Today was a particularly rough day for me and my constant companions, ALLERGIES. I often joke that I have sensitive skin EVERYWHERE, but it is far from a joke. The surface of my outer skin has proved itself to be incredibly sensitive to chemicals, making everything from lotions, shampoos, deodorants and soaps to laundry detergents, clothing, and sunscreens, a treacherous experience. The surfaces on the insides of my body, today most particularly my entire respiratory systems surfaces, are just as sensitive with often more frightening reactions. It amazes me, every single time, how swiftly my body can move from detecting a smell or sensation, to swelling, itching, wheezing and struggling to breathe.
The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (www.aafa.org) gives information and statistics on allergies in the US:
- Allergy is characterized by an overreaction of the human immune system to a foreign protein substance (“allergen”) that is eaten, breathed into the lungs, injected or touched. This immune overreaction can results in symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat. In severe cases it can also result in rashes, hives, lower blood pressure, difficulty breathing, asthma attacks, and even death.
- Allergy is the 5th leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the 3rd most common chronic disease among children under 18 years old
- An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from all types of allergies (1 in 5 Americans) including indoor/outdoor, food & drug, latex, insect, skin and eye allergies. Allergy prevalence overall has been increasing since the early 1980s across all age, sex and racial groups.
from http://www.aafa.org
Wow, that is a lot of people struggling with these same allergy issues! In many life situations, I find that I feel alone, surrounded by people that have no understanding of what I am going through in my body. I want you to know that I understand. Let me repeat myself. I UNDERSTAND.
That is why in my Massage practice, I strive to be as ALLERGEN FREE as I can and will make whatever additional changes that need to be made to provide you with a safe and relaxing space for your bodywork. I personally use almost entirely scent free body products on myself, so I will NOT be carrying fragrance allergens. The lotion that I use for massage is unscented, hypoallergenic and USDA Certified Organic. I also do what I can to keep the space I work in as clean and scent free as possible. If you have specific allergy issues and needs please contact me prior to your session so that we can work together to create a trigger free massage experience for you.
Dawn Welburn 