E.I. Bare Basics/Resources
According to a Spring 1995 DePaul University survey of treatments tried by people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (280), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (129), Fibromyalgia (86), and Electromagnetic Sensitivity (59), the most successful (the Major Help and Enormous Help figures combined) treatments with the least harm were:
Avoiding food
allergens...........................................74.9%
Avoiding
chemicals.................................................92.8%
Safer living
space....................................................86.1%
Move to less polluted
area........................................75.9%
Reading and applying information on
food and chemical sensitivity in
books............. ....80.5%
From experience with thousands of chronically ill people over the last 15 years, Share, Care and Prayer would agree with the results of the DePaul survey. Therefore, we provide the following brief outline of basic information with a few well known resources to help chronically ill people recognize areas of their lives that need to be evaluated and changed for optimum health.
We understand the challenge diet and lifestyle change creates for very ill people. It would be so much easier to take medication to cover the symptoms. However, the ingredients of most medications can cause problems of their own. It is important the cause of the symptoms be dealt with to improve health and prevent further injury. Theron Randolph, M.D., the founder of Clinical Ecology, now known as Environmental Medicine, recognized the difficulties involved in making changes. Here is what he wrote about attitude and physical ability in "Ecological Orientation in Medicine" for the ANNALS OF ALLERGY, Vol. 23, pages 7-22, January 1965:
"As far as suggestion is concerned, chronically reacting patients are more apt to be negative to suggestion than acceptable to some new interpretation of their illness which might infringe upon their freedom. Even though a person may be intensely interested in learning the inciting causes of his symptoms, he is usually loath to accept an avoidance program as detailed as that associated with the elimination of corn, wheat, milk, egg or chemically contaminated foods, or as expensive as that entailed in the re-engineering of his home. Indeed, full acceptance of these cause-and-effect interpretations generally comes only after repeated demonstrations in which circumstances permit of no alternative interpretations."Although the abstraction that chronic illness commonly results from daily exposures to which one is susceptible and maladapted may sound reasonable to the thinking person, the brain-fagged, confused, or depressed patient is apt to react negatively to such a suggestion. In fact, resistance to personal participation, even for a short period, is the major stumbling block to a wider dissemination of these views. Many patients are apt to be too tired to be attentive; too dull to grasp the continuity of what is said; too confused to read instructions comprehendingly; too embarrassed to ask questions and, most importantly, too stuck in their daily routines and too lacking in initiative to make any major changes. Such difficulties of instruction and acceptance of a program of action are compounded with advancement of the process. Too preoccupied with their own one-track recurring "thoughts" to comprehend, accept, decide or comply, it is far easier to drift along than to make upsetting changes, even though such 'upsets' might demonstrate inciting causes of their illnesses."
For those chronically ill patients described above without help, we suggest you start by giving up sugar and caffeine and make the easiest lifestyle changes, such as just avoiding exposures to fragranced products and pesticide/herbicides. As your health begins to improve, it will then be easier to move on to more solutions. However, if you do not begin to make diet and lifestyle changes, your health will continue to degenerate, and you will develop more symptoms. You can get better with some effort, and it is worth it.
This information is not intended as medical advice. We recommend everyone with chronic and acute illness to have regular physical examinations and to work closely with their doctors towards reversing their health problems.
Share, Care and Prayer, Inc. is a nonprofit Christian organization ministering to the Environmentally Ill. Contributions sent to P.O. Box 2080, Frazier Park, CA 93225 are tax-deductible, needed and appreciated.
Books
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Purchase from health food stores, book stores, or as indicated.
(NOTE: Online ordering provided for most of the books recommended - just click on the "Order Now" link or the book cover graphic to go to Amazon.com's ordering and information page for that book and receive up to a 40% discount off the retail price! Also, ANY book, or other products, ordered from amazon.com's 4.7 million titles through our web site will provide Share, Care and Prayer with a commission!)
Toxic Exposure Causes Chronic
Illness
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Staying Well in a Toxic World: Understanding Environmental Illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Chemical Injuries, and Sick Building Syndrome and Staying Well in a Toxic World - a new Millennium Update |
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Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes (2nd Edition) Claudia S. Miller - (Also sold by Share, Care and Prayer - see Order Form) |
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"Chemical Sensitivity" (3 vols.) by William J. Rea, M.D., is sold by the American Environmental Health Foundation.
Allergy/Candida Yeast
Imbalance/Treatment
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An Alternative Approach to Allergies: The New Field of Clinical Ecology (Unravels the Environmental Causes of Mental and Physical Ills) (Also sold by Share, Care and Prayer - see Order Form) |
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The Whole Way to Allergy Relief & Prevention: A Doctor's Complete Guide to Treatment & Self-Care Frances A. Taylor, Jinger Prosser - |
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- by Sherry A. Rogers - |
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Brain Allergies: The Psychonutrient Connection Including Brain Allergies Today: An Update |
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The Yeast Connection: A Medical Breakthrough |
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The Yeast Connection and the Woman |
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Practical Lifestyle Changes Make a
Difference/Resources
"Coping with Your Allergies" by Natalie Golos.
"Less Toxic Alternatives" by Carolyn Gorman is sold by Share, Care and Prayer (see Order Form). This is a handbook of less toxic products and where to get them.
"Pest Control You Can Live With" by Debra Graff.
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Clean and Green: The Complete Guide to Non-Toxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping (Also sold through Share, Care and Prayer - see Order Form) |
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Creating a Healthy Household: The Ultimate Guide for Healthier, Safer, Less-Toxic Living |
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The Healthy House: How to Buy One, How to Build One, How to Cure a Sick One |
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Healthy House Building: A Design & Construction Guide |
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Bug Busters/Poison Free Pest Controls for Your House and Garden |
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Optimum Environment for Optimum Health & Creativity |
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Sauna Detoxification Therapy: A Guide for the Chemically Sensitive Lawrence A. Plumlee, Richard Layton - |
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Children/Allergies/Hyperactivity
"Solving the Puzzle of Your Hard to Raise Child" by Dr. Wm. G. Crook. Can be purchased from Professional Books.
"Poisoning Our Children" by Nancy Sokol Green.
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Help for the Hyperactive Child: A Good-Sense Guide for Parents of Children With Hyperactivity, Attention Deficits and Other Behavior and Learning Problems |
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Is This Your Child? (Discovering and Treating Unrecognized Allergies in Children and Adults) |
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The Impossible Child in School--At Home (A Guide for Caring Teachers and Parents) |
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Food/Rotation
Diet/Recipes/Resources
"Super Foods" by Marjorie Hurt Jones, R.N. (a recipe book using unusual foods).
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The Allergy Self Help Cookbook: Over 325 Natural Foods Recipes, Free of Wheat, Milk, Eggs, Corn, Yeast, Sugar and Other Common Food Allergens |
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5 Years Without Food: The Food Allergy Survival Guide: How to Overcome Your Food Allergies and Recover Good Health |
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Relationships
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"But You LOOK Good: A Guide to Understanding and Encouraging People with Chronic, Debilitating Illness and Pain!" Sold by The Invisible Disabilities Advocate. |
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Spiritual
"Strength for Today" by Sharon Broyles (a daily devotional for the chronically ill).
"Divine Healing Today" by Richard Mayhew.
"Waiting for a Miracle: Devotions for Those Who Are Physically Weak" by Jan Markell.
"Mosaic Moments, Devotionals for the Chronically Ill" by Lisa Copen
Support Groups
Much information and encouragement can be gained by attending support group meetings. Share, Care and Prayer occasionally meets in the Pasadena/Arcadia or Frazier Park, CA area. The Human Ecology Action League (HEAL), a nonprofit educational organization , oversees about 150 support groups across the nation. For a brochure on their organization, detailed E.I. resource lists and information on local HEAL and Environmental Health Association (EHA) groups, contact HEAL. (See organization section for information on their publication.) The CFIDS Association of America has information on hundreds of groups nationwide. They also have a separate organization for group leaders: CSN for CFIDS Support Network.
Physicians
We recommend physicians trained in environmental medicine for diagnosis, testing of sensitivities, and treatment. To locate an environmental physician in your area, write The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), and send $3.00 - or refer to their web site for a searchable database of physicians.
Foods
Most chemically sensitive patients are also allergic to various foods even though they may not think they are because they to do not have common allergic symptoms such as hay fever or rash, or because their symptoms are delayed and chronic. This also applies to CFS and FM patients. Avoidance of sugar, caffeine and foods causing sensitivities will lower the total body toxic load, allow the immune system to heal and the patient to be less chemically sensitive. Avoiding offending chemicals and molds, etc. will also reduce food sensitivities. And, switching to chemical free food (organic) will often relieve symptoms.
There are four good ways to discover unknown food allergens.
A. Provocative/Neutralization - intradermal testing on upper arms or drops under the tongue by an Environmental Physician.B. Blood tests - RAST for more immediate reacting foods and Elisa/ACT for delayed (reactions taking place from three hours after to exposure to three weeks!) reacting foods, chemicals and molds. Many insurance companies, including Medicare, cover the ELISA/ACT test. Any physician can order the blood draw kit. You can also contact ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies, Inc. for a physician testing in your area and to check with your insurance company for coverage for you. Ask Share, Care and Prayer for a packet of information.
C. Diary - We believe a Diet/Activity/Environment/Symptom Diary is one of the most valuable tools to help a person understand what is causing their particular symptoms. A sample diary form is available for your daily use. However, remember, not all reactions are immediate. Some symptoms can be delayed up to three weeks!
D. Self-administered Test Diets. We recommend, AND WE PROVIDE COPIES OF, a Four-Day Rotation Diet or Elimination Diet to help discern which foods are causing problems and TO PREVENT FURTHER HEALTH DEGENERATION AND/OR NEW SYMPTOMS. Here is what Paul Cheney, M.D., has to say about the benefits of an Elimination Diet:
Elimination Diet. The more I get into the issue of diet and food sensitivities, it's obvious to me that the single most common antigen to what we are exposed is food proteins. Elimination diets, and improving digestion and gut epithelial function can pay huge dividends... I've seen people in 30 days have huge clinical responses simply by this very simplest of moves.(Reproduced from Winter 2000 HEALTHwatch)
Many chronically ill people who have trouble managing a specific diet can handle the "Cave Man Diet" and see rapid improvement in their health. There are no processed (packaged or canned) or agriculturally grown foods like grains on this diet. It consists of plain fish, poultry, meat, eggs, fresh fruits; and fresh, raw vegetables and/or fresh, cooked vegetables.
Exotic Foods for the Severely Food
Sensitive
Catalogs available: Czimer's Game & Sea Foods, Inc. (game birds, venison, even camel, bear, buffalo, etc.) send SASE for brochure; Special foods (cereals, flours, pastas made from cassava, yams, yucca, etc.); Arrowhead Mills (organic beans, nuts, grains, etc.); Chuck's Seafoods (Oregon's King Salmon and albacore tuna packed in glass); Francis Simun Bakery, (bread, bagels, muffins, cookies made from a variety of organic flours including beans(s), tapioca, artichoke, etc.); and Diamond Organics (organic fruits and vegetables, meat, gift packages of foods and even pesticide-free cut flowers!).
Chemicals
Once a person understands to what they have become sensitive, the best treatment is to avoid the substance. The following are basic procedures the late Joseph J. McGovern Jr., M.D. prescribed in lifestyle changes to all his chemically sensitive patients:
- eating chemical-free food
- using bottled water
- replacing clothing made with
synthetic fibers by clothing made of natural fibers
- replacing vinyl and foam furniture
with metal/wood/natural fiber furniture
- replacing gas appliances with
electric appliances
- moving to a house and area where
there is air which is chemically cleaner
- replacing rugs, drapes, etc. with
articles made of natural fibers
- using air filters in home and car and
work place
- replacing mattresses, bed springs,
pillows, and bed linens with products made of natural
fibers
- replacing gas heating with electric heating
We would add that the "bottled water" should be in glass (delivered by Hinckley & Schmitt, Sierra Spring or Mountain Valley for instance) or a water filter can be used on tap water. It is best to buy air and water filters from dealers serving chemically sensitive people (see below).
To be very clear, everyone, and especially those with any sensitivities, should AVOID PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, AND ANTIBACTERIAL PRODUCTS in the home, office, on animals, or the lawn. There are alternative pest controls which are safer, even for extermination of termites. Bug Busters by Bernice Lifton contains a wealth of practical tips. (Some natural remedies may not be "SAFE" for certain environmentally sensitive individuals.) For information on health effects of specific pesticides and articles on lawn care, contact the environmental organizations listed on the "Basic Newsletters and Publications" page.
Also AVOID PERFUME AND SCENTED BEAUTY AND LAUNDRY PRODUCTS, AIR FRESHENERS, AND SCENTED CANDLES. There are non-scented beauty products sold in markets, health food stores, and by mail order such as from N.E.E.D.S. and The Living Source. Non-detergent, thus safer, laundry and dish soaps such as Granny's Power Plus and E.Z. Maid from Granny's Old Fashioned Products can be bought in most health food stores. Unscented Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda, borax (as a clothes whitener and natural disinfectant), All Free, and Brilliant Bleach (Trader Joes) are also popular with sensitive people.
And AVOID CHEMICAL, ANTIBACTERIAL, AND SCENTED HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS. Return to the old fashioned, inexpensive and effective cleaners, such as vinegar and water, Bon-Ami (with or without chlorine), baking soda, and Rugged Red by Neo-life from The Living Source. Use anti-bacterial/disinfectant products (cleaners, hand washers, and O-Cello sponges) which contain biocides only when necessary.
Air Purifiers (home, office, auto)
Water Purifiers (sink, shower, whole house)
and Other E.I. Products
Water Purifiers (sink, shower, whole house)
and Other E.I. Products
Write for catalogs or call: The American Environmental Health Foundation, Inc., The Living Source, N.E.E.D.S., E.L. Foust, Inc., Allergy-Asthma Shopper, or The Non Toxic Hotline. We do not recommend the air purifiers which emit ozone. Ozone can injure lung tissue and should only be used when the area is not occupied by humans and animals.
Masks
Cotton masks for indoor, out of doors, and while driving to avoid air pollutants causing symptoms, write or call for fliers from Sandra DenBraber, R.N., CHARCOAL MASKS, and The Living Source; and/or a catalog from The American Environmental Health Foundation. Write to Share, Care and Prayer for general information on respirators.
Bedding and/or Clothing
Mail order catalogs for cotton and organic cotton: Crown City Mattress, Deva, Lifewear, Inc., The Living Source, Heart of Vermont, Janice's, Garnet Hill or The American Environmental Health Foundation; tencel (another plant fiber fabric): Nordstrom, (800) 285-5800, www.nordstrom.com, J. Marco Galleries, (800) 948-3100, www.jmarco.com, and silk: WinterSilks, (800) 648-7455, www.WinterSilks.com.
Organic Cotton Mattresses
Crown City Mattress Co., the Non Toxic Hotline, Janice's, or Furnature.
House Upkeep and/or Renovation
Experienced consultants can be found through support groups, advertisements in newsletters, through HEAL, and the book Less Toxic Alternatives. Special care must be taken to research and test all products to be used. Too often a home or room is contaminated (sometimes forever) by someone painting, carpeting or cleaning with chemicals. There are safer, more natural products available, however, the environmentally ill person can react to them as easily as to chemical products. For catalogs of safer products (paints, adhesive, sealer, gouts): AFM Enterprises, The American Environmental Health Foundation, The Living Source, or The Non Toxic Hotline.
Many who are chemically sensitive feel better (and some worse if metal sensitive) after having the walls covered with stainless steel or aluminum foil sheeting to seal out mold, dust and construction chemicals. For stainless steel foil and tape: McMaster Carr (24" wide rolls: 10'/#3254K52, 25'/#3254K55, 50'/#3254K53, 100'/#3254K56; order with credit card or pay in cash in person, will ship anywhere in U.S.).
Electric Heaters
Electric heaters are more tolerated than gas heat by most E.I.s, however, they can cause problems to the very sensitive from outgassing fumes. The Ceramic Non-motor Heater from Radiant Heater Corp. is recommended as well as some of their other heaters. Bob and Dick Needham enjoy serving people with MCS. All the parts of their heaters are washed first, they try not to use anything with an odor and they run their heaters for three days before shipping them out. HeatTech can be obtained through The Living Source.
Compounding Pharmacies
For medications custom made without binders (such as milk, corn, sugar, etc.) and/or made with alternative substances: Abrams Royal Pharmacy, College Pharmacy, or Key Pharmacy.
Hypoallergenic
Vitamins/Supplements
L & H Vitamins, N.E.E.D.S., The American Environmental Heath Foundation, or The Living Source.
Miscellaneous
- Reading Boxes: The Living Source,
or The Safe Reading & Computer Box Company.
- Emergency Bracelet: Medic
Alert.
- Untreated Cotton Tents (need washing
and airing): Denver Tent Company.
- Organic Cotton Upholstered Furniture:
Furnature.
- Less Toxic Carpet (if absolutely insist on having
carpet) and other safe flooring such as cork: Naturlich, the
Non Toxic Hotline.
- Saunas: Radiant Heater Corp., Heavenly Heat, and The Safe Reading & Computer Box Company (glass!). (Initial sauna treatments should be supervised by environmental physicians: Dr. Allan Lieberman or Dr. William Rea.)
Organizations
(American Academy of Environmental Medicine)
c/o The American Financial Center
7701 E. Kellogg, Suite 625
Wichita, KS 67207
(316) 684-5500
HEAL
(Human
Ecology Action League)
P.O. Box 49126
Atlanta, GA 30359
(404) 642-6062
The
CFIDS Assoc. of America
P.O. Box 220398
Charlotte, NC 28222-0398
(800) 442-3437
Mail Order Book Sellers
1877 Polk Ave.
Louisville, CO 80027
(303) 666-8253
E-mail: foodallergy@food-allergy.org
Healthy
House Institute
430 N. Sewell Road
Bloomington, IN 47408
(812) 332-5073
Staying Well
P.O. Box 1732
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 866-9630
Fax (847) 733-0665
The
American Environmental Health Foundation,
Inc.
8345 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75231
(214) 361-9515
Laboratory and Pharmacies
8220 Abrams Road
Dallas, TX 75231
(214) 349-8000
(800) 458-0804
College
Pharmacy
3505 Austin Bluff Parkway
Suite 101
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
(800) 888-9358
E-mail:
info@collegepharmacy.com
ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies, Inc.
14 Pidgeon Hill Drive, Suite 300
Sterling, VA 20165
(800) 553-5472
Key Pharmacy Compounding Center & Home Health
Care
23422 Pacific Highway South
Kent, WA 98032
(206) 878-3900
(800) 878-1322
Fax: (206) 878-1114
(888) 878-1118
E-mail: info@keynutritionrx.com
Safer Product Companies
3251 3rd Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 239-0321
Allergy Relief Shop
3360 Andersonville Hwy.
Andersonville, TN 37705
(800) 626-2810
Arrowhead Mills
Box 2059
Hereford, TX 79045
(806) 364-0730
Charcoal Masks
Sandra DenBraber, R.N.
114 Ray St.
Arlington, TX 76010
(817) 469-9626
E-mail:
skdbrn@tionet.com
Chuck's Seafoods
P. O. Box 5502
Charleston, OR 97420
(541) 888-5525
Crown City Mattress Co.
11134 Rush
So. El Monte, CA 91733
(800) 365-6563
Czimer's Game & Sea Foods,
Inc.
13136 W. 159th St.
Lockport, IL 60441-8768
(708) 301-0500 - voice
(708) 301-0948 - fax
Denver Tent Co.
6489 E. 39th Avenue
Denver, CO 80207
(303) 399-3232
Deva
Lifewear, Inc.
P.O. Box 266
Westhope, ND 58793
(800) 222-8024
(800) 251-1746 - Fax
E-mail:
deva@ndak.net
Diamond Organics
The Organic Food Catalog
P. O. Box 2159
Freedom, CA 95019
(888) 674-2642
E.L.
Foust Co., Inc.
P.O. Box 105
Elmhurst, IL 60126
(800) 225-9549
Furnature
86 Coolidge Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472-2815
(617) 782-3169
Garnet Hill
Box 262 Main Street
Franconia, NH 03580
(800) 622-6216
Heart
of Vermont
P.O. Box 612
Barre, VT 05641
(800) 639-4123
Heavenly Heat
1106 Second Street #162
Encinitas, CA 92024
(800) 697-2862
Janice's
198 Route 46
Budd Lake, NJ 07828
(800) JANICES
Livos
Plant Chemistry
800 Falmouth Road
Mashpee, MA 02649
(508) 477-7955
L & H Vitamins
2 Penn Plz, Rm 1500
New York, NY 10121-1590
(800) 221-1152
McMaster Carr
9630 Norwalk Blvd.
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(562) 692-5911
Medic Alert
P.O. Box 381009
Turlock, CA 95381
(800) 432-5378
Naturlich
P.O. Box 1677
Sebastopol, CA 95473
(707) 824-0914
N.E.E.D.S.
P. O. Box 580
6010 Drott Drive
East Syracuse, NY 13057
(800) 634-1380
Non Toxic Hotline
1-800-968-9355
E-mail:
daliya@nontoxic.com
Rachel Carson Council
8940 Jones Mill Road
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(301) 652-1877
Radiant Heater Corp.
N-52W 13670 N. Park Drive
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
(800) 774-4450
Francis Simun Bakery
3106 Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75226
(214) 741-4242
(214) 744-7656 (fax)
Special Foods
9207 Shotgun Court
Springfield, VA 22153
(703) 644-0991
The
American Environmental Health Foundation,
Inc.
8345 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75231
(214) 361-9515
The Living Source
P.O. Box 20155
Waco, TX 76702
(254) 776-4878
(800) 662-8787 - Voice Order Line
The Safe Reading & Computer Box
Company
1158 N. Huron
Linwood, MI 48634
(517) 697-3989
Sauna Clinics
Allan
Lieberman, M.D.
7510 North Forest Dr.
North Charleston, SC 29420
(803) 572-1600
William
J. Rea, M.D.
Environmental Health Center - Dallas
8345 Walnut Hill Lane
Dallas, TX 75231
(214) 368-4132
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:6
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