These days, the term “organic” is often used as marketing hype, encouraging people to buy products that might well be organic, but the question is, have they been interfered with on the way to being processed, stored, displayed and shipped to their destination? Some products are sprayed with chemicals or washed in optical brighteners to make them more visually appealing to consumers, others are wrapped in toxic plastic bags, even the ink used to print the labels is potentially harmful to people who are prone to chemical sensitivities, lethargy and allergies.
How One Man Got Relief From The Effects Of Chemicals And Improved His Health
Organature’s founder, Peter Byl has spent more than 18 years researching ways to alleviate the symptoms of the chronic and increasingly common disability known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). When he was first diagnosed with this debilitating affliction there was very little known and even less help available for these people, and it became his mission during the years of enforced isolation to learn all he could to improve not only his own life style but also that of others enduring the same allergic and sensitivity difficulties.
Peter read numerous books (after they had been “off-gassed” outside for days and sometimes weeks) and learned how to improve the air quality inside his home and especially to create a “retreat”, somewhere he could go and know the air was as pure as he could possibly make it. Although he made a few mistakes on the way, moving house twice, this was part of the learning experience.
He soon found that not only the building materials used in modern homes but also the furniture and particularly soft furnishings were amongst the worst contributors to his symptoms. He struck lucky finding an old un-renovated home in South Gippsland, away from a closely populated area and at the end of a no through road, with no passing traffic. This is where his past life and skills as a builder/renovator came in and with an increasing number of “feel a bit better today” days he was able to renovate his old country cottage, using only organic and healthy materials with particular emphasis on an organic cotton bedroom.
As a chemical sensitivity or asthma sufferer, it is vital to get your rest without the effects of chemicals. Avoiding the traditional bedding products including sheets, pillows and bed linen (which are often treated with potentially allergy causing chemicals), is really important in helping you FEEL BETTER. Problems such as Eczema, ADD (attention deficit disorder), ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), Gulf War Syndrome, Environmental Illness (EI), Sick Building Syndrome, Fybromyalgia, Depression and Anxiety can all be significantly relieved, by reducing exposure to chemicals. READ: The Top 7 Things To Remove From Your Home To Help You Feel Better.
The result has meant that using the expertise from many years in the bedding and textile industry, Peter was able to begin the new and successful venture, creating and producing “Organature” Organic Cotton bedding and bedlinen from home. Sleeping in a healthy bedroom is the BEST way for the body to recuperate after exposure to chemicals in normal daily life. While it is important to recognise that so far there is no “cure” for MCS, learning what it is and avoiding harmful chemical substances CAN make a world of difference.
Spare a thought also for the partners and family of the chemically affected person. The necessary lifestyle changes affect them also and it takes a great deal of patience and understanding to help the person you most care about on the road to recovery. READ: Peter’s Story – An article in Garden Organic.