Shades of Gray: an image of Pilot Butte taken from St. Charles Hospital in Bend on 9/6/17. On a normal day the sky is blue and the butte (1/2 mile away) is clear.

For those of us in Oregon, August has been a really tough month of hot and smoky weather. Unfortunately the wildfires are still raging in many places around the state and will be for the foreseeable future. This brings up a lot of physiological issues as well as emotional grief for people in our area. While fires to some extent are a fact of life (and prevention is a whole other can of worms…) this year has had a higher impact on our air quality than years past. People most affected by wildfire smoke are those with chronic respiratory conditions or other chronic diseases, older adults, children and pregnant women. However, when the air quality is really poor everyone is at risk for experiencing issues. If you haven’t taken some measures to boost your lung health now is a great time!

In Chinese medicine, the lungs are a very important organ system. The lungs are one of the major sources of qi, or “energy,” in the body and also control the surface of the body—both interior (lungs/airways) and exterior (skin/nose)—and therefore are our first line of defense from allergens such as smoke as well as viruses and bacteria. They are also usually the first part of our body to be impacted by these external factors.

When your lung qi is strong, you feel vibrant, energetic, and breathing is easy. On the other hand, when the air we breathe is full of allergens and toxins, such as the wildfire smoke we are experiencing right now in Oregon or smog in urban areas, our lungs are put under a lot of strain and can quickly become depleted of qi. Symptoms of lung qi deficiency include fatigue, shallow or difficult breathing, weak dry cough, weak voice, skin issues and sweating.

Another issue we face this time of year in Central Oregon is hot dry weather. Dryness is also seen as a pathogenic factor in Chinese medicine that can impact the lungs. Symptoms of lung dryness include hoarse voice, dry cough, and dry throat and mouth.

For those who have underlying lung qi deficiency or other chronic diseases and imbalances, the smoke can cause more severe and allergic symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, irritated sinuses, rapid pulse, headaches or burning watery eyes.

Do you feel affected by the smoke? If so, it’s time to take action to support your lung qi so you don’t experience any serious or long-term problems, and also to make sure your immunity is at its best for the coming cold/flu season. Here are our recommendations for supporting lung qi in wildfire season:

Check the Air Quality Reports often. The winds are always changing and the air quality fluctuates constantly, so make sure to look at a real-time report throughout the day, especially if you need to be outside. We use the AQI website . Time your outings appropriately and stay inside when the air quality is unhealthy or hazardous.
Reduce exposure. It’s not fun, but stay inside, keep car windows closed and the internal circulation on. Avoid burning candles or wood fire inside as this will increase air pollution. Consider purchasing a HEPA air filter to help reduce particulates in your home. If you are really struggling or at risk, purchase a particulate respirator mask to wear when you do go outside. A bandana or surgical mask will not keep out the small particles that are damaging to the lungs.
Focus on foods. With all the work your body is doing when there is a lot of smoke in the air, it is important to fuel it with the right foods. Keep meals simple and avoid common inflammatory foods such as dairy, wheat, alcohol or greasy/fried foods. Moistening fruits such as pear or persimmon can help to nourish lung yin and combat dryness symptoms. Pungent foods such as onions, garlic and ginger are great, as well as veggies like turnips and radishes.
Get acupuncture. Did you know acupuncture can help support your lungs and breathing? Acupuncture has been shown in studies to help support breathing and lung function in people with more serious lung diseases like COPD (1) and asthma (2), showing that acupuncture can have a direct effect on reducing lung symptoms and improving overall lung health. Acupuncture can also help to support your lung qi and keep you well before you have any serious symptoms. A famous Chinese medical saying is that “treating disease when it has already manifested is like digging a well when one is already thirsty.” Prevention is key so don’t wait until you are already suffering. If you fall into one of the categories above for people at higher risk of having issues from smoke, it is even more important to reach out to a licensed acupuncturist for support as well as your medical doctor or naturopathic doctor.
Take lung tonic herbs. Again, if you are in one of the high-risk groups, your best choice is to see a licensed acupuncturist or western herbalist for a custom herbal formula to treat your specific symptoms. For those that are otherwise healthy, just wanting to support lung qi and prevent disease, there are some over-the-counter herbal formulas that you could try. Here are our favorites; these can be found at our clinic, on-line or at natural foods stores:
1. Rootology Breathe Free: this is a patent formula using Chinese herbs that we prescribe often to our patients to support the lung and sinuses. It is great for allergy support and also for wildfire smoke. It’s full of great herbs to support your lungs, throat, nose and eyes and one of the best things we’ve tried personally and with patients.
2. Wish Garden Herbs Deep Lung: this formula contains western herbs to support the lungs, so is different in ingredients from the one above but also really supportive. It contains one of my favorite local herbs as well, Mullein leaf, which is all over our high desert.
Express your grief: this one's important. Grief is the emotion associated with the lungs and too much of it, especially when we hold onto it and don't express our sadness, can manifest in physical disease along the road. It's hard not to be heartbroken over the loss of our beautiful and beloved forests, especially in areas like the Columbia River Gorge that many of us know and love. Look at old pictures from the areas affected by the fires, share your stories with friends, cry, scream, shout: do whatever it takes to express the sadness you may be feeling. For many it helps to take action--contact your local forestry center and see what you can do to help forest fire prevention and forest restoration to keep our forests vibrant in the future.