"I suffer from mild Leaky Gut Syndrome and and many allergies. I usually avoid going out as the fumes always aggravate my symptoms. Recently this has got worse and when I travelled on the train to a business meeting in London I found that I felt very claustrophobic and struggling for air. When I returned home from the meeting and went to bed I could not sleep because my chest was painful from the toxins, my heart was beating very fast and I experienced palpitations. Additionally I had a very bad headache and 'brain fog' to the point where after the meeting I could not even string a sentence together properly! Due to the nature of my business I am not going to be able to completely avoid making these sorts of journeys as I had hoped I would. Do you have any suggestions on anything I can use while I am travelling that will minimise the damage from environmental toxins or improve my oxygen levels"

"In reply to your questions, let's start from the beginning so I can better assist you, and others, why you're so easily affected by environmental toxins.

It is my professional and personal experience that unless the overall toxic body load is reduced, you'll continue to react. That said, the colon MUST be detoxified through taking an effective fiber colon supplement to "brush" the colonic debris loose so it can be flushed away. Next, if the additional fiber causes sluggish elimination or constipation, you must take an herbal stool softener (not containing the herbs Senna or Cascara Sagrada because they can be habit forming) along with the fiber product.

When possible, you should embark on a detox protocol that includes professional colon hydrotherapy at best, at least enemas, to eliminate toxic matter and colonic plaque loosened by the fiber and stool softener. Usually it takes 12 therapies (1 or 2 per week) performed by a professional to get enough results in reducing the toxic load that you stop reacting to chemicals like you describe. It doesn't mean that after reactions are not as pronounced that you should stop taking the fiber or cleaning the colon, it means the toxic load is reduced sufficiently that the body is not so hyperactive. Even in my personal case, after developing leaky gut and multiple allergic responses to everything, I have completely recovered and yet now I get a dull headache if put in a toxic situation, but its not a migraine and my throat does not close as it did during my illness with the toxic load of leaky gut. That said, I don't put myself in extremely toxic situations, knowingly, but when I do encounter someone highly fragranced on public transportation, or car fumes, new road surfacing etc. I take myself out of the situation as soon as possible, and take a therapeutic dose of buffered Vitamin C powder to stop the reaction (recommendations follow). There is also a homeopathic that I always carry with me, as do my patients, in the event they become exposed and start reacting.

The brain-fog is very normal with leaky gut and multiple reactions. Taking the large dose of Vitamin C adds oxygen to the brain cells affected and you can usually feel relief within 12 minutes, it's amazing. Research was done by one of the top researchers in neurotoxins and they actually looked at brain cells after toxic exposure by a PET scan and SPECT scan and they saw cells dying. Then they administered 4,500 mg. of buffered Vitamin C powder in lukewarm water and within 18 min. or so, the brain cells were recovering as they received the needed oxygen.

Keep in mind that multiple allergic response syndrome (MARS) is really the outward manifestation of inward toxicity that the liver cannot neutralize to protect us...when the toxic load is reduced in the colon, it effectively reduces the load on the liver and it can again do its job of neutralizing toxins and protecting us - making us less and less reactive.

Additional considerations when already in an exposure situation and you're having a reaction:

A. 4,500 mg. of buffered Vitamin C powder in lukewarm water.
B. A Homeopathic remedy of Apis mel 30x or 30c, 6 drops under the tongue at first sign of symptoms. Repeat 6 drops every 15 minutes for two more doses. If the reaction is not gone, or greatly alleviated after three doses, more will not help.
C. Take Alka SelzerT GOLD in water immediately when symptoms are experienced.
D. Wear a discreet mask with a disposable charcoal filter as photographed and described in my book Invisible Illnesses.

Even though I have recovered and live a "normal" life, I still carry all the above with me when traveling for those events I have no control over. I hope this helps you, unfortunately, I speak from personal experience...fortunately, my experiences have made me a better doctor and health coach......Dr G"