The Mothball Attack!

I went to the market on Friday to stock up on chicken and fish. After placing the raw food in the car, I smelt something funny the moment I went in the car. It smelt like MOTHBALLS! But then again, why would my chicken and fish smell of mothballs? The chickens were slaughtered on the spot. The fish were fresh from the port and I certainly did not smell any moth balls while I was selecting my fish.

Upon reaching home, I immediately smelt all the food and discovered that the smell was coming from the plastic bags!!!!!!!!!!!!

I poured everything out and discovered that they had no mothballs smell.

And I discovered that the new reel of plastic bag which I asked chicken lady to get for me was soaked in mothballs smell! It was placed outside of the house IMMEDIATELY!

After washing everything with salt and triple-checking to make sure the food REALLY had no smell, my brain was soaked in mothballs fumes.

My sense of smell was gone. My mouth, lips, tongues were burning. My eyes were itchy. And my nostrils were totally numb.

I kept asking Joel the whole day whether the house had a peculiar, stinky smell. Of course the little fella could not smell a thing. 

I am glad it did not progress to something more serious. I was fine in a day. Thank god. 

I called my chicken lady and she felt extremely bad. (Do not condemn her! She did not realize that I was this super-sensitive. She is a very kind lady who has been blessing me with free chickens here and there! The moment she hears that I am unwell, she'll give me a free chicken! Even when I am well, she blesses me! Bless her!) She changed a scent-free reel of plastic bag and apologized profusely. 

I went salicylate-free immediately and have been trying to be as scent-free as possible. This exposure has caused me to be a bit more sensitive again. 

To Scent or Not To Scent - (Part 5) Fragrance-Free & Masking Agents

As I was researching for this series on perfumes and fragrances, I stumbled upon a scary discovery!

Fragrance-free DOES NOT MEAN fragrance-free!

Confused?

Let me explain to you what fragrance-free means.

FRAGRANCE-FREE or UNSCENTED products have an added chemical to MASK the smells of the other chemicals or fragrance in their products!!!

OH MY GOD!!!!

How ignorant I have been!

No wonder of late, the Simple shampoo has been irritating my nose and I could not figure out what it was!

Even though the masking agent(s) mask the smells of the other chemicals, they can still trigger a hypersensitivity attack as the chemicals are still in there. It is just that you don't smell it now, that's all.

Scary eh?

Of course I understand that there is no way we can completely avoid synthetic chemicals in our daily life. I am wondering on how to go about this fragrance-free and unscented products with masking agents.

Veratraldehyde

Veratraldehyede is an example of a masking agent.

The compound structure is structurally related to benzaldehyde. It is derivative of vanillin.

This is added to soaps, detergents and luxury perfumes as an odour-masking agent.

Veratraldehyde occurs naturally in champaca flower extracts, peppermint and raspberries. But it is commercially cheaper and thus almost all veratraldehyde used today is synthetic.

Not only it is used as a masking agent, it is used by perfumers as a fixative as it helps perfume linger longer on the skin or fabric.

Veratraldehyde's usage level is meant to be kept at or below 10% of a perfume's concentrate oil.

Veratraldehyde is also known as Methylvanillin, Veratric Aldehyde, Veratral, Veratryl Aldehyde, Veratrum Aldehyde, Vanillin Methyl Ether.


An interesting link.

Click here for more information on veratraldehyde.

To Scent or Not To Scent (Part 4) - Perfume Hypersensitivity

Perfume has been used since the ancient of days. Many people are perplexed to why the big fuss over the use of perfumes and fragrances today. Many are outraged and ask, 'What is wrong in trying to smell good?'

During the ancient days, only 100% extract of plants and animals were used. No synthetics, no chemicals. 100% original. It is a different story today. Due to high cost, animal and plants being on the verge of extinction (because of the huge amount needed to FEED the mass market of perfume/fragrances), synthetic chemicals are needed to continually boost the perfume market. 

Perfume Hypersensitivity or 'Allergies'

Many people today have developed a hypersensitivity, an 'intolerance' or an 'allergy' to 'smells'. Particularly to perfume. And to these people, it never crossed their mind that their perfume/fragrance could be the one that is triggering their 'allergy' reactions. And sad to say, some are too addicted to their perfumes to give them up. And continue to live in denial and in sickness!

In order to prolong the shelf life of perfumes, preservatives are added to extend their shelf life. And many times, these preservatives are the culprits of perfume 'allergies'. 

Some 'allergy' reactions are even caused by the natural products that are in the perfumes!

Common 'Allergy' Causing Chemicals in Perfumes

1. Amylcinnamic Alcohol

This is very extensively used in women's perfume. It produces a jasmine-like 'floral-ness' when accompanied by more volatile chemicals of floral character. Assists in fixation for perfumes. It is known as a human immune system toxicant. It can cause contact dermatitis.

It is also known as:
* 1-heptanol, 2-(phenylmethylene)
* 2-amyl-3-phenyl-2-propen-l-ol
* 2-(phenylmethylene)-l-Heptanol 
* 2-benzylideneheptan-1-ol 
* 2-benzyliidene-1-heptanol 
* 2-pentyl-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol

* Alpha-amylcinnamic alcohol 
* Alpha-amylcinnamyl alcohol 
* Alpha pentyl cinnamyl alcohol 
* Amylcinnamic alcohol 
* Amylcinnamyl alcohol
* Buxinol 


2. Anisyl Alcohol


This is used in perfumery and it has a hawthorn ordour. It adds volume and also gives a natural aspect to floral compositions such as mimosa, lilac, cassia, apple-blossom, jasmine and heliotrope as well as to clover and fougere perfumes. 


It is also found in acid cleaners, fabric conditioners, antiperspirant, toiletries, fabric detergent liquid, soap, powder detergent and liquid bleach.


It is filed as a non-food allergy which can cause nausea, headache, breathing difficulty, hoarse voice, loss of voice, tingling lips, muscle pain, joint pain and etc. Some react in an anaphylactic reaction, some get asthma, abdominal pain, eczema or headaches. (click here)


3. Benzyl Alcohol


This is used as a solvent and preservative in perfumes. Benzyl Alcohol has been associated with contact allergy. When tests were conducted on lab rats, DNA damage was recorded. For more information click here.


4. Benzyl Salicylate


Since I am salicylate sensitive, I am going to highlight this in red. This is used as a solvent for synthetic musks as a fixative in floral perfumes such as jasmine, lilac and lily. There has been evidence that people can become sensitized to this material, thus has been given a Restriction Standard by the International Fragrance Association.

5. Cinnamic Alcohol

This has a distinctive ordour which is described as sweet, balsam, hyacinth, spicy, green, powdery and cinnamic. This is used in perfumery and in deodorants too.

Cinnamic alcohol has been found to have a sensitizing effect on some people and thus has been given a Restricted Standard by the Internal Fragrance Association.

6. Cinnamic Aldehyde

Cinnamic Aldehyde is a skin irritant. This is also used as a flavoring agent. For more information click here.

7. Coumarin

Coumarin has a distinctively sweet ordour which reminds people of freshly cut grass or hay. This has been used in perfumes since the late 1800s. For more information of Coumarin, click here.

Research shows that it could cause cancer. And it can trigger contact dermatitis. To read more about the side-effects of coumarin, click here.

8. Eugenol

Eugenol is used in perfumeries, flavorings, essential oils and in medicines as a local antiseptic and anesthetic.

Eugenol is hepatotoxic, which means it can cause damage to the liver. Kouros Eau de Toilette by Yves Saint Laurent contains Eugenol. People who have sensitivity to Eugenol should avoid this fragrance. Eugenol can cause contact dermatitis.

Click here for more information.

9. Geraniol

Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol. It is the primary part of rose oil, palmarosa oil, and certain types of citronella oil. Geraniol also occurs in small quantities in geranium, lemon, and many other essential oils. It has a rose-like ordour.

For a detailed information on Geraniol, click here.

Geraniol can be found in facial moisturizer or facial treatment, hair colouring and bleaching, moisturizers, women's fragrance and anti-agine products.

People should avoid Geraniol if they have perfume allergy.

10. Hydroxycitronellal

This is a perfume ingredient with a medium strength floral scent which smells like lilly and sweet tropical melon. The two main components in Hydroxycitionellal are Citral and Geraniol.

It has been noted that Hydroxycitronellal above 5% concentration caused facial psoriasis and it is a documented irritant.

For more on Hydroxycitronellal click here.

11. Isoeugenol

Click here for the chemical make-up of Isoeugenol.

Isoeugenol is a substitute phenol.

It is known to cause contact dermatitis.

This is a very interesting link on the study that has been done on Isoeugenol.

12. Musk Ambrette


* Musk ambrette (2,6-dinitro-3-methoxy-4-tert-butyltoluene), a nitro-musk compound widely used as a fixative in fragrance formulations and found to a lesser degree in flavor compositions, produces hindlimb weakness when administered in the diet or applied to skin of rats for periods up to 12 weeks. Underlying neuropathologic changes consist of primary demyelination and distal axonal degeneration in selected regions of the central and peripheral nervous system. Murine neurological disease induced by musk ambrette occurs at doses well above estimated maximum daily human exposure. Lifetime experimental neurotoxicology studies using lower concentrations of musk ambrette for prolonged periods would be needed for the estimation of human risk.

* taken from neurotoxic properties of musk ambrette

Read contact and photocontact allergy to musk ambrette.

Apparently, this has been discontinued in the industry of perfumery. It is a banned product.

13. Sandalwood Oil

Read here for Sandalwood oil non-food allergy reaction.

Though Sandalwood oil is mild, it can cause severe allergy reaction when applied undiluted.

14. Wood Tars

* In a population of 1883 patients tested for allergic contact dermatitis (1985-1988), a prevalence of 5.4% (103 cases) was seen for wood tars (ICDRG allergen, 12% pet.) sensitization. In this group (n = 103), retrospectively, a combined allergy was seen to wood tars and fragrance mix in 43% and to wood tars and balsam of Peru in 31%. A combined allergy to wood tars and coal tar was seen in 19 patients (18.5%): 14 to liquor carbonis detergens (LCD), 8 to lianthral and 3 to both LCD and lianthral. Within the group with wood tars allergy (n = 103), a minority (n = 37) had a history of atopic dermatitis. Comparison of the test results in atopic and non-atopic subgroups (within the group of 103) revealed a higher incidence of combined wood tars-fragrance mix allergy in the atopic group (n = 37). In this group, a lower incidence of combined wood tars-coal tar sensitization was seen in comparison with the non-atopic group (n = 66). The authors believe that combined "wood tars-coal tar" allergy could be the consequence of cross-sensitization rather than due to long-term previous topical treatment with tar derivatives. The high % of cross-allergy between wood tars and fragrance mix emphasizes the role of wood tars as an important indicator allergen in perfume allergy.

* taken from wood tars allergy, cross-sensitization and coal tar

To Scent or Not To Scent (Part 3)

The Trinity of Perfume

In perfumery, notes are used to describe the scents that are sensed upon application. And here are the three types of notes.

They are the top notes (also known as head notes), the middle notes (heart) and the base notes.

Top Notes

The top notes are perceived immediately upon application of a perfume. These top notes consist of small and light molecules that evaporate very fast. Scents belonging to this group are described as 'fresh', 'assertive' or 'sharp'. It is the top notes that will capture the intended buyer's attention.

Commonly used scents in this group are ginger and citrus scents.

Middle Notes

The middle notes emerge when the top notes dissipate. The middle notes form the body of the perfume. Their role is to mask the often unpleasant initial impression of the base notes, which will become more pleasant as time passes by. The middle notes can kick into action anywhere from two minutes to 1 hour after application of the perfume.

Commonly used scents are lavender and rose scents.

Base Notes

The base notes appear when the middle notes dissipate. The function of the base notes is to bring depth and solidity to a perfume. The base notes are often made up of fixatives. They appear during the 'dry-down' period of a perfume.

Commonly used scents are musk scents.

Basic Types of Perfume

Alcohol is usually used as a liquid base for perfume. Basically the ratio of alcohol added to scented perfume concentrates will determine what the final concoction will be labeled as.

1. Parfum

This is also called 'extract' or 'extrait' and is totally undiluted. It contains the highest concentration of perfume oil which is between 15% to 30%! It can last for approximately six hours or longer and one drop is all it takes!

2. Eau de Parfum (EDP)

This consists of 7% to 15% of perfume concentrates. This is the most popular and common form of perfume.

3. Eau de Toilette (EDT)

This has around 1% to 6% of perfume concentrates. This is a lightly scented perfume which was supposed to used as a refreshing body splash to help people wake up in the morning! (Wake up INDEED!)

4. Eau de Cologne (EDC)

This has around 3% to 5% of perfume concentrates. This is mostly used after a bath.

5. After shave

This has the lowest perfume oil concentration of about 0.5% to 2%. This is used by men as a salve after shaving.

Interesting links:
Perfume Manufacturing
Perfume Glossary
Perfume Basics

To Scent or Not To Scent (Part 2)

The History of Perfume

The art of making perfumes originated from ancient Egypt. But it was the Romans and the Arabs who developed and further refined the art of perfumery.

Though it was the Egyptians who were the first to discover perfume, Tapputi was the first ever recorded chemist from Mesopotamia who was a perfume maker.

In India, much of its fragrances were incensed based.

In Arab and Persia, through steam distillation was perfumery established and made popular.

Perfumery was made famous in the West by the Hungarians. The Hungary Water was the first ever alcohol-based perfume.

*France quickly became the European center of perfume and cosmetic manufacture. Cultivation of flowers for their perfume essence, which had begun in the 14th century, grew into a major industry in the south of France. During the Renaissance period, perfumes were used primarily by royalty and the wealthy to mask body odors resulting from the sanitary practices of the day. Partly due to this patronage, the western perfumery industry was created. Perfume enjoyed huge success during the 17th century. Perfumed gloves became popular in France and in 1656, the guild of glove and perfume-makers was established. Perfumers were also known to create poisons; for instance, a French duchess was murdered when a perfume/poison was rubbed into her gloves and was slowly absorbed into her skin.

Perfume came into its own when Louis XV came to the throne in the 18th century. His court was called "le cour parfumee" (the perfumed court). Madame de Pompadour ordered generous supplies of perfume, and King Louis demanded a different fragrance for his apartment everyday. The court of Louis XIV was even named due to the scents which were applied daily not only to the skin but also to clothing, fans and furniture. Perfume substituted for soap and water. The use of perfume in France grew steadily. By the 18th century, aromatic plants were being grown in the Grasse region of France to provide the growing perfume industry with raw materials. Even today, France remains the centre of the European perfume design and trade.

After Napolean came to power, exorbitant expenditures for perfume continued. Two quarts of violet cologne were delivered to him each week, and he is said to have used sixty bottles of double extract of jasmine every month. Josephine de Beauharnais had stronger perfume preferences. She was partial to musk, and she used so much that sixty years after her death the scent still lingered in her boudoir.*

* Taken from 'history of perfume'.

In England, perfume reached its peak during the reigns of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. It was said that all public places were scented during the reign of Queen Elizabeth as she had a very sharp nose which could not tolerate bad smells!

For more history on perfume, click here.

To Scent or Not To Scent (Part 1)

Per Fumus

Perfume has been been known to exist since the early civilizations.

The word 'perfume' is a derivative of the Latin word 'per fumus' which means through smoke. The people in ancient Egypt were the earliest people to discover perfume. And the use of perfume was in the form of burning of incense and aromatic herbs which were used in religious services. And the most frequently used ingredients were aromatic gums, grasses, frankincense and myrrh which were gathered from trees.

Kyphi, was a famous burnt incense. It is a very odorous mixture which comprised of cinnamon, cassia bark, the rhizomes of cypress and sweet flag, cedar, myrrh, frankincense, Matsic tree, juniper berry, seeds of fenugreek, pistachio and edible shoveler duck. These ingredients were crushed and mixed together with wine, raisins and honey. Not only was it used as an incense, it was also used as a potion and as a salve.

Perfume

In today's world, perfume is basically a mixture of essential oils or aroma compounds, fixatives and solvents used to give the human body, objects, and living spaces a 'pleasant smell'!

1. Essential Oils

Essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid which contains volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils/aetherolea or just simply, 'oil of' the plant which they were extracted from. An example would be 'oil of lavender'.

Essential oil carries a distinctive scent or characteristic of the plant.

Generally, essential oils are extracted by distillation. Solvent extraction is another method in which the essential oil is extracted.

Essential oils are used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, for flavoring food and drinks, adding scents to incenses and household cleaning products. It is also widely used in aromatherapy.

2. Aroma Compounds

An aroma compound is a chemical compound that has an odour or smell. Aroma compounds are also known as odorant, aroma, fragrance or flavour.

In order for a chemical compound to have a smell or odour, the compound needs to be volatile in order for it to be transported to the sense of smell (olfactory system) in the upper part of the nose and it needs to be of a sufficiently high concentration in order to interact with one or more of the olfactory receptors.

Aroma compounds are found in food, wine, spices, perfume, fragrance oils and essential oils. Aroma compounds form biochemically during the ripening of fruits. Aroma compounds also form during the fermentation of wine.

Aroma compounds are also added to dangerous odourless substance such as propane, natural gas and hydrogen as a warning.

Many aroma compounds play a significant role in the production of flavourants, which are used in the service industry to flavour, improve, and basically used to increase the appeal of their products.

3. Fixatives

Fixatives are natural or synthetic substances used to reduce the evaporation rate and improve stability when added to more volatile components. By doing so, the final product will be able to last longer while the original fragrance is maintained. They are indispensable commodities to the perfume industry.

Some examples are ambergris, sandalwood, musk, vetiver, orris root and bergamot orange.

a. Ambergris


Ambergris is a solid waxy, flammable substance of a dull gray or blackish colour which is produced by the sperm whale's digestive system and is excreted out by regurgitation. A freshly produced ambergris has a marine, fecal ordour. But as it ages, it acquires a sweet, earthy scent which can be likened to the fragrance of rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) without the vaporous chemical astringency.

In the early times, ambergris is used as a fixative in perfumery. Because of the vulnerability of the sperm whale species, it was banned in the 1970s in many countries. Today, ambroxan, a synthetic which emulates the natural ambergris is used widely in perfumery.

b. Sandalwood


Sandalwood essential oils provide perfumes with a striking wood base note. But as a fixative, it is used in smaller proportions to enhance the head space of other fragrances.

Sandalwood trees are endangered due to over-harvesting, thus causing the natural oil to be very costly. Hence, Isobornyl cyclohexanol (ICBH) is the synthetic fragrance chemical produced as an alternative (and very much cheaper compared) to the natural sandalwood.

c. Musk

Musk is a class of aromatic substances used as base notes in perfumery. Musk was originally extracted from the gland of the male musk deer. Natural musk was used extensively in perfumery until the late 19th century. Musk is described to be earthy and woody and akin to the ordour of baby's skin.

Angelica archangelica or Abelmoschus moschatus are plants that produce musky smelling macrocyclic lactone compounds. These compounds are widely used in perfumery as substitutes for animal musk or to alter the smell of mixture of other musks.

Since the musk deer is an endangered species and obtaining musk from plants are costly, nearly all musk fragrance used in perfumery today are synthetic, which is sometimes called the 'white musk'.

Synthetic musk can be divided into three major classes:
* Aromatic nitro musks
* Polycyclic musk compounds
* Macrocyclic musk compounds

The aromatic nitro musks and polycyclic musk compounds are used extensively in the cosmetics and detergent industry. However, these two are known to contain carcinogenic properties. Thus, macrocyclic musk is deemed to be a better replacement.

An example of a polycyclic musk is the galaxolide which is found in laundry detergent to mask the smell of detergent chemicals. Galaxolide is also the aroma compound in laundry detergents which gives the washed laundry the 'clean scent'. Consumers today have been brainwashed to expect and demand that laundry detergents produce this 'clean scent'.

To read more on galaxolide, click here.

d. Vetiver

Due to its excellent fixative properties, vetiver is widely used in perfumes. It is contained in almost all of western perfumes (Lavania). Vetiver is a more common ingredient in men's fragrances such as Eau de Sauvage, Zizan by Ormonde Jayne and Vetiver by Occitaine.

e. Orris Root

Once upon a time, the Orris root was very important in the western herbal medicine. Today, it is mainly used in the perfumery as a fixative and base note. It is also widely used as a fixative in potpourri. The smell of Orris root is akin to the smell of violets.

f. Bergamot Orange

This fruit is not grown for consumption. The Bergamot peel is used in perfumery as it is able to combine itself with an array of scents to form a bouquet of aromas which complement each other. Many of the perfumes which are produced contain the bergamot essential oil.

An interesting thing to note is that the Bergamot contains extremely large amount of polyphenols!


4. Solvents

A solvent is a liquid, solid or gas which dissolves another solid, liquid or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution that is soluble in a certain volume of solvent at a specified temperature. The common solvent which is used in perfume is ethanol.

Mall-Culture Society

The thing with living in Malaysia is that we are a mall-culture-society. We hardly have parks. And when we do have, it is either situated at one end of the world where driving is the only option (and where you have to brave the traffic jams in order to reach them). OR they are packed with people to the point you feel like sardines in a can. And if it's not packed, it is a damn hazy day! We have haze perpetually all year round now. Here, have a look at this picture below and then tell me how can we go out for a 'picnic' at the park to enjoy the 'fresh' air.

Malls. They are places which sell everything from nail clippers to crook-locks for cars. They have spas, nail spas, slimming centres, cinemas, furniture outlets, hair saloons, gyms and supermarkets (which sell raw food too!). Some even have clinics in them. Not forgetting pet shops! Oh and yes, how could I not mention this. Eateries. They are EVERYWHERE! We Malaysians love to eat. It is second nature to us. Food ranging from Chinese to fast food to Western to Indian to many, many, MANY more.

So what point am I trying to drive home today, you asked? Imagine the smell each and every mall has. The onslaught of perfumes, food smells, and chemicals all mixed up in one lethal combination. Even a person with a non-smelling nose would be able to smell it. Smells so pungent that it could cover the smell of rotting corpses!

Let me paint for you the smells that are in malls the moment you step into one.

The air in the parking lot itself would be filled with the smell of petrol. You will also smell the smell of deep-fried recycled oil blasting from the vents above. And nicotine from smokers  hanging out at the parking lots. And then when you walk into the lobby, one would be blasted with fragrance from the air fresheners trying to mask the smell of petrol and deep-fried-oil which had seeped in. Once you are inside the mall, there will be MORE fragrance coming from each and every shop (in an attempt to lure customers into their nice-smelling shops), perfume wafting from the perfume shop; new plastic smells from shops which sells things that are made of plastic; chemical, paint and industrial smells from the vacant shop lots which are undergoing major renovations; incense from the incense shop; food smell of all kinds and last but not least powerful, cleaning detergents from the restrooms. AND air-fresherners too!

On top of all these smells, there are air cons that do not function properly. Many are blocked with dust and grime. And I can smell the musty smells that are emitting from the air-cons and sometimes even mold.

Going to malls is equivalent to walking into a 'fragrance-induced-nuclear-bomb'. Patrons are bombarded by fragrance, ordour, chemical smells of all kinds and food smells. A combination of these smells can make a well person quite sick. And end up in anaphylactic shock for people like me. Oh did I forget to mention the perfumes, colognes, hair-creams, clothing detergents and softeners that waft pass me all the time?

And outside the malls we have 'The Haze'.

My ENT shared with me that he has a patient who is a Caucasian female living in Malaysia who upon breathing in the smell of seafood dropped dead from an anaphactic attack. And the market was about 500 meters away! She was lucky that her husband was with her. He jabbed her with the Epi-Pen and rushed her to the hospital. She survived. All by breathing in something she could not smell.

So we wonder why Malaysians are falling sick more than often. Why children's asthma is on the rise. Why allergies are on the rise. Why a lot of people are constantly bugged by the 'allergy-cough'. Why we have sinusitis.

I say it's the hazards of smells!

NO HOME-COOKED FOOD!

(Even if I am weak with hunger, and starving to death!)

Joel had his school's cross country run yesterday. He had loads of fun and really enjoyed the run. And he wished that it was held every month!

Though he did not win, he was among the top 20 and as a reward, I took him to eat his favourite food. Which is PIZZA, of course! The usual pizza joint that we frequent was located at the other side of the mall and the air in that area was 'soaked' with lacquer, fresh paint, spirit, glue and chemical fumes because of a huge renovation going on. Smells that would definitely trigger an anaphylactic shock for me. And it was only the both of us. Hubby had gone outstation for work. Definitely could not take any risks!

I have never been told 'NO' to consuming my own home-cooked meal at restaurants after I had explained to the manager/owner of my life-threatening sensitivities. And I always tell them that the food is 'halal' (which means no pork, because of Muslim patrons). But this pizza parlor would not allow it. Even after going into lengthy explanation. I seriously wanted to leave but decided against it as I had to go through the 'danger zone' to reach to the other outlet. 

When Joel's pizza arrived, my brain started screaming loud sirens the moment the smell entered my nostrils. I quickly wore my masks. And the one-kind-vibes that were emanating from the people who worked there were palpable! I ignored the vibes and started to write this post. HAH!

My one-million-dollar question to all the people like me, who are mothers or fathers to young children is this: How do you handle outings with your family (who are normal and healthy with no sensitivities whatsoever)? How do you have meals with your families in the eateries out there? 

Trust me, majority of Malaysians haven't the faintest clue what anaphylaxis, MCS, smell sensitivity or salicylate is. Some are not even aware of allergies! The general surgeon who performed an emergency appendectomy on me told me that it was ok to give me painkillers in small doses even though I had told him that I was allergic to painkillers! And when I woke up from the GA, struggling to breathe and with an accelerated heart-rate, the anesthetist told me that I was having side-effects from the GA which was manifesting in the form of nightmares and couldn't wait to kick me out of the post-operation waiting bay. She was irritated beyond words. And these are doctors!! What more the lay people.

I can hardly find even one dish in eating places in Malaysia that do not contain preservatives, flavorings, additives, colourings, and MSG. Even in organic shops, the sauces that they use contain salicylate. And many places serve overnight food. Outside food is definitely a big NO for me! And don't get me started on the smells!!!!! That will be another post. 

Maybe I need to be 'friends' with owners who own 'non-smelly' eateries, who cook 'un-smelly' food and who only welcome 'smell-free' customers! I think such a place would only exist in space!