Reduce Wildfire Smoke and Air Pollution to Breathe Easier {Lifestyle Medicine, Environmental Health}

Reduce Wildfire Smoke and Air Pollution to Protect Yourself and Breathe Easier

{Lifestyle Medicine, Environmental Health}

Air pollution is a growing problem for many reasons including widespread wildfire smoke and has many health impacts. The quality of the air you breathe is essential for health. Right now, wildfires are raging and devastating many areas, contributing to higher levels of wildfire smoke and air pollution. My heart is with the people and animals impacted by such loss and destruction. I recognize the vast challenges of this time and hope these tips will help in a small way to reduce the impacts of the smoke and poor air quality.

 

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Wildfire smoke is made up of a complex mixture of gases and fine particles that are produced when wood and other organic materials burn. Particulate matter (or fine particles) can irritate mucosal surfaces like the eyes and nose, increase inflammation throughout the body, and lodge deep within the lungs. Exposure to particulate matter (PM) is linked with heart and lung diseases.

One of the main ways that air pollution like wildfire smoke creates a burden on the body is by increasing oxidative stress and inflammation. In the short term, air pollution including wildfire smoke is associated with

• cough,
• difficulty breathing,
• burning eyes,
• running nose,
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease),
• wheezing,
• asthma, and
• other respiratory diseases.

The long-term effects associated with air pollution like wildfire smoke include

• chronic asthma,
• pulmonary (lung function) insufficiency, and
• cardiovascular (heart and vessel) diseases.

Studies suggest that people living in areas with greater air pollution like wildfire smoke also have altered immune system function and an increased risk of respiratory infections (Manisalidis, Stavropoulou, Stavropoulos, Bezirtzoglou, 2020). Overall, the World Health Organization estimates that 92% of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed safe limits. Overall a toxic environment is responsible for at least 1 of every 4 deaths reported worldwide with air pollution being a major contributing risk.

Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke and Air Pollution

During this time of increased poor air quality and widespread wildfire smoke, you can take some steps to prevent health damage and protect yourself and your family from air pollution and wildfire smoke. 

This type of air pollution from smoke can impact everyone, but certain populations are at even greater risk. People with heart or lung diseases like asthma, COPD, or heart failure, older adults, young children, people with diabetes, those with chronic inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, people with multiple chemical sensitivities or mast cell disorders, and pregnant women may face greater susceptibility. These recommendations are for educational purposes only and are not meant as diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Especially if you have heart, vascular, or lung disease, including asthma, be sure to talk with your health care provider about personalized ways to protect your health and prevent damage.

Check Your Local Air Quality Reports

You can utilize sites like AirNow.Gov or IQAir’s Air Quality Map to monitor the extent and type of air pollutants in your area throughout the day. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is the EPA’s index for reporting air quality. You can check the AQI for five major air pollutants including ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter, including PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide
sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Some weather sites will also commonly report ozone and particulate matter.

The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern according to this scale. Any AQI above 50 may be of concern, especially for those with other illnesses or increased sensitivity.

Source: AirNow.Gov

Be sure to check regularly if you plan to go outdoors since air quality can change rapidly depending on prevailing winds and other conditions. When the levels increase, remain indoors when possible and close all windows. If you can, try to minimize the duration and intensity of outdoor activities and opt instead to exercise indoors. 

If you do need to be outdoors when air pollution or wildfire smoke is around, use an N95 or N100 particulate mask(these may be currently difficult to find), especially if you have cardio-pulmonary problems. Be sure it fits well and is worn properly for appropriate protection.

• Use AirNow.Gov or IQAir’s Air Quality Map to monitor the extent and type of air pollutants and wildfire smoke in your area.
• Close windows and remain indoors.
• Exercise indoors with simple equipment like this simple mini stepper or a compact strider (affiliate links) 
• Use an N95 or N100 particulate mask (affiliate link) if you must be outdoors in polluted conditions.

Purify Your Indoor Air to Clear Wildfire Smoke

Research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors where the air can be contaminated from both outdoor and indoor sources. Under normal circumstances, the air within homes and other buildings can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air since pollutants become trapped in the limited space and recirculate repeatedly when you fail to purify the air in your home.

 One of the most effective ways to protect your family and purify the air in your home is to invest in a high-quality HEPA air purifier. A high-quality air purifier with a good HEPA filter will significantly reduce the levels of PM5 from wildfire smoke that remains indoors.

HEPA filters act like sieves to ensnare contaminants and remove them from the air inside your home. HEPA filters in will trap 99.97 percent of normal dust particles that are 0.3 micrometers or larger.  

Depending on the square footage of your home, you may need more than one air purifier to cover any areas where you are spending extended amounts of time or you may choose a whole-house air filter within your HVAC system like this one. 

You can check out my full guide on how to choose an air purifier for your needs here. I use this  Austin Air Purifier (affiliate link) in my home and office that uses 5 stages of filtration including a high-quality HEPA filter that traps 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 μm (dust, particulate, allergens, pet dander, microorganisms, and more).

In addition to air filtration, cleaning regularly with nontoxic products can reduce indoor pollution. Wipe down surfaces and vacuum your home frequently with a HEPA filter equipped vacuum cleaner. It can also be helpful to remove your shoes at the door and change your clothing to avoid tracking in pollutants.

• Consider a HEPA-equipped air purifier (affiliate link). 
• Read this guide to purchasing a high-quality portable air purifier that will work for your needs.
• Replace your whole house HVAC filter with a HEPA-rated replacement filter like this one (affiliate link).
• Choose a HEPA-equipped vacuum cleaner (affiliate link) and use it frequently.
• Remove your shoes, change clothing, and shower when entering your home.

Eat a Nutritious Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Air pollution like wildfire smoke increases oxidative stress in the body. This creates free radicals that contribute to damage throughout different organs and tissues. Oxidative stress damages the lymph vessels and breaks down their ability to effectively transport lymph fluid and wastes. Oxidative stress has also been associated with numerous health conditions including chronic fatigue syndrome,  diabetes,  Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, insomnia, cancer, and other chronic conditions.

Increasing your intake of antioxidants can help to mitigate free radicals and prevent damage from oxidative stress. Eating a nutritious, anti-inflammatory diet is one way to squelch inflammation and reduce the impact of exposure to air pollution and wildfire smoke. This way of eating focuses on real whole foods without a lot of added, refined sugars, processed carbohydrates, and artificial ingredients.

In particular, certain vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients help the body cope with and recover from stress. Some of the top stress-crushing nutrients include:

• antioxidants
• vitamin C
• magnesium
• omega-3 fats
• glutathione
• zinc
• B-vitamins

An individualized anti-inflammatory diet that is rich in a wide variety of colorful organic vegetables, natural fiber, and probiotics can help you eat plenty of antioxidants and phytonutrients like these that will nourish a healthy microbiome and squelch excess inflammation. Foods containing naturally-occurring antioxidants can support the body’s ability to deal with free radicals. Foods that are high in antioxidants like kale, berries, green tea, daikon radish, turnips, beets, carrots, citrus fruits, and spices like cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric help prevent oxidative stress. Each of these contains a unique mix of antioxidants and other phytonutrients, so aim for a variety of sources to obtain a broad spectrum of nutrients. 

Glutathione is one of the most powerful antioxidants. It is made from amino acids including glycine, glutamate, and cysteine as well as sulfur. Foods like asparagus, walnuts, spinach, garlic, and cruciferous vegetables support the body in making adequate glutathione. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) also helps the body make glutathione properly.

Simple Pure Whole Recipes Featuring Antioxidants

• Glorious Greens for Great Health Workshop & Cookbook
• Dandelion Salad with Mulberries and Pistachios with a Citrus Dressing (Grain-Free, GF, DF, EF, Vegan, Paleo, Low-Sugar)
• Braised Kale with Apples and Carrots (Grain-Free, GF, DF, EF, Vegan, Paleo, NF)
• Perk-Up Ginger Green Smoothie {GF, Vegan, DF, Paleo, Soy-Free, EF, NF, Sugar-Free} 
• Vegan Healthy Shamrock Shake Bowl {GF, Vegan, DF, Paleo, Soy-Free, EF, NF, Sugar-Free}
• Vegan Cauliflower Apple Walnut Soup with Turmeric (Grain-Free, GF, DF, EF, Vegan, Paleo, Sugar-Free)

What do you use to cope with air pollution and smoke from wildfires?

You may also find this related post useful for healthier air:

   

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