I thought I was the only one who was bothered by smoke. We have had a fireplace since we bought this house but it made me sick every time we used it. So, I am having that thing taken out, French doors put there and a Florida room where my raised patio is now. It seems like the things we use everyday are having more and more chemicals added to it. Why use perfume in soap, etc at all? It has been hard for me to find things that do not have all of those chemicals added to it and then we wonder why so many more people are having allergy problems and other respiratory problems. All of that junk is not good for us.
Smoke is more than just a fragrance, it’s a particulant irritant. Ask any firefighter about smoke inhalation.
Much as I love fireplaces, campfires, BBQ’s, etc, I have to make sure I’m well upwind of them. It takes very little to start me coughing and short of breath. Scented candles are the worst because they have the fragrance as well.
I think that as we age, our lungs just aren’t as resilient as they used to be and that’s why so many people end up with so many problems later in life.
For all the derision that people with chemical sensitivities get from those without, those without don’t realize how fortunate they are and how much WE wish we didn’t have them either. Not being able to breath is NOT fun.
We used to not even notice it.
What changed?