First allergy-proof houses to be builtFirst allergy-proof houses to be builtFirst allergy-proof houses to be builtFirst allergy-proof houses to be built

A new type of accommodation is going to appear near Zurich: flats made to measure for people suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). Christian Schifferle, president of the building cooperative, says constructing allergy-proof housing or staying at a hotel with special standards is expensive, which most MCS sufferers cannot afford. Even if they could, the buildings are few and far between.All this prompted community members to work together to pool their resources. At the beginning of 2008, around 50 people with MCS decided to create a cooperative in order to build a block of 15 flats at affordable prices - roughly SFr1,350 ($1,411) a month for a two-bedroom apartment. The project, which costs SFr5.8 million, should be finished in 2013 in the commune of Leimbach, a location the MCS community deems favourable due to the low levels of electrosmog in the area. The new building will be made mostly with chemical-free natural stone. A purification unit will be installed at the entrance of every building to eliminate chemical residues. This project – a first in Europe – could benefit from the support of the city of Zurich and Swiss authorities: “It wasn’t easy. The process has lasted 20 years, during which time we have tried to explain what our life is like and how important it is to have adequate housing. It is of vital importance, not a luxury,” Schifferle explained. He is convinced that the cooperative will succeed in finding the remaining SFr1.3 million needed to complete the project. The hope of the cooperative is that similar structures will be built in other parts of the country too. Schifferle says that he knows of a few hundred other sufferers in Switzerland, even though it is difficult to obtain more precise numbers at a nationwide level. Not only does the illness prevent many people from working, Schifferle says they are doubly disadvantaged because they are not eligible for allowances from Switzerland’s disability insurance scheme. “The fact that the allergies are caused by permissible concentrations of chemicals doesn’t help”, Tereh explained. The doctor is hopeful that continuing research will eventually shed more light on MCS, and put an end to doubts. “This is my wish for sufferers who have to live in quite dramatic conditions.”

Andrea Clementi. Translated from Italian by Emily Wright Full article from : www.swissinfo.ch 19.10.10

NewsNewsNewsNews

Equality Act 2010Equality Act 2010Equality Act 2010Equality Act 2010

In October 2010, the new Equality Act came into force in the UK. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) was part of this and has implications for people affected with MCS regarding access to services, including medical treatment. “It is unlawful for service providers to treat you less favourably because of your disability, and they must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for you, such as giving you extra help or changing the way they provide their services. Following changes to the law in 2004, service providers must consider making changes to physical features of their premises so that there are no physical barriers which prevent you from using their services, or make it unreasonably difficult for you to do so.

A service doesn’t have to be impossible to use before a service provider has to make changes. They also have to make changes when it’s unreasonably difficult. They should think about whether any inconvenience, effort, discomfort or loss of dignity you experience in using the service would be considered unreasonable by other people, if they had to endure similar difficulties.”

From: englandhelpline@equalityhumanrights.com

15% Discount on Christmas Lights15% Discount on Christmas Lights15% Discount on Christmas Lights15% Discount on Christmas LightsMembers of the Chemical Free Support Group can now benefit from 15% discount and FREE delivery from The Solar Centre.co.uk Tel.0845 094 1250. Everything from LED lights for electrical sensitivity to solar powered gadgets. See MCS Extra for discount codes. (See below to join the support group.)

Chemical Free Support GroupChemical Free Support GroupChemical Free Support GroupChemical Free Support Group

If you are affected by sensitivity to chemicals in everyday products, have food intolerance or Electro-sensitivity, we’re here to help:

• Members receive a ‘stay safe’ wallet card explaining MCS

• Save money with discounts on organic foods, supplements, clothes, homeware and essen-tial allergy products.

• Penpal Directory and community forum• Leaflets and helpsheets• Complete list of suppliers for chemical, food

and electro- sensitivities• Chemical Free newsletters quarterly by email

or post PLUSPLUSPLUSPLUS exclusive “MCS Extra” pages featuring practical solutions to help you feel better.

Subscribers can choose to receive information by email or by post on chlorine-free paper:Email Subscription: £15 Postal Subscription: UK £16Postal Overseas: £20Subscribe online or send us a cheque/postal order payable to ‘Chemical Free Ltd’. 56 Gaping Lane, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 2JE, UK.

For more information visit our website:ChemicalFree.co.ukChemicalFree.co.ukChemicalFree.co.ukChemicalFree.co.uk

More Precise Food Allergy TestingMore Precise Food Allergy TestingMore Precise Food Allergy TestingMore Precise Food Allergy Testing

About 30 percent of Americans believe they have food allergies. However, the actual number is far smaller, closer to 5 percent, according to a recent study commissioned by th National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). That’s due in large part to the unreliability of the skin test that doctors commonly use to test for food allergies.

MIT chemical engineer Christopher Love believes he has a better way to diagnose such allergies. His new technology, described in the June 7 issue of the journal Lab on a Chip, can analyze individual immune

cells taken from patients, allowing for precise measurement of the cells’ response to allergens such as milk and peanuts.

Using this technology, doctors could one day diagnose food allergies with a simple blood test that would be faster and more reliable than current tests, says Love, an assistant professor of chemical engineering. “With a large number of diagnoses, it’s ambiguous,” he says. “A lot of times it’s almost circumstantial whether you’re allergic to one thing or another.”

Food allergies occur when the body’s immune system mistakes a protein in food for something harmful. This triggers an allergic response that can include rashes, hives, difficulty breathing or gastrointestinal distress. Some allergies can provoke life-threatening anaphylactic shock, which requires immediate treatment.Source :Anne Trafton, MIT News Office .Anne Trafton, MIT News Office

Treat yourself! Organic Gluten-Free Christmas Cake and mince pies available from

www.goodnessdirect.co.uk SAVE £10 see advert on page 6

Green Cleaning!Green Cleaning!Green Cleaning!Green Cleaning!

Pewter PolishingPewter PolishingPewter PolishingPewter Polishing

Because it is a soft metal and can be easily damaged, pewter must be given special care. Mix 1 teaspoon salt and 1 cup vinegar. Add enough flour to the mixture to make a paste. Apply the paste using a soft cloth and allow it to dry for half an hour. Rinse the piece thoroughly with warm water and polish with another soft cloth. Make sure all the paste is removed from any

grooves or hidden areas.

Glass and MirrorsGlass and MirrorsGlass and MirrorsGlass and Mirrors

The windows in your home can be effectively cleaned with 4 tablespoons lemon juice mixed with a half gallon of water. Other effective cleaners for glass and mirrors are rubbing alcohol and witch hazel. While many people recommend newspapers, the reality is that this is messy - Try using a clean, lint-free rag instead orperhaps an old cotton T-shirt.

Vinyl Vinyl Vinyl Vinyl

Dipping a cloth in straight lemon juice and rubbing it onto the stained area can remove stains on vinyl items such as recliners or tile flooring.

Paint OdorsPaint OdorsPaint OdorsPaint Odors

Whenever you have an indoor painting project, you can help control the smell of the paint by keeping small dishes of vinegar scattered about in the room. The vinegar will absorb the paint odor while you work. Leave the dishes out for a few days after finishing the project to keep the paint smell at bay. Remember to change the vinegar each day.

Healthy Home ChecklistHealthy Home ChecklistHealthy Home ChecklistHealthy Home Checklist

This is a great resource for people new to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, and for all of us to share with friends and family!

Have you ever given your house a once-over for environmental health? The Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Home Checklist is a quick and effective way to get a sense of what changes are most important — and how to make them (if you haven’t already!). Working from this kind of list can add perspective to the seemingly endless toxic updates we hear in the news.

Covers all areas, such as bathroom, laundry, furniture, lightbulbs, children’s toys....

For a full version, please visit: http://www.ewg.org/files/ewg-hht-checkilist.pdf

Recipe Recipe Recipe Recipe

In Season.....In Season.....In Season.....In Season.....Vegetables Vegetables Vegetables Vegetables - - - - Beetroot, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leeks, parsnips, potatoes (main crop), pumpkin, swede, turnips

Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit - - - - Apples, chestnuts, clementines, cranberries, passion fruit, pears, pineapple, pomegranate, satsumas, tangerines, walnuts..

MeatMeatMeatMeat - - - - Duck, goose, grouse, guinea fowl, hare, partridge, pheasant, rabbit, venison, wood pigeon.

Fish and Seafood Fish and Seafood Fish and Seafood Fish and Seafood - - - - Brill, clams, haddock, halibut, hake, john dory, lemon sole, monkfish, mussels, oysters, plaice, scallops, sea bass, turbot.

Quote for the SeasonQuote for the SeasonQuote for the SeasonQuote for the Season

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for

home. ~Edith Sitwell

Rich Fruit Cake RecipeRich Fruit Cake RecipeRich Fruit Cake RecipeRich Fruit Cake Recipe

5 oz Potato farina2 oz Buckwheat flour2 oz Chick pea flour or millet flour1 rounded tblspn. Wheat-free baking powder1 level tspn. Ground Cinnamon2 level tspns. Mixed spice or ground allspice3 tblspns. Oil12 fl oz water2 medium-sized eating apples1 medium-sized carrot5 oz natural currants5 oz natural sultanas5 oz natural raisins

Sieve flours, baking powder and spices together into a large bowl. Chop apple and carrot, put into liquidiser together with the measured water and blend. Add to flour mixture along with other ingredients and beat well. Pour mixture into a boiled 8” cake tin and bake in centre of the oven at 190, gas mark 5 for approx. 1 hour.

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MCS Extra

Extra newsletter pages exclusive to support group

members. In this issue:

• Tips for Coping With Chronic Illness at

Christmas

• Worm Therapy for Food Intolerance

• Save money on Solar power, LED and

Christmas lights!

For YOUR copy find out about the Chemical Free

Support Group at www.ChemicalFree.co.uk

Gift Idea:Gift Idea:Gift Idea:Gift Idea: Winter Bath PackAvailable from www.healthy-house.co.uk Tel 0845 450 59 50

Contact UsContact UsContact UsContact Us

WebsiteWebsiteWebsiteWebsite:::: www.chemicalfree.co.uk EmailEmailEmailEmail: : : : info@chemicalfree.co.ukPPPPost:ost:ost:ost: Chemical Free, 56 Gaping Lane, Hitchin, Herts. SG5 2JE UK

Allergy Free Christmas Tree Allergy Free Christmas Tree Allergy Free Christmas Tree Allergy Free Christmas Tree

The Leyland Cypress tree is a combination of the Alaskan Cedar and Monterrey Cypress from Mexico. Because it’s a true hybrid, the Leyland

cannot produce pollen, giving allergy sufferers the option of having a natural evergreen in the house for Christmas. It also doesn’t shed needles like the pine. MCS sufferers are often sensitive to pine terpenes however, and tinsel can also be a problem. Alternative ideas include bare tree

branches decorated with beads, metal, glass and ceramic ornaments. Or opt for a Christmas tree and lights in the garden just outside the window.

The Healing Effects of Copper – Volunteers NeededThe Healing Effects of Copper – Volunteers NeededThe Healing Effects of Copper – Volunteers NeededThe Healing Effects of Copper – Volunteers NeededDo we in the industrialised western world stand just one elusive scientific Do we in the industrialised western world stand just one elusive scientific Do we in the industrialised western world stand just one elusive scientific Do we in the industrialised western world stand just one elusive scientific breakthrough away from a fuller understanding of how natural detox breakthrough away from a fuller understanding of how natural detox breakthrough away from a fuller understanding of how natural detox breakthrough away from a fuller understanding of how natural detox systems function?systems function?systems function?systems function? Research by Rob Taylor23 years ago, whilst experimenting with high copper mineral supplements on a livestock farm in the Severn Vale, I fluked a quite startling improvement in the overall health of the cattle so treated. Years of detailed research led me to deduce that this copper induced effect had resulted due to a markedly enhanced detox. effect on organophosphate warblecide chemicals that the cattle had been treated with a week beforehand. Developing this research, I am now seeking to prove that this chemical neutralizing effect of copper also exists in man and is far more wide-ranging, the method I propose being the use of copper heel plates at present routinely and safely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.I am currently looking for individuals with perceived chemically related health problems who would be interested in taking part in this simple practical research i.e. wearing a pair of copper heel insoles and seeing if you notice a difference in your health. Copper Heelers can be purchased from Orthotics Online Ltd, www.theoriginalcopperhealer.com Tel. 020 7486 4664. To receive a £5 discount, order over the phone and quote ‘Chemical Free’ when placing your order. The price including discount is £19.95 plus £2.95 postage. Contact Chemical Free with any comment or results at the usual address.

CommentCommentCommentCommentIt has long been known that copper is absorbed through the skin from bracelets etc. It is even recommended by NHS consultants dealing with rheumatoid arthritis. The heel inserts are an unobtrusive and possibly more effective method of providing a low level, daily dose. The copper will be absorbed even through socks.Copper has indeed an essential role in efficient metabolism including detoxification and handling of chemicals but unlike most nutrients it can be synergistic (work with) and or antagonistic (block absorption or work against) other nutrients. For example it is both highly antagonistic to zinc absorption and works synergistically in the cells! In fact as with many nutrients it is the ratio of one nutrient(s) to another as well as the amount present which is so very important. In an ideal world all MCS/ ME/ ES sufferers would have their nutrient levels tested by the optimum methods on a regular basis. A few private clinics offer such testing and there are useful tests available by post including hair mineral analysis which tells you what your levels were whilst that hair was growing, and hair follicle DNA testing which can also tell you much about how your body is handling minerals and other nutrients. They ought to be used in conjunction with other tests and ideally

interpreted by suitably experienced doctors or nutritionists. The amounts of copper taken up from copper heelers is tiny and in the majority of cases likely to be beneficial. I would suggest introduction for a few hours at a time in the first instance.

Contraindications:Contraindications:Contraindications:Contraindications:Patients in the early stages of battling Candida infection would be better advised to address their zinc levels first. Those suffering scoliosis of the spine should have testing first, as should those with hypothyroidism and weak adrenals. Such patients probably do need copper but need to address other nutrients first. Some drugs interfere with copper metabolism and can lead to copper toxicity. Many of these drugs cannot in any case be metabolised properly by MCS sufferers with damaged Phase 2 detox. pathways. They include: hormone oestrogen as well as psychotropic drugs, sedatives and tranquilisers all of which interrupt copper elimination along with Thorazine, Librium, Norpramin, Diuril, Orinase, Tegretol, Tapazol and Indocin. Your GP may or may not be aware of this.

Gillian McCarthy Nutritional Biochemist (also currently trying the heelers herself).

New Book on Chemical SensitivityNew Book on Chemical SensitivityNew Book on Chemical SensitivityNew Book on Chemical Sensitivity

ProfessorWilliam Rea from the Environmental Health Center, Dallas has published an updated version of his 4 part encyclopedia on chemical sensitivity. Part 1 was published earlier this year, with part 2 following next spring.

"The clinical approaches to the chronic degenerative diseases that drain our resources, and compromise our well-being, have become almost exclusively symptom-focused. The common wisdom is that they are idiopathic with final outcomes to be managed rather than prevented or cured. That they are potentially reversible rarely enters into any discussion between doctor and patient. Reversibility of Chronic Degenerative Disease and Hypersensitivity, a four-part encyclopedia, offers a much different perspective on chronic degenerative disease, one that disputes the idiopathic label attached to most, as well as the usual fatalistic prognosis. The first volume, Regulating Mechanisms of Chemical Sensitivity, demonstrates that one aspect common to chronic diseases is the disruption of systemic and cellular homeostasis. Environmental pollutants play a large role, along with the contributions of genetic and life style factors, in disrupting the self-regulating mechanisms built into our normally adaptive cells."

Reversibility of Chronic Degenerative Disease and Hypersensitivity: v. 2: Clinical Manifestations of Chemical Sensitivity - Hardcover (25 Mar 2011) by William J. Rea and Kalpana Patel

Book 1: £59.19 plus postage: £2.65 from Snazal.com Unit 5, Vulcan House Business Centre, Vulcan Road Leicester LE5 3EF

Christmas Cards It’s not too late to order!

Help raise awareness of MCSCards are blank inside for your own message. Text on the back reads:

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is a physical illness which can affect anyone at any stage of life. Sufferers have severe

reactions to chemicals in everyday products, medicines, foods, and can have debilitating electro-sensitivity. For

information and a free newsletter visit ChemicalFree.co.uk

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