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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
This is a follow-up to my initial post discussing the possible causes of chemical contamination, particularly with propylene glycol, in commercial eggs, especially North American eggs. I mentioned in my first post about eggs that I wanted to try some unwashed eggs from free-range, organic birds to test to see whether the level of chemical contamination […]
There are anecdotal reports of nickel in sweat causing contact dermatitis, but I wanted to look into the science of this phenomenon to see if it had any scientific backing. Google is my friend. Here’s what I found: The first study I came across examined the incidence of nickel in bodily fluids after people were fed […]
We know that people with food allergies can become sensitized to their food allergen to such a degree that they can no longer even be around the smell of the food, or touch it, as for example with peanuts. What about the reverse? What if you have a contact allergy, preventing you from being around […]
Today I continue my investigation of whether propylene glycol could be present in foods to which I previously thought I had an intolerance. I’ve been intolerant of dairy for about 10 years now, experiencing extreme intestinal distress. That distress, gassiness, and discomfort are some of the symptoms I experience from eating propylene glycol. Could I […]
I’ve been intolerant of eggs for a long time. My more recent discovery that eating propylene glycol has been causing me symptoms like stomach upset have led me to reexamine my food intolerances. Here’s what I learned about eggs: Eggs directly from a bird are covered with a biological coating known as the cuticle. This […]
This came up a little while ago in my comments section on another post. It was mentioned that things treated with ethylene oxide should be avoided by people with glycol allergies. Specifically the claim was made that ethylene oxide was used to sterilize spices, and thus spices should be avoided. I thought I’d investigate this […]
I want to use less topical steroid for my eczema, saving it for emergency cases rather than maintenance, especially since I use a strong product (the only one I’m not allergic to). I have experienced some negative effects from over-use of topical steroid ointment and immune inhibitors. I would love to use them one or […]
I was planning to write today about red skin syndrome (RSS). I had written most of the post, but then started to find information from the other side of the debate about topical steroids, and didn’t feel comfortable making statements about it as fact. Instead, I’ll leave some links at the bottom of this page […]
←Allergies Interfering with Life: Homeschooling Basics Part 1 – I try to provide a basic overview of homeschooling for those parents of allergic kids considering homeschooling to help mediate allergies. How do I know which curriculum to use? Curriculum choices will depend on your child’s age, learning style, and interests. One great thing about homeschooling is that […]
Recently there have been a large number of people asking questions about homeschooling. With the start of the new school year, children’s allergies are acting up, and those who can’t find a solution for the renewed school allergies are considering other options. Having homeschooled my own daughter for a year now, I’d like to provide […]
I have been spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to adjust my clothing use and my wardrobe to reduce my allergic reactions. My daughter and husband can still wear polyester, even though my propylene glycol allergy means that polyester and possibly spandex are off the table for me. More than half […]
On Monday, I wrote about allergies to propylene glycol and their connection to polyester. Since last week’s all night blanket-making fiasco, I’ve had some results, and learned a few more things. First, along with changing to the new blanket and getting well enough to sleep in my own bed again, I’ve been trying to wear […]
Thursday night while trying to recover from a bad cold, I stayed up all night and sewed a blanket. You see, I’d been sleeping reclined on the couch for a few nights to try to stay more upright while my body fought the cold. I slept on our leather sofa, in a half-sleeve, cotton-poly blend […]
What are Parabens? Parabens are preservatives used in cosmetics, toiletries, and other personal care products to prevent bacterial growth and thus increase product longevity. The group of “paraben” chemicals are similar in that they all contain the base “paraben” molecule but each has different numbers of carbon and hydrogen atoms joined to one branch of […]
Note: Sorry for the delay in posting, I was sick yesterday and unable to get the blog posting up. There is a plethora of information online about chemical allergies and chemical allergens. When considering whether these might be a problem for you, searching out answers is difficult. Some doctors will resist patch testing and some […]
It’s been a year now since I first noticing weirder allergy symptoms, and since I started pushing harder to get a new doctor. It’s been one year since I found a doctor who would listen to me and take me seriously, and actually help me look for answers. My old doctor is still putting on […]
Since finding out about my allergies, there are a lot of things I’ve avoided doing because I know it would cause a flare-up. For people around me, they would never consider these things a problem, but I’m always thinking about how to avoid rashes. Go figure. My husband and I recently celebrated an anniversary. When […]
I’d like to talk today about environmental allergies such as allergies to fragrances. Those annoying signs are everywhere now: Scent Free Workplace/Office/Hospital/etc. I used to wear low-fragrance products, and think I was doing the right thing. After all, if they can’t smell it, it can’t hurt, right? All that changed the moment my body started […]
← Allergies to Toilet and Tissue Paper, Part 1 After all of the issues with toilet paper, I started researching alternatives, and I decided to give “family cloth” a try. Family cloth is a term used to describe using reusable fabric pieces to wipe yourself rather than paper, although we have changed the term in our […]
Did you know that rolls of what we now call toilet paper were originally sold as facial tissue (for blowing your nose, etc.)? I never would have thought about my toilet paper being a problem if I hadn’t seen it on the methylisothiazolinone Facebook group. I have been having an issue with toilet products […]
“Cellulose” refers to a polysaccharide coming from plant cell walls and vegetable fibre, whether it be from cotton, wood, hemp, bamboo, or something else. Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer, and is often reacted with other chemicals to form slightly different cellulose-based compounds conforming to specific needs. Pure, natural cellulose is not considered an […]