Is It Really Asthma?
A lot of people are being told they have Asthma. In many cases this is debatable. For correct diagnoses to determine whether you have Asthma, a lung function test needs to be done. In most instances the respiratory problem is overload of the immune system initially caused by environmental or chemical overload, and further aggravated by the out-gassing of the many chemicals in our daily life.
These asthma-like and allergic symptoms, are exacerbated by chemicals in clothing, bedding and linen, textiles, carpet, synthetic paint and varnish, animal dander, dust and dust-mites, pollen, perfumes, after shave, deodorants, personal care and cleaning products, detergents, traffic fumes etc. Even essential oils can upset your immune system.
Peter’s Experience With Asthma
Before 1995 Peter suffered 12 months of the year with Asthma-like symptoms before changing lifestyle, reducing and wherever possible, eliminating exposures to chemicals. For the last 23 years he has no longer suffered with those ailments. It was proven with blind and double blind testing that Peter had chemical overload, not asthma at all.
What Recent Research Tells Us Now
Dr. Anne Steinemann is an internationally recognized expert on pollutant exposures and associated health effects, including topics of indoor air quality, consumer product testing and evaluation, exposure assessment, and healthy homes and communities. She is currently Professor of Civil Engineering, and Chair of Sustainable Cities, at the University of Melbourne, Australia. She advises numerous governments, industries, and organizations on issues of environmental pollutants, public health, and water management, and has directed major federally funded research programs. Her work has been used to change practices and policies around the world, and formed the basis of federal and state legislation. In her public service, she has investigated more than 200 sick buildings to identify pollutant sources, reduce exposures, and improve people’s health.
Here are some of her important findings on chemical exposures, fragranced products, and adverse health effects.
- Asthma and effects from fragranced products. Among Americans with asthma/asthma-like conditions, 64.3% report health problems, such as breathing difficulties, when exposed to fragranced consumer products such as air fresheners. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-017-0536-2
- Autism and effects from fragranced products. Among individuals with autism/ASDs, 83.7% report health problems, such as migraine headaches, when exposed to fragranced consumer products such as air fresheners. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-018-0625-x
- Emissions from dryer vents during use of fragrance and fragrance-free products. Switching from fragranced to fragrance-free laundry products significantly reduced emissions of limonene (an irritant that can generate hazardous air pollutants such as formaldehyde). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-018-0643-8
- Emissions from essential oils (both regular and organic). All essential oils tested emitted chemicals classified as hazardous (such as toluene), with no significant difference between the regular and “organic” essential oils. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-018-0606-0
- Emissions from fragranced baby products (both regular and organic). All baby products tested emitted chemicals classified as hazardous, with no significant difference between the regular and “organic” fragranced baby products. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-018-0593-1
- International prevalence of chemical sensitivity and fragrance sensitivity. Across four countries (United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Sweden), 19.9% of the general population report chemical sensitivity, 7.4% report medically diagnosed MCS, and 32.2% report fragrance sensitivity (i.e., health problems from fragranced consumer products). For individuals with asthma or with autism, the prevalences are several times higher. (See Table 1 of the paper.) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-019-00672-1
What’s In The Air You’re Breathing Can Be The Trigger (or Will Exacerbate), a Wide Range Of Illnesses You May Not Have Previous Thought Possible
Kate Grenville has published a brilliant book entitled, “The Case Against Fragrance”. She had always associated perfume with elegance and beauty. Then the headaches started. Fragrance today isn’t about flowers now, but synthetic chemicals. Some of these can be linked not just to headaches, but to asthma and allergies, hormone disruption and cancer. These chemicals are released onto the market without testing. Their use is regulated by the same people who make them. And they don’t have to be listed on the labels. Our world is awash with scented products containing these potentially damaging ingredients.
On a book tour in 2015, dogged by ill health, she started wondering: what’s in fragrance? Who tests it for safety? What does it do to people? The more Grenville investigated, the more she felt this was a story that should be told. This book is based on careful research into the science of scent and the power of the fragrance industry. But, as you’d expect from an acclaimed novelist, it’s also accessible and personal. The Case Against Fragrance will make you see – and smell – the world differently.
https://organature.com/shop/the-case-against-fragrance/
What About Essential Oils and Aromatherapy?
Essential oils, such as lavender oil, orange oil, eucalyptus oil, and tea tree oil, are widely used in cosmetics, cleaning supplies, fragranced products, building systems, and aromatherapy. Essential oils are complex mixtures of various compounds such as terpenes. Exposure to compounds emitted from essential oils has been associated with adverse health effects such as skin irritation, asthma, exacerbation, decrease of pulmonary function, chest tightness, and wheezing. Moreover, exposure to some of these compounds during pregnancy may potentially harm a developing fetus. Read more by downloading the PDF Here.
WE’VE BANNED SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES … BUT WHAT ABOUT PERFUMES? IT MIGHT SOUND FUNNY BUT WHAT YOU WEAR, MAY BE EFFECTING OTHERS!
A Message From Peter – March 9th 2019
“Yesterday I went out for the first time in 10 days to have some lunch. Felt good. Because of Chemical Sensitivities, I’m careful where I sit. The problem is that we had to move.”
“Two fellows with strong aftershave and/or deodorants and two elderly ladies with perfumes came close by, YUCK. During the night I felt sick and I feel lousy today too, tired, irritable and depressed. All these are signs of chemical exposure.”
A Message From The Organature Team
You know, that’s why we go to such great lengths to ensure our products are produced in the cleanest environments possible. Our staff do not use chemical fragrances or chemical personal care products (like perfumes or after shave), which may permeate the fabrics and cause a problem for those who are chemically sensitive. No chemical washing powders, dish washing liquid or household cleaners are used here either. For cleaning we simply use vinegar and bi-carbonate soda.
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