The hours when the air in Canberra is clear from bush fire smoke have been few and far between this year. Some days it sits like an eerie and unnatural fog. On better days it hovers like a murky haze. How taken for granted our pristine clean Canberra air seems now.
Stinging eyes and excoriated nostrils, irritated lungs and sore throats are just some of the unwanted effects. If you’re experiencing more severe symptoms including breathlessness, wheeziness, chest tightness or a persistent cough, please seek medical attention immediately.
How dangerous is the smoke?
There is plenty of evidence that exposure to bushfire smoke is dangerous. The main concern are the high concentrations of toxic minute particles referred to as PM2.5 as they are less than 2.5microns in size (a strand of human hair is around 70 microns thick). Their microscopic nature means they can bypass the immune defenses and lodge deep in the lungs and even penetrate into the bloodstream.
Studies have linked exposure from fine particles to:
• Thickening of arteries and the acceleration of vascular disease.
• Liver fibrosis and liver dysfunction
• The development of insulin resistance and diabetes
• Decreasing the white matter in the brain making it age faster
• Complications in pregnancy and affecting babies in utero
So how do you stay healthy?
Reduce Your Exposure
• Monitor your local air quality (visit canberraair.com or aqicn.org/map/australia) and stay indoors when the air is rated as poor or worse.
• Don’t use evaporative cooling (unless the air quality is good) as it draws in external air.
• As best as you can make sure your door and windows seals are effective
• If you can, get air filter that has a HEPA filter that can remove PM2.5 particles as even if your home is well sealed it will likely have higher PM2.5 particles than is desirable. Just because you can’t smell or see smoke doesn’t mean the air is clean or safe.
• If you do need to go outside wear a P2 mask although keep in mind their effectiveness is limited so avoid strenuous exercise or prolonged exposure outdoors.
Support Your Immune System
• Stay hydrated (keeping in mind most people are chronically dehydrated) aim for 2.5 to 3 liters a day
• Supplement with milk thistle, vitamin C, fish oils and turmeric to reduce inflammation, assist detoxification and boost your immune system – or even better consult your naturopath or holistic GP for personalised advice.
• Prioritise quality sleep – to support your body to detoxify and restore your immune system’ resilience
• Nourish your body with wholefoods and avoid or reduce alcohol, caffeine, processed and refined foods to enable your body to efficiently eliminate toxins form inhaled pollutants rather than dealing with dietary toxins.
Take Action
Our mental and emotional resilience are really challenged in times of crisis. Don’t hesitate to reach out and get professional support if you are suffering. Keep in mind it is easy to feel both anxious and powerless when faced with an ecological crisis of this magnitude.
We actually need our response to be pro-active, and for this crisis to be a catalyst to spur us into taking action.
• Reach out to loved ones and check they are ok, share how your feeling and remember we’re all in this together.
• Consider what changes you can personally make to benefit the environment. Remembering your re-usable shopping bag is a good start but it’s going to take more than that to collectively make a difference.
• If you are concerned, let your voice be heard. The role of your elected officials is to represent your interests and values. If you don’t believe they are being adequately represented, then let your concerns be heard.
Wes Smith
