Tips for Lung Health During Forest Fire Season
Given the poor air quality due to the wind storm that has brought forest fire smoke into the Greater Portland Area, here are some tips on ways to support your lung health at this time:
Remain indoors as much as possible. Hydrate plentifully. Avoid exerting yourself. If you are a cigarette smoker, try to reduce your smoking as much as you can.
Increasing fruit and vegetable intake will increase the antioxidant resources in your body and reduce the oxidative stress caused by harmful compounds in the smoky air. Pears are in season and have an affinity for the lungs in Chinese Medicine. They are cooling and moistening, which is perfect for lung inflammation from the dry, hot, smoky air.
In addition to making sure you are eating as many antioxidants as you can, supplementing with NAC helps to replenish the antioxidant Glutathione which is plentiful in your lung tissue. NAC can be safely taken as 600 mg 2-3 times per day. This is readily available wherever supplements are sold and is quite affordable. It also works in conjunction with Vitamin C which is also good to consider.
Reishi is a medicinal mushroom that is very popular right now and easily accessible at grocery stores and supplement stores. In Chinese Medicine, it is used as a Lung “qi tonic” and can help with shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. Contemporary research shows Reishi has anti-inflammatory effects comparable to pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory medications, it acts as an immune modulator, and also inhibits the constriction of airways.
Marshmallow root tea is soothing to mucous membranes, cooling, and moistening. It can be acquired at local herb shops.
Mullein grows plentifully in the Pacific Northwest, and is a general lung tonic that can be helpful for both dry and wet coughs, as well as helping reduce lung inflammation and relaxing muscles in the respiratory tract. It can help gently expectorate harmful inhaled smoke compounds. It can be taken in either a tea, tincture, or capsules.