Air Health Our Health

I had a few weeks set aside in May to record and wrap up some final podcasts for the season, but COVID 19 had other plans. I instead became the head counselor at “Camp COVID” for my three rambunctious children who rapidly bounced back from their infections with no respect for the time their mother might need to finally taste her coffee again. Enjoy the end of the season thoughts, and will see you next Fall with more Air Health Our Health! To Do over the Summer: Catch up on any podcasts you missed from the first two seasons. Get involved in advocacy at your local, state and federal level to be a voice for clean air, whether working now to get your county or state to consider a flavored nicotine ban in the next legislative session or encouraging a transition away from combustion engines for transportation or from combustion in your own home. Please also consider a donation to the many organizations working hard for clean air! Neighbors for Clean Air- Ashia Allen from “Ashia, Albina & Asthma” is now on the board! American Thoracic Society- I am a member of the Environmental Health Policy Committee, and we work hard to convey the importance of the science of healthy air to our state and federal government, the EPA, Supreme Court, and more Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids- keep working to protect kids from Big Tobacco Look through previous podcast notes for more donation ideas! Join the Air Health Our Health Fight for Air Climb team- climb is on June 26th, though we will be “climbing” virtually, so you can join from anywhere in the world! Take steps on your own time and raise money for the American Lung Association! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.

I know we have talked about how Big Tobacco fights flavoring bans at the local level, and today on the podcast, we talk about a county trying to fight back against flavored tobacco. Flavors are designed to hook new users to nicotine products. On this episode, I am joined by Carrie Nyssen of the American Lung Association, who describes the current battle for the health of kids that is on the May ballot in Washington County. Dr. Lisa Reynolds has practiced pediatrics for over 20 years in Washington County, serves in the OR legislature, and shares her perspective. Dr. Maxine Dexter is a fellow lung and ICU doctor for adults, and represents many of the people in Washington County in the Oregon House. Today we cover a specific example of a population of kids affected by flavored tobacco, the toll of flavored nicotine products, and what we can do about it. We also walk through many of the arguments opposed to these bans and why they are often misleading. To Do: - If you are in Washington County, OR, please vote NO on measure 34-314 on the May 2022 ballot and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. If you live outside Washington County but know voters inside it, please reach out to make sure they vote.  Go to FlavorsHookOregonKids.org to learn more. - Post on social media and consider writing an Op-Ed about why you support a ban on flavored nicotine products. - Find out if there is a flavor ban being considered in your county or state, and do what you can to support it. - Write to your members of Congress and ask them to take action against flavored nicotine at the national level. - Learn more about flavored tobacco, the history of menthol and targeting of the black community, as well as other tactics by Big Tobacco by listening to the podcast episode “A Heartbreaking Trap” and reading accompanying materials here. -  Learn more about health effects of e-cigarettes in the podcast episode “Gambling with Your Lungs” and reading more here. Learn more about the impact of flavors here. - Learn more about how you or a loved one can break free of the nicotine habit here. - Donate to the American Lung Association to help amazing people like Carrie keep advocating for the health of our communities. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org.

Those of you who listen to this podcast know that my main slogan is “Don’t light things on fire and breathe them into your lungs.” But what about when we cook with fire with gas stoves? Today I am joined by Dr. Laura Paulin MD, MHS of Dartmouth College who researches this very topic. She has studied the impact of indoor air quality in homes and studying home interventions aimed at decreasing indoor nitrogen dioxide concentrations. She has studied indoor particulate matter and NO2 exposures and asthma outcomes as well as their impact on others with lung disease and pregnant women.  She has published multiple articles in leading respiratory and environmental journals, and currently serves on the Environmental Health Policy Committee of the American Thoracic Society. Today we talk about gas stoves, their health impacts, and what to do if you are one of the 35% of American homes using gas stoves. To Do- especially if a member of the Twitchy Airways Club 1- If you are looking for a new home or thinking of a change of kitchen, electric is likely a better choice than gas for the health of your family and community. 2- If you already have a gas stove, think through your options. If you have the means to replace it, consider doing so. Obviously, multiple variables go into that decision. If you can’t, make sure to ventilate as best you can. If you have a hood, run it on its highest setting, ensure it ventilates to the outdoors, and try to use the back burners. Consider using an air filter with a carbon component to absorb NO2. 3- Contact your county, state and national representatives and advocate for policies to reduce the use of gas in indoor settings or help people transition away from gas while keeping energy and cooking costs clean and affordable. This is likely a complex issue that will require multiple stakeholders, but it is important to be a voice for health. 4- Consider a donation to the American Thoracic Society, who works hard to support research into clean air and to inform policy around the importance of clean air. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.

Dr Franziska J. Rosser  is a lung doctor for children at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and an asthma researcher. She has studied the impact of the Air Quality Index on hospitalization of children. Many doctors concerned about air quality struggle with how to balance advice to get outside and exercise with concern about ensuring we don’t overdose ourselves or our families on pollution, which we often cannot see or smell. If you have struggled with this, this is the episode for you! We discuss honestly what is known and what is unknown about the AQI, and how to navigate the uncertainty. To Do: (Especially members of the Twitchy Airways Club) 1- Download the AirNow app or become familiar with AirNow.Gov. 2- Pay attention to the AQI, and when it is in the yellow or orange category and you or your child is active outside, pay attention to whether you or your child coughs more in the days following. Discuss your observations with your doctor or your child’s pediatrician. 3- Learn more about redlining and impacts by listening to the podcast with Vivek Shandas. 4- Listen about one person’s story with asthma growing up in a previously red-lined district by listening to Ashia Allen, a patient of mine. 5- If you smoke and have kids, do what you can to quit! If you need help, you can find more in the resources on this post, or by listening to the podcast episode with Brandy Carpenter. 6- Donate to the American Thoracic Society, working to fund important research about air quality and health. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.

On this podcast, I talk to Dr. Dan Costa, who has his doctorate in toxicology and occupational health toxicology and occupational health. He has worked for the Department of Energy in the Brookhaven National Laboratory conducting research on the impact of fossil fuel related air pollutants on the lung and heart. He also served at the Environmental Protection Agency for over 34 years, conducting research on health science to inform critical policy questions. For his last 12 years at the EPA, he was the National Program Director for research on air, climate and energy issues. Today we talk about PM2.5, the history of understanding its impact on health, and the short and long-term standards.  To Do: 1- Find out about the short and long term PM2.5 levels where you live. Review the American Lung Association's State of the Air report. 2- Make it a habit to check Airnow.gov to help determine when it is safe for you to exercise. 3- Avoid exercising by busy roads at rush hour- try to commute by bike or walk on less-trafficked paths if you can. Find parks or other “clean air islands” for play and exercise 4- Don’t contribute to PM2.5 if you can help it. Avoid burning things in your home, don’t burn decorative fires, don’t burn garbage or leaves to dispose of them. I guarantee my patients will thank you. 5- Consider a donation to the American Lung Association to support their work for healthy air for everyone. Please Note- due to the omicron surge and heavier clinical burden, I am only releasing one podcast for the month of February. February 14th seemed appropriate, because the best gift you can give yourself and loved ones is a healthy heart by decreasing PM2.5! Please be sure to get your COVID19 vaccine and booster if you are eligible and have not already done so!  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.

Enero es el Mes de Acción del Radón y hoy explico qué es el radón y como puede quedar atrapado en los edificios y aumentar a niveles insalubres. Como médico de pulmón que atiende a pacientes con cáncer de pulmón, definitivamente he visto que no preguntamos lo suficiente sobre la exposición al radón en los hogares, especialmente si alguien alquila una casa y no la posee.  ¿Cómo aumentamos la conciencia sobre el radón y reducimos los riesgos en la población?  La salud pública es muy importante.  Así que para este Mes de Acción del Radón, hablo con Mateo Olmos, un estudiante de salud pública de Oregon State University que está trabajando para llegar a comunidades que a veces están menos conscientes de las amenazas a su salud. 1- Asegúrese de que su casa se someta a pruebas de radón.  Puede encontrar pruebas que cuestan entre $ 10 y $ 30 o contratar a un profesional.  Ocasionalmente, hay kits gratuitos o de precio reducido de organizaciones como la Asociación Americana del Pulmón o la autoridad de salud local (el sitio tiene opción a traducir a español).  Quiere que su nivel sea menor que el límite de acción de la EPA de 4.0 pCi / L o mejor aún, el límite de la OMS de 2.7 Pci / L. 2- La EPA estima que alrededor de 1 de cada 5 escuelas pueden tener niveles elevados de radón.  Averigüe si su escuela ha sido examinada para detectar radón y si los niveles son superiores a 4.0 Pci / L, si se ha mitigado. 3- Mire y comparta el excelente video educativo breve de Mateo sobre la importancia de las pruebas de radón (está en inglés). Puede aprender mas sobre radón con el sitio de EPA en español. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visite el blog para mas información, o vaya a airhealthourhealth.org. Sigueme y comente en Facebook e Instagram. Grabe su pregunta o comentario en el sitio de Anchor o mandame un e-mail.

January is Radon Action Month. By the time someone meets me in the clinic with a lung cancer, it is too late for the intervention that should have taken place years before. How do we increase awareness about radon and reduce the risks in the population? This is exactly where the field of public health is so important, so for this Radon Action Month, I wanted to highlight two individuals in the public health pipeline- a teacher and student of public health. I am joined by Dr. Karen Elliott of Oregon State University as well as Mateo Olmos, one of her students. To Do: - Ensure your home is tested for radon– test every 2 years if you have not mitigated radon and after home upgrades. More information here - Watch and share Mateo’s video educating about the importance of radon testing and action. - The EPA estimates around 1 in 5 schools may have elevated radon levels in at least one  frequently-occupied room. Find out if your child’s school has been tested for radon and whether it has been mitigated, particularly if close to or over the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L - If you are a health professional, learn more about patient outreach with this guide to radon. - For more on the science of radon and how we know it causes cancer, listen to last year’s January podcast with Professor Bill Fields. - To hear a personal story about someone affected by radon, listen to the podcast with the home inspector Will Graff on Season 1 episode 22. - Learn more about the Northwest Radon Coalition here, and consider a donation to the American Lung Association here. References EPA Resources on Radon American Lung Association Radon Resources ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.

In this episode, I share my thoughts about COVID while we are in the season of Advent, a time to look for hope in the darkness. I also provide some resources on what to consider for your holiday gatherings. Happy Holidays! Will be back in 2022! To Do: 1- Encourage loved ones to be vaccinated. For more on the science behind vaccines, listen to Episode 3 with Dr. Gigi Gronvall. For more on how to have those conversations, listen to Episode 4 with Destiny Aman and a behavioral science perspective. 2- Think about the 4D’s of safe shared air- Density, Distance, Duration and Dilution. For more information, listen to Episode 8 of this season with Ken Martinez. 3- Consider a rapid home test for COVID on the same day of planned gatherings with family. They are helpful at catching folks most likely to be spreading virus. 4- Please donate to the American Lung Association. They do great work on clean air, education, and COVID19 safety. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.

Today, I am delighted to be joined by Ken Martinez, who is a certified Industrial Hygienist and Environmental Engineer with a long and illustrious career in biosecurity and research. His career has spanned over 33 year with the CDC, responding to crises such as the first SARS1 outbreak in Toronto, responding to the World Trade Center collapse, working on anthrax, multi-drug resistant TB and more. He shares what we have learned from responding to previous biological threats and pandemics, and how we can apply them now. We talk today about the “4 Ds” of keeping air safe- Density, Distance, Duration, and Dilution. In addition to vaccination, we talk about what is known and what is unproven in terms of indoor air cleaning technology. In particular, we talk about technology such as chemical foggers, ionizers, and hydroxyl radical generators, which have been heavily marketed to schools and homes across the country. I have received pitches for these myself, and understanding what is actually proven vs unproven technology is helpful. To Do- 1- Remember the “Four Ds”- Density, Duration, Distance, and Dilution in your upcoming holiday gatherings. Encourage anyone who is not vaccinated who is eligible to be vaccinated. Listen to earlier podcast episodes this season on how to have those conversations. 2-  Commit to Care to reduce COVID spread by checking out the post on the website for information on how to optimize both HVAC and portable air filters for indoor safety. 3- Do you already have a portable air cleaner? If so, check to see whether it is a filter that is removing particles from the air, like a certified HEPA filter, vs something that is adding something to the air, such as ionizing technology or hydroxyl radical generation. Until we know more, focus on removing particles from the air and ventilating well rather than introducing new things into your air. Learn more about selecting and sizing an air filter for your space- this post is geared for wildfire concerns, but has information about air filters in references. 4- Find out what air “cleaners” are being used in your school, church and home. If they are using ionizing technology and hydroxyl radical generators, ask whether the device has been studied in occupied spaces. You can also reach out to me, and I can try to put you in touch with scientists who are interested in studying the effectiveness of this technology in the real world. 5- Learn more about school and home air safety with COVID19 by listening to the episode “The Air Kids Share” with Dr. Olsiewski of Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. 6- Consider a donation to IBEC to help them in their work to make the air in our schools, churches and workplaces safer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.

Ritney Castine joins me today to talk kids, tobacco, and flavors, and also about the time he had to lobby a smoking Senator and future President! He is the former Managing Director of Community and Youth Engagement at Truth Initiative, a Washington, DC-based public health organization and also the former Director of Youth Advocacy at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. He currently works with Center for Black Health and Equity, and is a fellow podcaster as a cohost of the Black Body Health podcast. He is the youth pastor at Trinity Church in Gonzales, LA, and we dive into what we can do as parents, communities, and churches to help break free of tobacco. To Do: 1- Advocate for flavor bans and menthol bans in your community. Often these can be done at the county level. I have advocated for this in my own county, and a neighboring county recently passed a flavor ban. Remember, Big Tobacco may show up in insidious ways to fight back, but don’t be intimidated. 2- Contact your members of Congress to continue to pressure the FDA to move forward with regulating mentholated tobacco and vape products. Learn more at Centerforblackhealth.org for more on the importance of a menthol ban and important history, or check out the Black Body Health podcast- episodes 4, 10 and 17 to learn more. 3- Talk to your kids about how flavored tobacco and vape products are designed to hook them. Learn more about how to have these conversations at Flavorshookkids.org. Maybe your kid would like to be a youth ambassador against tobacco in their peers. 4- Consider a donation to Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids or the Center for Black Health and Equity, who have been working to help keep kids and communities free of addiction. 5- If you are part of a faith community, consider engaging in a No Menthol Sunday next May to educate about tobacco’s toll on the sanctity of life and how Big Tobacco preys on many of the most vulnerable. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit blog post for more information, or go to airhealthourhealth.org. Follow and comment on Facebook page and Instagram. Record a question or comment on the Anchor podcast site or send an e-mail via the website.