What Can I Do?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Environmental Illness? | Symptoms | Causes | Impact on Lives | What Can One Do?
What is Environmental Illness (EI)?
Environmental Illness has had many names, including Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). This is a condition becoming more prevalent where people experience health impacts and symptoms following even small exposures to diverse environmental factors such as foods, moulds, chemicals, noise, smells, and electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). Environmental Sensitization, once begun, can spread to various body systems and can include a wide range of incitants and symptoms.
What Are the Symptoms?
Symptoms may occur in any or many body systems, including the skin (rashes, lesions and inflammation), lungs (asthma, cough), muscles and joints (aching and swelling), gastro-intestinal system (pain, bloating, constipation/diarrhea), nervous system (tingling, numbness, CNS symptoms), and brain (disorientation, cloudy thinking, mood swings). Fatigue often occurs. Symptoms can also include emotional, temperament and behavioural changes, including irritation, confusion, anger and depression. Headaches, stomach aches, infection and ‘stress’ are common indicators that all is not well.
How Is Environmental Illness Caused?
Sensitization may follow a large chemical exposure or smaller multiple exposures, (e.g. renovations or workplace exposure), use of a drug (antibiotics or recreational drugs), trauma or injury (emotional or physical). Individual history and tolerance may also play a part in the development of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).
What Can Cause Problems?
Incitants may include common chemicals and fumes from paints and solvents, felt markers, perfumes, fragranced products, hair gel, fabric softeners, renovation materials, pressed wood, car exhaust, cleaning products, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, oil, and fuels. Noise, electrical fields, fluorescent lights, and moulds may also be problematic.
How Does This Affect People's Lives?
Symptoms can interfere with daily activities, relationships, and career. Some people become too ill to hold jobs and may not be adequately accommodated by existing workplace compensation, social assistance and health care programs.
What Can One Do?
Be Aware
Be aware of the choices you make in location, life style and product use, and how these choices effect you, others, and our environment. Recognize that many places, foods and products today contain substances that can harm healthy adults. Learn to recognize and avoid environmental pitfalls, one step at a time.
Speak Up
Speak up in daily conversation about the benefits to human health of a clean and non-toxic environment. Speak out on issues that have negative health impacts such as chemical treatments, pesticide use, incineration, petroleum fuels, mould and ventilation problems, fragrance products, heavy metals, food processing and additives.
Support Each Other
Support each other in positive and healthy choices for yourself, your family, your workplace and your community. Do not believe something is safe because it happens to be available for your use or purchase. Most toxic products are not regulated for the Health and Safety of the general public, or for individuals.
Become a Member
Become a member of EHABC today. Learn all you can about prevention of illness, and the recovery and maintenance of good health, and help us to share the knowledge with others. Together we can and do make a difference.
Print out and complete the EHABC membership form (PDF) and mail it, along with your $25 cheque or money order to:
- Environmental Health Association of BC
- PO Box 30033
- Saanich Centre
- Victoria, BC V8X 5E1
For those who cannot afford the full amount, a reduced rate for membership of $5 is available.
Volunteer
We welcome volunteers! Membership is $25 Canadian per year, and includes the branch newsletter and a great opportunity to network with others, and work to heal yourself in the process.
Donations
We are always grateful for donations; of your time, your ideas, and your assistance. And we are grateful for your continued financial support. Please mail a contribution you can afford to the Environmental Health Association of BC. We will put your money directly toward the good works of the EHABC. Thank you.
www.ehabc.org/faq.html
Updated December 6, 2008
