I came back from our last vacation somewhat miserable. The mosquitos and black flies had made a meal of us, despite wearing bug nets, long sleeves, and pants. While mosquito bites typically disappear for me after a day, it seems black fly bites are a lot worse. My husband had about 28 black fly bites […]
I’ve been noticing a lot of Christmas tree allergy questions coming up on social media in the last few weeks. For people with chemical allergies, the winter holidays aren’t just a time of celebration – they’re also a time of avoiding cinnamon-scented products, scented candles, holiday shopping crowds, and even Christmas trees. I found myself […]
I must apologize for the missing posts as of late. I posted an update to my Facebook page but did not update this website. My family is undergoing some major crises at the moment that are preventing me from having the time and energy to devote to writing new posts for this site. I will […]
You walk into your allergist’s office with a back covered in tape and pen marks. You walk out with a list of chemical allergens to avoid. For most people, it isn’t that straightforward. To the majority of people who are handed a list of chemicals to avoid, avoiding only the chemicals on that list isn’t […]
One of my favourite treats growing up was chocolate coconut macaroons. In fact, I liked them so much that I would make small microwave batches on the sly. One of the key ingredients in those macaroons, milk, helped to bind the macaroons together and give them the perfect texture once cooled and hardened. When I […]
Once upon a time, before I knew I had chemical allergies, I had a strict packing plan when I went on trips. Clothes, shoes, hair stuff, face stuff, body stuff, medications, tooth stuff…all into the bag. I’ve been through a few different variations since then, but nowadays my travel bag is barely recognizable, and it’s […]
I never liked beef jerky as bought from the corner stores. It was just to much *everything* to be any good to me. When I was a teenager, my dad made deer jerky with strips of marinated venison, and that was the first time I understood that jerky could be something other than that store-bought […]
This is a very simple recipe that I adapted from the ingredients list on something I enjoyed and a recipe for cashew milk. It does take a little bit of lead time (overnight) to soak the cashews, but once I had taken the time to do that, this recipe was far simpler and faster than […]
My grandparents have lived in the same house for over 60 years. While things have changed since they first moved in, as children gradually moved on and out the extra spaces around the house didn’t necessarily get cleaned out, leading to all sorts of things piling up from various decades. Even things that were on […]
When we travelled out West in April, we went for a serious reason, but we knew we had to make it a family vacation, too, because we didn’t know if we would have any more travel time this year. Most of our time was spent in British Columbia, with a little bit in Alberta, due […]
I’ve been trying to figure out how to write this. I don’t want to upset or offend anyone, but I myself was upset and offended, so it’s hard to explain without some of that coming through. My trip to western Canada was enjoyable, but it also had some ugly sides, particularly when it came to […]
On my April trip across Western Canada, I stopped at over 25 health food stores, searching the shelves for new, safe products. The products must have no chance of containing propylene glycol, and should contain very simple ingredients. I did compromise in some cases – organic vanilla extract can contain glycerin, which is a possible […]
Many of you read about two months ago when I was frantically searching for a trailer or motorhome in which to head out west to visit my grandfather before he died. Today’s post is an update to that one. Not a lot of allergy info here, just a crazy story. In the week I had […]
This question pops up on Facebook almost as often as “Which products should I use to avoid ‘x’ chemical?” A positive patch test for chemical allergies can provide some complicated results. Not only do you have to get your head around all of the chemical names and where these chemicals are found but you also […]
It is Victoria Day here in Canada. Have a good holiday and the next post will be Friday, April 26th.
I’ve encountered a certain subset of people over the years – people who have allergies or who might have allergies and don’t care. I’ve seen family members, friends, acquaintances, and strangers who seem almost apathetic of their allergies or possible allergies. As someone who suffers from rather severe but atypical allergies, it’s a bit disconcerting. […]
Most of us have experienced stinky feet at one point or another in our lives. While some may reach for the fabric refresher spray or cleaning chemicals, those with chemical allergies need to be a bit more cautious in the products and methods we use. Even essential oils, which are tolerated by some with chemical […]
In part one, I reviewed health food stores from Ontario to Alberta, based mainly on my recent cross-country trip. I visited over 25 different shops, and it is my hope that my own experiences about what you might find in each will help others. Today I discuss some of the gems and not-so-wonderful natural food […]
In April, I took a trip halfway across Canada and back – from Ontario to BC’s west coast. Not only did I need to find snacks and other foods along the way, but I also wanted to explore the diversity of products offered in different places. I decided to review the places I stopped so […]
Since my body first forced me to realize the extent of my glycol allergies, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about food. Not only have I replaced nearly every staple in my house, but I keep looking for convenience foods that I can have around in case of needing a quick snack, […]
I see people from time to time asking about what dryer sheets and fabric softeners do, how they work, and what people can use instead to get rid of static in their laundry. I thought it was high time to address this issue. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets and bars perform similar functions. They coat […]
I’ve written previously about staying in hotels with chemical allergies, but there are times when staying in a hotel just doesn’t work. One time my husband forgot to leave the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door and housekeeping cleaned the room unsafely after the first day, right before I came to join him. Sometimes hotels […]
About a month and a half ago, I was sick. You know that horrible, draining, coughing, phelgm-y, awfulness that was going around? Well it hit no one in my house except me. My throat was so sore and swollen that I didn’t speak for three days. I couldn’t cough because it hurt too much, and […]