The following sites provide a wealth of information about airborne irritants, chemical sensitivity, asthma and allergy.  Not a medically trained person, I find these valuable in my own search for understanding and do not endorse them for other people.   On the web, each of us is responsible for developing our own judgment and formulating questions to raise with his or her own personal health care professionals.  Wishing you well, Adrien Bledstein 

 Guide to Airborne Allergies and Asthma

"Allergy Resources for School Nurses" - http://www.pulseuniform.com/allergy-resources.asp 

For effects on the lungs of cigarette smoke, asbestos, biryllium, radon, and other air pollutants see a graphic summary.

See MCS-America for support and a wealth of information: www.mcs-america.org  See MCSA News April 2010, Volume 5, Issue 4: Highlights on "Odors in the Workplace" and ban on fragrance in Detroit. 

Everything Respiratory is a quarterly magazine featuring valuable information and resources for people with respiratory challenges and healthcare providers. Phone 970-257-1866.

"Laugh for the Health of It" by John Morreal, Ph.D.

Mesothelioma Resources:  Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure information and support, 877-367-6376; Mesothelioma & Asbestos Cancer Resource, 800-713-9791, Oncologist reviewed articles about current issues around mesothelioma. And: PleuralMesothelioma.com 800-656-6031; and http://www.mesotheliomasymptoms.com/. See picture graph for symptoms: http://www.mesotheliomasymptoms.com/mesothelioma-symptoms-infograph 

Mesothelioma Prognosis- Our website has the most up to date and comprehensive information about Pleural Mesothelioma on the web today; with information ranging from a complete list of symptoms, to treatment options and steps to take after a diagnosis.

100 Fall Allergy Capitals of the USA 2010 Allergy & Asthma Foundation http://www.aafa.org/

In the Black Mold Exposure DVD Michael Roland Williams, filmmaker, and Karen Noseff, founder and designer of Fortune Denim, struggle to regain their livelihood and well-being after they were unknowingly exposed to high levels of various molds that had infested Karen’s apartment. The entire 264-unit apartment community was evacuated and closed indefinitely. . . . for more see: www.blackmoldexposuremovie.com 

The Environmental Illness Resource website provides information, news stories, doctor authored articles, research updates, forums and much more for people suffering from these and related illnesses. Editor Matthew Hogg wrote: "I used your masks for a number of years when my MCS was at its worst and they were a life saver. Many thanks for your work!"

For pesticide information see: http://www.dontspraycalifornia.org/

For natural wood cabinets & furniture call Charles R. Bailey 877-453-5433, www.healthycabinetmakers.com/ An MCS mask customer highly recommends for beautiful furniture and great service at reasonable prices.  

Safe House in Newport, PA: HERE Inc. Contact Nancy Firestone, 717-567-3533

Recommended reading: The Canary in the Courtroom, by Jessie MacLeod.  This engrossing book takes us through the mire of successful litigation by one who was poisoned by negligence of a pesticide company.

ECHO Ecological Health Organization, Berlin, Connecticut, 270-472-0374

Asthma Control Test  American Lung Association and GlaxoSmithKline provide this quick test to determine if asthma is under control.  Reducing airborne triggers with a mask helps control asthma.

Fragrance-Free Encounters and No-Fragrance Spaces: Not Just a Personal Preference, but a Vital Matter of Health, by Roberta K. Rigsby, Ph.D. Information to hand to people who just don't get it.

Fragranced Products Information Network Betty Bridges, RN, maintains this highly informative web site.

http://www.herc.org/   Gateway to another outstanding site for Chemical Sensitivity with a lively online support group.

Nirvana Safe Haven  800-968-9355 PST  Since 1993 Daliya Robson has worked on creating healthy healing allergy free, toxic and chemical free environments.

Teachers and parents of students have been calling regarding illness at school but not at home. For immediate help we offer our masks, however for solutions to the causes of environmental illiness in schools see: www.healthyschools.org  

Environmental Health Network http://users.lmi.net/~wilworks/ a highly informative web site with extraordinary list of resources kept up by Barb Wilkie, including Julia Kendall's (1935-1997) information on the composition and health effects of fragrances and Betty Bridges, RN, research.

Informed Choices for Healthier Living   Another highly informative web site with articles describing Multiple Chemical Sensitivites and concerns about pesticides. 

Recommended by customers: In Washington, DC a doctor who understands MCS: Dr. George H. Mitchell, MD 202-265-4111. In Portland, OR, the Center for Enviornmental Medicine, see http://www.cemmed.com/.

Emphysema and COPD  EFFORTS Emphysema Foundation for Our Right To Survive

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency is a hidden inherited cause of emphysema.  In 1995 The World Health Organization recommended that everyone with emphysema, chronic bronchitis or adult or adolescent asthma be tested for Alpha-1 deficiency.  See http://www.alphaone.org for infromation and a free test kit.

"The Chemical Injury Information Network (CIIN) is a tax-exempt, non-profit, charitable support and advocacy organization run by the chemically injured for the benefit of the chemically injured. It focuses primarily on education, credible research into Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), and the empowerment of the chemically injured."  Cynthia Wison states clearly how to understand chemical sensitivity and provides a vast amount of substantiated information on the effects of chemical exposure.  Monthly newsletter: Our Toxic Times.  

MCS: Author, Lynn Lawson wears the Honeycomb Mask with Carbon filter to shield her from perfume at concerts, and her husband relies upon the I Can Breathe! Cold Weather Mask against the Chicago winter wind chill. Ms. Lawson’s book Staying Well in a Toxic World: Understanding Environmental Illness, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Chemical Injuries, and Sick Building Syndrome  was called "The Silent Spring of the 90's."  Her A New Millennium Update  is available. Write: lynnword@sbcglobal.net   Ms. Lawson retired from editing "Canary News," an outstanding newsletter which kept readers up to date on the latest information regarding environmental illnesses.  16 to 36% of Americans report being sensitive to chemicals (New Millennium... p.11).

The Segal Guide to Asthma  Provides a practical, brief guide to controlling asthma by a doctor who has asthma and refers to other resources.

www.mayohealth.org Mayo Clinic, daily update. Terrific archive of newsletter articles.   A new study on Allergic Fungal Sinusitis suggests 96% of the people with chronic sinustis studied were sensitive to airborne fungi spores.   Treatment involves surgery, cortecosteroids and immunotherapy.  I suspect that until one can be treated, avoidance by wearing an appropriate mask might help.

http://www.ourlittleplace.com/mcs.html   Another excellent, informative site for Multiple Chemial Sensitivity.   Tourette Syndrome may have airborne, environmental triggers.

www.chicagoasthma.org/    Chicago Asthma Consortium, an energetic organization of health care professionals and asthmatics determined to improve asthma care in Chicago where one in five children has asthma. 

www.DrKoop.com   Dr. Everett Koop's web site is a valuable tool for a non-medically trained person to keep up with new information and evaluation of medical materials on the web.  In a conversation with Dr. Allen Goldberg at the American College of Chest Physicians 1999 Conference, it was clear Dr. Koop is aware of the current frustration of patients with medical care and his site is an effort to address responsibly this growing concern.

For healthy flying, see www.flyana.com and read Diana Fairechild's Jet Smarter.

www.pedipress.com   Pedipress publishes Dr. Thomas F. Plaut's outstanding asthma books and diaries.  The diaries are colored green, yellow, and red for clearly visualizing variations in peak flow.  The first two years I had asthma, this clarity was essential to taking control.  Lack of oxygen blurs vision, so I could not look at other diaries with their tiny boxes of black lines on white paper.  Plaut's Asthma Peak Flow Diary was important to me in taking control of my asthma.  One Minute Asthma is a classic for clear, concise explanation for getting a handle on controlling asthma.  The fourth edition is up to date on the latest medications.

http://www.aaaai.org/   At the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, click on useful: Pollen/Spore Counts.

RACHEL'S ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH WEEKLY, Peter Montague, Editor, outstanding, footnoted research on environmental concerns. 

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/  Research and Education.   Informative for both health care professionals and asthma patients to connect with valuable resources.

www.aanma.org  Allergy and Asthma Network-Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc., a valuable newsletter for keeping up with latest information in health care.

"Rating Guide to Environmentally Healthy Metro Areas," by Robert Weinhold (Durango, CO: Animas Press: 1997).  A useful guide for evaluating urban atmospheres.   Useful to read before traveling or moving.

http://www.scorecard.org/  Use zip code to check health effects of pollution in your neighborhood.

www.nationaljewish.org/index.aspx National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver. Devoted entirely to respiratory, allergic and immune system diseases, including asthma, tuberculosis, emphysema, severe allergies, AIDS, cancer and auto immune diseases, such as lupus.

www.ahc.umn.edu/ahcs.html Academic Health and Medical Center Resource Page

www.EPA.gov/ogwdw  A report card for public water, "Consumer Confidence Reports" on local drinking water information

www.nsf.org  NSF International for information on water filters

www.healthfinder.gov Federal government comprehensive site. Reliable information from basic disease primers to detailed medical research, according to Julia Keller, Tribune Staff Writer.

"Building Materials for Life": see  www.environmentalhomecenter.com   for nontoxic paints and other building materials. Aug 2004, recovering from a fire.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NURSING by Heather and Myrna Millar is an extraordinary resource for both health care providers and lay people.  Includes clear explanations of environmental factors affecting health and useful aids for evaluation of patient, professional, and family concerns.   For information: e-mail: nicoenvir@compuserve.com  or call 604-733-6530.

I Can Breathe! Inc. does not warrant the accuracy of any information contained in this or any other Internet Web site. External sites are not endorsed by I Can Breathe! Inc. 

Call 888-313-0123 for evaluation of this page and recommendations.

Last update 01/11/12     I Can Breathe! Inc.