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My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and talents.  ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Monday, October 7, 2013

Environmental Sensitivities - Time to put on a mask...

It's been a long and winding road this journey....starting with underdeveloped lungs from being too anxious to wait for my arrival day (born 7 - 8 weeks early and thankful that both my mom and I are here to speak of it).  Then shortness of breath for most of my childhood that grew into environmentally triggered asthma and a growing sensitivity to chemicals and synthetic fragrances....and now, lets just say, I am organically designed ;)  I love nature, use nature (natural products) in my house and health and eat as much organic, super, and local as possible. 

The good news is, as I grew in honouring my body's message of stress and strife (I was not as aware as I am now), I experience a whole LOT LESS chronic and constant pain as I had before.  I had migraines, heart issues, asthma attacks, upper and lower back pain, pain behind my eyes....ALL THE TIME! And in part from not recognizing that the "fragrances" and chemicals in the products I was using was contributing to this crippling experience. (Like being paralyzed from fragrance didn't help me clue in...but oh well!!)  My immune system was depressed, I started having reactions to anesthetics, etc, etc, etc...honestly, the things that cleared up in my health and ability when I had less and less exposure to the things that harm me inside and out was amazing.

But for as good as I feel on a constant basis now, there are other moments that register as "over-exposure" for me that remind me of how strong I must have been to endure such pain on a constant basis.  And those are the moments I am navigating through on a constant basis.  It's a juggling act, going out into public gatherings, for the most part, seem as a daunting experience for me and my family.  I know what to expect, the high possibility that there will be fragrance in the environment....but depending on circulation of the building, inside or outside venues, how crowded, etc. I may or may not be able to breath as freely as I would like.  I've pushed myself in several situations over the last year (LOL testing seems to be in my character), and have found that its better to choose another solution for public experiences.

So I have been looking solutions....detoxes, switching to natural products, more houseplants, eating alkaline and organic foods, foods high in antioxidants, dealing with emotional triggers and traumas, etc., keeping my thoughts and emotions flowing and non-toxic....I have dedicated myself to non-toxic living as much as possible.  And through this, I can see how my reactions are shifting and how I have gained a larger "threshold" in "scented" sitautions.  But I don't stay in a bubble!  I go out and do what I need to do....work, playdates, meetings over coffee, shopping.  Sometimes it works well and sometimes I come home very drained and sore and crash out for hours or even days.....and so now it has come to the point where I would like to do these things without "holding my breath". 

Now with that in mind, it does not change the fact that some people do where enough fragrance for others to taste in there mouth or to smell them a good city block away...It also doesn't change the fact that I have a very discerning palette and can identify many different types of products and fragrances and even what "scent" they are suppose to have....from fabric softeners, to laundry detergents, to deodorants, scented candles, essential oils, plants, herbs, etc.  I LOVE that I can pick out flavor or scent with the what God has graced me with.  But sometimes, too much is too much, and even when I am travelling in the public, I can see other peoples reactions to scent...without me having displayed any change or reaction myself.  AND knowing what some of these chemicals can do and ARE doing to people also helps to keep me passionate, that whether or not I can smell or sense a chemical in the environment, there is an adverse affect that it is having.....I am just thankful for the experience that I have had to make me wise in this regard....

SO, now it is mask time!!  So I can breathe more deeply and move about more freely!!  I have invested in a RESPRO mask, but will be ordering another type of their masks (Allergy Mask) to see if it is even more fresher to breathe through...

In the meantime, fresh air to you all :)

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