Product Review: Nasal Filter

I bought some carbon-based nasal filters from GadgetsGo.com

These are probably a size too small for me, because they do not fill up my nostrils and air does flow around them. The problem is that a size larger would make my nose look ridiculous. These already expand my nostrils and I look silly. I think the problem is that they are round in shape and should be shaped like a kidney bean. I have seen allergy nasal filters with that shape, but they do not contain carbon like these do. I chose these because they contain a carbon filter, which is the only filter that might filter oil-based chemicals such as perfume.



As you can see, other than the fact they expand my nostrils, it isn't noticeable except for the small bridge on the bottom. If anyone does notice it they'll probably just assume it's a medical device. I wouldn't worry about how that part looks. If the filter actually works, the odd nose ring is totally worth it.

I tried this out in two different stores on two different days. I could still smell cigarette smoke and scented things around it. If it fit properly in my nose it may have actually filtered out the smell - I'm not sure. The fit makes it very hard to judge if this actually works or not.

A big problem was that I found myself breathing through my mouth without really thinking about it. The filter really didn't restrict my ability to breathe much, but it was certainly just enough easier to breathe through my mouth that I subconsciously started to do so. In other words, any chemical I'm trying to prevent breathing in would just end up getting in through my mouth, which defeats the purpose of wearing the filter.

I really think the nose filter is great in concept, but the execution needs to be perfected. If you're chemical sensitive, I think you're much better off with a face mask with an activated carbon filter and respirators. I just ordered one, and I will review it when it arrives and I get the chance to try it out.
If these nasal filters fit properly, they may be effective for someone with a mild case of MCS.

If any of you have tried these and had a different experience, please let me know! I would be willing to try a different version of these nasal filters if they would actually fit right.

Positives and Improvements

There are a few topics I've been really wanting to write about, but simply haven't had the energy. It's really frustrating me. I want to write about endocrine disruption, do a product review on my far infrared sauna and a caulk product that didn't cause a reaction for me, write about how much removing plastics from my life helped me, and more. I have a lot to say and share, but it's so exhausting. I've been on the biggest roller coaster ride in the past couple of weeks, and it's been nearly debilitating at times. I might write more about this later, but because my health problems have been dominating my life, I want to focus on something different right now.

In the past year and a few months, what are the noticeable positive health improvements I've experienced? Keep in mind that I was in very bad shape - a total zombie who had no idea how I was going to survive all the pain, fatigue, and depression.

1. Substantially reduced pain!

"Fibromyaliga" no more! I used to feel pain all over from head to toe, in my stomach, and in my gut. I used to get flares that were nearly debilitating. When I'm in pain now, it's in very specific areas and it's usually tolerable. Pain now isn't overwhelming. It's actually indicative of something that's wrong. My pain tends to always flare on the qi median that goes to my liver and spleen.

2. No more bloody noses!

I used to get bloody noses all the time, and a doctor once told me I was a perfect candidate to get a surgery to thicken the skin in my nostrils to prevent bleeding. I never did the surgery. There were two instances where I had bloody noses so bad at work that it was impossible for me to work. The general manager at the grocery store I was working at when I was 18 actually took 45 minutes out of his day to sit with me and try to get my nose to stop bleeding. He watched as I spit out a blood clot a little larger than a golf ball, which was just gross and embarrassing. He even paid me for the time I spent fighting that nose bleed - he was such an amazing boss. In the other instance, I was the secretary at a mental health clinic. Both nostrils were dripping blood and I was really struggling to breathe. My boss, the clinic's head psychologist, took me into the bathroom, had me sit so the blood would drain into the toilet, and he pinched my nose and put an ice pack on my forehead. He held that position for at least 10 minutes with me, meanwhile he chatted with a patient on the phone (lol!!) Once it stopped bleeding he said, "Don't worry about how you look. Just go meet my new patient who I sent to your office." Haha!

I don't think I've had a bloody nose in close to 6 months now, but they've at least become rare within the last year. I was getting them occasionally before our bathroom got renovated last year (our skylight was leaking and we had a mold problem because of it.) Mold has always given me bloody noses.

3. My menstrual issues are actually manageable now!

This is a really super big deal to me. My life used to be 100% controlled by my periods because the pain was so intense and I was so overly heavy that I couldn't help myself on those days. I had to plan my entire life around when my period was due. I used to lay in bed screaming in pain, even after 12 ibuprofen. I used to lose about 7-8 ounces of blood a day (the average healthy woman loses 1-2 ounces during her whole cycle.) So not only was I in extreme pain, but I had to manage the mess somehow. It left me totally exhausted and I always had to recover.

My period still causes problems, but they feel like easy problems now. I'm losing about 5 ounces of blood during my whole cycle now, which is still considered heavy, but it's way less than it used to be. I can get painful cramps the week before, but my periods themselves are hardly painful at all now. They still knock me out, turning me into a total zombie the day before and the first day of, but I just sleep those days off and I'm okay.  This is a true miracle for me.

4. I have some days with energy now!

I still have plenty of days where I'm tired all day long, but for the most part, I'm no longer regularly so exhausted that it's hard to function. Even on days when I'm tired I have enough energy to get some stuff done. I occasionally have days when I have a good amount of energy and I feel somewhat normal. Today, for instance, I've been oddly energetic. I've worked out, did the dishes, did two loads of laundry, chatted on the phone and laughed for a while, played my video game, am writing this post, and started bone broth in the crock pot. I feel a little spent, but I'm not exhausted. It has felt good!

5. I've learned how to cook a variety of meals with my limited diet!

My strict diet has made my life so much easier. I have a list of foods I'm allowed to eat, and I've learned the best and worst times to eat specific foods. Food makes me feel good now (usually - there have been cases where eating anything at all has cause pain and problems,) whereas food used to be very hit-and-miss for me. Before this diet, food would either hurt me or help me, and most of the time it was hurting me. Food never hurts me now, but sometimes it aggravates digestive problems. Food is wayyyyy easier and better these days!

6. Mental clarity, creativity, critical thinking skills, and good moods have returned!
Oh, I've definitely had my set backs in this area. I'm still getting days where I can't think straight. I'm still getting days where I have no mental energy to work with, and I find myself at a loss for words when trying to communicate. Most days have been good for me in this area lately. I'm not struggling to read books anymore. I'm really enjoying researching (which obviously takes lots of mental energy.) I'm able to have fun conversations with friends. I've been able to draw, work on my Zazzle shop, and write (all creative things.) I may not have my body working well, but at least I have my mind back on most days. As long as my mind is functioning well I will never complain. The loss of a functioning mind was the most grievous experience for me last year. I felt completely worthless and I hated my life.

7. Chemical sensitivities are a blessing just as much as a curse!
Any readers with MCS might be really confused by this. How could MCS, a condition making it nearly impossible to spend time in public without getting really sick, be a blessing in any way? Well, first of all, understanding my body and why it reacts is a major blessing. I know what's going on now, so I know how to avoid triggers that cause reactions that make me miserable. Second, MCS is helping me stay healthy. Because I cannot get away with putting myself in toxic situations, I don't. I can be reaction-free for days to weeks now because I've learned what to avoid. It's amazing. The problem is when I'm unable to avoid something toxic - such as getting on an airplane. There is nothing good about that bad unavoidable situation that will make me sick.

8. I've made some great friends!

Naturally, I've gravitated towards finding support groups online. I've met many people online who are very much like me with poor health. We commiserate together, help each other, laugh together, and see life from the same perspective together. It's wonderful. (But then I get really sad, because sometimes their situations are so bad that they talk about suicide, and it brings me down because I can't deal with that kind of stress, but I feel compelled to get involved because I've felt like them before and suicide is the worst possible thing.) For the most part, these groups have been very very helpful. At the very least, they help me feel less isolated. I don't feel unique or crazy. They provide me with an outlet to talk about my issues, because I know my husband can't stand hearing about my bad health all the time.

9. More stability
Overall I'm more stable than I was a year ago. My blood sugar issues are less drastic, my blood pressure is more stable, my mental state is more stable (and my anxiety is a lot less extreme,) my appetitate is regular, and my moods are not as wild. Yes, I still have stability problems in all regards, but I'm much more stable than I was. If I used to be an 8.0 earthquake daily, I'm now a 4.5 earthquake daily.

10. I look so much better!
I've lost over 30 lbs, I look a few years younger, I have way less acne, my skin glows when I'm feeling well (it's often pale with poor circulation,) my hair is way stronger and naturally shiny, my nails no longer split and crack and they grow quickly, and I'm not embarrassed to present myself anymore. I still have bags under my eyes, get rashes, fight some occasional acne, have slightly yellowing skin (been wondering about mild jaundice for a while,) and can look totally exhausted. I also still fight major bloating issues (I can look pregnant at times.) For the most part, I feel thin and beautiful, and I'm proud of it. Make-up feels a lot more optional to me now, lol.



I'm sure I'm missing some positives, but is what I thought of without really trying. :)

Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques - This post a work-in-progress

*I will be updating this blog post as I try each of the lip color samples.*
*Please forgive formatting issues in this post - Blogger makes it very difficult to align photos and there are spacing problems I can't seem to control.*

I recently won a a give-a-way from Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques of these Color Fusion Lip Glaze samples. I agreed to try them out and review them.

Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques is all about natural and organic beauty products, and I've been impressed with their ingredients. I have been curious to try their products for a while, and so I'm thankful I have the opportunity to try out their lip glaze!



Review of the lip glaze itself, not the color:

I don't wear lip colors very often because they tend to feel either dry and heavy or slimy and loose. Lip color needs to be maintained because it either fades or comes off whenever I eat or drink. In other words, lip make up tends to be a hassle that I don't like to deal with. I like to wear make up that I can apply easily and needs very little touch up throughout most of the day. I enjoy well colored lips, but not enough to have to check my lips in the mirror every hour or put up with dry lips. My favorite lip products have been tinted lip balms that I can apply like ordinary chap stick without a mirror. This Lauren Brooke lip glaze needs to impress me in order to win me over!

I found it very easy to apply. I used a basic lip brush made from natural fiber to paint it on my lips. It spread very well. It was smooth, easy to manipulate, and evenly spread across my lips. What I noticed right away was that it felt very moist and creamy, but not sticky or tacky. It simply made my lips looked polished with a light shine. It did dry up a little over the course of two hours, leaving my lips look well colored without much shine. I personally am okay with that, as I'm not a big fan of shiny lip colors that bring more attention to the lips than any other part of the face. I prefer my eyes to be the focus. The lip color has not come off on my water bottle, and after 3 hours of wearing it I think I still look good. It does not look "fresh" anymore, but I don't feel the need to apply more yet.

Because it's winter and the humidity is low, I think this lip glaze will work better if I apply some moisturizer to my lips first. It is more moisturizing than I expected, though, and I think that in better humidity I would not necessarily need use moisturizer first.

I like it! I really do! I went grocery shopping after applying it, and I honestly forgot I was wearing anything on my lips. That's a great quality. Normally, lip sticks and glosses tend to feel unnatural on my lips and I'm constantly reminded that my lips are painted with something when I wear them. I normally feel lip product as I talk because it's either dry, heavy, chalky, sticky, or slimy. Not this. My lips felt normal and happy the whole time I was out shopping.  When I got home I looked in the mirror and I was still happy with how my lips looked. They were not as shiny, but the color was strong. This is a lip product I will certainly buy when my samples run out! I recommend the lip glaze!


Review of the colors:The colors were not all named when I received them, but they have been named by fans since. I'm keeping both of these photos up for my reference at the moment so I can be sure I'm using the correct name.

#1 - Strawberries and Creme
This is a very soft rosy pink, but not a bright pink. It is similar to my lip's natural shade, which I like. It looks like I just enhanced my natural colors. The first photo was taken in front of a window (it was overcast, sorry,) and the second photo was in front of my bathroom mirror in the light of basic vanity light bulbs. What I'm noticing is that my blush is not coming through in either photo - I might need to find a better blush for me. ;) (Excuse my hair - it's looooooong over due for a hair cut, but I just haven't wanted to chance a salon because my health has been so fragile lately.)


 

#2 - DragonfruitThis one surprised me. It looked like more of a bright hot pink in the container, but the color looked more gentle than that on my lips. This is a very pretty color. It's a little bit bright, and has a bit of a "party" flare to it. It goes on shiny, but the shine faded as it dried. It works on me, but isn't quite my personality. It's a shade I'll use when I'm in more of a fun mood. I did layer it twice, but my camera deadened the color a bit. I may replace these photos with ones taken in a better light later on. There was no sun today, so I couldn't get natural light.

Snow Cherry
Whoa, this one is bold. It's a strong, dominating, gorgeous color. It made my face look twice as pale as it already is, ha! I think it's really pretty, but it might be too strong for my skin tone. I tried two different lighting situations for these photos. The first one was taken after it was freshly applied, the the second one was taken about 45 minutes later. As you can see, the color did fade slightly, but it never faded anymore than that over the next few hours. I thought it looked better on me after it faded. I have been feeling overly tired (reacted pretty harshly yesterday from shopping and I'm in still in recovery) and my eyes and hair really show it in the second photo, so look at my pretty lips instead.



#3 - Sugared Hazelnut

I am going to do a new photoshoot with this color later, but I will post what I have for now. I took this on a day when I had to go out, so I took the opportunity to play with the lip glaze, but I wasn't feeling well. My skin was flushing and I was overly pale from low blood sugar and probably low blood pressure. I ended up laying on the couch all evening from being over tired. So because my face wasn't a good pallet that day (I thought make up would help, but it just got slimy and dry because my skin wasn't accepting it) I couldn't judge this color very well. My impression was that it's about as dark as I like. It's darker than my natural shade, providing definition to my lips, but isn't intense. I think it would compliment my skin well if I were tanned, but summer is too far away! It is a little more orange than red, which these photos didn't capture well.

Product Review: Acupressure Mat

This is my acupressure mat. I have used it about 3-4 times a week for just under a year, sometimes more often if needed. I bought it on Amazon.com. (Only I got mine on sale for $17.) There are so many different brands out there, most of them appear to be pretty much the same. I highly recommend getting one with the neck pillow, but you can use the regular mat on your neck too.

What is it and what does it do? It's a foam mat (the foam is removable) with little "flower" spikes all over it:

You lay the mat on the floor (or your bed if it's an even surface) and then you lay down on it without any clothing in the way. It does not work well unless your skin is naked against the needles.

Let me make something very clear: I have never once been punctured or bled from the use of my acupressure mat.

You then continue to lay down on it for at least 10 minutes, but up to 45 minutes. The more you need the benefits from the mat, the more the first 1-2 minutes of laying on it will hurt. It might be so intense that you can hardly take the pain, but that pain does go away quickly. The more often you use it, or the better your health in general, the less painful it will be in those first couple of minutes. I usually only have mild pain from it, but when I'm feeling weak or sick, it is more painful. You will then start to feel light throbbing and heat for about a minute. Then you'll start to feel wonderful. I can easily get so relaxed on this mat that I fall into a very deep sleep on it. It's the most relieving feeling I can create for myself at home. When you are done, you slowly lift yourself off the mat. Let your skin breathe for a minute or two before you clothe yourself. You will notice your skin looks very prickly and bright red:

(I normally would not be inclined to post a photo of my stomach on the internet - I'm a modest person, but I wasn't able to get a photo of my back to show you. This was after about 5 minutes after I got up off the mat, so the redness and indentations have lessened a bit by this photo. I feel that it's important that you understand how the mat works in order to over come fear of it, and therefore I want to show you that it does not pierce even soft delicate skin.)

Let me explain what the mat actually does for you:

It does not replace acupuncture. Please see an acupuncturist if you need help with a medical issue that can be helped by acupuncture. This mat is the equivalent of rolling a tennis ball on your aching muscles as whereas acupuncture would be like going to a massage therapist for those muscles. Both are very helpful, but the mat is helpful to a lesser degree.

It does, however, replace the need for finding acupressure points on your body. Acupressure is used to either relieve pain or relieve a health symptom. My most common use for this mat is to relieve muscle tension in my back, neck, and shoulders. It really does help a lot! I get best results when I follow up with stretching. My second most common use for the mat is to help improve my digestion. I lay on my stomach (like in the above photo.) My digestion has been very bad this week, so laying on my stomach today was almost more than I could handle, but I stuck with it and after a few minutes I felt my stomach really relax. After about 10 minutes I felt things moving in my organs, which was badly needed. I actually felt hungry afterwords - meaning it worked! I've et way too little today because I haven't felt hunger due to liver and spleen issues.

Sometimes I will actually stand on the mat. Yes, barefoot. You may think me crazy, but like I've already made very clear, the points will not puncture the skin. Not even the skin of my feet. We have hundreds of pressure points on the bottom of our feet that are tied directly to all sorts of bodily systems and organs. Check this website out for a detailed map of the reflexology of our feet. No, it doesn't feel good to stand on the mat, but it does relax my whole body very quickly. It's an amazing way to let go of stress and calm the body down.

You can also lay on your side, sit on it, or use it on your hips and thighs. It can help relieve most areas of the body.

For the price of the mat, I highly recommend it for everyone! It's not just for those with medical issues or who are in pain. It promotes relaxation, stress relief, pain relief, better sleep, better digestion, and a better mood. Everyone can benefit from it.

Set back

It all started with that sinus infection, which I could have prevented. If I didn't go into 4 stores that cause me to react mildly in a row, or if at the very least I had worn a mask, I probably wouldn't have had that sinus infection. We all have to learn somehow, right? Chemical sensitives are no joke!

Recovering from the infection went fairly quickly. It lasted 9 days, and sinus infections usually last up to 3 weeks in the average person. I'm proud of my body for doing so well with it. Recovering from the stress that the infection put on my whole body, however, is what this post is about.

I've noticed my digestion has been poor for a few weeks, but the worst of it hit like a brick wall last Saturday, 6 days ago. I went to bed that night, but hardly slept at all. I was plagued with horrible anxiety that kept me tossing and turning - every time I closed my eyes some stress or horror dream would begin and would wake me back up. Nothing psychological triggered it. The next day I noticed that my food wasn't going through me very easily. I normally eat lightly every 2 hours in order to keep my blood sugar stable, but I wasn't able to. 6 hours went by and I still didn't feel hungry in my stomach, though I was getting dizzy and fatigued (which indicates hunger.) I ate a little bit anyway, and while it took the edge of off the dizziness and fatigue, all it manged to do for my stomach and gut was bloat it. This problem stayed this strong for 3 days.

I went to my Chiropractor on Tuesday afternoon for an adjustment. I slept better that night than I had since this problem started. My anxiety had calmed down quite a bit and I had an easier time relaxing, but I still woke up a few times during the night and I was still struggling to eat enough. I woke up Wednesday morning feeling like a slightly rested zombie. I was able to eat a little more often, which I was very thankful for.

I went to my acupuncturist on Wednesday afternoon. He normally is not one to say how "good" or "bad" of shape I'm in, though will comment on any concerns he has, but this time he very bluntly said, "You need this." He explained that my "wiry" pulse, circulation, skin color, and every other sign was a "classic textbook case" of a liver and spleen that is shot. It was a very unusual session for me. He needled several points that he normally does not. At first I was feeling all sorts of odd pressure sensations. It felt like someone had gripped my upper ankle and tried twisting hard, then I felt intense pressure between my eyebrows that made my eyes water (this pressure slowly migrated up my forehead,) then I felt a deep pressure in my lower throat which caused me to cough hard. Coughing with needles all over your body is not pleasant. I do not recommend it! After the pressure had lifted, I felt very fidgety instead of relaxed, like I normally do during acupuncture. I felt like something had "released," like a dam burst within my veins. Whatever that "release" I felt was, I'm still feeling it trying to work its way out of my body. I left feeling a lot more "put together," or in control. It wasn't enough to treat my issue, but it definitely helped kick start the healing process. Since then, I've noticed my heart rate has been occasionally very high, I'm over producing adrenaline for no obvious reason (I'm purposefully avoiding all stress and caffeine,) and I'm getting occasional flash fevers.  My anxiety is down to a tolerable level now and I have been able to sleep most of the night for the last two nights. My digestion is better, but not back to where it used to be before the sinus infection.

Liver and spleen/ pancreas issues are nothing new to me, as my doctor reminded me. We've known all along that these organs are weak. What's very frustrating is that I've spent over a year and a few months now working on healing my digestive organs, only to get hit hard with a sinus infection that stressed my body enough to burn out my organs all over again. Thursday morning I really didn't feel far from the "zombie" status that I was in at the end of 2013 when I first went to see my doctor. My hope is that with enough rest and the right food I can help my organs recover quickly from this. I know they will still be weak, but if they can at least work as well as they did before this set back I'll be happy. My doctor is having me eat as gently as possible, meaning meat that has been slow cooked for a very long time (because the cooking process is breaking it down for my stomach.) I'm also avoiding leaving the safety of my house for several days so that I don't risk exposure to harsh chemicals or allergens that will stress my body again.

One concern I have is that something in my house is causing me to be in a constant mild reaction, preventing me from healing quickly and possibly causing me to react harder when I am hit with something. During this past week that I've been very weak I've been experiencing allergy and/or chemical exposure symptoms: irritability ranging from mild grumpiness to raging anger, itchiness, rashes, unusual headaches, occasional blurred vision, very poor circulation, menstrual spotting, and adrenaline rushes that cause me to go from relaxed to very jittery down to zombie within an hour's time. The problem is, if there is something causing a constant mild reaction in my house, I don't know what it is. It would be easy to blame our bed, go out buy a new organic cotton mattress with zero chemical additives, and then find out I'm still just as bad. While this is a good idea anyway, we cannot afford it. Our houseplants keep developing a white fungus that doesn't stay gone for long. Smokers have been coming into our house. Our cabinets and wood furniture are mostly made from particle board (formaldehyde off-gassing.) Our house is carpeted. I have a hard time keeping up with the dusting. Truthfully, for a seriously chemical sensitive person this house would be a nightmare, despite the fact that it's been fragrance-free for years. I'm not seriously chemically sensitive, but my MCS is bad enough where I can't find a job at a place that doesn't make me sick. I'm not able to up and move to a 100% toxin-free house, so I need to make this house work. Frustrations!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some bone broth to can! It's been brewing in the crockpot for 26 hours and the house smells so bad that it needs to be done. Bone broth may be a highly nutritious liquid, but it sure does reek.