What you choose to avoid depends very largely on what sort of life you lead, and what things make you particularly ill. You will probably have to work out your own strategy for balancing what you have to do in life, and what you can tolerate.
Remember the load effect. Managing your load of chemicals is an important element in keeping yourself well and on an even keel. If you overload yourself with chemicals that make demands on your system, you may find that you are more prone to react to the chemicals that particularly upset you, or that you feel generally less well. Reduce your load as far as you can. Most people find that they reach an acceptable compromise by:
• reducing generally the level of chemical exposure in their lives
• avoiding their own particular troublemakers
Work out for yourself what you want to use and what you can tolerate. If your system can tolerate plastic bags and cosmetics, for instance, and it is important to you to use them, then go ahead. But listen to your body. If, for instance, you really do get very ill when the gas fire is on, or when you read a newspaper, do not fool yourself, and be prepared to stop doing things, or to cut down on them. Manage your load and you may find that you can do many things in moderation.
Clearing chemicals out of your home can give you a springboard for coping with life. If you do this, it can give you the tolerance to deal with the load of chemicals you meet outside your home. Treat it as a resource where you can go to clean out, rather than a refuge to hide from the world.
If you do not have the energy or money to sort out all or most of your home, or if you have a difficult domestic situation and friction with family or housemates, a good option is to create an oasis in your own bedroom, the place where you clean out.
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