Lapho Uguliswa Amakhemikhali

IZIMPAWU eziningi zesifo sokungezwani namakhemikhali anhlobonhlobo [multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS)] zibangela ukudideka. Yingakho kunokungavumelani kwabezokwelapha mayelana nesimo salesi sifo. Odokotela abathile bakholelwa ukuthi i-MCS ibangelwa izinkinga ezingokomzimba, abanye bathi ibangelwa izinkinga ezingokwengqondo, kanti abanye bakhomba kokubili izici ezingokomzimba nezingokwengqondo. Abanye odokotela basikisela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi i-MCS iyinhlanganisela yezifo eziningana.a

Iningi leziguli ezine-MCS lithi ukuchayeka ebuthini obunamandla obunjengesibulala-zinambuzane kwaba yimbangela yalesi sifo esibaphethe; abanye bathi ukuchayeka kaningi noma njalo ebuthini obuncane. Uma isibangenile i-MCS, labo ebagulisayo basabela ngokuba nezimpawu ezihlukahlukene kumakhemikhali abonakala engahlobene ababengenankinga ngawo esikhathini esidlule, njengeziqholo nemikhiqizo yokuhlanza. Ngenxa yalokho, sethiwa igama elithi “multiple chemical sensitivity.” Cabangela indaba kaJoyce.

UJoyce waba nezintwala ekhanda lapho esafunda esikoleni. Khona-ke ikhanda lakhe lafuthwa ngesibulala-zinambuzane. Impilo kaJoyce yawohloka, futhi akabange esazwana namakhemikhali amaningi ayekade engamkhathazi ngaphambili. Lawa ayehlanganisa izinto zokuhlanza endlini, amakha asendlini, iziqeda-phunga, imithi yokugeza izinwele nophethiloli. “Amehlo ami avaleka ngcí ngenxa yokuvuvukala,” kusho uJoyce, “futhi ngicinana amankanka, okubangela ubuhlungu bekhanda nesicanucanu esibi kangangokuba kuphela izinsuku eziningi ngigula. . . . Sengiphathwe i-pneumonia izikhathi eziningi kangangokuba amaphaphu ami asenezibazi njengawomuntu oseneminyaka engu-40 ebhema—kodwa angikaze ngiwulokothe ugwayi!”

Ukuchayeka ngokuphindaphindiwe ebuthini obungenamandla kakhulu, nakho okuye kwacatshangelwa njengesici esibangela i-MCS, kungenzeka ngaphakathi endlini noma ngaphandle. Empeleni, emashumini eminyaka amuva ukuqubuka kwezifo ezibangelwa ukungcoliswa komoya ngaphakathi endlini kuye kwaholela ekusungulweni kwenkulumo ethi “sick-building syndrome.”

I-Sick-Building Syndrome

I-sick-building syndrome yaqubuka eminyakeni yawo-1970, lapho imizi, izikole, namahhovisi amaningi anezintuba zokungenisa umoya ovamile kuthathelwa indawo yizakhiwo ezivaleke ngcí, ezineziphephetha-moya, ukuze kulondolozwe ugesi. Izinto zokuvala umoya, amapulangwe, izinto zokunamathisela ezincibilikayo, izindwangu zokwenziwa nokhaphethi kwakuvame ukusetshenziswa kulezi zakhiwo nasempahleni yazo.

Ikakhulukazi lapho isemisha, eminingi yale mikhiqizo ikhiphela umthanyana wamakhemikhali anjenge-formaldehyde angase abe ingozi. Ukhaphethi uyanezela kule nkinga ngokumunca imikhiqizo yokuhlanza ehlukahlukene namakhemikhali awuketshezi bese ulokhu ukhipha isisi sawo kancane kancane isikhathi eside. Incwadi ethi Chemical Exposures—Low Levels and High Stakes ithi: “Ukuhwamuka kwemikhiqizo ehlukahlukene ewuketshezi kuvame ukuba imbangela enkulu yokungcola komoya ezakhiweni.” Le ncwadi ithi “la makhemikhali awuketshezi nawo aphakathi kwamakhemikhali avame ukuphatha kabi iziguli ezisheshayo ukuzwela lapho zihogela amakhemikhali.”

Nakuba kubonakala sengathi abantu abaningi bayakwazi ukubekezelela isimo ezakhiweni ezinjalo, abanye baba nezinkinga ezisukela esifubeni somoya nezinye izinkinga zokuphefumula kuya ekuphathweni ikhanda nokozela. Ngokuvamile lezi zimpawu ziyaphela uma labo abathintekayo bephuma kuleyo ndawo. Kodwa iphephabhuku lezokwelapha laseBrithani i-Lancet lithi kwezinye izimo, “iziguli zingase ziqale ukungezwani namakhemikhali anhlobonhlobo.” Kodwa yini ebangela ukuba abathile baguliswe amakhemikhali kodwa abanye angabagulisi? Lo mbuzo ubalulekile ngoba abathile ababonakala bengathinteki bangase bakuthole kunzima ukuqonda isimo salabo abagulayo.

Sonke Sihlukile

Kuhle ukukhumbula ukuthi sonke sisabela ngezindlela ezingafani ezintweni ezihlukahlukene, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zingamakhemikhali, amagciwane, noma ama-virus. Izinto ezithinta indlela esisabela ngayo zihlanganisa izakhi zofuzo, iminyaka yobudala, ubulili, isimo sempilo, imithi okungenzeka siyayiphuza, izifo ebesilokhu sinazo, nezici zendlela yokuphila ezinjengokusebenzisa uphuzo oludakayo, ukubhema, noma ukusebenzisa izidakamizwa.

Ngokwesibonelo, emithini yokwelapha, indlela umzimba wakho owakhiwe ngayo iyona eyonquma ukuthi “umuthi uyophumelela yini nokuthi ingase ibe yini imiphumela engemihle yokuwusebenzisa,” kusho umagazini i-New Scientist. Eminye yale miphumela engemihle ingase ibe mibi, iholele ngisho nasekufeni. Ngokuvamile amaprotheni abizwa ngokuthi ama-enzyme akhipha amakhemikhali umzimba ongawajwayele, njengamakhemikhali atholakala emithini yokwelapha nokungcola esikuthola emisebenzini yansuku zonke. Kodwa uma la ma-enzyme “ahlanzayo” ehluleka, mhlawumbe ngenxa yofuzo, umonakalo owadalwa ubuthi, noma ukudla okungenamsoco, amakhemikhali angase anqwabelane kuze kube sezingeni eliyingozi.b

I-MCS iye yaqhathaniswa nezifo zegazi ezibangelwa ama-enzyme ezibizwa ngokuthi ama-porphyria. Ngokuvamile indlela abantu abanezinhlobo ezithile zama-porphyria abasabela ngayo kumakhemikhali, asukela entuthwini yemoto kuya kuyiziqeda-phunga, iyefana nendlela abantu abane-MCS abasabela ngayo.

Nengqondo Iyathinteka

Omunye ophethwe i-MCS watshela i-Phaphama! ukuthi izinhlobo ezithile zamakhemikhali avamile ziyamozelisa. Wathi: “Ubuntu bami buyashintshashintsha—ngiyanengeka, ngicasulwe ubala, ngesabe, ngozele. . . . Lezi zimpawu zingase zithathe isikhathi esisukela emahoreni ambalwa kuya ezinsukwini ezimbalwa.” Kamuva, uba nebhabhalazi futhi abhekane nokucindezeleka okuhlukahlukene.

Lezi izimpawu ezivamile kubantu abane-MCS. UDkt. Claudia Miller uthi “amazwe amaningi abika izinkinga ezingokwengqondo ngemva kokuchayeka kumakhemikhali aziwayo, kungaba yizibulala-zinambuzane noma i-sick building [syndrome]. . . . Siyazi ukuthi izisebenzi ezichayeka kumakhemikhali awuketshezi zisengozini yokuhlaselwa uvalo nokucindezeleka. . . . Ngakho kudingeka sibonise ukucabangela futhi sikhumbule ukuthi mhlawumbe isitho somzimba esisheshe sizwele uma sichayeka kumakhemikhali ubuchopho.”

Nakuba ukuchayeka kumakhemikhali kungase kuholele ezinkingeni ezingokwengqondo, odokotela abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi okuphambene nalokho nakho kuyiqiniso—izinkinga ezingokwengqondo zingenza ukuba umzimba usheshe uzwele kumakhemikhali. UDkt. Miller, okukhulunywe ngaye ngenhla, kanye noDkt. Nicholas Ashford, abakholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi i-MCS ibangelwa izinkinga ezingokomzimba, bayavuma ukuthi “izenzakalo zenhlalo ezithinta ingqondo, njengokufa komngane womshado noma isehlukaniso, kungasicindezela isimiso somzimba sokuzivikela ezifweni futhi kungase kubangele ukuba abathile basheshe bazwele kumakhemikhali angenamandla. Ngokuqinisekile, buyinkimbinkimbi ubuhlobo phakathi kwesimiso esingokwengqondo nesingokomzimba.” UDkt. Sherry Rogers, omunye okholelwa ukuthi i-MCS ibangelwa izinkinga ezingokomzimba, uthi “ukucindezeleka kwenza umuntu asheshe ukuzwela kumakhemikhali.”

Ingabe kukhona abantu abaphethwe i-MCS abangakwenza ukuze bathuthukise impilo yabo noma okungenani banciphise izimpawu eziwumphumela wokugula?

Usizo Kulabo Abane-MCS

Nakuba lingekho ikhambi elaziwayo le-MCS, iziguli eziningi ziyakwazi ukunciphisa imiphumela yezimpawu zayo, futhi ezinye ziye zakwazi ngisho nokuqhubeka nokuphila ukuphila okuvamile. Yini eye yazisiza ukuba zibhekane nayo? Abanye bathi baye bazuza ngokulandela ukutusa kodokotela kokuba bawagweme ngangokunokwenzeka amakhemikhali ayibangelayo.c UJudy ophethwe i-MCS uthola ukuthi ukugwema lawo makhemikhali kuyamsiza. Ngenkathi esalulama egciwaneni i-Epstein-Barr, uJudy wachayeka ngokweqile emuthini obulala izinambuzane osetshenziswa kwakhe futhi ngenxa yalokho wangenwa yi-MCS.

Njengabaningi abane-MCS, uJudy usheshe azwele ezinhlotsheni ezihlukahlukene zamakhemikhali. Ngenxa yalokho, uhlanza futhi awashe zonke izingubo zakhe ngensipho engenamakha nange-baking soda. Uthola ukuthi uviniga uyisithambisi sezingubo esikahle. Izingubo zakhe zokugqoka nezimpahla zasekamelweni zenziwe ngendwangu engokwemvelo kuphela. Ngaphambi kokuba afake izingubo ezivela elondolo ekhabetheni lezingubo, umyeni wakhe uzibeka endaweni evulekile ukuze zishaywe umoya amasonto ambalwa.

Yiqiniso, ezweni lanamuhla kungase kungenzeki ukuthi abantu abaphethwe i-MCS bakwazi ukugwema wonke amakhemikhali abangela izinkinga. I-American Family Physician ithi: “Ngokuvamile inkinga enkulu ebangelwa i-MCS kuba ukuzehlukanisa nokuzinyeza kwesiguli ngenxa yokugwema ukuchayeka kumakhemikhali.” Lesi sihloko sisikisela ukuthi iziguli ezilashwayo kufanele zisebenze futhi zizihlanganise nabantu, kancane kancane zandise izinto ezizenzayo. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kufanele zisebenzele ukulawula uvalo nokushaya ngamandla kwenhliziyo ngokufunda izindlela zokuphumula nokulawula indlela yokuphefumula. Injongo iwukusiza iziguli ukuba kancane kancane zikwazi ukubhekana nokuchayeka kumakhemikhali kunokuba ziwagweme ngokuphelele ekuphileni kwazo.

Elinye ikhambi elikahle ukulala ngokwanele ebusuku. UDavid, ophethwe i-MCS manje osekhululeke cishe ngokuphelele, uthi kuye kwamsiza ukulala ekamelweni elingenisa umoya ngokwanele. U-Ernest nomkakhe, uLorraine, bobabili abaphethwe i-MCS, nabo batholé ukuthi “ukulala kahle ebusuku kubasiza kakhulu ukuba bakwazi ukubhekana nokuchayeka kumakhemikhali okungenakugwenywa phakathi nosuku.”

Yiqiniso, ukudla okunempilo kubalulekile ukuze ulondoloze impilo noma uphinde ululame. Empeleni, kuye kwaqashelwa “njengesinyathelo esivelele nesibalulekile ekwelashweni okuvimbelayo.” Kunengqondo ukuthi ukuze umzimba ululame, okungenani ngangokunokwenzeka, izimiso zawo kumelwe zisebenze kahle. Izithako zokudla zingaba usizo.

Ukuzivivinya kuthuthukisa impilo enhle. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma ujuluka usiza umzimba wakho ukuba ukhiphe ubuthi ngesikhumba sakho. Okubalulekile futhi yisimo esihle sengqondo nokuba namahlaya, okuhambisana nokuthandwa kanye nokubonisa uthando kwabanye. Empeleni, “uthando nohleko” kuwumuthi omunye udokotela awunika zonke iziguli zakhe eziphethwe i-MCS. Yebo, “inhliziyo eyenamileyo iyikhambi elihle.”—IzAga 17:22.

Nokho, ukujabulela ubungane obunothando, obujabulisayo, kungaba inkinga enkulu kubantu abaphethwe i-MCS abangakwazi ukubekezelela iziqholo, izinto zokuhlanza, iziqeda-phunga, namanye amakhemikhali abaningi bethu abahlangana nawo nsuku zonke. Abantu abane-MCS benza kanjani ngaphansi kwalezi zimo? Okubaluleke nakakhulu, yini abanye abangayenza ukuze basize labo abane-MCS? Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngalezi zindaba.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Ingabe Udinga Amakhemikhali Amaningi Kangako?

Sonke kumelwe sikugcine kusezingeni eliphansi kakhulu ukuchayeka kumakhemikhali angase abe yingozi. Lokhu kuhlanganisa namakhemikhali esinawo ekhaya. Incwadi ethi Chemical Exposures ithi: “Kubonakala sengathi izinto ezingcolisa umoya wasendlini zihamba phambili ezintweni ezibangela ukuba umzimba ungezwani namakhemikhali. Izingxube ezinamandla ezinamakhemikhali ahlukahlukene zitholakala endlini.”d

Ngakho-ke zibuze ukuthi kuyadingeka yini ukusebenzisa amakhemikhali amaningi kangako, ikakhulukazi izibulala-zinambuzane nemikhiqizo ewuketshezi oluyingozi. Usuke wazama ukusebenzisa amanye amakhemikhali angenabo ubuthi? Nokho, uma kudingeka ukuba usebenzise amakhemikhali angase abe ingozi, qiniseka ukuthi wenza konke ukuze ungawaphathi budedengu. Futhi, qiniseka ukuthi uwabeka endaweni ephephile lapho izingane zingenakuwafinyelela khona futhi lapho engeke akhiphe khona iphunga eliyingozi. Khumbula ukuthi ngisho namakhemikhali asemabhodleleni avalwe ngcí angase abe nephunga elinamandla.

Ukuqaphela amakhemikhali kuyasebenza nakulokho esikugcobayo noma okusithela esikhunjeni. Amakhemikhali amaningi, kuhlanganise namakha, angena egazini ngesikhumba. Yingakho ukusebenzisa ama-skin patch kungenye indlela yokuphuza imithi ethile. Ngakho uma kwenzeka uthelwa ikhemikhali enobuthi esikhunjeni, “into yokuqala okufanele uyenze ukususa ikhemikhali ngokugezisisa isikhumba sakho,” kusho incwadi ethi Tired or Toxic?

Abantu abaningi abanesifo sokungezwani namakhemikhali anhlobonhlobo (multiple chemical sensitivity) bayashesha ukuwezwela amakha. Amaphesenti angu-95 amakhemikhali asetshenziswe eziqholweni ayizakhi zokwenziwa ezithathwa kuyi-petroleum. Kusetshenziswa i-acetone, camphor, benzaldehyde, ethanol, g-terpinene nezinye izithako eziningi zamakhemikhali. Izingozi zempilo ezihlobene nala makhemikhali ziye zanyatheliswa—ngokwesibonelo e-United States, yi-Environmental Protection Agency. Kunjalo nangamakhemikhali asetshenziswa emakheni asendlini. I-University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter ithi uma izazi zesayensi yendawo ezungezile zicwaninga izinto ezenza umoya unuke kahle, “zicwaningwa ngazo njengezinto eziwungcolisayo umoya osendlini, hhayi eziwenza ngcono.” Izinto ezenza umoya endlini unuke kahle aziliqedi iphunga elibi; ziyalifihla.

Incwadi i-Calculated Risks ithi “enye yezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu kuyisayensi ecwaninga ngobuthi [ukuthi] wonke amakhemikhali anobuthi ezimweni ezithile.”

[Umbhalo waphansi]