post script for artists

My skype phone call with the Kiwi artist mentioned briefly in a previous post was followed up by some email pondering and advice, one to the other. This (edited) email conversation should be shared, as so many artists forget how we expose ourselves to toxins daily. (Yes, this is the voice of experience speaking! And another yes, I do heed my own, somewhat belated, advice).

Via skype we talked about her stress condition, how it was affecting her life, and what the doctors had diagnosed and recommended. I shared with her my own experiences with resins, varnishes and turps, and more recently hydrochloric acid. She later replied by email:

Artist: Am going out to studio to work out a plan on getting rid of toxic chemicals, especially Turps and enamel paints and varnishes...

:-)

Me: There is a (NZ) book you can get that tells you what nasties are in all our products, the book costs 20 dollars and is available at health shops. I think we need to be more aware. When I was with my daughter and son in law in Alabama for Christmas and New Year they were doing the paleo diet, no sugar, flour or processed foods, everything natural. I felt great on that diet, my eyes improved, my skin was good, and my digestive system seemed to function better. ... But maybe worth a look at it without being extreme? eat nuts, seeds, fruit veges and meat. It takes a while to adjust but really I felt so good. But one day of flour products and I was back to feeling flat again.

Food for thought... we are what we eat and breathe!

Artist: PS spent a day working in the studio without fumes and no symptoms whatsoever, so now I realise nearly all of what I and the Dr was putting down to stress disorder was actually caused by chemical sensitivity (mainly turps fumes, but probably also enamel paints and varnish fumes too...) I could have killed myself by being so careless...

Quite a wake-up call...

*****

Unrelated(?) meanderings:

When I read recently about how it is possible to manufacture foods to order, artificial everything, it scared me. What are we doing to our bodies these days? Women paint themselves with toxins to look more beautiful, then turn to more artificial aids to repair the damage those things have done. Give me laughter, fresh food, walks in the natural environment and a stroll along the beach ahead of "beauty treatments" any day.

Passion, enthusiasm for life, and inner peace give us a wonderful glow, and is a "beauty treatment" that costs absolutely nothing!

Today I am grateful for "slow living".