We’ve experienced a number of alarming days in our air quality due to the smoke from burning Canadian wildfires. The Air Quality index measures 5 different substances in the air including: Ozone, particle count (what we’re concerned about with the current fires), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. AirNow.gov analyzes these data points and gives a # (0-500) for the air quality. You can check your area at any time on www.Airnow.gov or www.Purpleair.com . If you have pre-existing conditions such as asthma or heart disease, you may wish to stay indoors with the air conditioner running when your air quality is at high risk or hazardous.
I was already outside all day and now feel a little tightness or increased phlegm: Now what?
- As part of your bodies response to inhaling particles, the body will increase mucus production in an effort to capture the particles and spit them out. This is a normal inflammatory response. Things you can do to help thin the mucus layer include using the supplement N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), along with improving hydration, will help you expectorate the mucus. I recommend 600mg two to three times per day with a full glass of water.
- After the initial inflammatory response, there is often residual oxidative damage that needs to be ‘quenched’ with anti-oxidants. Your body’s most powerful anti-oxidant is called Glutathione. Supporting glutathione production with foods such as cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, arugula) may be enough to help you out. If you need
additional support, the NAC mentioned above helps as well or combining it with the amino acid glycine has been shown to raise levels dramatically.
- Vitamin D Status: The sunshine vitamin Shines again here.
There’s some evidence that while the body is increasing the mucus production, it’s also ramping up some endogenous antimicrobials in the air tubes (bronchials) of the lungs. The antimicrobial, called cathelicidin, is vitamin D dependent. For more on the sunshine vitamin including how you can check your levels from home with a simple blood spot test, refer to my earlier blog post!
- If you are particularly sensitive to the air quality, consider an air purifier, such as Air Doctor to be in one room of the house (my suggestion would be the bedroom) so you have a specific area of reprieve you can go to.
- Check out Purpleair.com and find an area near you that you could travel for a weekend getaway to enjoy the outdoors!
- Let’s hope the air quality improves for the rest of your summer, but at least now you’re armed with tools to support any damage that may occur!
