Vanilla pulling toxins out of the air?

[Cum Passus]

Happy Holidays all,

 

I have a friend who has a rare bladder disorder. She can't eat much, and some toxic smells bother her bladder, she would be in pain. Anyway she said she had her house painted and put pure vanilla out to pull the toxins out of the air, this she said helped her bladder. I figured the vanilla must have done something since it releaved her pain, and not just covered up the paint smell. Other then that I thought it would be a great air freshener since I through out all our yankee candles. Thought this was interesting and wanted to share.

 

C.P.

[orthomolecular]

That is a new one for me. I have read that latex paint will give off mercury vapor for a while after you paint. So she does seem to have a point about the paint. I do think there are some brands out there that are mercury vapor free but don't know that off the top of my head.

 

Just another example of how many things in our environment that can contribute to the toxicity we deal with everyday.

 

I think essential oils can clear the air of germs. I have used and studied aromatherapy for some time. If vanilla is the real kind, not some snythetic form, then it is a plant extract or an essential oil. But I don't really know how it can help with the out gases from the paint. But it might be possible. Essential oils have lots of active components that can have many different properties. But real vanilla extract is really the essential oil of the vanilla bean. Vanilla is the only food product that comes from an orchid.

[hudsonsmom]

CP, just curious why did you throw out all your candles? Is it something to do with TS? Does the scent or smoke cause more tics? If it is the scent~ what about plug in air freshners? I've never heard this before, but I have candles and air freshners everywhere and have TS!

[kim]

Hudsonmom,

 

I read just recently, by a poster, don't have any articles regarding it, that candle smoke can contain mercury. They also said, that those little green tree car fresheners contain carcinogens. I have personally read some things, about some pretty yucky ingredients in air freshners. I know it was on the news for a while, about the "new car smell," and the chemicals that create it, being dangerous to your health.

 

Scents, in general have been said to be a trigger for some. My youngest son used to tic in Malls. I thought it was the lights. He told me, it was the smell. He has also made this remark about hospitals.

[Cum Passus]

Hudsonmom,

 

I read in the Makers Diet that the "Fragrance industry routinely uses 884 toxic substances." Before my son's dx of ts I never thought about the candles, but I would get a headache with some of the candles fragrances. Even Bath lotion sometimes give me a headache. I do believe the plugins are a big no no but I can't remember where I read that.

C.P.

[hudsonsmom]

hum, I'd be curious to know more! If you can think where you read that (not that I don't believe you personally) I'd like to find out. Maybe I should try pulling all my air freshners just to see. Another quick question, I use wickless candles, with no smoke but a heated tray heats the wax to release the fragrance. Have you heard anything about those? Is it the smoke that bothers the TS or the actual fragrance.

[Cum Passus]

Hudsonsmom,

 

I have racked my brain and I can't remember or find a book where I read about the Plug-ins It could have been last year on the old Brain Talk but I don't know for sure, and they are gone so I can't check. I did look in to the EPA'S code 40 and read some interesting stuff about fragrances known to cause cancer, birth defects. It would be from the synthetic compounds, like methylene chloride there is alot more, I won't list them all. Chemically sensitive people can have asthma, seizures, neurological disorders, headaches, rashes....... it goes on. I new I needed to get that stuff out of the house because of the headaches I had, and I would get a rash if I touched potporri. It is harder for me to find a tic trigger in my son because TS was passed down in the genes, but removing it for a while could help find a tic trigger for someone who is chemically sensitive.

 

Let us know if you do remove it I would love to know if there was a change.

C.P.

[orthomolecular]

Hudsonmom,

 

I read just recently, by a poster, don't have any articles regarding it, that candle smoke can contain mercury.

 

I know some companies use lead on their wicks so they burn slower and stay upright when they pour the wax into the mold. I am not sure about the mercury, but leaded wicks are one issued.

 

Of course parafin is considered to be a carcinagen, so you should really only use bee's wax candles.

 

In some of the old chuches in Europe the walls are covered with soot from all the candles burned in there over the years. Burning too many candles may create some soot issues I think. I am no t a big fan of candles.

 

You can also use a potpourri simmer. It heats ups water that you put essential oils into.

 

I think candles are best saved for special ocassions (romantic dinners) or emergencies when your power goes out unless you make your own candles and know what the wax is made from and what the wick material is. Why burn something that you don't know what it contains.

[tarabeara]

I have read that latex paint will give off mercury vapor for a while after you paint

 

Oh, great....I need to look into this. I hate paint, b/c I know it's toxic, but I had never heard this.