Herbal Health

Most people with allergies find that they can tolerate cotton, linen and silk reasonably well and are better off avoiding synthetics. Some people, however, are very sensitive to natural fibres and find they are

Formaldehyde-free cotton Chlorine bleach-free cotton Organic cotton Cotton jersey Cotton fleece Cotton corduroy Cotton shirts Soft collar cotton shirts Cotton casual clothes Cotton tailored clothes Cotton sweaters Cotton outerwear Cotton workwear Silk & cotton sweaters Silk polos & T-shirts Silk shirts Linen clothes more comfortable in nylon and purely synthetic fibres. It is now quite difficult to find sources of nylon clothing, although polyester, acrylics, viscose and polycotton blends are very easy to obtain.

Celic sells a range of nylon clothing (men’s and women’s nightwear, men’s nylon shirts) by mail order. Seymour’s Shirts sell men’s nylon shirts by mail order.

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Many chemicals in building and decorating materials will cause sensitivity at the time when they are applied or for a short period of airing thereafter, but will not cause reactions, even to the very sensitive, once they are aired. It is important to bear this distinction in mind as you read the advice that follows.

If you are extremely sensitive, you may not be able actually to use the materials suggested below yourself, or you may need to avoid the room or building where they have been used for a while. If you are less sensitive, you will probably be able to use the materials yourself and a little airing will be sufficient for you to be able to use the place.

All the alternatives proposed are ones which are well tolerated in the long term, once aired, even by the extremely sensitive, and which, importantly, actually do the job required.

Avoid Known Hazardous Materials

Some chemicals are particularly associated with chemical sensitivity, and give out fumes and gas at a low level for a long time after they have been applied. Even small levels of such vapours can be enough to cause reactions. These persistent chemicals include organic solvents which have a wide range of building uses (notably in gloss paints, varnishes, stains, some paint strippers, various wood and damp treatments) and formaldehyde, found in particle board, melamine, paper, and some types of cavity wall insulation. Other persistent chemicals – such as organochlorines, used in fungicides and pesticides; plasticisers; vinyls; rot treatments; some coal-tar based chemicals, such as asphalt and creosote – also give out fumes over the life of the over the life of the building.

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Skin tests are relatively reliable at detecting allergy to pollens and your doctor can refer you for these.

You can also use the description of when and where pollens occur to help you work out any pattern to your reactions. If you live in a city, for instance, and get reactions in mid to late evening in summer without any apparent cause, then windbome pollens may well be the reason. If you only get symptoms after a drive through specific crops or plants, then again pollens could be the cause. If you feel better after a shower of rain at tree pollen time from February to April, or at peak pollen times in midsummer, then pollens will be the reason.

Some people are also sensitive to plant fragrances and flower scents, and to grass sap (grass terpene). These can irritate or exacerbate reactions to pollens, or be mistaken for them.

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