Posted on December 1st, 2008 by Craig Maltby, Editor
Something’s in the air…and it’s hurting our immune defenses
This is about your only hope in avoiding airborne contaminants
I was all ready to write today’s post, something about stress-coping techniques. Then I opened my laptop and my editorial plans changed instantly.
As I lifted up my laptop screen, I saw the typical dust, splotches, and other assorted crud that always accumulate on the screen. When it gets too grody, I get some Windex and wipe it down. And then I remembered; I just cleaned my screen a few days ago. Where is this gunk coming from? Answer: the environment.
I work in a modern office environment. My home is 10 years old with a sound furnace and a good filter. And I know I don’t open a can of soda…or a beer…right in front of my computer screen, nor do I sneeze on it. And I have no pets that sniff and lick the thing when I’m not around. I also did a radon test a couple years ago and got very safe results.
Yet my computer screen is collecting this gunk each day. So, that must mean I’m inhaling this same stuff each day as well. That’s just a bit gnarly. Our indoor air quality may seem fine, but we’re still breathing in particles and pollutants anyway. And, as seen on my laptop screen, that can add up.
A Duke University study states “it appears that ozone causes the innate immune system to overreact, killing key immune system cells, and possibly making the lungs more susceptible to subsequent invaders, such as bacteria,” according to John Hollingsworth, the lead author. Some passages from “Emergency Asthma,” a medical text book, also highlight the effects of pollution on immune system cells. And, for everything you might want to know about indoor air quality, here’s an online guide from the EPA.
So, I am convinced that immune balance is essential in helping mitigate the effects of breathing less-than-stellar-quality air over the long term. I know one thing; besides continuing my EpiCor regimen, I’m gonna put in a new furnace filter tonight. My furnace guy told me I need to replace the filter each month. Of course, I blow that off and get around to it every 3 or 4 months. No more.
