Tips For Dealing With Smoky Environments With Dr. Sarah Sue Myers
Dr. Sarah Myers is a naturopathic physician practicing in Bellingham, WA. Dr. Myers specializes in proactive prevention and treatment. Dr. Myers combines holistic healing methods with traditional solutions to medical illness. Providing both individual and family care, the most common ailments treated are allergies, chronic... more
The smoke is out all across the U.S. west coast and beyond. I want to honor and thank all the fire fighters out there, working hard to contain these fires. I used to fight forest fires, before I entered the world of medicine. It’s hard to believe this was an environment I used to work in for six fire seasons myself. How on earth did I do it? How do we “take care” in times like these? Here are a few tips for you all in these smoky and stressful times.
1. Drink water. When you think you have drank enough, drink more. And more. Flush and hydrate your system.
2. Get your antioxidants – Vitamins A, C, E, beta carotene, lycopene, and selenium. The vegetables and fruits that are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Berries. Frozen berries are my favorite right now, right out of the freezer and into a bowl.
3. Vitamin/Electrolyte packets are really helpful (also rich in antioxidants). Whenever I was out working during a fire, I would add 1 electrolyte packet to water daily.
4. Reduce your activity time outdoors.
5. Close the windows.
6. If you have an air filter, now is a good time to turn it on.
7. Liver supportive foods – Brassica plant family (cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, radishes, turnips), beets, artichokes, Brazil nuts, and lots of fiber.
7 1/2. Did I mention hydrate?
8. Reduce further burden on the body – Smoky days are good days to avoid other stressors to the body like sugar, alcohol, tobacco, fried and burnt foods, processed foods, known food sensitivities, or even too much time on social media.
9. Did you know exercise adds stress to the body during and immediately after? Rather than exercising on extremely smoky days, opt for some other gentle methods of self care such as meditation, journaling, music, art, gentle and restorative yoga, and bathing.
10. Let go of your expectations on days like these. Prioritize basic self care and essential responsibilities. Cut yourself some slack. We are, after all, in the midst of another devastating fire season, pandemic, election year, and a racial injustice reckoning in this country. Be gentle with yourself, as well as your loved ones. We are in this together.
My thoughts are with the wildland firefighters, essential workers and farmers whose lands, livelihoods, and health have been threatened by wildfires. Please stay safe, taking care of your health in these challenging times, and be kind. We are all going through this together, even if we have different beliefs about how to navigate through it.
