It’s been about three weeks now that most parts of Sydney have been blanketed in a layer of thick smoke, and what begs to be answered is, how can we best look after ourselves whilst living with the conditions of ongoing bush fire pollution.
Your typical signs and symptoms of prolonged smoke exposure can be sore sinuses and throat, an irritable cough which can also become chesty, sore lymph nodes, headaches, irritability, increased fatigue and dehydration.
Whilst long standing exposure to smoke is not ideal for our physical health, we are now, three weeks in, also getting to a point where being constantly surrounded by smoke day in and day out, is also affecting our mental and emotional well-being. It has become a bit of a dire strait, and true to the Aussie spirit many of us are conscious of the fact that in comparison to those who are directly affected by the fires, city dwellers don’t have much to complain about. However, there is absolutely nothing wrong in doing what one can to support one’s well-being in these testing times.
When it comes to pollutants, the best way we can protect our health is to focus on keeping our bodies more alkaline and support swift cellular rejuvenation by consuming foods that are rich in antioxidants. Our immune system and detoxification processes of our body are heavily reliant on our microbiome and lymphatic system, so it is crucial that we look after these as well. This can be done by ensuring hydration, good mineral and electrolyte levels and consuming specific strains of flora.
The way we exercise may also need to be changed for the time being, to something less aerobic and within facilities that can offer recycled filtered clean air.
Below are some quick adjustments you can adopt, to support yourself and your loved ones.
*Consume plant based and freshly squeezed juices and whipped smoothies, that are rich in dark leafy greens and berries.
*Have filtered water with a pinch of sea salt and lemon, or added colloidal electrolytes.
*Eat salads and raw foods.
*Focus on superfoods, fruit and vegetables that have strong colours such as blue, purple, pink and dark green.
*Opt for good quality green tea instead of coffee.
*Drink organic herbal teas such as calendula, echinacea and ginger to support your lymphatic system.
*When in doubt, always have turmeric.
*Eat more vegetables as a source of fiber.
*Consume probiotics derived from human flora in a high CFU.
*Do more yoga, meditation and walking.
*Get some extra rest at night and make time to just be.
*Go for a massage and or lymphatic drainage.
*Have magnesium salt baths.
*Keep plenty of indoor plants to improve air quality.
*Journal to help with stress levels.
*Avoid heavily (table) salted and processed foods.
*Avoid excessive dairy, wheat and red meat.
*Avoid excessive amounts of alcohol.
*Avoid excessive amounts of coffee.
*Avoid sweets.
*Avoid outdoor high intensity aerobic exercise.
*If possible, avoid unnecessary stressful situations and people.
Stay Safe Darlings
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