Els Valkenburg

Understanding

Multiple Chemical

Sensitivity

 

Causes, Effects,

Personal Experiences and Resources

 

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

CS (chemical sensitivity), CI (chemical injury), EI (environmental illness)

 

 

 

 

                                                             

   

 

 

 This English MCS book is also as an eBook / Kindle editon available!

You can download Kindle and read the book on your computer without the device.

 

 

What is MCS?             The MCS book             Contents             Media / Internet             Ordering MCS book

 

 

The book

 

Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Causes, Effects, Personal Experiences and Resources

Els Valkenburg

Publisher: McFarland

 

Back cover text:

This personal view of multiple chemical sensitivity and environmental illness is supported by research. In a question-and-answer format, the effects of exposure to perfume, smoke, air fresheners, cleaning products, exhaust, and other air contaminants are examined and linked to symptoms such as headaches, allergies, asthma, and fatigue. The book contains additional testimony and reports from 37 sufferers, as well as listings of resources and an index of related scientific articles.

 

Els Valkenburg wrote the first Dutch book on multiple chemical sensitivity, and this is the English-language edition. She operates the resource Web site www.the-abc-of-mcs.com. She lives in the Netherlands .


 

 

Contents

  • The Foreword is written by Kim Schoppink of Greenpeace.

  • The Introduction explains why the author wrote this book and her motivation and goals.

  • The Seven Parts are described below:
     

Part I

Four chapters: 1. MCS: General 2. MCS: Treatment and Strategies for Relief 3. MCS: Scientific 4. In Conclusion

What Is MCS? 

This part covers many aspects of MCS, such as the general and scientific (research/scientific models) approach and topics including adjustments in your life and your home. Important and useful information is geared to MCS patients and also for those who have simply experienced a sensitivity to chemicals or have only experienced them recently. This part is for everyone who takes an interest, from physicians to students, from scientists to nonprofessionals. It includes answers to questions such as:

  • Why are MCS patients called yellow canaries?

  • Perfume never made people ill before; why does it happen now?

  • Can an MCS patient become ill as a result of something that has no smell?

  • Isn’t MCS just psychological?
     

Part II

Five chapters: 5. About MCS Itself 6. About Relationships 7. About Social Life 8. About Protective Measures 9. Happy in Isolation?

The Personal Situation

This part was written because many severe sufferers experience the same type of social problems, such as learning to live with solitude, the loss of family and friends, and maybe having to wear a respirator mask in public. We hope that the recognition and the awareness of not being alone will provide comfort and strength. It will also help relatives of patients understand that there are others with similar problems who are also looking for a way to live and survive. The author hopes that sharing the details of her own story will lead to more understanding for and from other people.
 

 

Part III

Four Chapters: 10. Owners of International Organizations and Websites 11. The Voices of MCS Patients from the Netherlands etc.

The Voices of Others

People talk about how they fell ill, how they learned – or, in some cases, did not learn – to live with MCS. Appearing first are the stories of the owners of several international MCS organizations, followed by the stories of a number of Dutch patients and short stories commemorating several patients who have passed away. The people who work to raise awareness and who try to help others exhibit a positive example.
 

 

Part IV

The ABCs of MCS: Tips and Advice in Alphabetical Order

This part contains lots of information, tips, advice, links and other reference information. This part can be helpful for MCS sufferers who have severe or milder cases. This could provide adequate support for MCS patients in changing their lives.
 

 

Part V

Four chapters: 14. Films 15. A Few Books About MCS 16. Art and Music 17. Spiritual Nourishment

Films, Books and Other Resources

This part discusses movies and documentaries and includes several book reviews. Art, music and a bit of spiritual nourishment are covered as well.


 

Part VI

Further Resources

This part contains links to all the scientific articles mentioned in the book, various companies selling specific MCS products, MCS organizations and patient groups, and other important and useful websites.

 

 

Part VII

MCS Handout; Bibliography;  Index 

Providing Information to Others

This part contains a leaflet as attachment that can be used to raise awareness and provide others with information. The leaflet can be cut out (or copied) and given to family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, physicians or therapists. This contains the most essential information and serves as an introduction to MCS; its objective is to encourage people to find out more about the subject or to start showing some understanding and respect for the MCS patient.  
 

 

 

Media / Internet

 

Book Review : Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Dec 1, 2009 (published in the American Chronicle)

Dutch book on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity now published in English (published at The Canary Report)

EIR: Inspirational MCS sufferers have books published (published at The Environmental Illness Resource) 

MCS America publishes Article on book in Newsletter January 2010  (published in MCSA News) 

MCS Book written by Els Valkenburg now introduced to Japan! (published at the website of Citizens Against Chemicals Pollution (CACP))

New English MCS Book launched worldwide by McFarland (published at EMM - Environmental Medicine Matters)

SciTech Book News, p. 2, December 2009 - review

Understanding MCS an interview with Dutch author Els Valkenburg (published at Planet Thrive)

 

 

 

Ordering MCS book

 

The book can be ordered online at:.

Amazon.com  Worldwide shipment.  (Paperback: 224 pages)

Amazon.com  Kindle Edition (eBook format)

Barnes & Noble and other (online) bookstores.

McFarland (US publisher of the MCS-book) - Available for immediate shipment - also for Individuals
Worldwide distribution/shipping (for more information
click on the drop down menus for Individuals and for Others at their website).


ISBN: 978-0-7864-4443-4 

224 pages

 

 

DISCLAIMER

  • The mentioned links to external, or third party Web sites, are provided solely for visitors' convenience. Links taken to other sites are done so at your own risk and the webmaster of this website accepts no liability for any linked sites or their content. When you access an external Web site, keep in mind that the webmaster has no control over its content.

  • The content of this website is strictly for MCS information purposes only and should never be construed as constituting medical advice of any kind. 

  

     ׀ home ׀ webmaster ׀                                                                                                                                                                                                      copyright website © 2007-2010 Els Valkenburg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1  What is MCS?

MCS stands for multiple chemical sensitivity and is also known as: CS (chemical sensitivity), CI (chemical injury), EI (environmental illness), TILT (toxicant-induced loss of tolerance), twentieth-century illness and IEI (idiopathic environmental intolerance). MCS is the most common term for this condition, and is used around the world. People who suffer from this condition fall ill from diverse synthetic chemical substances and/or scents and, because these substances are found almost everywhere, are barely able to lead a normal life. MCS patients become ill from very low doses of chemical substances, to which a healthy person displays no noticeable reaction at all.

 

Source: 'Understanding Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Causes, Effects, Personal Experiences and Resources'