Ukuguliswa Yimichiza

IINKALO ezininzi zokungevani ngokupheleleyo nemichiza (iMCS [multiple chemical sensitivity]) ziyadida. Kuyaqondakala ukuba, kukho ukungavisisani okucacileyo kwabezonyango ngokuphathelele izinto ezibandakanyekileyo kwesi sigulo. Abanye oogqirha bacinga ukuba iMCS ibangelwa yingxaki esemzimbeni, abanye bacinga ukuba sisigulo sengqondo, kanti abanye bathi yinto esemzimbeni nesengqondweni. Abanye oogqirha bathi iMCS isenokuba iphakathi kothotho lwezifo ezahlukeneyo.a

Abaguli abaninzi abaneMCS bathi esi sigulo sibangelwe kukuchanabeka kwabo kakhulu kwimichiza eyityhefu enjengesibulali-zinambuzane; abanye batyhola ukuchanabeka ngokuthe rhoqo kumlinganiselo ophantsi wemichiza eyityhefu. Bathi besakuba neMCS, abaguli babe neempawu ezahlukeneyo ezibangelwa yeminye nje imichiza esecaleni ebikade ingabenzi nto, njengeziqholo nezinto zokucoca. Lithetha loo nto ke ibinzana elithi “ukungevani ngokupheleleyo nemichiza.” Khawucinge nje ngemeko kaJoyce.

UJoyce wayeneentwala ngoxa wayesafunda. Intloko yakhe yatshizwa ngesibulali-zinambuzane. Impilo kaJoyce yaba mandundu, yaye wayengasadibani nemichiza eyayingamenzi nto ngaphambili. Le michiza iquka izinto zokucoca ikhaya, izinto ezinukisa umoya kamnandi, iziqholo, isepha yeenwele nepetroli. Uthi uJoyce: “Amehlo am adumba abe yikiyiki, neempumlo zam ziminxeka nkqi ndibe nentloko ebuhlungu gqitha nesicaphucaphu yaye ndigula kangangeentsuku ezininzi. . . . Ndibe nenyumoniya izihlandlo ezininzi kangangokuba imiphunga yam inezilonda ngathi ngumntu lo obetshaya kangangeminyaka engama-40—kanti andizange nditshaye mna!”

Ukuchanabeka ngendlela eyingozi kumlinganiselo ophantsi wetyhefu, nto leyo ekuthiwa nayo inegalelo kwiMCS, usenokukufumana ngaphandle okanye endlwini. Enyanisweni, kumashumi eminyaka akutshanje ukuvuka kwezigulo ezininzi ngenxa yongcoliso lomoya ngaphakathi endlwini kuye kwakhokelela ekubizweni kwegama elithi “ukwakhelana kokugula.”

Ukwakhelana Kokugula

Ukwakhelana kokugula kwaqala ngeminyaka yee-1970 xa izindlu ezininzi, izikolo neeofisi ezazakhiwe zaneendawo zokungenisa umoya zathatyathelw’ indawo zizakhiwo ezingangeni moya ezinesixhobo sokubandisa nokufudumeza. Izinto zokugcina ubushushu, umthi oqatywe izinto zokuwukhusela, izinto zokuncamathelisa ezinyibilikayo, iimpahla neekhaphethi zazidla ngokufakwa kwezi zakhiwo nakwimihombiso yazo.

Ingakumbi xa zizitsha, ezi zixhobo zikhupha umlinganiselo ophantsi wemichiza esenokuba yingozi, njengeformaldehyde, ziwufake kumoya ohlaziyiweyo. Iikhaphethi zenza ingxaki engakumbi kuba zifunxa izinto zokucoca nezinyibilikisi zize zizisasaze emva kwexesha elide. Incwadi ethi Chemical Exposures—Low Levels and High Stakes ithi: “Umphunga ophuma kwizinyibilikisi ezahlukeneyo ngowona uxhaphakileyo kwizinto ezingcolisa umoya endlwini.” Ithi le ncwadi, kanti “izinyibilikisi ziphakathi kwemichiza ekusoloko kukhalwa ngayo ngabaguli abangadibaniyo nemichiza.”

Ngoxa abantu abaninzi bebonakala bekwazi ukuhlangabezana nemeko-bume engaphakathi kwezo zakhiwo, abanye baba neempawu ezinjengombefu nezinye iingxaki zemiphunga nentloko ebuhlungu nokucubhuka. Ezi mpawu ziyaphela ngokuqhelekileyo xa umntu lowo zimkhathazayo esimka kuloo ndawo. Kodwa ulindixesha wezamayeza waseBritani, iThe Lancet uthi kwezinye iimeko, “abaguli banokungevani ngokupheleleyo nemichiza.” Kodwa kutheni abanye beguliswa yimichiza ngoxa abanye ingabagulisi? Lo ngumbuzo obalulekileyo kuba abanye ababonakala ingabagulisi basenokukufumanisa kunzima ukuqonda isizathu sokuba abanye ibagulise.

Sonke Sahlukile

Kulungile ukukhumbula ukuba sonke asisabeli ngendlela efanayo kwizinto ezahlukeneyo, enoba yimichiza, okanye ziintsholongwane. Izinto ezinegalelo kwindlela esisabela ngayo yimizila yemfuza, ubudala, isini, imeko yempilo, amayeza ekusenokwenzeka ukuba siyawasebenzisa, izifo esisele sinazo, nendlela esiziphethe ngayo njengokusebenzisa utywala, icuba neziyobisi.

Ngokomzekelo, iphephancwadi iNew Scientist lithi kumayeza asetyenziselwa unyango, indlela oyiyo ibonisa “enoba iyeza liya kukunceda okanye liya kukubangela iingxaki.” Ezinye zezo ngxaki zisenokuza ngamandla, de zibangele nokufa. Ngokuqhelekileyo, iiprotini ekuthiwa ziienzymes ziyayicoca imichiza engeyonxalenye yomzimba, njengemichiza esemayezeni nezinto ezingcolisayo ezifumaneka kwimisebenzi yemihla ngemihla. Kodwa ukuba ezi enzymes “zicocayo” zibangela ingxaki, mhlawumbi ngenxa yemfuza, ukonakaliswa kusengaphambili yityhefu, okanye ukutya okungekho mgangathweni, imichiza engeyonxalenye yomzimba inokwakhelana de ibe yingozi.b

IMCS iye yathelekiswa neqela lezigulo ezisegazini nezinento yokwenza nee-enzymes ekuthiwa ziiporphyrias. Ngokufuthi indlela abantu abaneeporphyrias ezithile abasabela ngayo kwimichiza, enjengomsi okhutshwa ziinqwelo-mafutha neziqholo, iyafana nendlela abasabela ngayo abantu abaneMCS.

Nengqondo Iyachaphazeleka

Omnye owayethiwe nqo yiMCS waxelela uVukani! ukuba eminye imichiza eqhelekileyo iyamyoba. Uthi: “Ubuntu bam buye batshintsha—ndiba nomsindo, ndiqumbe ndibe sisifu, ndicaphuke msinya, ndoyike, ndicubhuke. . . . Ezi mpawu zibakho kangangeeyure ezimbalwa de kube ziintsuku eziliqela.” Emva koko uba nebhabhalaza aze adandatheke.

Ezi mpawu asizonto zingaqhelekanga kubantu abaneMCS. UGqr. Claudia Miller uthi “ayintarhantarha amazwe athi aneengxaki zezigulo zengqondo emva kokuba abantu beye bachanabeka kwimichiza, enoba kukuchanabeka kwizinto zokubulala izinambuzane okanye ukwakhelana [kokugula]. . . . Siyazi ukuba abasebenzi abachanabeke kwizinyibilikisi basengozini engakumbi yokoyika nokudandatheka. . . . Ngoko kufuneka sicinge size sikhumbule ukuba mhlawumbi elona lungu lisabela msinya emzimbeni kwimichiza yingqondo.”

Nangona ukuchanabeka kwimichiza kusenokukhokelela kwizigulo zengqondo, abanye oogqirha bacinga ukuba kusenokwenzeka into eyahlukileyo—izigulo zengqondo zisenokuba negalelo ekungevanini nemichiza. UGqr. Miller okhankanywe ngasentla, noGqr. Nicholas Ashford, abakholelwa kakhulu koonobangela abangokwasemzimbeni beMCS, bathi “ukuphazamiseka kwengqondo okunxulumene nentlalo, njengokufa kweqabane okanye ukuqhawula umtshato, kunokuyicinezela indlela esebenza ngayo inkqubo yomzimba yokuzikhusela kwizifo yaye kunokwenza abantu abathile baguliswe msinya yimichiza ekumlinganiselo ophantsi. Ngokuqinisekileyo, ulwalamano phakathi kwenkqubo yengqondo neyomzimba luntsonkothile.” UGqr. Sherry Rogers, omnye okholelwa kakhulu koonobangela abangokwasemzimbeni beMCS, uthi “uxinezeleko lwenza umntu aguliswe msinya yimichiza.”

Ngaba ikho into enokwenziwa ngabo bathiwe nqo yiMCS okanye ubuncinane banciphise iimpawu abanazo?

Ukunceda Abo BaneMCS

Nangona kungekho ncedo lwaziwayo lweMCS, abaninzi abaguliswa yiyo baye bakwazi ukunciphisa iimpawu abanazo, yaye abanye baye bakwazi ukuphinda baphile ubomi obusengqiqweni. Yintoni ebancedileyo bakwazi ukuhlangabezana nayo? Abanye bathi baye bangenelwa ekulandeleni uncomelo lukagqirha lokuphepha imichiza ebangela ezi mpawu zabo kangangoko kunokwenzeka.c Omnye oneMCS uJudy ufumanisa ukuba ukuphepha le michiza kuyamnceda kakhulu. Njengoko wayechacha kwintsholongwane eyafunyaniswa nguEpstein-Barr, uJudy wachanabeka kakhulu kwisibulali-zinambuzane esasisetyenziswa ekhayeni lakhe waza kamva waneMCS.

Njengabanye abantu abaninzi abaneMCS, uJudy uyakhathazwa yimichiza emininzi yasekhaya. Ngenxa yoko, ucoca aze ahlambe impahla yakhe ngesepha emsulwa nesoda yokubhaka. Ufumanise ukuba iviniga iyasebenza njengento yokugcina impahla ithambile. Igumbi lakhe lokulala nendawo yokuhlala impahla zinezinto ezenziwe ngelaphu elingenamichiza kuphela. Umyeni wakhe akazifaki iimpahla zakhe ezihlanjwe edry cleaner kwindawo yabo yokugcina impahla de zibe zibethwe ngumoya kangangeeveki ezithile kwindawo engena umoya ngokwaneleyo.

Kambe ke, kweli hlabathi kusenokungabi lula kubantu abaneMCS ukuphepha nakuphi na ukuba nento yokwenza nemichiza eyingozi. IAmerican Family Physician ithi: “Eyona ngxaki ibangelwa yiMCS kukuba umguli uyazinxwema abe ngunkom’ idla yodwa kuba efuna ukungachanwa yimichiza.” Eli nqaku likhuthaza ukuba phantsi kweliso labezamayeza abaguli bafanele basebenze baze babe phakathi kwabantu besandisa umsebenzi wabo ngokuthe ngcembe. Kwangaxeshanye, bafanele basebenzele ukulawula uloyiko nokuba nombilini ngokufunda ukuzola neendlela zokuphefumla ngokufanelekileyo. Injongo kukunceda abaguli ngokuthe ngcembe benze uhlengahlengiso kwimichiza kunokuba bahlukane ngokupheleleyo nemichiza.

Enye indlela yokuyinyanga ebalulekileyo kukulala ngokwaneleyo ebusuku. UDavid oneMCS, ngoku ongasenazo iimpawu zayo, uthi enye yezinto ezimncedileyo wachacha kukulala kwigumbi elinomoya omtsha omninzi. UErnest nomfazi wakhe, uLorraine, abaneMCS xa bebobabini, nabo bafumanise ukuba “ukulala ngokwaneleyo ebusuku kunceda kakhulu ukuba umntu akwazi ukujamelana nokuchanabeka kwimichiza ebudeni bemini.”

Kambe ke, ukutya okusempilweni kusoloko kubalulekile ekulondolozeni okanye ekufumaneni impilo entle. Enyanisweni, kuye kwanconywa “njengeyona nto ibalulekileyo ekukhuseleni impilo.” Kusengqiqweni ukuba ukuze umzimba ube sempilweni, ngokomlinganiselo othile, inkqubo yawo imele isebenze kakuhle. Ukutya okunesondlo kunokuba luncedo.

Nokwenza umthambo kunegalelo kwimpilo entle. Ukongezelela, xa ubila, uncedisa umzimba wakho ukuba unqande ityhefu enokungena eluswini lwakho. Enye into ebalulekileyo kukuba nesimo sengqqondo esifanelekileyo noburharha, nokuthandwa ngabanye uze ubathande. Enyanisweni, “uthando nokuhleka” yenye into enconyelwa ngomnye ugqirha kwabo baneMCS. Ewe, “intliziyo evuyayo iyaphilisa.”—IMIzekeliso 17:22.

Noko ke, ukunandipha ubudlelane obunothando nobonwabileyo, kunokuba yingxaki enkulu kwabo baneMCS abangevaniyo neziqholo, izinto zokucoca, izinto zokunukisa kamnandi, neminye imichiza uninzi lwethu oludibana nayo imihla ngemihla. Abantu abaneMCS banokuhlangabezana njani nezi meko? Enye into ebaluleke njengaleyo, abanye banokwenza ntoni ukuze bancede abo baneMCS? Inqaku elilandelayo liya kuyixubusha le mibandela.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

Ngaba Iyimfuneko Kuwe Imichiza Emininzi Ngolo Hlobo?

Sonke sifanele singazichanabi kakhulu kwimichiza esenokuba yingozi. Oku kuquka imichiza esinayo emakhayeni ethu. Incwadi ethi Chemical Exposures ithi: “Izinto ezingcolisa umoya ngaphakathi endlwini zibonakala ziphakathi kwezona zinto zinamandla kwezibangela ukuba singevani nemichiza. Imixube entsonkothileyo enemilinganiselo ephantsi yamakhulukhulu emichiza eyingozi esuka kwizinto eziphilayo ifumaneka endlwini.”d

Ngoko zibuze ukuba ngokwenene kuyimfuneko na ukusebenzisa imichiza emininzi njengoko usenza, ingakumbi izibulali-zinambuzane, nezinto ezinezinyibilikisi eziyingozi. Ngaba ukhe wazama ukusebenzisa izinto ezingenatyhefu? Noko ke, ukuba usebenzisa umchiza osenokuba yingozi, qiniseka ukuba awuze uwusebenzise ngaphandle kokusebenzisa yonke imiqathango eyimfuneko. Kwakhona, qiniseka ukuba uyibeka kwindawo ekhuselekileyo apho abantwana bengenakuyifumana khona apho imiphunga eyikhuphayo ingenakuba nobungozi. Khumbula ukuba, nemichiza ekwizinto ezivalwe ngci inokukhupha imiphunga.

Kwakhona enye into esifanele siyilumkele xa sisebenzisa imichiza kukuba singayichitheli kulusu lwethu. Imichiza emininzi, kuquka iziqholo, ingena egazini ngolusu. Kungenxa yoko le nto ezinye iziyobisi zingeniswa emzimbeni ngokuthi ziqatywe eluswini.Ngoko incwadi ethi Tired or Toxic? ithi, ukuba uchithele umchiza oyingozi eluswini lwakho, “olona nyango lokuqala nolukhawulezileyo lumele lube kukuwuhlambisisa umchiza lowo eluswini lwakho.”

Abantu abaninzi abangevani ngokupheleleyo nemichiza abadibani neziqholo. Ama-95 ekhulwini emichiza esetyenziswa kwiziqholo ilulwelo olufunyenwe kwipetroli. Kusetyenziswa iacetone, icamphor, ibenzaldehyde, iethanol, ig-terpinene, neminye imichiza engakumbi. Iingozi zempilo ezinxulumene nezi zinto kuye kwathethwa ngazo—ngokomzekelo eUnited States, yiEnvironmental Protection Agency. Kunjalo ke nangemichiza esetyenziswa njengezinto zokunukisa umoya kamnandi. IUniversity of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter ithi, xa izazinzulu ezijongene nemeko-bume zihlolisisa izinto zokunukisa umoya kamnandi, “zizigqala njengeziwungcolisayo, kungekhona eziwuhlaziyayo umoya wangaphakathi endlwini.” Izinto zokunukisa umoya kamnandi aziwaphelisi amavumba amabi; ziyawaquma.

Incwadi ethi Calculated Risks ithi “enye yezona ngcamango zibalulekileyo kwisifundo ngezinto eziyityhefu [kukuba] yonke imichiza iyingozi phantsi kweemeko ezithile.”

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]