One way to test your hypothesis is to start reducing your exposure to soft plastics and materials that offgas VOCs at high rates. See if that makes any difference.
However, do realize that common wisdom in alternative medicine groups (and South American tribal medicine men, etc) is that first the bad stuff has to come out. Kind of like with drug withdrawal, if this helps, it will get worse before it gets better. Much like drug withdrawal, that interim transition stage can be hellish.
I do consume sodas sold in 2 liter bottles. So I don't completely avoid all plastics. But I try like hell to avoid styrofoam and other soft plastics. When offered a choice at the deli, I ask for the hard plastic container instead of the styrofoam one.
"One way to test your hypothesis is to start reducing your exposure to soft plastics and materials that offgas VOCs at high rates. See if that makes any difference."
No, that's a very bad way to test your hypothesis. Assuming your goal is to really get to the root of a problem, you really shouldn't be allowing/asking individuals to test their ideas on themselves.
Have you spoken to doctors about your issues with plastics? It could very well be that your problem is to do with something else, but you're masking it by making premature assumptions based on what you think might be the cause. Perhaps even on faulty causal links that could do with some domain-knowledge, rather than guessing.
I have a completely different condition than psoriasis. Someone else replied that they think their psoriasis is related to plastics. I made a suggestion on how they can explore their own hypothesis about their own condition, if they so choose/desire. I am not asking anyone to test my hypothesis about my condition.
>"I have a form of cystic fibrosis. People with cystic fibrosis sometimes die from infections that normal people simply do not get. I looked up some of these infections, and some of them are used by scientists to biodegrade petrochemical spills because they eat petrochemicals. Plastics come from petrochemicals."
You self-diagnosed based on what appears to be a rather shaky link. And it appeared like you were suggesting to the other person to do the same for their condition because of an argument that appears to look like this:
P1. "People with cystic fibrosis sometimes die from infections a,b,c"
P2. "Some of the a,b,c 'infections' are used by scientist to biodegrade petrochemical spills"
P3. "Plastics come from petrochemicals"
P4. "People with CF hang on to petrochemicals (why? because of their condition?)"
C1. Therefore plastics make cystic fibrosis worse.
or
C2. Avoiding plastics makes cystic fibrosis symptoms better.
Either way, shaky links means assumptions are being made. Rather seek medical attention, or at the very least read the literature regarding any causal links between these things.
No, I did not self diagnose based on a shaky link. I stopped doing things that made my condition worse based on firsthand observation of what I experience every day. Afterwards, I learned a few things that led to a personal hypothesis as to why I react badly. My original point, relevant to this topic, was that based on knowing a bunch of semi obscure things, it is unlikely that microbes that eat styrofoam are dangerous to humans. I am also an environmental studies major. So it is kind of an intersection of things, not just what I know about my medical condition.
Then someone with psoriasis said they think plastics may be an issue for them. Suggesting someone reduce their exposure to a thing they think they are reacting negatively to is the most conservative suggestion you can make. It is a basic first step that does not require consulting a physician first to make that decision for yourself. Such a suggestion does not preclude them also seeking medical attention. Nor does it preclude them from reading up further.
You are making an issue out of absolutely nothing. You are also butting into my choices about how I take care of myself and asking me to justify them to you, which is incredibly inappropriate. I don't owe you an explanation or justification and commenting on my anecdotal experience related to the topic of styrofoam and microbes was in no way an invitation for people to insert themselves into my life in that manner.
So, I am done here. I would appreciate it if you would let it go.
>"You are also butting into my choices about how I take care of myself and asking me to justify them to you, which is incredibly inappropriate. I don't owe you an explanation or justification and commenting on my anecdotal experience related to the topic of styrofoam and microbes was in no way an invitation for people to insert themselves into my life in that manner.
So, I am done here. I would appreciate it if you would let it go."
Sorry, didn't mean to upset you. I'll just leave it.
