Hi everyone I was watching a program last week about chemicals that are used in bodycare products, someone had a blood sample taken and they found something like 65 different chemicals in her blood!! She switched to chemical free products for a month and then had another blood test and there were far fewer chemicals found.Would chemicals maybe exacerbate neuropathy? I am definatley going to switch products,I thought the body shop would use all natural ingredients in their products but unfortunatley they still use chemicals.Has anyone else tried to go 'chemical free'?If so do products like bath/shower creams/toothpaste etc work as well without chemicals in them and are there any online stores that come recommended?

I'm guessing the chemicals are what makes the products all the things we want them to be, you know, not harsh, pleasantly scented, etc. I'm sure we would all hate the soap our foremothers made, only because we are so used to the products now. I can't even imagine trying to comb my hair without my Pantene Conditioner. Still, I am with you, I wish we were given the options all the time to live simply or chemically. But, if we want "all natural" we have to search. Then, many of the "all natural" products are not as natural as we think. It's all very confusing. Some people use baking soda to brush their teeth, I never could stand that taste in my mouth, yet that gets you away from all those toothpaste's. When I was a kid, I was told to use vinegar in my hair to make it shine, yet I know I would not beable to comb it out without conditioner.

Sometimes I wonder about our world. Do we need the products to soften our skin because of the chemicals in our air? I mean, are we living in a vicious cycle now? It's a different world from yesteryear. They could live simpler because it was a much simpler world then.

I do know there are many chemicals we can stay away from if we want. We do not need to use all those scented "plug-ins" which are very dangerous for some of us, or sprinkle on "carpet fresh", 3 scented candles, etc. I needed to buy tissues last week. IT was so confusing. Kleenex with aloe, with lotions, with anti-viral assist--I was like, "Isn't there any simple, old fashion kleenex with nothing on it?" It's so frustrating.

Rant over! Sorry!

I personally cannot stand fragrances. I do not color my hair, nails. (I have long thought that hair color for women is dangerous-- for example--Lindane for head lice is absorbed thru the scalp so I expect many other things, esp those that remain on the head for time periods like dyes are problematic).

I have hardwood floors, and no carpeting.
I noticed some extra symptoms (my hands would go numb driving) last fall when I bought a new car. The smell lasted for several months, and I figured it wasn't doing me much good, breathing it for 1.5 hrs every day.

There was a guy in the news about a year or so ago, who had tests for
chemicals..he worked for a news agency. They found high levels of chemicials in him from flying in jets so much. They tested for over 1600 things I believe.

Right now flame retardants are getting alot of attention as thyroid disease inducers.

in the good old days of the turn of the century women used to wash their hair with borax and egg shampoo.....so much for a chemical free past.

I think some people are more sensitive and I am for sure one of those. No perfume for me. I would think if you had allergies too that could irritate your system which then could have other side effects. Someone has posted to me about the pans I use maybe causing symptoms so even looking at things like that.I have not tried chemical free but I would think a place like Whole food or Trader joes may carry. I just try to stick away from things with strong odors.Good luck.

--to stay away from chemical additives as much as possible: use unscented, plain soap, laundry detergents, etc. Part of this is due to environmental concern--too many of these things wind up in the water and food cycles--but much of it is personal. I was always one of those people with an absurdly sensitive nose--I can detect highly diffuse odors on people that clue me in to what they've recently eaten, where they've been, and the like--and colognes/perfumes are like repellent to me.

The other part of this involves skin sensitivity--I've had lifelong sensitivity (even before the neuropathy) to the extent that many fabrics bother me (I tend to wear only cotton and fleece, with some lycra based "stretchy" synthetics), and I've found that the ones that are bothersome invariably have a detectable "chemical" odor, as if they've had some sort of treatment. I doubt that this is coincidental.

I beleive I was poisoned by a relatives mentholated foot powder when they came to visit me. I became highly sensetive to all chemicals after that day. I use household products with as few chemicals as possible. I also cannot tolerate parfume/colognes and such.

When you become sensitised to chemicals, the world can become a cruel place,as I am always trying to hunt down fresh air which seams impossible to find.

I met a woman with MS some years ago before I had health issues. She invited me to her house and asked me to shower first... What??? OK, so I did, but when I got there she was upset because she said she could smell my perfume. I didn't have any on, however, I did have on a watch I had worn perfume with the day before... Talk about sensitivity....

I cannot stand most fragrances (especially earthy smelling stuff, like musk) now myself. After a flood, we got rid of all carpet and have hardwood floors and some tile throughout the house. It made a big difference in my breathing, especially at night...

My husband no longer wears aftershave or men's cologne. That stuff gives me a headache and sometimes does wierd things like make me burn. Or it might make my face go to sleep... I would assume this has to do with some malfunction of the sensory nerves, but have no real clue...

I used to think all of these "chemically sensitive" people were crazy. And now, I have to deal with some of the same issues...

Cathie

I just have to post on this subject too. Some of you probably remember when this all started happening to me. I complained of clothing rubbing (tweeds & nubs in the fabric), I complained about hubbies cologne (it all disappeared one day , I complained that I couldn't go down the detergent cleaner aisle in Walmart, etc. etc. My husband and step-mom thought I was crazy. The folks in the arthritis class water aerobics stopped standing close to me The list goes on and on.

Now I have to protest. Lately I've ordered some stay at home clothing out of the catalogs. Nothing expensive because I have small dogs. The other day, I opened a long denim dress package that I had just received. The smell was horrible, just horrible!~!! Smelled like something dead. This is the second time this has happened. You guessed it...both of them came from China!!! I packaged the things up and sent them back and told them I was returning them because they smelled rotten. No way I'm wearing that stuff!!!

I'm convinced they are trying to poison us.

Billye

Always have been very sensitive to petrochemical odours, bleaches, cigarette odours and perfumes.

For the past year or so we have been buying from our health store a natural shampoo which has no sodium lauryl sulphate, no petroleum by-products, no artificial frangrances, colours, no harsh detergents, no animal derivatives or chemicals....and it works really well for me. They also make a matching conditioner with the same provisos.

Have been using recycled/non bleached toilet paper for years now - for idealogical reasons and generally try to put as little toxic stuff into our waterways as I can by avoiding things like fabric conditioner. Use mainly vinegar and bicarb soda (poured in together) to clean the toilets. Enjo cloths for all the hard surfaces are marvelous for cleaning, needing no other cleaning agents.

Do struggle (from an environmental stance) a bit with finding an efficient dishwasher detergent that is not too toxic though. Any clues on that one! Yes I could go back to using the kitchen sink and handwash everything with 'velvet soap' or similar, hehe - I know!!!

Someone mentioned new cars - they have a terrible odour for months on end. A bit better when all leather upholstery is used though.