The Canary Report

For the love of pumpkin

Posted on Oct 31, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Home & Garden, Kimberly Shaw

Pumpkins are a rich source of beta-carotene and potassium. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of iron and zinc.

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

I adore pumpkins. They are such a cheerful fruit with their bright orange color, plus they are packed with antioxidants! Here is one of my family’s favorite autumn muffin recipes:

Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup organic cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup organic canola oil
1/2 cup honey
2 organic eggs (or egg replacer)
1 3/4 cups organic whole wheat flour**
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon*
1/2 tsp nutmeg*
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup organic chopped nuts (VERY optional)

**For gluten-free recipe, use organic brown or white rice flour in combination with potato flour and tapioca flour. I use 1 cup organic brown rice flour, 1/2 cup of potato starch flour and 1/4 cup of tapioca flour.

*Omit spices if allergic, can replace with 1/4 tsp ginger

Beat oil and honey together in bowl; add eggs or egg replacer and mix well. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. Add dry ingredient with liquid mixture. Add the water. Mix in pumpkin (and nuts, if desired). Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Recipe makes approximately one dozen muffins. I normally double it, as they freeze well.

Variation: If you are allergic to pumpkin, you can use this same recipe with yams or persimmon pulp.

~~~

Interesting pumpkin information:

Here is a video on how to roast pumpkin seeds. (I just use organic butter or oil and sea salt.)

Did you know pumpkin flowers are edible?

Pumpkin Facts

Pumpkin History

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Photos by Kimberly Shaw.

Come visit me at my blogs Adventurous Canary and Serendipity. Read about my documentary film on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity at Adventurous Canary Productions.

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Tags: Food, Healthy Living, Home, Organic

Adventurous Canary interviews MCS researcher Martin Pall

Posted on Oct 24, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Kimberly Shaw, MCS, Media/Videos

Interview with Martin Pall.

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

I had the privilege and honor to meet and interview Professor Martin Pall today for my documentary film on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. The interview went wonderfully well. His research is groundbreaking and really changes the tide in the scientific world in regards to MCS!

Come visit me at my blogs Adventurous Canary and Serendipity. Learn more about my documentary film at Adventurous Canary Productions.

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Tags: Film, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Research

Sex and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Safe sex

Posted on Oct 12, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Home & Garden, Kimberly Shaw

When it comes to MCS, “safe sex” has a whole new meaning!

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

Part I: Safe Sex.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity experts recommend your bedroom be the safest room in your house. Sleep experts strongly suggest your bedroom only be used for sleep and sex. When we are overwhelmed or over stimulated by our surroundings, we are not in a receptive place to enjoy sexual intimacy or a good night’s sleep. It’s important the bedroom be a safe place, a place for your body to rest, be nurtured and enjoy pleasure. This may mean purchasing an air purifier, an organic bed, organic sheets and organic pillows. It also means keeping anything toxic far away from the bedroom. Not just chemicals, but emotionally toxic conversations or attitudes. Consider your bedroom your healing sanctuary and only allow items into it that are essential, nurturing, healing and lovely.

Having a safe partner is also very important. Hopefully, they understand MCS and are well aware of the need to be fragrance- and chemical-free. If you have any severe food allergies, your partner should also avoid eating them. Kissing someone who recently ate something you are severely allergic to may cause reactions.

Birth control is a difficult topic for those with MCS. Hormonal contraception, spermicidal methods, intrauterine contraceptives, condoms and other barrier methods all can cause issues for someone with sensitivities. There are some alternatives like natural family planning, natural lambskin condoms, vasectomy and, of course, menopause. This topic is something you want to discuss with your medical care provider if you are in a situation where birth control is an issue.

Unless you are in a monogamous relationship where you know both of you are free of sexually transmitted disease (STD), you need to consider how to protect yourself. Latex condoms often cause severe reactions. Some people do better with natural latex condoms verses synthetic latex. Lambskin condoms may not protect against STDs. Non-latex condoms are generally made out of polyurethane or polyisoprene. Again, another area you want to discuss carefully with a medical care professional that understands MCS. The last thing you want with MCS is to also have to deal with an STD!

There are many natural and/or organic lubricants on the market, but most contain some type of preservative. Read labels carefully! Many people with chemical sensitivities enjoy using organic coconut oil, organic jojoba oil, organic aloe vera, organic cocoa butter, organic almond oil, organic apricot oil, Vitamin E oil or organic plain yogurt, but proceed with caution when using for the first time. You might want to test first for any sensitivity by applying a small amount to the inside of your arm for a few days. (Note: Do not use these oils with condoms.) If you are a female and have trouble with vaginal dryness, you might also consider changes to your diet. Adding more essential fatty acids (EFAs), organic vegetable and fruit oils (like olive) to your diet, drinking more water, supplementing with vitamin E and vitamin A help many women.

Sex toys can enhance your sexual experience. In recent years, they started making vibrators and other sexual enhancement items out of safer materials. For example, you can now find vibrators made out of glass. Earth Erotics is one company that sells glass sex toys. They also sell organic bedroom linens and other safer products. (Many of their items would not be safe for people with MCS though.)

Practice sex safe, MCS style!

###

Watch for more upcoming blogs on sex and MCS. I plan to cover health and sexuality in relation to MCS, dealing with disabilities in a sexual relationship, how to handle sex with a non-MCS partner, being single and other topics we with MCS deal with in our sexual lives.

I also blog at Serendipity, come visit!

Disclaimer: None of this information is meant to replace medical advice. Your sexual life is very important and any decisions that could affect your health need to be discussed with your health care provider.

~~~

10/18/09 Editor’s Note: This post is now translated into Spanish at Eva Caballé’s blog NO FUN. Thanks, Eva!

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Tags: Chemicals, Food, Fragrance, Healthy Living, Home, Leisure, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Organic, Perfume, Personal Care, Products

Air travel and chemical sensitivity

Posted on Sep 20, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Kimberly Shaw, MCS

Traveling on an airplane presents myriad challenges for someone with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. But sometimes a canary must fly.

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

Having just returned from a trip to Hawaii, air travel is fresh in my mind (and my body is still recovering)!

Planning ahead can make all the difference! The first thing I do is try to get a seat as close to first-class as possible or even better, in first-class (my husband travels often, so we sometimes get upgraded). The first-class cabin provides more outside air per person. I also find bulk head seats work well, as they create more room between others and myself.

Then I pack certain items in a little kit to keep with me at all times on the flight in the seatback pocket. In this I put things like a mask, vitamin C powder and the homeopathic remedy Apis Mellifica (these help me with reactions), safe soap to use in the bathroom, and an epi-pen. I also buy bottled water after going through airport security to keep with the kit. In addition to the kit, I bring my own organic food. I bring a small cooler and empty containers or bags to put ice in after I get through airport security. This keeps things cool and fresh.

I prefer to travel with someone(s) who understands me. Then if I am having a tough time, I can talk to them about it. They can also help me find a solution or run interference for me, if needed. This is especially helpful when you are in the middle of a reaction and need to change seats due to sitting near someone with a strong fragrance!

Other travel tips:

Use a mask in the airport, in the bathrooms, on the plane, and in the baggage area! It not only will help protect you from fragrances, but also will protect you from germs (wash hands often, too)!

Plan some down time when you reach your destination! You might need some time to recover from the flight, especially if you are changing time zones.

If you are traveling internationally, be sure to check to see if pesticides will be used on the plane. If so, you might decide to wear protective gear or NOT make the trip at all.

Make sure the items you pack in your suitcase are well sealed, as sometimes they can pick up fragrances and chemical residues along the way.

Bring a safe pillow and blanket to protect you from the seats, sometimes they clean them with chemicals.

Drink plenty of filtered water before, during and after the flight.

Stand up, stretch and walk around on the plane.

As soon as you reach your destination, remove your clothes, wash them and take a shower.

Bring a car air purifier, you can use this in the car and in your hotel room or place you are staying.

Have some calming aids (hey, traveling is stressful, especially with MCS!). For me, I do well with Calcium/Magnesium, Passionflower (herb), Moon Drops (homeopathic lozenges), breathing techniques and music that soothes on my iPod. Some people do better with things like Rescue Remedy, Lavender essential oil (aromatherapy), Chamomile, etc.

Sometimes humor is the most valuable tool! Not to make light of a bad situation, but I tend to find humor in almost anything. It helps me cope with what would be an otherwise stressful situation. (Like dealing with the TSA!)

Happy travels!

Come visit me at my blog Serendipity.

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Tags: Air, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Interview for documentary film on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Posted on Sep 19, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Kimberly Shaw, MCS, Media/Videos, Susie Collins

I was interviewed this week for film that will delve into the often overlooked and misunderstood condition of chemical sensitivity.

Kimberly Shaw came to my home on Wednesday and interviewed me for her documentary film on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. I loved meeting her and her husband. They were so very kind and patient with me during the interview!

I loved showing them my MCS-safe home and gardens, and talking with them about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and the impact of it on all our lives. On the previous day, I’d put out requests through our social network and Facebook for topics that the flock wanted me to discuss. There were over 50 responses altogether! I think I covered just about everything that was suggested over the course of the interview.

It’s an honor to be included in the documentary and I think Kimberly is on her way to a successful and much needed film. Brava!

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Tags: Chemicals, Children's Health, Environmental Illness, Film, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

The pampered canary

Posted on Sep 03, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Kimberly Shaw, Personal Care

“There’s no better way to energize your body, mind, and spirit than by taking care of yourself.” ~Stephanie Tourles

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

One of the ways I take care of myself is to make time to pamper myself with my own homemade organic personal care products. When I make something myself, I know exactly what goes into it and can use ingredients that work for me.

The recipes below include a basic unscented version and also variations with organic essential oils. If you have very severe Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, are currently in a “universal reacting” stage and/or are recovering from a recent exposure, I’d strongly suggest NOT trying the essential oil variations. Even natural and organic scents can and often will trigger reactions. Some with MCS can tolerate organic essential oils in moderation and even find they have aromatherapy benefits. For many years, I could only use unscented products. After much recovery and studying aromatherapy, I find that some essential oils in moderation work well for me.

If you have extremely sensitive reactive skin, keep things very simple. When my MCS was really severe I cleaned my face with just organic jojoba oil.

Feel free to omit any ingredients you are sensitive to or substitute for another ingredient. You are welcome to email me, if you need help tailoring a recipe to work for you.

Due to the nature of these ingredients, products should be used within six months. Before trying something new on your face or large parts of your body, you might want to do a small skin test on the inside of your arm. As with any skin care products, discontinue use if any skin reaction or rash appears.

~~~

Relaxing Bath Salts

• ¼ to ½ cup Epsom salt
• ¼ to ½ cup Dead Sea Salt or any type of sea salt
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon organic jojoba oil

For a regular size bath, use ¼ measurements, for a larger bath use ½ measurements. Add salts and oils to running bath water. Soak and relax for at least 20 minutes.

Variations:

Add several drops of an organic essential oil such as lavender or vanilla.

Add some green tea (or your favorite herbal tea) to the bath. I tend to use about 6-8 tea bags or about 6 teaspoons loose tea in a cheesecloth bag or stainless steel tea infuser.

~~~

Body Scrub

• 2 cups organic sugar or sea salt
• ¾ to 1-cup organic oil (jojoba, olive, grapeseed, sunflower, and/or other organic oil of your choice)

Variations:

10-30 drops organic essential oils, if desired. Tangerine or grapefruit work well.

~~~

If you can use essential oils, here is one of my favorite recipes:

Kimberly’s Mojito Sugar Scrub

• 2 cups organic sugar
• ¾ cups grapeseed oil (I use it because it is naturally green in color)
• 20 drops organic lime essential oil
• 10 drops organic spearmint essential oil

(When I make it for gifts for friends and relatives, I add a dash of rum.)

Mix well and store in a glass container. Use in the bath or shower. Be careful may make surfaces slippery. Do not use on face or sensitive areas.

~~~

Face and Body Wash

• 8 oz. organic unscented castile soap
• 8 oz. distilled water
• 1 tsp organic jojoba oil

Variation:

• 8 oz. organic unscented castile soap
• 4 oz. organic hydrosol* (I often use calendula hydrosol)
• 4 oz. distilled water
• 1 tsp organic jojoba oil
• (10-20 drops organic essential oils, if desired)

*I find since most hydrosols contain less than 5% essential oil they are mild and subtle and some with MCS can tolerate them.

I put this recipe in glass pump dispenser bottles and use as a basic liquid hand and body soap for the whole family.

If you have really dry skin, add extra jojoba oil to the mixture.

~~~

Organic Eye Butter

• 3 Tablespoons organic shea butter
• 2 Tablespoons organic avocado oil
• 2 Tablespoons organic coconut oil
• ¼ teaspoon organic rosehip oil
• ¼ teaspoon organic calendula oil
• 2 drops organic carrot seed oil (optional)

Gently melt shea butter in a double boiler. Add all oils and blend well. Store in glass container. If storing in warmer environment, keep in refrigerator. Use within three months.

Apply a small amount around eye to help hydrate and soften wrinkles. It also works great on lips!

~~~

There are many places to get organic ingredients, one of my favorite places is Mountain Rose Herbs.

In the coming months, I’ll be sharing more organic body care recipes!

Enjoy!

Come visit me at Serendipity.

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Tags: Cosmetics, Healthy Living, Home, Leisure, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Nontoxic, Organic, Personal Care, Products

Feeding a flock

Posted on Aug 26, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Food, Home & Garden, Kimberly Shaw

Making an easy home-cooked meal for friends and family can be challenging with food sensitivities.

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

When my daughters are all home for a visit we have a mixture of food sensitivities, allergies and other special considerations. If you add my mother and mother-in-law to the mix, we have even more foods to avoid. It is an adventure to plan a meal that is fairly easy to make and yet enjoyable for all.

I generally go for a themed build-your-own meal, two of my favorite being Southwestern and Italian. Then I set up a yummy buffet and people can pick items what works for them. I try and have options for vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Southwestern Feast
“Build your own soft taco or taco salad”

Buffet items (organic, if possible):

Tortillas (organic wheat, organic corn and/or organic brown rice)
Mixed green salad
Diced tomatoes
Sliced avocados and/or guacamole
Sliced olives
Sliced or shredded carrots or other vegetables
Cooked brown rice or Mexican style rice
Salsa (can make fruit salsa, if you cannot have tomatoes)
Cheese (cow, goat, soy, and/or rice)
Sour cream or yogurt (milk or soy)
Cilantro
Unseasoned cooked ground beef, ground turkey, shredded chicken and/or tofu
Black beans
Pinto beans

Italian
“Build your own pasta”

Pasta (organic wheat and/or a gluten-free pasta)
Steamed shredded organic zucchini – to use as “pasta” for those who cannot have any type pasta

Sauces – Pesto *, buy or make a tomato based sauce with or without added meat, and/or an Alfredo sauce. *Omit nuts or cheese, if allergic. I just make one with olive oil, basil and garlic.

Serve with steamed vegetables and/or a salad.

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Tags: Food, Healthy Living, Home, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Organic

Summer soups

Posted on Jul 31, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Food, Home & Garden, Kimberly Shaw

Soups are easy to make in the morning before it gets too hot outside. Then all you have to do is heat them up later for a lazy summer day lunch or dinner.

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

Here are two of my favorite summer soups:

Lentil Soup

8 cups filter water or organic vegetable broth*
1 clove organic garlic, minced
1 medium organic onion, chopped
2 large organic carrots, chopped
2 stalks organic celery, chopped
1 ½ cups organic dried lentils
1 ½ teaspoons fresh organic thyme or ½ teaspoon dried organic thyme
1 tablespoon fresh organic oregano or 1 teaspoon dried organic oregano
2 tablespoons fresh organic parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika (if you can use, otherwise omit)
½ teaspoon sea salt

In soup pot, bring water or broth to boil. Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery and lentils. Return to boil. If using dried herbs, add them. Simmer and cover on low heat for 60 minutes. If using fresh herbs, add the fresh thyme and oregano during the last five minutes. After removing from heat, stir in the parsley.

Makes about 4 servings. This soup also freezes well.

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Chicken, Cilantro and Lime Soup

Basic recipe:
1 medium organic onion, chopped
2 teaspoons organic extra virgin olive oil
8 cups filter water or organic low-salt chicken or vegetable broth or stock*
2 cooked organic chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 cup organic zucchini, diced
¼ cup organic cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup organic lime juice
sea salt and pepper to taste (if you can use pepper)

If you can have corn, add:
1 cup organic whole-kernel corn

If you are not avoiding nightshades, add:
1 medium organic green bell pepper, chopped
1 large organic tomato, chopped

In large soup pot, saute onion (and bell pepper, if using) in olive oil on low to medium heat until tender, about 6 minutes. Then add water, stock or broth, chicken, zucchini (and corn and tomatoes, if using) and heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, if desired.

You can garnish with organic cilantro, organic lime slices and/or organic avocado.

Makes 4-6 servings, depending on extra ingredients added.

*In the winter I like to make my own stock, but in the summer I tend to go for “easy” and avoid heating up the stove and kitchen as much as possible. There are several brands of organic broths available at health food stores. Please check ingredients carefully, as some contain nightshades and even possibly hidden MSG. When I am not making my own, I tend to do well with Imagine Foods Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth or Imagine Foods Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (this does contain tomato).

To make your own broth, here are some easy recipes:

Cheap Like Me

Vegan YumYum

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Tags: Children's Health, Environmental Health, Food, Healthy Living, Home, Organic

Genetically modified, conventionally grown or organic?

Posted on Jul 26, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Food, Home & Garden, Kimberly Shaw

For those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, it is very important to avoid GM produce.

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

About 70% of grocery store foods now contain genetically modified ingredients. For those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, it is very important to avoid GM produce. If your body does not recognize a food it will treat it as a foreign agent. This often results in allergic or other adverse reactions.

Sometimes it is hard to tell how an item is grown.

For produce or animal products, just check the PLU code on the package or sticker:

* Has a four-digit number – “Conventionally Grown”
* Has a five-digit number beginning with 9 – “Organically Grown”
* Has a five-digit number beginning with 8 – “Genetically Modified” (GM)

Avoid processed drinks and foods. Most of them contain GM ingredients, unless they are organic.

Avoid farm-raised fish and conventionally raised meat and chicken.

For more information:

Seeds of Deception

What are the dangers of genetically modified foods, and what are GMOs, anyway?

Photo by Susie Collins

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Tags: Chemicals, Children's Health, Environmental Health, Food, Healthy Living, Home, Law, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Nontoxic, Organic, Policy, Products, Toxic

Enjoying simple pleasures

Posted on Jul 19, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Food, Home & Garden, Kimberly Shaw

“Simple pleasures are always the last refuge of the complex.” -Oscar Wilde

Post by Kimberly Shaw.

(Editor’s note: Please help me welcome Kimberly Shaw as a contributor at The Canary Report! Kimberly blogs at Adventurous Canary and is an author, educator, filmmaker and natural health consultant. She’s currently making a film documentary about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. She’ll blog here at The Canary Report on organic food, easy-to-make recipes, herbs, personal care products, and the enjoyment of everyday life in the midst of allergies and sensitivities. You can read her full bio here. Welcome, Kimberly! Aloha, Susie)

For many with food allergies and sensitivities it feels like a love-hate relationship when it comes to eating. We may love food, but hate the way it makes us feel or react. For some it feels like treading through a minefield to find something we can actually eat and enjoy.

It is easy to focus on what we cannot eat. Sometimes it is depressing to consider all that we need to avoid. I have found if I dwell on the “no list” I miss enjoying the “yes list.”

When I focus on what I can eat, meals can become an everyday celebration! Just the simple act of appreciating and savoring simple foods becomes something to enjoy, not something to dread.

I may not be able to have many of the ingredients in a fine gourmet meal, but I can wash some organic cherries, make some organic tea, get out a favorite bowl, sit outside in the breeze and slowly relish each bite. While you might not be able to have cherries or tea, there are some things on your “yes list” that you can enjoy.

Oscar Wilde once said, “Simple pleasures are always the last refuge of the complex.”

In our complex world, especially of avoidance, let’s celebrate and enjoy the simple pleasures, the foods we can eat!

Photo by Kimberly Shaw.

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Tags: Food, Healthy Living, Home, Leisure, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Organic

Adventurous canary to make film about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

Posted on Jul 06, 2009 by Susie Collins in Blog, Kimberly Shaw, MCS, Media/Videos, Susie Collins

Film will delve into the often overlooked and misunderstood condition of chemical sensitivity.

Adventurous Canary Productions announces the making of a film about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Filmmaker Kimberly Shaw was diagnosed with MCS in the mid-1990s. She has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Health and is currently earning a master of science degree.

This film project will produce both short and feature-length documentaries about real people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.  Our purpose is to create awareness with the hope of inspiring change.

No longer confined to laboratories, chemicals today make our food prettier, our perfumes and personal care products cheaper, and our lawns and golf courses pest and weed-free.  We are increasingly surrounded by authorized and unauthorized chemicals which not only impact our environment, but also directly impact us.  While most are unaware, there are some who are increasingly sensitive that live as canaries among us.

This film will delve into an often overlooked and misunderstood condition of chemical sensitivity, explaining what MCS is and how it originates, what its diverse symptoms are and how people deal with it in their everyday lives. The documentary will share recent discoveries from health care professionals and MCS experts while taking a personal and compassionate look at the modern day canaries in our chemical coalmine and the “safer” havens they have created to live in.

The film’s working title is Environmentally Not Safe. The filmmakers are looking for people with MCS and experts on the subject to interview. If you would be willing to donate your time for an interview, please contact Kimberly at info@adventurouscanary.com.

Kimberly is a member of The Canary Report’s social network, where she generously shares her knowledge about safe products, housing and other health issues.

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Tags: Film, Health, MCS, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Support