Formaldehyde, what I did not know

[ctg492]

Formaldehyde is in so many things, not just embalmed bodies. All my years of reading and learning about green, environment, healthy choices, i must have missed this lovely item added to so much that touches my body and life.

I have suffered greatly for about 5 years from a skin out break, blisters and pain/fire outbreak. This happens about June thru August. One year in while in the South it was over the top painful and all over. One time in passing I asked my doctor if it was Shingles, No probably just a contact dermatitis. I thought I had poisoned my body a few years ago when I was on a homemade everything diet. Homemade Yogurt,Kumbucha,Cottage Cheese I thought it had done something wrong. I tried every health fix on the net, plastered my self in Yogurt, peroxide and coconut oil, oh the list goes on. This year I feared the coming months of pain and went to the Dermatologist at the first red bump. Results came back and she asked IF I wore compression or exercise clothing. YES I run and wear them. That was it. I research greatly and was astounded at the Formaldehyde or by other names in our clothing. Wicking clothing is the worse, mixed with sweat it became a big issue. Formaldehyde was list as allergen of the year 2015. This was unheard of a generation ago, remember ironing sheets? USA has the must lax standards for clothing compared to Europe.

I seem to only have the issue when it is really hot and I am in tight running clothes. I had in the last three years thought the opposite that I needed all wicking to stop the sweating, so I have lots of this type clothes. Now I have researched to no end looking for alternative fabrics, it is nearly impossible.

[iris lilies]

Wow, that sounds eacky!

I have always wondered, though, why sweat must be wicked away. I wear a sweatband n the summer to keep sweat out of my eyes because it stings.
But otherwise, I wear cotton clothing that is breathable and of course t gets wet, but so what?

[Chicken lady]

Iris lilies, it may depend on your climate.

if it is dry, the sweat gets wicked away through evaporation from your clothing. This cools you and keeps you from having soggy wet skin that can get rubbed and blistered or irritated more easily. If it is humid, the sweat just soaks into your skin and you get waterlogged (like staying in a bath too long) so the wicking clothing pulls the sweat away from your skin, mocking evaporation.

ctg, wool is an excellent alternative. It sound hot, but lightweight wool breathes naturally and is actually cooler than many synthetics.

[ctg492]

I have once again over studied an issue:( My thought today is I can not possible remove this from my life totally , I do care about how I look somewhat. Working out in cotton was terrible. Cotton is still a bad offender of chemicals, though less than wicking clothing.SO where does this leave me, very confused as I would not want formaldehyde near me, but todays world little choice. I stared at my large collection of bright colored running clothes today, I know they have to go.

wool interesting

[ToomuchStuff]

I know the last few years, there have been issues with flooring from a company, and I think I remember it being found in Chinese drywall. The other thing I remember it being used for was drugs. When I cleaned out the crawlspace, I pulled out a five gallon steel bucket that once contained it, back from when my grandfather worked in the funeral home. I thought about keeping it for a couple months, for Halloween, but said no.
A neighbor years back, who was a medic in Korea, said to me when he was younger, a doctor he knew said that cancer rates were going up and going to continue with all the chemicals we are exposing and overexposing ourselves to. I know I had a relative that died, long before I was born; they were said to have seriously over used bleach and maybe other chemicals (bleach was the one remembered). If it said a cup, they tended to use half a gallon, etc.

[ctg492]

I read all suggestions on how to rid new clothing of the dreaded stuff.Some were just plain washing a few times line drying, another included Lemon Juice, yet another was dried milk mix and soak. I get that, but I have two very fav pairs of running capris, 5 years old....how many times have those been washed I asked myself and always line dried.

I guess right now I am thinking how much my body has absorbed over the years. >:(

[bae]

I've been using light-weight merino wool or silk for base layers for wicking/cooling/warmth.

For some of my endeavors, I'm not allowed to use synthetics that can melt, or cotton.

[herbgeek]

wool is an excellent alternative. It sound hot, but lightweight wool breathes naturally and is actually cooler than many synthetics.

I second that. I have a merino wool sports bra as well as a T shirt. Neither itch at all, and are very comfortable.

[ctg492]

Thank you I just researched and found smartwool.com I will have to see how the fabric is processed. Looks nice but wow pricey.

[herbgeek]

Looks nice but wow pricey.

That's why I only have 2 pieces. Ibex and Icebreaker are other brands that merino wool fans like. Being a short woman, I find the T shirts to be way too long on me.

[pinkytoe]

Think I heard that a new act passed today requiring more oversight of chemicals in consumer products. Formaldehyde was mentioned.

[ctg492]

SO it has been the hottest part of summer through my attempting to change from products with Formaldehyde, which also has had me changing many products with bad stuff in them. It has been a process, since I can't replace everything I own and many things are not even available without making my own. Yes over the years I have attempted to remove such from my life, but being an average consumer I have found it hard and usually reverted since what is on the market and I became a creature of habit, so to say.

Here are major things I have changed some 100% better choices others the best I can do:
Tom's toothpaste and Deodorant: Toothpaste great, Deodorant I use but it is not anti perspirant, but we all know reasons for no antiperspirant so it ok
Home made deodorant: good when I have a low energy day
Burts Bees Shampoo and Conditioner: It took about two weeks to get used to the change of feeling of my hair. Now I love it and will never go back to the others. I have longer hair and have tried no poo, homemade with no luck.
Sal Suds for my Laundry: will never go back to the others. But my family clothing still use the regular detergent.
Dr Bronners: for everything cleaning. All I will use from now on
Clothing Choices: This is hard as I can not replace my entire wardrobe and the choice are limited. I gave all my running and exercise clothes to a neighbor who was thrilled to get them. I must way it is weird to see her out running in my outfits. I quit:( running and am Nordic walking so I am ok with out the total wicking outfits. I bought organic cotton and hemp clothing to exercise in. Ok that was hard at first as I am dripping in sweat but now it is what it is. I ordered my fall clothing in organic cotton and hemp also. Expensive but I was replacing items and wanted to to do.
Cosmetics:: I found a few organic vegan products I actually love and tossed the old stuff. Cosmetics and researching them, wow and why is it markets to us>:(I replaced with organic/vegan and am happy with the choices
Soaps: have always used homemade, dusting powder homemade too
Sun Screen: sorry but no choices
Foods: I have worked all summer changing my diet to remove the processed foods that I still consumed, I will never be a total perfect diet. I am a Vegetarian anyhow and have tried to be careful anyhow. Ok the bowl of Cheetos last night doesn't count!

Sure I missed some, but It is a struggle with what we have offered to us.

[sweetana3]

My biggy right now is strong insect repellent. Not for Zika but for regular mosquitoes. Cannot be out for even 2 minutes without bites. Wish there was something strong, safe and scent free.

[ctg492]

I know. I am out all the time, but mosquitos are not present in our area so far this year strange but hot and dry I guess. I do use a homemade product from a lady, does it work I really am not sure as no bugs out. But I do wear it. Last year the mosquitos were bad so I kept Deep Woods Off on the utility box out side the back door and gave my legs and arms a spray before walking dogs. SO it stained the siding, no amount of cleaning took it off! This year it appears to have changed the siding color in the over spray spots. After seeing that I will never use those products again.

But what is a person to use with all the mosquitos and the people in the ZIKA/ West Niles areas?

[TVRodriguez]

My biggy right now is strong insect repellent. Not for Zika but for regular mosquitoes. Cannot be out for even 2 minutes without bites. Wish there was something strong, safe and scent free.

Living in Miami, US base of Zika, I've been spraying my kids and myself with OFF! each morning before sending them to day camp and heading to work. I got a mosquito-borne tropical disease last year (doctor thought it was Dengue, I thought it was Chickingunya, tests for both came up negative, but it sucked three weeks of my life away), and I'd hate for the kids to go through that. So I'm using the chemicals.

I tried something I saw on Pinterest--using Listerine as bug spray--and it was worthless. Did nothing to reduce the mosquitos on our back patio. Clearing some of the bushes away from the patio helped, though.

[herbgeek]

I haven't found anything scent free, but I did get a not-bad-smelling one from Honest Company at Target (organic). Also organic but not scent free is skeeter skiddaler. (http://www.tremblingleaf.com/index.html) I got the warm and spicy and it smells Christmasy.

I also use rose hydrosol. It keeps the mosquitos reduced, but I wouldn't say it keeps them totally away. You can get this at online companies that sell essential oils typically.