Chemical Sensitivities
This week in environmental medicine we talked about the symptoms
of chemical sensitivities. This lecture motivated me to reflect on
many of the chemical exposures I encounter on a daily basis in some
form or another. There are a wide variety of compounds that have
been proven to cause ill health effects causing symptoms ranging
from a dull headache, fatigue, memory loss, and asthma to
depression, neuropathy and dizziness. It becomes clear that the
hardest thing about environmental exposures is determining what
symptoms are truly being caused by an exposure. It is our job as
naturopaths to do some investigative work into a patient's living
environment to rule a potential environmental exposure in or
out.
I feel it is important to explore our daily exposures even if we
are seemingly symptom-free. If we think about the cleaning products
we use in our homes - laundry detergents we use to clean clothes,
dish soaps, beauty products, bath soaps - we are being exposed to a
gamut of synthetic chemicals that we as naturopaths believe can
accumulate over time leading to potentially catastrophic disease
processes.
A symptom as simple as a chronic dull headache can be the body's
way of warning us that it is being exposed to something it
shouldn't be. Unfortunately, if a patient complains of a headache,
the first thing on any doctor's differential diagnosis list is
probably not environmental exposures. However, if a detailed
history of the headache is taken, there are subtle clues that point
to the possibility of an environmental exposure. When does the
patient have their headache? Is it Monday through Friday while they
are at work? Have there been any renovations or new carpets put in
at their job or at home? When do they feel symptom-free, if ever?
These questions are a few examples of ways to help hone in on where
and when a patient could be being exposed to an environmental toxin
and can also help in formulating a treatment.
Ways to help make your workspace or home environment
"Greener":
- Utilize plants to naturally purify the air
- Open windows if possible to allow for ventilation
- Use full spectrum lighting, the closest to natural
sunlight
- Clean office or home with only "green" and natural
products
- Suggest a fragrance-free policy at work
- Allow a period for "off-gassing" of new construction sites
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to learn the many ways in which
we are exposed to harmful substances - swimming at the pool, eating
non-organic produce, using fabric softener - the list can get so
large it makes my head spin! If we can just start to recognize our
personal exposures, we can then begin to link them to our health,
which is the ultimate goal of a naturopathic doctor - taking charge
of your health!
Lecture Reinforcement at the Zoo
So, it may have taken me 5 years to get to the Brookfield Zoo,
but I finally made the trip this weekend! Lucky for me, my friend
has a season's pass and can bring a friend in free! He knows the
zoo inside and out and would not let us leave until we saw
everything!
I have to say I was impressed; the new dolphin show exhibit was
amazing! The theme of the dolphin show was conservation of our
planet by teaching the audience to reduce their waste production.
This is similar to the environmental exposure lecture from last
week's class.
Litter in small amounts may be tolerated and only make a few
animals sick. In larger amounts, litter can accumulate and make a
whole eco system off balance. This is exactly the thought process
behind environmental exposures! No matter what mammal or creature
you look at, environmental factors can alter their quality of life
for the better or for the worst.
Aside from the lesson learned about conservation, I would
definitely recommend a trip to the Brookfield Zoo be added to your
list of touristy things to do while in Chicago!
