Potentially anyone. The Environmentally Ill or sensitive are those who cannot tolerate life in a society saturated with chemicals and toxins. In short, they are unable to function in the modern world because their bodies' immune systems are unable to tolerate many of the foods, chemicals, paints, pollens, dust, plastics, gases, synthetic fabrics, resins, beauty products, chemical cleaners and insect repellents that most of us take for granted. When exposed, the environmentally sensitive react negatively to even the slightest amounts of toxins and chemicals and often have very severe reactions. The reactions can be immediate or delayed.

While some 40 million Americans suffer from easily recognizable allergies (such as hay fever), the more complex "allergies" that the Environmentally Ill suffer are harder to identify. A patient can have the symptoms of several diseases - such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia (FM), asthma, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - yet appear healthy. Many people diagnosed with CFS and FM do not know they are sensitive to everyday foods and chemicals because their reactions are often chronic or delayed. Therefore, no connection is made between their symptoms and the cause.

The condition is often caused by an exposure to toxic, and/or sensitizing chemicals in new or renovated buildings, some new carpet, furniture and cabinets made out of pressboard, and pesticides at home, work or in the community.

"Almost everyone suffers from some type of environmental sensitivity. You may be a person who gets a headache from perfumes or car exhaust when you have a cold or the flu. What happens in that situation is that the flu or the cold is altering your immune capabilities. What one person may feel with a cold or the flu is the way people with Environmental Illness feel all the time. They might get headaches from perfumes, or get nauseous from exposure to any number of things."

Dr. Alan Levin
Immunologist and nationally-recognized
expert on Environmental Illness
San Francisco, California

What are the symptoms of Environmental Illness?

They vary; not everyone reacts to the same things with the same intensity in the same way. That's what makes the illness so baffling. In many cases, patients feel chronically sick - as if they had the flu. Chronic, debilitating fatigue is common. Reactions can affect any of the body's systems with pains ranging from pseudo-heart-attack to arthritis and fibromyalgia, and from insomnia to unrefreshed sleep. Symptoms may occur in the stomach and intestines, skin, eyes, nose, throat and lungs, as well as the genitourinary tract and cardiovascular system.

When reactions affect the nervous system, the patient may exhibit a wide range of mental and emotional symptoms such as migraine headaches, poor short-term memory, confusion, depression, irritability, convulsions, dizziness, amnesia, panic attacks, phobias, etc. Patients will often describe their cognitive function problems as "brain fog." Psychological assistance to help with coping strategies for a long term disability may be helpful, but is not enough. The reactions must be stopped.

So far, the most effective treatment is to provide relief and build up the body's damaged immune system. This is done by avoiding exposure to those materials (foods, chemicals, pollens, molds, dust, etc.) that triggered the reaction in the first place, along with individualized medical treatment.

• Public understanding that the disease is real, however baffling. It isn't "all in their heads" nor can they "snap out of it."
• Financial help. Many patients have incurred huge medical bills over the years, and face great obstacles in getting disability benefits. Finding non-traditional or safe work.
• Non-toxic housing. Renovated homes and trailers constructed of porcelain-over-steel have dramatically reduced patients' suffering.
• Non-toxic land. Housing must be on land free of pesticides, drifting smoke, air pollution and auto exhaust.
• Friends and family who respect their sensitivities by not wearing perfume, perfumed soap, shampoo, aftershave, cosmetics and deodorants, synthetic fibers or dry-cleaned clothing.

How is Share, Care and Prayer helping?

Share, Care and Prayer is a non-profit Christian organization giving spiritual and emotional support to the Environmentally Ill. The group distributes an informative newsletter that goes out nationwide. This provides a forum for questions, practical advice, spiritual counsel, new information, upcoming events and news of special interest. A tape and book library and a social/pen pal directory is also a part of the ministry of Share, Care and Prayer.

How can I help?

• Learn more about Environmental Illness. Contact Share, Care and Prayer for more information.
• Inform others: your doctor, local clinic, hospital, minister, church, service group and club.
• Share your recycled, chemical-free 100 percent cotton or silk clothing. Share your chemical-free garden produce.
• Help raise funds to provide helpful equipment, such as air and water purifiers, oxygen, reading boxes, electric cooking appliances and heaters, tape recorders, etc., for a patient.
• Lobby for a cleaner environment.
• Use alternative, less toxic methods of pest control.
• Visit or phone lonely and isolated Environmentally Ill patients.
• Support the ministry of Share, Care and Prayer financially and prayerfully.