Environmental and chemically induced illness - EI/MCS
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During our lifetimes we have poisoned the planet and all its inhabitants. Small birds are disappearing from our hedgerows, bees suffer colony collapse (now known to be caused by pesticides in at least some cases);many streams and rivers are toxic sewers. Even the badgers and cows suffering bovine TB are the victims of a poisoned ecosystem. Humans are in no way exempt, with sperm counts dropping, and allergies and auto-immune diseases soaring. Those of us with environmental illnesses, or EI, are just the pit canaries. There is no single clearly defined environmental illness, no single chemical sensitivity syndrome; there are perhaps as many different subtypes of illness as there are sufferers, and for each sufferer there is typically a list of several component diagnoses, including toxic symptoms, allergies, auto-immune, endocrine and neurological disruptions, and of course fatigue. As with allergies, of course, there are also a host of other diseases and symptoms that can be set off. When I started seeing allergic patients this all seemed to be a largely American problem; it is only within the last decade or so that it has become so common in this country. And it is only in the last few years that we have learnt some powerful methods for dealing with EI. |
DiagnosisWe work with a number of laboratories worldwide to provide the best up-to-date analyses. There have been important advances in laboratory technique in areas that are important to EI: MitochondriaThese tiny structures (there are hundreds in every cell) are the batteries of cellular life, producing energy from oxygen and other nutrients to fuel, well, everything. Not surprising then that mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to fatigue, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia - and on and on. The laboratory we use can now look at mitochondria, assess how they are functioning and whether there are chemicals interfering, and even identify (not always) what the chemicals are. I have to point out that this is all experimental still; no scientific studies have examined this methodology, we don’t have all the answers and we don’t know how much we don’t know. Nonetheless, my experience so far is that this can provide explanations that we just couldn’t obtain before, and that sometimes, at least, the clinical benefit can be powerful. DNA AdductsIn the last few years it has become possible to look at and identify chemicals actually attached (adducted) to our chromosomes. This can be valuable both in assessing toxicity and monitoring treatment. |