Children's immune systems not weakened by a clean house 
University College London scientists say clean homes do not trigger allergies. They insist children are still exposed to germs naturally, which prime their immune system for the future. More than 40% of children, suffer from at least one allergy in the UK, charities estimates suggest. This number increases by 5% every year. In the US, more than 50 million Americans suffer from an allergy each year.
Some scientists have suggested that the 'hygiene hypothesis' — that sterile modern living weakens our immune systems — is to blame. A study published last year in Frontiers in Immunology from Japanese experts found common domestic products triggered immune responses in mice that could lead to an allergic reaction.
Several studies have shown releasing chemicals into the air from cleaning products can set off allergies. Read the rest of this Daily Mail article.
The difference between food sensitivity, allergy and intolerance can be confusing so each term is briefly described here.
It can be harder to get to sleep in the summer months. Reducing allergens can help with a better night's sleep. Follow these tips for a healthier bedroom:
1.Keep the room well ventilated by opening a window at least once a day. If the outside air is full of fumes, pollens or moulds, consider buying an air purifier. You can filter out some pollen spores by taping a piece of material over the window opening.
2. Avoid using air fresheners. Instead, keep rooms fresh through regular cleaning and airing; keep pets out of the bedroom.
3. All perfumes, essential oils and toiletries such as cosmetics, deodorant and moisturisers should be stored well away from the bedroom. Most are specifically designed to have airborne fragrances which will not be restricted by drawers or cupboard doors. These can disturb sleep.
4. Nail polish, nail varnish remover, waterproof marker pens and some printer cartridges all contain strong solvents. Keep them well away from the bedroom. More tips for the bedroom including dealing with dust.
Our help sheets 'Air Purifiers' and 'Low Allergy Bedroom' are available to members as are over 150 help sheets such as toiletries, cleaning products, treatments, information for GPs.
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'Free From' Recipe: Banana, Coconut Milk and Ginger Ice-cream
Corn, dairy, egg, gluten, lactose, nightshade, soya and wheat free 
This delicious dairy free ice cream will help cool you down over the summer. Both bananas and ginger are good blood pressure moderators. Bananas contain a fair amount of fibre as well as potent antioxidants including dopamine and catechins. Antioxidants are linked to many health benefits such as reduced heart disease and degenerative illnesses.
Ginger contains certain chemical compounds that help the body ward of germs. As well as this, ginger may calm nausea caused by chemotherapy or seasickness. Studies have shown that ginger may soothe muscle aches over time. As an anti-inflammatory it is also helpful in treating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Click for the full recipe and other 'Free from' recipes. Thanks to Foods Matter.com for kindly letting us reproduce this dish.
Latest News: Pain can be a disease in and of itself – and the pandemic could be making it worse 
To most people, pain is an unpleasant but short-lived sensation, occurring as a result of illness or injury. Although some people may experience ongoing or chronic pain, the assumption is there must be some kind of underlying physical injury, such as a crushed nerve, or an angry, inflamed joint.
Increasingly though, experts are waking up to the idea that chronic pain can occur without any obvious physical injury, or in a completely separate area of the body from the original site of tissue damage. There’s also mounting evidence that seemingly very different pain conditions – chronic headaches, low back pain and jaw pain, say – may share common underlying mechanisms, and that once a person develops one chronic pain condition, they’re predisposed to develop others. The Covid-19 pandemic could make this situation even worse. One of the most common symptoms reported by people with “long Covid” is musculoskeletal pain, and those with existing musculoskeletal pain conditions seem to be at risk of experiencing stronger pain after a serious Covid infection. The health profession as a whole does not treat people with chronic pain well. And it is about to be hit by a tsunami of severely ill people needing help. Read the full Guardian article.
Our News
We're currently collaborating with a number of affiliations in order to show our support for them and raise awareness of our charity. Thank you to Action for M.E for providing information and resources to aid our article on Long Covid and M.E which will be in the next edition of the MCS-Aware magazine, out in September. Action for M.E will be featuring an article on MCS in their next magazine edition, just as Anxiety UK will feature our founders guest blog 'MCS and Anxiety' on their website shortly (watch this space for updates). After one of our members approaching them, Anxiety UK also will be writing a piece about the Anxiety that people with MCS may experience due to the day to day effects of the chronic illness. The MCS-Aware magazine is for anyone with multiple chemical sensitivities, food intolerance and electro-sensitivities. Full of really useful information, practical solutions, ideas and recipes to help you improve your health and get the most out of life. Tell your friends, as subscribing to our membership for less than the cost of a coffee per month keeps the charity going so that we can keep helping you.
There are 3 editions per year. Available worldwide by email or post on chlorine free paper.
Glossary: EI: Environmental Illness, MCS: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, EHS/ ES: Electro-Hypersensitivity
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