The Environmental Illness Resource Blog

Commentary on environmental toxins and chronic illness.

Natural Alternatives to Antidepressant Medications

Posted by: Maff on Feb 29, 2008

Tagged in: nutritional supplements , natural depression treatment , natural alternatives , mental health , medications , drugs , depression , antidepressants

Natural Antidepressants There has been a flurry of media activity in the UK this week after researchers from the University of Hull published a study showing that for mild to moderate depression antidepressant drugs show no clinically significant benefit over placebo. In other words they are pretty much useless.

It turns out that pharmaceutical companies have been 'selectively reporting' studies on the effectiveness

Comment (0) Read More...

How to avoid wasting money when self-treating environmental illnesses

Posted by: Maff on Feb 22, 2008

Tagged in: treatment , self-help , products

Whether you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or any other illness which we cover on The Environmental Illness Resource, the treatment options available from conventional medicine are extremely limited or totally non-existent.

When I was diagnosed with ME/CFS in 1990 at the age of 11 I was given two

Comment (0) Read More...

Recovered fibromyalgia sufferer plans hike to raise awareness

Posted by: Maff on Feb 15, 2008

Tagged in: sirena dufault , hike , fibromyalgia , awareness , arizona

I came across an amazing story this week of an ex-fibromyalgia sufferer who is planning to hike 800 miles across the state of Arizona in the United States. The 'Arizona Trail' stretches from the state's borders with Mexico and Utah and includes terrain from lowland desert to pine forests.

The woman in question is 33 year old Sirena Dufault, who after a slow recovery from

Comment (1) Read More...

Looking for alternatives to chemical air fresheners

Posted by: Maff on Feb 08, 2008

Tagged in: smell busters , natural alternatives , multiple chemical sensitivity , MCS , air fresheners

To those of us who have been affected by multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and related conditions, fragranced products are a major menace. I feel those products rather amusingly called 'air fresheners' deserve special attention because of the way they are advertised to the public.

Manufacturers of 'air fresheners' make out that these products will make the air in our homes

Comment (0) Read More...

Towards a fair disability test for chronic fatigue syndrome patients

Posted by: Maff on Feb 01, 2008

Tagged in: medical examnination , disability benefits , chronic fatigue syndrome , CFS

As a chronic fatigue sufferer who has gone through the process of applying for disability benefits I can say without a shadow of a doubt.....the assessment procedures are not set up for conditions such as CFS. I'm sure most CFS patients out there will have come to the same conclusion.

Here in the UK (and I'm sure it's similar in other countries) to apply for any benefits based on you being sick or disabled you must first complete the

Comment (0) Read More...