Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, the twenty-first century disease Biocultura
As we recently published, BIOCULTURA Fair was conducted in the city of Madrid about organic products and responsible consumption. Many are the topics touched in this event and surely, over the days we will have much more information about how the show was developed and balances, which are certainly very positive for every sectors.
In this regard we thought it appropriate to mention one of the activities carried out last November 7. So Biocultura Madrid presented a group of people who suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), considered the twenty-first century disease.
In order to draw attention to the disease, the group mainly composed of women, in whom the disease is more common, by a ratio of four for a man involved in the conference held by Carlos de Prada, a journalist and authored the first monograph in Spain on the subject.
For those women who have a strong intolerance to exposure to low levels of toxic chemicals, going to a public act of this nature is a true act of courage. This is because toxic chemicals are present in many everyday products including deodorants, perfumes, cosmetics, shampoos, fabric softeners, etc.. And the decision for coming to the event is due to the fact that BioCultura intended precisely to encourage the use of products without these chemicals.
MCS
The MCS is a disease that affects many different organ systems and manifests itself with many different symptoms. Furthermore, it appears to be linked to damage induced by toxic chemicals, such as some pesticides and solvents, in the limbic system, deep brain region related to the control of bodily functions.
People with this disease become often unable to move freely through the streets, working, going to movies and malls. They must be confined indoors. And even within their homes, may also be at risk, as they are exposed to fumes coming from outside, such as urban pollution, food or water. To ensure their health, should take measures such as feeding exclusively on organic products, use certain products safe for bathing or cleaning the house and eliminate sources of exposure that might come from fabrics, furniture and paintings.
Unlike what happens in countries like Germany, Austria and Japan, the Spanish Government has not yet recognized the disease, despite the existing scientific certainty. These people are denied their basic fundamental rights and receive no aid to condition their homes, buy food without toxic, masks, filters and equipment to clean the air purifiers and water.
It is considered that the disease is the most obvious everyday pollution complaint in which we live. Contamination that may even be responsible for most cancers, allergies and asthma.
By participating in BioCultura Madrid 2009, this group of victims faced a very brave the risks to their health in order to stop being invisible to society and the Spanish Government.
Excerpt from interview with Dr. Jose Maria Calvo on MCS
According to the doctor "most everyday activities become prohibitive." Jose Maria Calvo is a family physician in Ayerbe, where he has been working for twelve years, having done so in Laspaúles and Barbastro. In recent years, Calvo has studied multiple chemical sensitivity, an illness "still unknown" but every year he recorded "double hardship cases". An over-reaction to the chemicals, of which there is little damage assessment levels is the trigger for an irreversible and chronic and very seriously affecting the quality of life.
Approximately two decades ago, a disease began to be fairly common in the talks. It was multiple chemical sensitivity, a disorder that still know very little, but since then "multiplies two severe cases every year," said Jose Maria Calvo, family doctor who gave a talk yesterday in Space Castillo Ibercaja Montearagón of Huesca.
Multiple chemical sensitivity causes the sufferer to "physical reactions when exposed to chemicals at low doses, than another person is not affected at all." The reactions are very different from one person to another, being the "most common" ailments such as strep throat, hoarseness, or cough. Also common are shortness of breath, severe fatigue or migraines.
In severe cases (one per cent of the 150,000 detected), the most everyday things, like movies or shop or taking a walk, can become "prohibitive" by the presence in the environment of "colonies, hair lacquers …",causing a worsening of the disease. Also, closed places are "almost forbidden", because even though they were wearing masks, "there is always a shock."
In short, people with multiple chemical sensitivity, chronic and irreversible disease have not yet received even a drug-treatment "may be a triggering factor" – suffer "a significant decline in their quality of life.
Neither alternative medicine provides a remedy to those affected by this disease whose outbreaks occur when in contact with the substance that is not tolerated. The treatments used so far, says the doctor, "have not been studied and it is unknown whether they are effective or not."
Calvo refers to this condition as "a disease with shades”, because some European countries do recognize it, but others, like Spain, don’t, although the Ministry of Labor does support the eligibility for disability in severe cases of sensitivity multiple chemical that feeds especially to "80 per cent of cases, with women between 40 and 60, although" we do not know why."
Sources: Diario del Alto Aragón (15/10/09) / Biocultura.org