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Most of us simply assume that if a product is on the market, it has been proven safe. However, only 15,000 of the roughly
300,000 commercially available products have been tested, and not by the FDA.
The FDA does not test products. They do not even recommend testing laboratories. And, in the case of cosmetics
-- some of the worst toxic offenders -- the FDA does not even require manufacturers to register their products.
It's all voluntary.
To top that off, manufacturer trade secrets legislation allows the perfume industry to conceal the ingredients of
their products, so even if registration were mandatory, we still wouldn't know what was in them. (For more information,
see http://users.lmi.net/~wilworks/FDApetition/bkgrinfo.htm)
The following list is not so much a product endorsement as it is an account of personal experience. If you would
like this list as a MS Word table, email me and I will send it to you: sross1@earthlink.net
If you have tried and
true products to add to this list, email me your additions and I will add them to the list.
- Body Soap: Bars: Clearly Natural Glycerin Soap (specify unscented). Order direct from Citrus Magic, (800)
451-7096 or http://www.citrusmagic.com. Liquid: We recently discovered Pure & Basic Unscented liquid
soap at a Naturopath's office, but haven't found where to buy it yet. It really has no smell.
- Chrome Polish: Toothpaste, rub on and rub off
- Cleaners: TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) or OxyClean. TSP found at hardware stores, OxyClean is now at most
markets. Follow product instructions.
- Conditioner: Magick Botanicals, fragrance free
- Deodorant: "Deodorant Stone" from Trader Joe's or specialty shops. All day protection, stone lasts a
long time, no aluminum or fragrance.
- Deodorizer (#1): Bicarbonate of Soda (Arm and Hammer Baking Soda) from Costco. Deodorizes beautifully;
place ½ to 1 cup in with laundry soap in to remove odors clothes have picked up. Another great use is a ½ teaspoon in water
as a good antacid with no side effects. You can also place some in an open container in the refrigerator to remove odors (replace
regularly).
- Deodorizer (#2): Zeolite. You can get this at pet stores as it is commonly used in fish tanks. These
little particles can be placed in open containers in the bathroom or anywhere. Indefinitely renewable - just place in sunlight
all day for two days.
- Dishwasher Detergent: Trader Joe's (green box). Others: 7th Generation free and clear.
- Disinfectant/Bleach: There are several non-chlorine bleaches available, like Ecover, but plain old Hydrogen
Peroxide is probably the best (and cheapest) alternative. The bleach products are mostly Industrial strength Hydrogen Peroxide
diluted with water.
- Disinfectants: Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide. Neither of these products are toxic to humans. Caution:
Never spray either of these products on mold to kill it. The mold will spore.Besides, dead mold is as toxic to humans as live
mold because of the Mycotoxins it gives off. Have an expert remove the mold unless the surface is glass or metal or another
NON-POROUS surface. You can't wash mycotoxins out of fabric.
- Fabric Softener: 20 Mule Team Borax used in the wash water acts like a fabric softener.
- Furniture Polish: Mayonnaise, also Lemon Juice mixed with Jasco brand mineral oil. Rub on, rub off
- Hair Gel or Mousse: Believe it or not, KY jelly. No fragrance, not greasy, you need only a little bit,
and it has the same consistency as regular hair gel.
- Hand and Body Lotion: Magick Botanicals, fragrance free
- Laundry Detergent: Seventh Generation Free and Clear
- Mildew Remover: Allertech
- Mineral Buildup Remover: Citric Acid or just plain Vinegar
- Pesticide Alternative: Caution: All pesticides are neuro-toxic and very dangerous, no matter
what any salesperson tells you. Just ask a scientist. "Cides" biodegrade outdoors, but never use them indoors. We use Hot
Shot powder (Boric Acid 99% and 1% Talc) from Home Depot. If you have serious problems, you'll need Integrated Pest Management
and non-toxic pest control. Our research recommends Arbico Organics in Tucson, AZ, at http://store.arbico-organics.com/ or
(800) 827-2847. For ants, we have found Boric Acid plus frequent vacuuming is the best solution.
- Scouring Powder: Bon Ami, non-toxic, fragrance-free
- Shampoo: Magick Botanicals oil free, fragrance free http://www.magickbotanicals.com/
- To Remove Fire Retardant and formaldehyde present in virtually all New Fabric: Try non-fat dry milk.
Soak material for 24 hours in a milk solution. Rinse, wash, and sniff. If it still smells, soak in fresh solution for another
24 hours. That should do the trick. If it doesn't, wash again, this time with vinegar.
- Toilet Cleaner: Use the juice of ½ lemon. Vinegar also works well.
- Toothpaste: Tom's of Maine Homeopathic Style Baking Soda Toothpaste. Also, Weleda Calendula Toothpaste
has no mint. Available with and without Fluoride.
- Window Cleaner: Water/Vinegar/safe dish detergent 1 quart water to 2 Tbsp vinegar and 1 teaspoon safe
dish detergent. Spray on.
Resources:
http://www.ehnca.org (scroll down to list of "topics of interest")
There are an increasing number of excellent web sites dealing with environmental illness in general and chemical sensitivity
in particular. We recommend the following sites as excellent resources about this problem and all things chemical that can
harm us without our realizing it.
- Environmental Health Network of Northern CA: www.ehnca.org This is a vast resource of important information and links. Especially good section on fragrance.
- Chemical Injury Information Network: http://www.ciin.org/ This support and advocacy organization produces one of the finest monthly newsletters on the subject in this country:
"Our Toxic Times."
- HEAL: The Human Ecology Action League: http://members.aol.com/HEALNatnl/index.html#aboutheal A national, non-profit member-service organization with local chapters around the country. Their quarterly journal,
The Human Ecologist, presents the latest research and information on the subject of chemical exposure.
- MCS-Global: www.mcs-global.org/ An ambitious Australian site focusing on a Global Recognition Campaign for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chemical
Injury, Chemical Hypersensitivity, Environmental Illness and other chemically induced illnesses and diseases affecting Civilians
and Military personnel. Many links and features.
- MCS-America: Another site chock full of information and fact-finding.
- Our Little Place: http://www.ourlittleplace.com/mcs.html This is a more modest site focusing mainly on the harm done by the chemicals in perfume. This site, unlike any
other I have seen, has a Christian orientation.
- The Chemical Sensitivity Foundation: http://www.chemicalsensitivityfoundation.org/ With a focus on the chemical fallout after 911 at Ground Zero, this site strives to raise awareness about the dangers
of chemical exposure.
- List of Support Groups for the chemically injured: http://www.chemicalsensitivityfoundation.org/support-groups.htm
- MCS Survivors: http://www.mcsurvivors.com/ This site attempts to organize the growing body of information and resources on multiple chemical sensitivity (environmental
illness) available on the WWW.
- Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Referral and Resources: http://www.mcsrr.org/
- List of other on-line resources: http://www.mcsrr.org/websites.html
- Interview with Dr. William J. Rea, MD, FACS, FAAEM, Founder and Director of the Environmental Health
Center-Dallas. In this interview, one of the issues Dr. Rea explains is why "Chemical Sensitivity" is the proper term
for this illness, rather than the more popularly used but inaccurate "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity:"
Click here to read this interview.
- A good medical site that has a large number of items on chemical sensitivity is www.medicine.org . Click below to visit the area of Medicine.org containing these items:
www.medicine.org chemical sensitivity section
Steve
Ross, MA, MFT
Licensed in CA as a Marriage & Family Therapist
(520) 320-7953
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