Jar Test

All of us that have environmental illnesses are sensitive to different things. What may cause confusion and disorientation for one person can cause breathing problems for another or even no symptoms at all.  We learn to be very aware of seemingly small environmental triggers because if we do not we may find that what was seemingly safe in a small amount is something that puts us over the edge in its normal application.  So how do we figure out if something is safe for us to use?  Something that has proved very helpful for those with environmental illnesses is the jar test…

Take an empty jar.  I use one from jam that I have cleaned out.  Then take a small sample of the substance that you are testing and place it in the jar.  This will concentrate any toxins in this small amount of air.  Leave for a couple days and come back and open it and see if you notice any smells and/or any symptoms.  This may sound like suicide to some of you, and when I am feeling really sick this test is completely unreasonable.  I just avoid nearly everything no matter what.  Yet, when you are feeling well and trying to fix your home and make it an even safer place for you to be this is very helpful.  You do not want to bring wood floors in that sound completely safe and then install them and find out that they were transported in a truck that had pesticides in it.  This test can save a lot of expensive and time consuming mistakes when fixing your home.  It is not fool proof, yet it is a great precautionary practice.

Tagged as: building, health, jar test, MCS