Natural Remedies for the Support, Treatment, and Reversal of Wildfire Smoke Related Respiratory Conditions & Malaise

*The following recommendations are intended for individuals who are or have been affected by smoke from a nearby wildfire but who are not immediately next to it. For those people who are directly exposed to the fire where most of the oxygen is consumed by the flames, where contaminant and noxious gas levels in the air are extremely high and are having respiratory difficulties we recommend going to emergency for immediate medical attention.

EFFECTS OF SMOKE EXPOSURE

Smoke is the mixture of airborne particulates and gases as a consequence of the combustion of materials. Depending on the length of exposure, the density of the smoke, and our predisposition to respiratory sensitivities its effects will produce varying degrees of symptoms. Common symptoms associated with smoke inhalation and decrease of oxygen intake include sore or hoarse throat; itchy or burning eyes; difficult, shallow, or painful breathing; headache; dry or wet cough; runny, congested, or painful nose. Irritants from the smoke will especially affect people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, allergies, COPD, emphysema, or sinusitis. These conditions can worsen. Even healthy and robust people can be affected by high levels of smoke.

The best solution is to minimize your exposure. Stay indoors, reduce exterior activities, wear face masks (must best be specified for smoke particulates), and breathe in through your nose . Use hepa with active charcoal air-filtering systems in your indoor space-this will allow your body to rest and recover. Hepa and charcoal neutralize the smoke and with an ionizer particles will precipitate and fall to the floor to be vacuumed (use a vacuum cleaner with hepa filtration to not blow particulates back into the air).

Our nose is designed to filter and moisten the air that we inspire. Cilia (small hair like tubules) provide the primary filtration and the sticky mucus that lines the respiratory passageway moistens the air and filters by causing particles to stick to it. The cilia brush the particles downwards from the nose and upwards from the lungs into the trachea. From the trachea it can be discharged through the mouth or it is swallowed to be neutralized by the stomach’s digestive fluids. Blowing your nose regularly will help remove the smoke particles and keep your nasal cavity clear to facilitate better filtration during the in-breath. Remember to breathe in through your nose when around contaminated air.

When our lungs become irritated by external contaminants; gases, vapors, particulates, allergens, dust, or pathogens the lining can become inflamed, restricting our air capacity and the irritants will also increase the rate of mucus production and secretion. This sticky substance aids to protect but it also hinders the brushing action of the cilia. They become less efficient in transporting the particulates to an area where they can be eliminated. (This is one of the major damages that occur with cigarette smoking-the dense and sticky tar prevents the cilia from sweeping out the irritants).

If smoke contaminants fail to be filtered and are drawn into the lungs our bodies will attempt to remove it through cough. If successful and the irritating substance is removed then coughing will cease. However if the irritation continues more phlegm and cough will result. An excess of mucus prevents the air from filling that area, becoming a breeding ground for pathogens and can itself be an irritation. This can be the cause of many respiratory diseases. Treatment requires the removal and thinning of the mucus allowing the irritant to be expectorated or swept out by the cilia.

PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL COMPONENTS

In Chinese Medicine certain emotions are said to be governed by various systems of the body. The lungs are the organ associated with the hand Tai (Greater) Yin system. The emotion associated with an imbalance of this system is fear. This makes sense as we constantly must breathe to survive. It is not possible for us to live without receiving the life given gift of oxygen.

When a fire hinders our ability to breathe from the pure source (clean air) primal emotions such as fear is generated. In addition, fire at some level threatens our life, our home, those primary needs that gives us the sense of security. This fear along with more demands placed on us due to the crisis generates a lot of anxiety.

Knowing that fear is an automatic response to such situations for people can enable us, at some level, to have choice as to how we respond. We can practice observing our emotions and that of others, remaining mindful that intense feelings in such a situation is normal, but that it is best to remain unaffected. Hopefully we can maintain some mastery over the situation, stay objective, and effectively do the task that presents to us.

Not being bogged down with emotions frees our energies to be creative and remain effective in attending to what is most on hand. Being continuously in a sympathetic (stress cycle of fight or flight) mode taxes our adrenal system, compromises our immune system, and inhibits the ongoing regenerative cycle that is essential to good health.

TREATMENT & SUPPORT

• First and foremost minimize your exposure. Remove yourself from the smoke and remember to breathe through your nose whenever exposed.
• Increase nutritional support
• Maintain an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits (aim for 60-70%) in your diet.
• Drink freshly pressed juice (vegetable-primarily). Fresh juices provide you with all the nutritional benefits without the fiber making it 99.9% absorbable with minimal to no digestion required. Fruits and vegetables are detoxifiers and rebuilders that will facilitate the elimination of the harmful materials and rebuild damaged tissue.
• Whole food meals, no junk food or sugars.
• Vitamin C-1000+ mg and two multi vitamin & mineral supplements daily during the time you are feeling the effects of the smoke.
• Find ways to relax and breathe easily. When not in a smoke environment perform deep breathing to cleanse and purge particulates that may be trapped within.
• For quick and deep reversal of symptoms or to remediate a condition consider following a liquid diet for one to several days.* Juice fast (drinking only juice) is easily doable while still allowing you to be active. Supplement your juice fast with broths, teas, fresh lemon or apple cider in warm water with a little honey. The idea is to take in nourishment that does not require digestion-this allows the energy normally required for digestion to be directed to cleansing and rebuilding. It also rests the digestion and allows it to cleanse and rebuild to ultimately make your digestion stronger also.

*When you fast it is important that you not be overly physical, reserve your energy for healing. Also be aware that during a fast (depending on the length of the fast, your health, and the diet that you follow prior) your body will go into a detoxification process, essential to healing, but as the toxins are released into your system to be eliminated many symptoms appearing as disease can manifest for a brief period . Go to www.ascendinghealthjuicery.com and look at the “Reversal Process, A Healing Crisis” in the More section.

• Recommendations for Specific Conditions as a consequence of wildfire smoke exposure and inhalation.

Alfred Pomerleau is a licensed acupuncturist with a private clinical practice in Santa Barbara. In 2009 he and Deborah Monroe began a juicery that presses fresh organic raw juices (primarily vegetable) 6 days per week.

Clinic: (805) 698-1162 http://www.ascendinghealth.com
Juicery: (805) 698-5443 http://www.ascendinghealthjuicery.com
34 East Sola,
Santa Barbara, CA 93101