by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . August 5, 2009 . 1:20PM
Way back in June, consumerist.com had an article out on how Zicam didn’t release complaint reports that over 800 people had experienced anosmia (loss of smell) due to the use of its products. In July, the law suits began.
I have some pretty big issues with this story. Mainly because I use Zicam and, let’s face it, we’re more inclined to be impassioned about a cause when something affects us directly or someone we care about in some way. Or someone we pseudo-care about. Why do you think so many celebrities get paid to endorse things or they support causes? Because if they care, you will, too.
I care because when I get sick with a cold or a flu, this has been one of the first things that several different doctors have touted to me as a recommendation. “Get zicam, take zinc, drink orange juice and stay hydrated. Lots of rest.” It’s become part of the “general prescription.” I don’t like sticking things up my nose, but I use the Zicam because it’s supposed to help shorten my symptoms. I’ve used the kids version for my son.
I’m not a ship jumper or a lemming and I don’t get unnecessarily unraveled at small things. I have the heebies about this. I only use it once or twice a year, thankfully, but I wonder if it would affect me if I was a more sickly person. I want to know more about what’s happening here. The company that makes Zicam is suppressing information. If their product isn’t causing anosmia, why do that?
Most people believe that they can live without their sense of smell. Let me tell you this, your sense of smell is connected to your sense of taste. If you don’t have a sense of smell, your food won’t taste the same, if you have a taste at all. Why do you think you can’t taste food or don’t eat as much when you are sick? Food smells are memories for us. The smell of baby shampoo can take me back to the time when my son was an infant. I hate it when my husband wears cologne because then I can’t smell HIM. That unique makeup of pheromones and sweat and whatever chemical makeup is HIM. What would I do without that?
Why am I writing about this? I wasn’t affected by it, but I won’t be using it until I get the “all clear” and the company provides information about why they didn’t report findings to the FDA and why these people are losing their sense of smell. It didn’t affect me. It might affect you. I care about you.
I think I’d rather be sick an extra couple of days than lose my sense of smell. I’m just sayin.
by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . May 21, 2009 . 3:43PM
I love tiny bubbles. Probably not the ones you are thinking about, however. No, mine are in the tub. Unfortunately, like any good bubble addict, I had to give mine up.
It started when I went to the dermatologist and she diagnosed me with…sensitive skin. Duh! I’m sorry, that wasn’t very ladylike, but really. You can’t really tell from my author picture, which my friend Natalie says makes me look like an Oompa Loompa, but I make pale look pale in comparison.
In my life, I’ve had few nicknames. I hate any of the ones that refer to Jack and Jill or putting my name with a bean near it (unless it’s been pre-approved by me). On some websites, I’m referred to as a “pale porcelain goddess” when discussing what color of makeup I should wear. A friend from right about the time before I got married called me “china doll” because my skin is light and I look like I’m porcelain. Someone else called me Lucy, but that’s another story for another time and has nothing to do with this post.
So, to say that I knew my skin would be sensitive due to its hue was an understatement. What I didn’t know was that her prescription for me would take away my bubbles. This was serious. Not serious in a terminal illness kind of way. Please. I’m a sensitive person behind that sensitive skin. No, merely an inconvenient kind of way. I live with boys. Boys who appreciate a good smelling girl. One of the ways I achieve that is with my Philosophy 3-in-1 scents. Man, do I love those things, and my boys often comment on how nice I smell. I don’t know how to cope without that self-esteem boost.
Now, I’m down to using Aveeno body wash for sensitive skin. It does its thing, I think. It doesn’t strip my skin, so I don’t have that super clean feeling, but my body isn’t flaking like a snake shedding it’s skin. It has no scent, however, so I suppose I’ll have to rely on perfume. I feel like a petulant child and it’s making me unhappy with my body makeup only because I really like the way Philosophy smells. It’s immature, but it’s a sad, sad state of affairs….
Without the bubbles.
It’s a life change, to be sure. If you still have your bubbles, enjoy them and remember that there are people in the world, not just in 3rd world countries, who do without bubbles! Be thankful for your capability to bathe in bubbles! Revel in your bubble bathing abilities and be confident that you will come out of your bath smelling great!
by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . May 7, 2009 . 6:11PM
Never once have I pretended that I know everything about having a healthy body. It has only been a recent development in my life that I care what I choose to nourish my body and the way that I view it. I willingly admit that I have not always made the best decisions where my body was concerned and there were times that I should have said no to the french friends and yes to the fruits where AJ was concerned. With that said, I still feel perfectly fine saying that, when I read this article in the Mail Online, I was pretty floored, and not in that happy excited way that I get when I find a new coach purse (more later on my designer tastes while being stingy with my money). No, this was a different feeling. It was anger mixed with contempt. I admit that I judged this woman.
Here’s why: I have no idea how big 30 stone is. I don’t care if you are 2 stone, 30 stone or 3000 stone. Because I don’t know what that means and I’m too lazy to look it up, it suddenly becomes irrelevant to my story. What is relevant is that the woman, presumably she of the 30 stones, is nourishing her children with McDonald’s at 6 months old.
I’ll wait for your shock and awe to pass. Look, there may be some extenuating circumstances that I don’t know about and I’m prepared for that. If there is something I don’t understand, someone contact me and I can say I’m wrong. Check back for the edit and it may eventually be here. I doubt it, but maybe. However, as a mom, I feel like this is pretty irresponsible.
Within the article, it notes that the babies consume about 1,250 calories a day. Listen, I don’t talk about my lifestyle changes a lot here, but I don’t consume much more than that. I’m close to 6′ tall. I’m a large woman. These are infants. 8 months old. Most 8 month olds cannot even walk, so it’s not as if they are burning calories. This cannot bode well for these children. How is this not considered child abuse?
Studies have shown that children who are obese that have an obese parent have a 79% chance of being obese as an adult (Whitaker, et. al, 1997). What do you think the opportunities are for these children to avoid heart related illness?
As parents, we are called required to be diligent in how we teach our children to make choices about their bodies. There is a reason they use the word “neglect.” It’s negligent to give a child who is still developing nothing but this junk. In the last 4 months, I’ve watched AJ change his way of thinking about food. He’s still able to eat the “good stuff” now and then, but he doesn’t live on it. Since then, he’s been sick much, much less. He doesn’t get winded as easily. He’s a happier person. I’m not saying you have to be thin to be happy. I’m saying, give your children the choice of whether or not they want to have high cholesterol or other heart related issues. Don’t force it on them due to your own laziness and neglect.
Citations:
Whitaker, R.C., Wright, J.A., Pepe, M.S., Seidel, K.D., & Dietz, W.H. (1997). Predicting obesity in young adulthood from childhood and parental obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. 337(13), 869-873.
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Life is like a game. We all have challenges, thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Often, it feels like something out there, life, karma, catty people, or blue shells (for the Kart lovers), seeks to bring us down. Luckily, we always get up. This is where I wear my heart on my sleeve and my foot in my mouth.
