Musings and What-not

Until two days ago, I had never heard of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).  Wanting to know more about it, I decided to do some light research. Here's a little something that offers a brief explanation for what MCS is. MCS means an unusually severe sensitivity or allergy-like reaction to many different kinds of pollutants including solvents, VOCs, perfumes, petrol, diesel, smoke, "chemicals" in general regarded and often encompasses problems with regard to pollen, house dust mites, and pet fur & dander. MCS unlike "true" allergies - where the underlying mechanisms of the problem are relatively well understood & widely accepted - is generally regarded as "idiopathic" - meaning that it has no known mechanism of causation & its processes are not fully understood. {Source: www.multiplechemicalsensitivity.org} This brings me back to a previous post where I mentioned Karen Slimak and a study of VOCs and their effects on humans (It appears ...

I can't take credit for this headliner. A TwitterMom left a comment for me when she visited my page, stating her curiosity about whether there was "any research on VOCs in the home and autism". Her comment made me think... even more than I already do when it comes to autism and its causes. To be honest with you, I had never really thought about VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and their connection with autism before. Sure, I've done a lot of research over the years, but I somehow missed this one. I researched the best car for my family and the best car seat for my son, so I knew I was okay in those areas. I only clean my home and launder our clothes with eco-friendly products (vinegar & water, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda , Seventh Generation , Clorox's Green Works™ , just to name a few). My family uses natural and/or organic products on our bodies ( Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap All-In-One , Alba 's lotions). I've donated 98% of my son's toys b...