Nothing Beats Natures Fresh Air
“Remember ‘Sick Building Syndrome?” “This came about as commercial construction materials were developed with toxic compounds. Nobody ate those materials, but people still got sick just from breathing the air near the materials. All possible side effects of these building and renovation materials were not fully understood. And that’s a problem with chemicals in many of our everyday use items! [Natural Health, May-June 1993 v23 n3 p54(2)]. My first experience with “Sick Building Syndrome” (also known as product “off-gassing”) was experienced as a child and not realized until an adult as a corporate project manager.
For example, during the final commissioning phase of facilities construction required customers to wait a specified time to allow proper off-gassing of new materials prior to occupancy, i.e., installation of carpets, partitions, ceilings, paints, concrete, glues etc. This process allows “proper venting [off-gassing]” of materials allowing occupancy without creating an immediate feeling of sickness.
As a child my mother was a seamstress. Back in those days I was brought to the fabric storehouses where my mother would spend countless hours rummaging through the numerous dress design pattern-templates and rolls of fabric. Yes, these fabric houses were loaded with materials that were constantly off-gassing.
I remembered at a young age I would beg my mother not to take me to these places, as I always felt sick after a short period of time inside of the fabric store. Of course, she assumed my ailment was brought about by pure boredom with no medical health basis to back my complaints. I was ignored and for lack of a better description “I passed out in the children’s play pen area due to the sickness.” Once out of the store’s environment I immediately got better.
As an adult I experience sick building syndrome at certain establishments, similar to the feelings I experienced as a child in the fabric stores. No matter the retail space, it can be clothing, sporting goods stores, or newly commissioned buildings that have this effect on me.
The last severe episode occurred while in a brand name sporting goods store about 15 years ago. I remember walking into the store with my wife to look at camping equipment. However, the product off-gassing in this store was so strong I quickly became disoriented and felt I was going to go unconscious. My wife and I immediately left the store. It wasn’t until this episode my wife realized I was not faking this sickness to get out of shopping with her “come on, a sports store, hello.” On the contrary, I do like to shop, but am very sensitive to building and product toxins that are still in the process of off-gassing, or stores that have bad ventilation systems.
Recommendation:
If you walk into a store and smell a strong chemical odor, or begin to feel sick, immediately leave and shop at a different store with a better ventilation system. Let management know you’ll be back after they improve their ventilation system by bringing in more fresh air. I will not step foot in any store that brings about an immediate feeling of sickness.
You’ll know this feeling because you’ll have a feeling as if your disoriented, also you’ll feel off balance and eventually you may feel like you need to lay down for fear of passing out.
In most cases, even with good ventilation, I cannot stand to be in most retail stores with lot of carpet and clothing for more than 30 minutes. Most material off-gassing you breathe also are manufactured with “known carcinogens.” Do not take my word for it, go to any search engine on the Internet and type in “Off-gassing and carcinogen,” you be the judge.
Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET. 2007 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing
