I was zooming around cyberspace looking for ways to improve my severe fibromyalgia symptoms when I stumbled on an article that explained how scented products negatively impact our health. I was immediately intrigued because fragrances have bothered me for years. Anytime I'm around someone wearing perfume or cologne, I get dizzy and nauseous.
People who don't have an immediate negative reaction to scented products often have difficulty believing that fragrance is detrimental to our health. Many of these folks have migraine headaches, chronic sinusitis, respiratory distress, heart palpitations, cluster headaches, abnormal neurological patterns, and vague symptoms of just not feeling well. These symptoms can occur several days or weeks after exposure to the toxic chemicals in scents, so people often don't connect breathing in fragrance with their specific symptom pattern.
People who don't have an immediate negative reaction to scented products often have difficulty believing that fragrance is detrimental to our health. Many of these folks have migraine headaches, chronic sinusitis, respiratory distress, heart palpitations, cluster headaches, abnormal neurological patterns, and vague symptoms of just not feeling well. These symptoms can occur several days or weeks after exposure to the toxic chemicals in scents, so people often don't connect breathing in fragrance with their specific symptom pattern.
When you see the word fragrance or perfume listed on the ingredients label for a cleaning product, personal care item, or cosmetic, this means the product may contain up to 300 chemical ingredients that don't have to be listed individually, even if they are known to be toxic and damaging to our health. Manufacturers get away with keeping consumers in the dark by categorizing scented ingredients as a "trade secret."
Research scientists have analyzed which chemicals are used to make scented products. The potentially toxic ingredients include synthetic substances manufactured from petroleum derivatives and coal tar, benzene, phthalates, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). I certainly don’t want to spritz formaldehyde, petroleum derivatives, and chemicals grouped with pesticides all over my house and all over my skin.
Studies show that, even at low levels of exposure, the harmful ingredients in fragrance cause fatigue, headaches, skin irritation, heart palpitations, eye irritation, migraines, nausea, tingling and numbness in the arms and legs, dizziness, increased asthma symptoms, respiratory distress, chronic sinusitis, central nervous system damage, and several types of cancer. Do you have any of these health problems? Chronic exposure to scented products could be the culprit.
Research scientists have analyzed which chemicals are used to make scented products. The potentially toxic ingredients include synthetic substances manufactured from petroleum derivatives and coal tar, benzene, phthalates, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). I certainly don’t want to spritz formaldehyde, petroleum derivatives, and chemicals grouped with pesticides all over my house and all over my skin.
Studies show that, even at low levels of exposure, the harmful ingredients in fragrance cause fatigue, headaches, skin irritation, heart palpitations, eye irritation, migraines, nausea, tingling and numbness in the arms and legs, dizziness, increased asthma symptoms, respiratory distress, chronic sinusitis, central nervous system damage, and several types of cancer. Do you have any of these health problems? Chronic exposure to scented products could be the culprit.
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I wanted to create a healthier life, so I got rid of all the products in my home that contained the word fragrance or scent. Some products I needed to eliminate were obvious: commercially manufactured perfume, cologne, scented candles, and air fresheners. Some were not so obvious. I found fragrance listed as an ingredient in cosmetics, laundry detergent, fabric softener, toilet tissue, facial tissue, hairspray, cleaners, soap, shampoo, and many other household products that I had used every day for decades. I ditched everything that had fragrance, perfume, or scent listed as an ingredient. I found fragrance-free versions of household cleaners, cosmetics, and personal care items. l replaced each product that listed scent as an ingredient with a less toxic scent-free version.
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Over time, I discovered that there were many other harmful chemicals I needed to remove from my home. I made a lot of lifestyle changes before I completely recovered from fibromyalgia. It took over a year to figure out everything I needed to do. I took the first step toward a healthier life when I stopped using products that contain fragrance. So can you.
Find more information about the dangers of scented ingredients, healthy living tips, effective strategies to improve fibromyalgia symptoms, methods to reduce toxic chemical exposure from common household products, and recipes and resources for creating a personalized healthy living plan in my new book, Practical Priorities for Fibromyalgia Recovery. Now available in paperback and eBook versions at amazon.com. Buy your favorite version today. Buy Kindle eBook. Buy Paperback.
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