I was reviewing past blogs and found this one about air quality in Butte County last year. Detox from Smoke Inhalation. Furthermore, here are some other helpful mitigate physical effects of smoke in our air.
I live at 2,700 ft above the valley and get a bird’s eye view of the air quality when I drive into town; it isn’t pretty! Ironically, when you are in town, the sky looks blue, the air doesn’t smell smoky, and most people are under the impression that the air quality is just fine! It isn’t.Smoke particles are like tiny, little, gummy razors that slice and dice your delicate lung tissue, coat your lungs with smoke tar, and eventually work their way into your bloodstream. Breathing in Butte County these days is like sharing a house with a chain smoker. Unfortunately, it appears to be our ongoing reality.
While a lot of this smoke is from wildfires burning around us, a significant amount is from prescribed burns: Both agricultural burns and forest burns, comprised of 100’s of acres.
Astonishingly, there is ZERO communication between Butte County Air Quality Control who is authorizing these burns and the medical facilities in town. However, I can tell you from talking to nurses at local medical facilities, that the number of cardio-pulmonary (heart and lung) admissions is up.
Things you can do to mitigate the physical effects of smoke in our air:
1) Install high-efficiency allergen reduction filters at your HVAC air intake at home and in your workplace. These are available are our very own Collier Hardware in downtown Chico, as well as online at Airfilters.com.
These filters should be changed out 2-3 times per year, and they can make a big difference in the air quality inside!
2) Invest in a Hepa-filter or Water Air Washer and keep it running 24/7 in your home and workplace. My personal favorite is the Rainmate by the Rainbow Vacuum Company. It’s a cute little water washer unit that I keep going in my bedroom. These are available through our Nor-Cal Air Rainbow dealer right here in Chico located at 2545 Zanella Way. Phone: (530) 899-5299.
I intend to get a couple more to have at the office.
3) Consider investing in a Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner! While these units are expensive, they last a lifetime and don’t spew dust and dander when you are trying to clean. Having a Rainbow makes vacuuming the house an incredibly positive experience because the air just keeps getting cleaner and cleaner. Therefore, by the time you are done, your house smells amazing!..especially if you add a few drops of essential oil to the water. Additionally, the Rainbow Vacuum is the only vacuum on the market that is also a certified air cleaner, and you can just set it in the corner and put in in “air cleaning” mode. Wow!
4) Avoid exercising outside. It always makes me cringe when I drive down Highway 32 into a bank of smoke and pass bicyclists and joggers laboring to breath while exercising. Are you kidding me?!
5) Support your lungs and body with good herbal support to counteract the local and systemic effects of smoke inhalation. My personal favorites are Medi-herb’s HerbaVital and Broncafect which is available at my office.
6) Above all, if you notice your neck and back getting tight and sore; connect the dots. Sinus and lung stress often manifest as head-ache, neck and back pain. Chiropractic can provide great relief!
