EiR Blog

 For those of you who might be interested in learning a little more about LifeWave patches and how they work I thought I would pass on this information supplied by the company this week. I received the information in an email as I have used a number of the patches and found them to be quite helpful, particularly the energy enhancer, glutathione (Y-Age), and Silents Nights products. I'm not suggesting by any means these products will cure chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, autism, or any other environmental illness....but in my own experience they can certainly provide an effective means of drug-free symptom relief and improvements in well-being and daily functioning. LifeWave patches purportedly work on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - specifically the system of energy meridians said to carry Qi (life force/energy) around the body. In essence the patches work in the same way as...

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is estimated to affect up to 15% of the population in the US and other industrialised nations (1), yet research into why people develop this hypersensitivity to chemicals is sorely lacking. Currently we have mainly animal testing and studies involving small numbers of participants diagnosed with MCS to go on. One leading theory suggests the development of a hypersensitivity to chemical stimuli in an area of the brain known as the limbic system which controls a variety of functions including emotion, behaviour, long term memory, and olfaction (our sense of smell). Animals studies have shown that both large acute exposures and low-level chronic exposures to certain organic chemicals can result in hypersensitivity of the limbic system to subsequent minute exposures to the same, or similar chemicals (2). Perhaps the most complete theory of the pathophysiology of MCS thus far has been proposed by Martin Pall, Professor...

After the initial bewilderment and panic of becoming sensitive to what were previously harmless everyday items and environments, everyone who suffers from multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) quickly realizes that there is yet more suffering in store for them. Firstly, their regular doctor is unlikely to take the condition seriously or diagnose it correctly, instead opting for a psychiatric diagnosis. Secondly, no treatment actually targeted at MCS is likely to be forthcoming. Even when naturopathic doctors and other alternative practitioners who do recognize MCS for what it is are consulted, the treatments on offer are often expensive and only partially successful at best. For this reason I decided to compile the following list and summaries of five MCS treatments which are most likely to help you if you suffer from this debilitating and isolating condition. I decided on the five treatments based on my own recovery from MCS, feedback from other...

So, I again find myself writing on my positive experience with a LifeWave patch...this time the new Aeon product which is aimed at reducing stress and its consequences, both as a standalone product, or as part of LifeWave's Y-Age system which also incorporates patches designed to increase levels of glutathione and carnosine in the body. Having last year completed a Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional medicine, including a dissertation which involved performing a systematic review of the medical literature, I am quite familiar with the 'hierarchy of evidence' which is revered in academia, and perhaps most of all in medicine. In modern medicine if an intervention does not have numerous randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews of such trials supporting its use it is dismissed as useless or a scam. Now I understand the rationale behind this system and to a point agree with it. Living with a...

When thinking about how food sensitivities and/or intolerances may be affecting our health, something that is often overlooked is the role that biogenic amines may be playing. What are Biogenic Amines?  Biogenic amines are a group of chemicals derived from amino acids (and therefore protein-containing foods) that have a number of functions and effects within the body, some desirable, and some not. The most well known biogenic amines are the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline, and histamine, best known for its role in allergies. Others, which are less well known, include tyramine, tryptamine, and phenylethylamine. These biogenic amines may act as neurotransmitters, be involved in local immune responses (such as the inflammation produced by histamine release), or regulate functions of the gut. The classic neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline are all essential to proper brain function. Imbalances causes problems such as depression and anxiety. In relation to food intolerances however, we are more concerned with...

First of all Happy New Year to everyone! I hope 2009 brings renewed health and happiness to all visitors to The Environmental Illness Resource. I will continue to do my small part to bring you information and resources to make sure this is the case! Over Christmas I couldn't help but reflect on how far I have come on my own personal journey in the last 4-5 years. This can best be illustrated with photos (Apologies in advance for the poor quality of some of them!).   Christmas 2003 - Mask Required! 1. This is me Christmas 2003 playing video games with friends while wearing my I Can Breathe! mask with carbon filter:   At this time I would occasionally visit friends wearing my mask like this but was still mostly confined to my flat/apartment. The masks were great as they enabled me to be around people without getting sick but...

  A little while ago a member posted in the forums about a subject which hasn't been addressed specifically on the site before - 'pathological detoxifiers'. I thought this subject deserved more attention as it can be a vital piece in the puzzle for those suffering from environmental illnesses including multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and Gulf War syndrome. To define what it means to be a pathological detoxifier first we need to understand the basics of how liver detoxification works:   Liver Detoxification The detoxification of toxins by the liver basically occurs in two phases. Substances the liver must detoxify can be exogenous (from outside of the body) such as alcohol, drugs, pollutants, or endogenous (from inside the body) such as hormones. Most toxins are fat-soluble which means they are easily absorbed and stored in the body (particularly fatty tissues, including the brain), but are difficult to...

I have been surprisingly impressed with LifeWave patches in the past. I have tried the Energy Enhancer patch for increased energy and stamina, the Silent Nights patch for improved sleep and the Glutathione patch and found them all to have powerful beneficial effects. When trying the Glutathione patch previously I used a standard placement on the body recommended in the accompanying booklet. Since glutathione is the body's major antioxidant and promotes detoxification the LifeWave literature warns that the wearer may "experience detoxification symptoms such as a sore throat, headache, fatigue or nausea." This is exactly what I experienced the first few times I wore the patches. Within 15 minutes of placing the patch on my body I experienced nausea, headache, and a toxic/flu-like feeling which I took as a sign that the patch was working as intended - raising glutathione levels in my body and mobilizing toxins for excretion. LifeWave claim that...

 It's that time of year again for those of us in the northern hemisphere, the days are quickly getting shorter now and for many that means symptoms of fatigue, lethargy, depression and more. As a result, it can require the willpower of a polar explorer just to drag oneself out of bed in the morning! One solution to combat these symptoms is the use of a dawn simulator. These are essentially alarm clocks that instead of waking you abruptly with loud and irritating beeping (that makes you want to smash the thing!), produce light that gradually increases in intensity to mimic the rising sun. Many models use full spectrum light which is closest in appearance to sunlight as well. By working in this way you can set your dawn simulator alarm for any time in the morning when it's still dark outside and be woken in a way that is more...

 Many people suffering from environmental illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and particularly multiple chemical sensitivity, lead very lonely existences. This blog entry will look at how pets can offer valuable company for some.  The symptoms of these disabling conditions such as fatigue, pain, and cognitive difficulties such as confusion, poor short term memory, and inability to focus, mean that sufferers are often unable to remain in their jobs or enageg in social activities. To make matters worse these symptoms and many others are aggravated by both physical and mental exertion, as well as environments that are noisy or have bright lighting - typical of work places and coffee shops, bars, and other places where people typically socialise. It is a sad fact that people unaffected by these types of illness find it very difficult to comprehend what sufferers are going through, or even that they are ill at...

 Many people who develop chronic illnesses find that conventional medical care is inadequate for treating their symptoms and incapable of giving them the quality of life they desire. This is a major reason why many of us turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Many CAM therapies are proposed to work through the so called 'mind-body connection'. Despite a now well established body of sound scientific evidence this connection is usually ignored by conventional medicine which still thinks of the body and mind as being seperate. In conventional medicine there is no room for a "spiritual" aspect to healing at all. To many people it seems obvious that the mind and body are essentially one and the same. Science began to make this link experimentally around the 1950s and in 1980 Robert Ader introduced the term 'psychoneuroimmunology' during his presidential lecture to the American Psychosomatic Society. The term brings together...

 As someone who has suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), adrenal fatigue (AF) and a host of related concerns for almost 19 years now, since the age of 12, I am acutely aware of the need to pace myself. I know I should not take on too much at once and allow myself time to relax and recuperate, at least to some small degree, yet after all these years I still find this extremely difficult. ME/CFS patients have often been reported to be disproportionately Type A personalities as a group. This study refers to the "action-proneness" of patients i.e. our need to always be on the go and engaged in activity of some kind, whether physical or mental. I can certainly relate to that. Here I am so many years after becoming ill and I am singlehandedly running this website (which is...

  Invisalign:  A Near Death Experience I would like to tell my story of a near fatal experience wearing Invisalign braces. I was 54 years old at the time, and have always been active and in great shape. I didn't even take any medication, except, Estrogen.   I am, overly sensitive to chemicals and medications.  I might be one in a million to have such a sever reaction, but even if I help one other person I will feel good.  My dentist said that it would take two years with Invisalign because my teeth were so crooked.  I started with them in November of 2007.  My dentist was proud of me because he knew I was very disciplined and kept them in the required time.  He said most people cheated and didn't wear them as many hours as suggested. In early 2008 I started feeling poorly, tired, and achy.  I went to...

Hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) is something that those suffering from environmental illnesses often struggle with. Poor thyroid function has been linked to many of then illnesses covered on this site and is often the hidden cause of a host of chronic symptoms including fatigue, poor cognitive function, low mood, low sex drive, cold intolerance, weight gain or inability to lose weight...and many others. Assuming you have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (not easy in itself), unless the cause is obvious such as a tumour or autoimmune disease and is detectable using routine tests, chances are you will simply be given a prescription for thyroxine (the main hormone produced by the thyroid gland and also referred to as 'T4') and have your blood levels monitored, along with levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) - a pituitary hormone that stimulates production of T4 by the thyroid gland. Unfortunately many patients find that T4...

As an environmental illness sufferer myself and someone who is in the final stages of clinical training to become a Nutritional Therapist having obtained a bachelor's degree in nutritional health, I have become interested in genetic testing.   In the past genetic testing of any kind has been extremely expensive and has tradtitionally looked only for genes that identify hereditary diseases. Now however there are commercially available tests that many naturopathic doctors and other functional medicine-orientated health care practitioners are utilising to better help patients with environmental illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), as well as those with chronic unexplained ill-health but no diagnosis. Such testing allows for the detection of single nucleotide polymorphyisms (SNPs - pronounced "snips"), small sections of genetic code that determine, for example, the efficiency with which an individual can neutralise and excrete toxins or synthesise neurotransmitters by affecting the functioning of various enzymes...

 There is no doubt that chronic illness involves a lot of suffering, a lot of soul searching, and a great deal of loss, both of one's capacity to continue doing all the things that bring enjoyment and of self-esteem and fulfillment in life. But what if chronic illness could be turned into a positive experience? This summer I completed a bachelors degree in nutritional health and was awarded first class honours by the University of Greenwich, London. At 31 I was beginning to think I would never obtain a degree after being forced to drop out of a computer science course at the University of Sheffield aged 19 due to ill health - this was therefore a great achievement for me. However, the degree was supposed to be followed by a year of clinical training to become a nutritional therapist/nutritionist. A recent downturn in my health as forced me to...

For those who are not regular visitors to The Environmental Illness Resource, I am a 31 year old male from the UK and was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in March 1991 around the time of my 12th birthday. Recently my parents moved house and my mum dropped off a box full of old photos of me from my childhood. Looking through them I was struck by how happy I looked as a child. This was clearly the purest type of happiness borne out of freedom from worry and a true zest for life and the excitement of discovering new things every day. Naturally, it's easy and 'normal' to lose these things as we get older, but even more so when a chronic and misunderstood illness such as ME/CFS deprives you of many of the things that most people take for granted. As I found photos of myself as...

At the back end of last year I underwent a number of laboratory tests through my environmental medicine doctor. One of these tests, through UK-based laboratory named Acumen, looked for 'DNA adducts' (substances bound to DNA that should not be there) and found bisphenol A (BPA) to be an issue for me. The significance of the DNA adducts testing is that if a toxin such as BPA is present in in large enough quantities in the body to become bound to DNA then its concentrations in the body as a whole are likely to be quite high. Once these toxins become bound to DNA they may also damage it and change the way genes function. Our genes regulate every process in the body so this is not a good thing at all!  The purpose of this blog post however, is not to go into an in-depth discussion of DNA adduct testing, but rather to look...

After being chronically ill for 20 years, having been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) at the young age of 11, I have grown increasingly interested in psychology and particularly the traits required to survive an illness that robs sufferers of so much (what I would give to be able to just go for a run). My ill health has also included multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), seasonal affective disorder (S.A.D.), and adrenal fatigue, which are all terrible things to deal with in themselves and have forced me to draw on every last bit of inner strength I could muster to keep going despite a distinct lack of enjoyment in life. Rather than crushing my spirit however, these trials and tribulations that have shaped my life, have actually strengthened my resolve, given me greater confidence in myself and my abilities, and changed my outlook on life for the better. When one...

Those of us affected by what are frequently referred to as 'Invisible Illnesses' - chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FMS), multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) etc - are constantly frustrated by the fact that we feel lousy, yet appear perfectly healthy to the casual observer i.e. our friends and relatives. Perhaps even more frustrating is that to the eye of the conventionally-trained doctor we also show no signs of illness, leading many to assume it's all in our heads and to send us off to the shrink. Which is of course unproductive, and often counter-productive, given that these illnesses may often be invisible, yet are nevertheless as real and legitimate as physical conditions as the likes of diabetes and arthritis. The medical literature is now full of decades worth of research documenting immunological, endocrine, and neurological abnormalities that overwhelmingly makes this case for us.   These illnesses may be invisible to...