Allergies and Sensitivities: Trust your body

How do you know you have environmental allergies or sensitivities to common products and even foods?   Listen to and trust your body!  I have learned the validity of this simple piece of advice over the years.  

For example, this is my evidence that I have personally compiled and learned to listen to.  How many of these (or similar reactions) apply to you?

• sneeze when walking past the highly scented laundry soap and fabric softeners in a grocery store?
•  sneeze or cough when popular (Febreeze comes to mind) room deodorizers or air fresheners are used?  
•  cough when adding soap to your sink or dishwasher?
• get an instant tightness in your chest when walking by a house whose dryer vent is on spewing the scent of Bounce into the air? 
•  get the same reaction from yards sprayed with fertilizer and or weed killer, from blocks away?
• have to open the windows and turn on vents before cleaning bathrooms?
•  get an instant headache walking through the fragrance department of a store?  (why do they have to place those right at the entrance to the store?)
• get an instant headache from the different perfumes in a crowd?  For example, I dread going to the NAC (National Art Center here in Ottawa) because each elderly lady there seems to have an entire bottle of perfume on.  The blend is not pleasant!
•  get stomach cramps and diarrhea after eating some foods.
•  get skin rashes after eating certain foods.

I saw an article recently about cancer causing ingredients in many common dish soaps.  The offending products include:

• Cascade
• Legacy of Clean
• Finish
• Sunlight
• Palmolive
• Dawn
• Simple Green Naturals
• Mrs. Meyers
• Seventh Generation
• Method
• Green Works
• Bon Ami Dish Soap

I must admit I have never heard of many of these brands of dish soap, but do know Dawn, Palmolive, Sunlight, Finish and Cascade are on my avoid list as they bother me. I used to have to leave the room when running the dishwasher.

These reactions that I have experienced are the reason I use Melaleuca products in my home. They are all natural, many with tea tree oil (from the Australian melaleuca plant) as a main ingredient. By using these products, I have reduced my contact with ingredients that aggravate my allergies and sensitivities. I no longer have to open the bathroom window when cleaning, and can run the dishwasher while working in the kitchen.

If you have similar reactions to any products or foods, trust and listen to your body. You may have allergies and sensitivities too. Then get proactive to improve your health and the quality of your life. Remember, you are in the driver’s seat!