Posts written by Josh McCormack
Preventing COVID-19 Requires Adequate Ventilation — How Susceptible Are You?
August 6, 2020
A new article in The Atlantic asks, “Why Aren’t We Talking More About Ventilation?” People with chemical intolerance have been asking this question for decades. As the COVID19 pandemic drags on, we’d expect more interest in making sure the air we share in buildings is as clean and fresh as possible. Instead, what we’ve seen is a […]
Is Secondhand Smoke and Thirdhand Smoke Linked to Coronavirus Transmission?
June 22, 2020
Researchers are worried about COVID-19 transmission from asymptomatic smokers and vapers to others in their household via secondhand and thirdhand smoke and aerosol. Let’s explore what this means. Why Are Researchers Concerned about COVID-19 and Smoking? Smokers are already at risk of more severe cases of coronavirus. But even in the homes of asymptomatic but infected smokers […]
TILT-ed Texan Spreads Toxic-Chemical Awareness to Save Lives
May 27, 2020
For over 100 days in 1996, Melanie Cambron experienced migraines so severe she couldn’t leave her home. Other maladies surfaced during this time — all of which had no reasonable explanation. It wasn’t until she discovered she was one of the many people experiencing Toxicant-Induced Loss of Tolerance (TILT), that everything changed. “My symptoms kept escalating,” Cambron […]
Military Families Face Danger — From the Homes They’re Provided
May 12, 2020
The relatives of American soldiers encounter harmful daily exposure from environmental issues found in the housing they’re provided with by the U.S. Government, reports show. Black mold, plumbing problems, poor water quality, and other concerns are among the harms to which service members, their spouses, and children are exposed. These complications originate from low-quality construction, according […]
Dr. Claudia Miller: Smoking Increases COVID-19 Risk
May 4, 2020
Last week, Dr. Claudia Miller—a professor emeritus of Environmental Medicine at the University of Texas and leader of the Hoffman TILT program—published a commentary in the San Antonio Express-News about smoking and its connection to COVID-19. From the San Antonio Express-News: Tobacco smokers are especially susceptible to COVID-19, more likely to be hospitalized and intubated, and […]
Roughly 25% of Air Freshener Ingredients are Toxic to Your Health
April 27, 2020
Fragrances can make a home go from smelling objectionable to welcoming — they can also cause severe health concerns in sensitive individuals. Researchers studied the substances found in these products for years, and their results communicate a serious message: Air fresheners have the potential to trigger bodily reactions such as respiratory problems, migraine headaches, and asthma […]
From Living in a Sick Home to Making Others’ Healthy
April 20, 2020
Bill Hayward learned a disturbing truth when he ventured into the crawlspace underneath his home. For a year, he, his wife Adriana, and other members of their family experienced consistent migraines, mood swings, extreme fatigue, flu-like symptoms, and a host of other health problems — with no root-cause explanation. They sought help from experts and […]
Have You Ever had an Adverse Drug Reaction?
February 13, 2020
Many severe side effects of prescription drugs are not reported, according to new findings from JAMA Internal Medicine Moreover, the researchers who completed the study comment that current FDA regulatory practices need reform, especially the process used to report harm caused by medical devices. “Over the last 4 decades, the approval and regulation processes for […]
Are Too-Tiny-to-See Particles Polluting Your Community?
February 6, 2020
Toxic exposures in the air can trigger severe health problems — worse, certain pollutants are so small that they can enter and harm any part of the body. These microscopic “nanoparticles,” emitted from a wide range of products, from candles to cars, can cause numerous illnesses, according to published research. Nanoparticles even have resulted in death. […]