Being Protected by Chemicals.

I woke up this morning with just a hint of an ache in my left ear. And then I got up and the affliction took off with a vengeance. Now I have an ache that stretches from my sinuses to my lower jaw. If I put any pressure on the Eustachian tube by blowing my nose or indulging the slightest hiccup, I get a shooting pain through the left side of my head. My sinuses feel blocked, my eyes are drooping, I have a toothache, I'm mildly nauseous, and I feel a little dizzy. And I’ve very little doubt as to what’s caused it – spending three quarters of an hour driving home yesterday being swamped by the noxious fumes from the ‘air fresheners’ in Nigel’s van.

I should have listened to Dave when he told me how awful they were. I should have taken them down and wrapped them in something before setting off. I know how sensitive to chemicals I’ve become since I turned vegetarian and moved away from the city. My body no longer tolerates these poisons that proliferate in the modern world.

I look with horror at the number of different ‘cleansing’ products that fill the supermarket shelves. With antibacterial action they proudly declare. It makes me feel almost ill just to read those words. When I was a kid there were a few chemicals around, but nothing like there are now. Cleaning was all carried out with four basic products: simple washing powder, simple soap, simple bleach and simple scouring powder. There was no crowing about ‘extra strength’ or ‘antibacterial action.’ There were no added colours or ‘lilac fresh’ smells – all chemically induced. And I don’t recall anybody getting ill for the lack of them.

And here’s the big irony. I wonder how many modern conditions are caused, or at least exacerbated, by the very chemicals which the commercial world wants us to believe are there for our protection. I remember reading a report some years ago which claimed that children’s immune systems are being damaged by these ‘protective’ products. I wonder whether we’re losing our way a bit.