Smoke season seems to be upon us again, Bozeman! The Bridgers seem to be fading right before our eyes, and being outside is less appealing. However, there are still things we can do to help our bodies deal with the smoke and the side effects.
Avoid the outdoors
It’s important to avoid going outside during high pollution times. Check out https://www.airnow.gov/ for the latest information about current pollution levels. The PM 2.5 values tend to be from the wildfire. These particles are more dangerous for your system. It’s harder for your body to catch them and get rid of them. If you have an underlying condition (like asthma), avoid doing intense outdoor activities if the air quality is “unhealthy for sensitive groups”. Most people should avoid doing intense outdoor activities if the air quality is “unhealthy” or above.
After spending time outside during high pollution, make sure to change your clothes and rinse off. This includes your hair which can hold toxins and pollen. Remove them, so you’re not continuing to expose yourself to the smoke toxins inside your house.
Filter your indoor air
Filtration indoors is key. If you’re using the outdoor air at night to cool your indoor spaces down, that’s allowing the smoke to come inside. Once inside, it can settle in our clothes, on the walls, and in our furniture, increasing our exposure throughout the day even with the windows closed! So close up those windows, and opt for AC instead.
True-HEPA air filters will pull out the smoke toxins that are let in through open windows and doors. Make sure to stay up to date with changing out those filters!
Using the air filtration system in your car is important too. When driving in high smoke or pollution situations- like rush hour on 19th, turn on the recirculation function in your car. This will allow you to filter the air and not constantly breath the pollution from outside. (You can also upgrade the cabin air filter to a HEPA-grade filter!)
Supplements to support your body
Lastly, it’s time to help your body detox the smoke toxins because there’s only so much we can do to prevent exposures! Adding a methylated B vitamin (like the Integrative therapeutics- Active B complex) and NAC (N-acetylcysteine, from Thorne) are great ways to support your body.
- Methylated B vitamins are very safe and water-soluble. This means anything your body doesn’t use, you’ll easily get rid of. Methylated B vitamins provide your body with methylation factors necessary for phase 2 of detoxification in the liver. Phase 2 of detoxification allows your body to remove toxins more easily. B vitamins are also important cofactors for many enzymes throughout the body, including the ones that regenerate glutathione.
- Glutathione is an important detoxification agent in our liver. It’s made up of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine (all amino acids). N-acetylcysteine (NAC), provides the body with one of those amino acids, and more often the one we’re low on. NAC is important for supporting the production and recycling of glutathione! NAC is also used in Naturopathic Medicine as a “lung tonifier”. It is also working in the lungs to help strengthen and repair them. It also helps to make mucus more liquid, so that your lungs and nasal passages can clear it more effectively. That mucus is important because it’s there to catch bad guys, like the smoke toxins, but it’s also important to clear it so it’s no longer in your system!
These supplements may not be right for everyone, so schedule with our providers or ask your doctor about these supplements to make sure they’re right for you!
The smoke is settling in the Gallatin valley, so make sure to stay on top of your health and protect yourself from the long-term health damages that come with smoke inhalation.