "whitened with hydrogen peroxide/oxygen bleach".
For Writing, Drawing and Printers
Over at my creativity blog, I've written a review of Ecojot, a company that makes PCF, 100% recycled journals, sketchbooks, scrapbooks and more. I love their products and was amazed and overjoyed to be able to use them right away after purchase! I chose books that were sandwiched between others so that they would not have gotten scents from the store on them. The glues and dyes used in them are vegetable based and I have never reacted to them.
I have also been okay with products by the company Pistachio though they have needed some airing out before use. They have lined, 3-ring binder type paper that I use as well as spiral-bound notebooks. Their dyes are also vegetable based.
Cascades makes PCF paper that works very well in printers and copiers and is super affordable at under $10 for 500 sheets (I use it as writing paper too). They also carry things like toilet paper, paper towel and facial tissue.
As far as I know, toilet paper that is marked as "Septic Safe" is chlorine free.
For People With Periods
If you choose only one product that is chlorine free, I urge you to choose chlorine free period products, especially if you use tampons.
The brand Natracare carries period products that are not only TCF but also made from certified organic cotton - another very important choice for those with MCS considering that cotton is one of the most heavily pesticided crops in the world.
I have had no reactions to their pads or tampons.
DIs there a chlorine-free product you like?
If so, please share in the comments area! I love learning about new resources.
Thanks :-)
Aside from being in treated water and laundry bleach, chlorine is also used to whiten paper products of all kinds - from writing and art paper to facial tissues aka kleenex, toilet paper, paper towel and feminine care products like tampons and pads.
Although I am now fine with it, when I was much worse than now MCS-wise, I couldn't even touch chlorine-whitened paper products without reacting. Every paper product I used had to be chlorine-free. Before I found chlorine-free paper, I was using chlorine-free paper towels to write on!
There are two kinds of 'chlorine-free'. One is called Total Chlorine Free (TCF) and refers to products that have never come into contact with chlorine. The second is called Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) and refers to products that may include recycled fibres that originally had contact with chlorine, but in the present product no chlorine was used.
Although some severe MCS people can only use TCF products, I have been okay with PCF products (which is what you will mostly find available).
Chlorine-free products that are whitened use 'oxygen bleach' to whiten - essentially a very strong potency of hydrogen peroxide.
PCF products are becoming more available as the market for 'eco' or 'green' products grows. You can now get PCF toilet paper and paper towels at many regular stores and a few even have PCF facial tissues. One often has to read the fine print on products to find the words "whitened without the use of chlorine" or "whitened with hydrogen peroxide/oxygen bleach".
For Writing, Drawing and Printers
Over at my creativity blog, I've written a review of Ecojot, a company that makes PCF, 100% recycled journals, sketchbooks, scrapbooks and more. I love their products and was amazed and overjoyed to be able to use them right away after purchase! I chose books that were sandwiched between others so that they would not have gotten scents from the store on them. The glues and dyes used in them are vegetable based and I have never reacted to them.
I have also been okay with products by the company Pistachio though they have needed some airing out before use. They have lined, 3-ring binder type paper that I use as well as spiral-bound notebooks. Their dyes are also vegetable based.
Cascades makes PCF paper that works very well in printers and copiers and is super affordable at under $10 for 500 sheets (I use it as writing paper too). They also carry things like toilet paper, paper towel and facial tissue.
As far as I know, toilet paper that is marked as "Septic Safe" is chlorine free.
For People With Periods
If you choose only one product that is chlorine free, I urge you to choose chlorine free period products, especially if you use tampons.
The brand Natracare carries period products that are not only TCF but also made from certified organic cotton - another very important choice for those with MCS considering that cotton is one of the most heavily pesticided crops in the world.
I have had no reactions to their pads or tampons.
DIs there a chlorine-free product you like?
If so, please share in the comments area! I love learning about new resources.
Thanks :-)
March 29, 2010
MCS Improvements Part 10: 3 Days of Outings
I find that my improvements are becoming something I'm used to and I want to make sure I keep posting them to keep track of the kinds of things I can do now and be okay.
During these exposures I sometimes feel tired or spaced out but am still functional.
*note* I get hormonal migraines and so there's about one week in the month when I try not to do 3 days in a row like this or it's more likely I will get a migraine.
Friday
Sunday
All of this was with no mask except for a few minutes at the bus stop when I held it to my face while someone smoked a cigarette.
The really neat thing about this is that it was 3 days in a row - I used to have very long recovery times but now they are generally very fast and I can go out the next day again.
During these exposures I sometimes feel tired or spaced out but am still functional.
*note* I get hormonal migraines and so there's about one week in the month when I try not to do 3 days in a row like this or it's more likely I will get a migraine.
Friday
- spent 4 hours waiting in a free tax clinic at the local community centre
- walked to and from the centre (I'm slowly building up my exercise tolerance)
- went for walk in some woods in town
- went for non-organic dinner at Mexican restaurant
- went shopping at large chain grocery store for about an hour and a half
Sunday
- took city bus... BUS! (actually 2 buses) to small book sale at a cafe. Coffee fumes used to knock me flat in minutes. This is a photo I actually took on the bus (on a different day). You can see I'm sitting near people.
- browsed books, used bathroom twice (reed fragrance oil diffuser)
- ordered delicious creamed vegetable and curry soup, sat for an hour drawing
- went next door to a used book store, browsed for 30 minutes
- got ride to Giant Tiger (kind of like a cross between a teensy Walmart and a dollar store - very stinky) shopped for about 45 minutes
All of this was with no mask except for a few minutes at the bus stop when I held it to my face while someone smoked a cigarette.
The really neat thing about this is that it was 3 days in a row - I used to have very long recovery times but now they are generally very fast and I can go out the next day again.
March 23, 2010
MCS Improvements Part 9: MCS and Magazines - not usually a good mix but...
The title says it all!
For most of my journey with MCS, I couldn't even be in the same room as a magazine, flyer or newspaper without negative reactions.
To my delight, I've noticed that those reactions are getting less and less lately.
I can read through most newsprint flyers or newspapers in small doses with no reactions although I dislike the smell.
I can also look through glossy magazines for longer periods of time - longer than newsprint and much longer than was possible even 6 months ago!
This is particularly exciting to me because I love making collages which magazines, seed catalogues etc are great for.
Here's a happy-that-it's-spring collage I did recently:
For most of my journey with MCS, I couldn't even be in the same room as a magazine, flyer or newspaper without negative reactions.
To my delight, I've noticed that those reactions are getting less and less lately.
I can read through most newsprint flyers or newspapers in small doses with no reactions although I dislike the smell.
I can also look through glossy magazines for longer periods of time - longer than newsprint and much longer than was possible even 6 months ago!
This is particularly exciting to me because I love making collages which magazines, seed catalogues etc are great for.
Here's a happy-that-it's-spring collage I did recently:
March 3, 2010
MCS Healing Tools: Shifting Focus
One of the most valuable tools on my healing journey from chronic illness has been a willingness to shift my attitude and focus.
The process that has worked best for me goes something like this:
This may seem extremely simplistic or sound like those irritating people who tell us to 'think positive' but it has done wonders for me on my healing journey.
There is a real mind/body connection - and not in a 'new-agey' sense.
When we do things that feed our joy, a whole bunch of positive things happen physiologically in our bodies - making them much more able to heal or deal with stressors, exposures etc.
When we feed our pain, a whole bunch of negative things happen in the body - encouraging illness.
I have read that when we simply think of doing something, similar things happen in the brain and body. So if we cannot actually DO the things that bring us joy, merely thinking of doing them can have wonderful physical effects - not to mention the great effect on our mood!
A critical part of Shifting Focus is avoiding thoughts that have what I call 'negative hooks'.
I have written more about this, including some more detailed instructions, in this post: Technique to Tap the Healing Power of Love
I'd love to hear what brings you joy to do or think of!
Please feel free to share in the comments area.
☺
The process that has worked best for me goes something like this:
- Find things that bring me joy to do or think about (gardening, art, cats, nature)
- Do them as often as I can
- When I can't do them, think of doing them - imagine and envision it as richly as I can
- Note what does not bring me joy (thinking about MCS stuff, limitations)
- Refrain from doing or thinking about it whenever possible
- When I notice myself thinking about something that doesn't bring me joy, STOP
- ... and consciously choose to think about (or better yet do) one of the things that does bring me joy
This may seem extremely simplistic or sound like those irritating people who tell us to 'think positive' but it has done wonders for me on my healing journey.
There is a real mind/body connection - and not in a 'new-agey' sense.
When we do things that feed our joy, a whole bunch of positive things happen physiologically in our bodies - making them much more able to heal or deal with stressors, exposures etc.
When we feed our pain, a whole bunch of negative things happen in the body - encouraging illness.
I have read that when we simply think of doing something, similar things happen in the brain and body. So if we cannot actually DO the things that bring us joy, merely thinking of doing them can have wonderful physical effects - not to mention the great effect on our mood!
A critical part of Shifting Focus is avoiding thoughts that have what I call 'negative hooks'.
I have written more about this, including some more detailed instructions, in this post: Technique to Tap the Healing Power of Love
I'd love to hear what brings you joy to do or think of!
Please feel free to share in the comments area.
☺
February 26, 2010
MCS Improvements Part 8: Walmart, mall, dollar store, library, Chapters, restaurant
I finally polished off this post and I'd like to share something very inspiring.
I recently went on a number of outings over 2 consecutive days that went SO well it was wonderful!
I was on a quest for unscented glue sticks (surprisingly hard to find) and got dropped off at Walmart (I don't drive). This is the 3rd time in a few months that I've done Walmart without a mask. I had to bold that because that's a statement I thought I'd never see!
After that, I walked through the mall and went to the library for a while and then walked 20 minutes home. By that time I was very tired because I'd been on my feet for over 2 hours and I am not in good shape due to little exercise.
But other than normal tiredness, I was totally fine MCS-reaction-wise.
So that's 2 days in a row of huge, hours-long, unmasked outings with few ill effects.
And I was fine the next day and the day after that etc.
Awesome :-)
I recently went on a number of outings over 2 consecutive days that went SO well it was wonderful!
I was on a quest for unscented glue sticks (surprisingly hard to find) and got dropped off at Walmart (I don't drive). This is the 3rd time in a few months that I've done Walmart without a mask. I had to bold that because that's a statement I thought I'd never see!
- The first time was a few months ago for about 45 minutes and although not terrible, was not good - really bad brain fog, then emotional breakdown later with unexplained sobbing and fatigue.
- The second time was a few months later - 15-20 minutes - and I had slight brain fog but was otherwise fine.
- The third time was last week and it went great. I was in there for at least 45 minutes, in all different departments, sniffing glue sticks of all things, and the only symptom was mild brain fog and feeling a bit overwhelmed. No fatigue or neuro reactions later.
After that, I walked through the mall and went to the library for a while and then walked 20 minutes home. By that time I was very tired because I'd been on my feet for over 2 hours and I am not in good shape due to little exercise.
But other than normal tiredness, I was totally fine MCS-reaction-wise.
I woke up the next day feeling fine - no chemical hangover - and ended up going out again!
I went for a nature walk, browsed in Chapters for at least an hour (large chain bookstore that carries scented candles and has a Starbucks in it - fumes) and had dinner at Swiss Chalet. The restaurant was so busy that I ended up being there for about 2 hours in total what with waiting in line, waiting to order, waiting for food to come and eating. I got a mild headache which left as soon as I ate - likely blood sugar-related.
funky tree from walk!
So that's 2 days in a row of huge, hours-long, unmasked outings with few ill effects.
And I was fine the next day and the day after that etc.
Awesome :-)
February 18, 2010
Manifesting A Happy Home
There's a really wonderful post by a Leslie (who has MCS) on her blog about how she drew a picture of her dream sustainable, safe-for-her house... and less than 6 months later found a home that is so close to her picture that it's almost eerie (but very cool)!
A very inspiring read! You can see it here: Creating A Sustainable Dream Part 3.
It got me thinking about how much I yearn to live in the country, surrounded by nature, in a funky, MCS-safe house. But I haven't done much to work towards manifesting it.
I want to make a list like Leslie did.
I've been taking part in a neat 'creative every day' challenge via my blog Divinity Withinity and the theme for February is 'Home'. So without intending it as a manifestation exercise, I have already drawn a picture of my happy home and I wanted to share it with you here just because it's so light-hearted and fun:
(all drawn and coloured with art supplies intolerable to me a year ago)
A very inspiring read! You can see it here: Creating A Sustainable Dream Part 3.
It got me thinking about how much I yearn to live in the country, surrounded by nature, in a funky, MCS-safe house. But I haven't done much to work towards manifesting it.
I want to make a list like Leslie did.
I've been taking part in a neat 'creative every day' challenge via my blog Divinity Withinity and the theme for February is 'Home'. So without intending it as a manifestation exercise, I have already drawn a picture of my happy home and I wanted to share it with you here just because it's so light-hearted and fun:
(all drawn and coloured with art supplies intolerable to me a year ago)
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