Discussion Board

I'm trying to figure out if being on this diet is leading to my chemical sensitivities, and I'm wondering what to do about them.

Just to clarify, this is chemical sensitivities only, NOT any allergies. Thank you!

If you had chemical sensitivities before McDougall, go ahead and answer option 1 if your sensitivities got worse or 2 if your sensitivities improved after 9+ months of McDougall! And please mention in the thread that you experienced chemical sensitivities before McDougall.

Does anyone have any experience with this, and if so, what do you do to deal with it? Other than NOT being around chemicals, which isn't an option for me.

I had sensitivities before and after eating this way, no change.

Sorry, but my option is to not be around it. No other solution. I have a few co-workers that wear a lot of perfume. Some of the perfumes I am okay with, 2 people will give me a headache and upset stomach (mini migraine) after working with them for a few hours. Thankfully I don't have to work with those 2 people very often.

I am exposed to a lot of cigarette smoke. It irriates me and sometimes I cough even before I smell it. I doubt if McDcougalling will do much to help this kind of sensitivity....

Wow, this is good to hear! Cigarette smoke always irritated me, but paint and other chemical fumes were never an issue--which they now are after eating this way for a while. But I have to admit, even cigarette smoke never irritated me as much then as it does now. Hmmm. It seems like people are all over the place!

can someone define a chemical sensitivity? or provide some examples? I'm not sure I know the difference between that and allergies. I am allergic to various makeups, shampoos and things but that runs in the family with or without mcdougalling.

They can be very similar. For example, my reactions to chemical beauty products include rashes, burning sensations, and a general itchy feeling. My reactions to cigarettes include a hacking cough, gagging, and a headache. My reactions to paint include coming down with something much, much worse than the flu, as well as having a constant headache and feeling nauseous. The difference, for me, is that the other allergies (to non-chemical factors) have decreased a lot since this plan, but the chemical sensitivities have only gotten seriously worse, yikes.