Smoke Inhalation From Wildfires: Tips For Helping You and Your Family's Health

For the third fall in a row Northern California has been hit hard with wildfires. There always seems to be a point of time where there is a standstill in knowing what to do, fire is still burning so smoke keeps you and the kiddos indoors, travel is not highly plausible in the area, evacuation centers are overwhelmed with donations and assistance, and so you wait. I always feel compelled in wanting to help in some way, but feel like I come up short with solutions. Until it dawned on me while coming across a few post on social, mother’s sharing their concerns about their little ones being exposed to smoke inhalation, and new studies showing the harmful effects of such exposure , especially to younger children and the elderly . 

As a wife of a husband who is a Fire Capt. in the area, I have personally worried about the issue of smoke inhalation for years, that all fire personnel in particular deal with in relation to the very nature of their work. Now that concern has grown to include our son who like other children in the area has gone through three big fires locally. While I can’t magically snap my fingers, making these fires and their devastation disappear, I feel I can help and share some information that I have researched over the years in how to support, and even help our bodies detox from smoke exposure.

The tips are sensible and practical, like it is best to stay indoors with circulated filtered air. However life semi continues on requiring us to go outdoors, even if that means just letting our son get outside and get some wiggles out. The tips I am sharing are effective ways we can support our bodies during a stressful time, and most items can be found readily and might even be in your cupboards already.

I also want to share my heartfelt gratitude for ALL FIRST RESPONDERS for keeping our communities safe. May everyone return home safely!

Rest

While I struggle with this one personally, even when emergency events are not happening. Sleep is still one of the most effective ways are bodies restore, decompress, recalibrate and detox. Rest also helps our mental state which effects our physical health.

Water

So when we think of breathing in smoke we naturally think of our lungs being effected, rightfully so. However another bodily system working double time is our detoxifying organs. The major two being our kidneys and liver, which help remove harmful particles we have breathed in from smoke. Yet these toxic particles don’t just stay sequestered in our lungs but slip into our bloodstream and fatty tissues. Water helps flush out the tissues of the liver and kidneys aiding in the removal of filtered toxins, assisting so that these critical organs are not overly bombarded with waste. And this waste can be moved along effectively in the elimination process.

Options to Add to Water:

-Lemon water is additionally helpful to aiding your detoxifying organs and helping to stimulate your gall bladder which is another aid in your livers function. Lemon is incredibly alkalizing to your bodies ph level, antioxidant, high in Vitamin C, and helps kidney function.

-Peppermint aids in helping digestion, anxiety, relieving stress, helps with sleep, and muscle relaxation.

Steam

Steam from a humidifier, shower, bath, sauna, and tea pot can all help in soothing the tissues of the throat, trachea, and lungs that can get irritated when subjected to smoke inhalation and cold, dry air. Steam helps to relax and lubricate airways while also making it easier for mucus to detach itself from membranes. It has also been found that adding Thyme essential oils to steam water has been beneficial for those having trouble with their breathing, as it is -anti microbial -anti viral -anti fungal which all can effect lungs that are susceptible after smoke inhalation.

Tea

Tea is multi functional in its ability to aid and boost our health and how we feel. Sipping on Tea is known for its soothing properties helping soothe throat and upper respiratory tract, keeping us hydrated, supports digestion, reduces inflammation, stress relieving, and positive affects on helping induce sleep.

Tea benefits can be compounded on when adding local honey to you tea. Honey is known in being: -anti inflammatory -anti fungal -phytonutrient powerhouse -anti bacterial -antioxidant rich.

Some of the best Teas to sip on when worried about respiratory health and your bodies detoxifying organ’s functions are:

-Green Tea: helps digestion, high in antioxidants which help remove free radicals from our systems which exposed to when around wild or structure fires.

-Peppermint Tea: (See Above in Water Section)

-Dandelion Tea: detoxifies the liver and kidney, powerhouse of antioxidants, aids with digestion, and elimination

- Yogi Breathe Deep Tea: Found at Target, Amazon and Whole Foods, etc

- Traditional Medicine Breathe Easy Tea: Found at Target, Amazon and Whole Foods, etc

Eat

The kinds of foods you eat during and after being exposed to smoke and fire can help counteract some effects that your body might be having symptoms of. It is best to avoid meat, dairy and foods high in sugar, as they are known to cause more inflammation in the body hindering your body from healing itself as efficiently. Foods that are high in vitamin C help your bodies natural detoxifying systems and boost your immune system, while known to help aid in cell renewal. Antioxidant rich foods are wonderful in helping counter act the free radicals that your body is exposed to.

Antioxidant Rich Foods:

-Berries (Wild Blueberries have highest amount) - Kale -Artichokes -Onions -Beans -Beets -Dark Chocolate -Cherries -Carrots -Red Cabbage - Walnuts -Pecans -Tomatoes -Apples -Spices -Green Tea/Matcha

** A tip the darker the veggie or fruit the more likely they are going to have higher antioxidants

Anti Inflammatory Foods:

-Turmeric - Olives -Ginger -Walnuts -Cherries -Beans -Lentils -Blueberries -Whole Grains -Broccoli -Avocado -Garlic -Olive Oil -Green Tea/Matchs

home

When the outside air is smokey and at unhealthy levels requiring you to stay in your home, and close off outside air from coming in it can be scary to think that your indoor air will also become unhealthy as well. However there are some simple ways to combat this.

-Dust your home using a Damp Cloth. This will help minimize further particles from going airborne.

-Vacuum. Again this will help remove dust, ash, dust mites, etc that can not only make your air quality poorer but can irritate the respiratory system.

-Change Home Air Filter

-Buy an Air Purifier, however do research on the best air filter for your home because NOT all are made equal.

-Add House Plants. House plants are a natural ways to add a decorative feature while being functional at purifying your home air here is a link to NASA’s top rated air purifying plants

yoga

Light exercise is great for the bodies different systems, especially during physical, mental and emotionally stressful time periods. The lymphatic system which runs the length of your body is part of how your body removes everyday toxins. Yet your Lymphatic system has no built in pump to move it along, so the lymph system needs movement to help it drain and flow this can be from massage, walking, lymph drainage therapy and exercise.

During and directly after exposure to smoke it is not ideal to exercise heavily as your body is most likely “stressed’ by working harder internally and by your emotional and mental state. Heavy exercise could exacerbate respiratory conditions. Yet movement you find in yoga ie. twist, stretches and light cardio assist the body in its natural elimination processes.

Another benefit of yoga is a bit more tricky, have you ever noticed when you are in balancing poses like Warrior 3 or Crow Pose you are concentrating so hard on your body in the pose that for a moment your mind isn’t worrying about the stresses that lie beyond your yoga mat. Your mental health is important, and I have found yoga and exercise in general a great way to help in relieving some of that stress.