PRESS RELEASE
1. Bushfire smoke can cause life-threatening inflammation throughout our bodies
2. Inflammation is bad not just for the old, the young or those with lung conditions, but for everyone, particularly for those with an existing health issue.
3. Eating oily fish helps with inflammation.
4. So even if we can't wear a mask all the time, there is something we can do to help our families.
Everyone needs to read the 11 points in Sections A and B below:
A - Alarming facts
B - A “fix"
C - Elaboration of A & B.
The horrifying Australian bushfires hide a potentially much greater calamity than what we are witnessing: that is one involving our health; and even more so, that of our children. It is essential that a major study of the health implications be added to the National post-crisis “To Do List”.
A. Some stark Key Facts
Air pollution particles including bushfire smoke alarmingly causes more wide-ranging, and serious, harm than we thought even for healthy people.
Particles spread from the lungs to damage every organ in our body, including the brain, and even our bones.
In addition to the direct toxicity of the particles, our immune system thinks the particles are bacteria, and triggers damaging inflammation which aggravates existing health conditions.
Air pollution also compromises our body’s ability to protect us from cancer and other diseases.
Worse still: children suffer more by receiving a higher dose of pollutants per kilogram weight, than adults.
It damages the DNA of children, for life.
Other childhood damage includes slowing cognitive development, increased risk of ADHD, Autism and schizophrenia, and the start of Alzheimers.
B. Counter-measures to air pollution, additional to avoidance
Omega-3 from oily fish affords some protection from the effects of air pollution.
To minimise Mercury etc, eat Australian freshwater farmed fish such as Perch, and avoid sea-sourced fish unless very small and low in the food chain, such as Sardines.
Reduce the amount of Omega-6 from processed foods and vegetable oil such as Palm Oil, and Canola as it negates the Omega-3, and aggravates inflammation.
Eat a Mediterranean Diet containing oily fish, along with vegetables, nuts and fruits high in Salicylic Acid (Aspirin) which triggers a boost in the inflammation resolving capabilities of Omega-3.
In addition to staying indoors, or wearing a at least a P2 or N95 face mask when out, consuming more fish high in Omega 3 provides additional protection from air pollution. However, the latter protection is less obvious, and less known, but there is no shortage of research supporting it. “Oily fish needs to be included in our air pollution defences", according to Simon Lewis of Sinch Health. “In fact, we need to go further still, and also reduce the amount of Omega 6 found in vegetable oils, as it typically aggravates the effects of air pollution.”
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Simon Lewis is the Founder & CEO of Sinch Health, providing research, communications and support services based in Sydney. He can be contacted on 0412 235 949.
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C. Details relating to A & B.
A1. More Harm
Australia’s drought and bushfires have added dust and smoke to East Coast cities’ pollution mix. The bad news about the bushfire air pollution crisis, is that it is much worse for us than we have been told, and contributes to spikes in hospital admissions following bad air days. A December 2019 Australian ABC Health Report item showed that it affects more than our lungs as hospital admissions for a range of afflictions not normally associated with pollution spiked on days of high air pollution.
"And the effects were seen at levels below what the World Health Organisation deems as safe."https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/healthreport/bushfires-air-quality-and-hospital-admissions/11755840
"Researchers from King’s College London revealed there are hundreds of extra cardiac arrests and strokes on days when air pollution levels spike.”https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/21/scores-more-heart-attacks-and-strokes-on-high-pollution-days-figures-show
A2. Particles Spread
Health advisors are misleading us by suggesting that we just need to be concerned with "the vulnerable” such as asthmatics, while the others are mainly at risk of minor issues due to being stuck inside. Everyone exposed to city pollution will have a year or two taken off their lifespan, while all those with just about any health issue is vulnerable. That is because the particles spread from the lungs to damage every organ much more extensively than we realised, and other surprising issues such as loss of bone mass.
For example, "particulate air pollution is relevant for bone health across a wide range of air pollution levels, including levels found in high income and low-and medium-income countries."https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200103/Exposure-to-air-pollution-associated-with-poor-bone-health.aspx
“ long-term exposure to air pollution could lead to significant changes in the brain (that) could eventually result in serious memory problems. The culprits in all of this are tiny particles measuring no more than 2.5 micrometers. They’re released into the air through car exhaust, the burning of wood, etc. Exposure to this kind of pollution can, over a long period of time, lead to many “silent strokes” that–while not resulting in any visible symptoms–could eventually have the same effect as one very serious stroke.https://m.activebeat.com/health-news/exposure-to-air-pollution-causes-dementia-study-suggests/
A3. Inflammation
Our immune system views the particles as bacteria and attacks them, causing harmful inflammation. So if any of our organs have an issue, the condition is aggravated by particle-triggered inflammation
"We discovered that fine particulate matter not only accumulates in the lungs but can also penetrate the pulmonary barrier and travel into other organs, including the brain, liver, spleen, kidney, and testis. These particles induced both pulmonary and systemic inflammation and increased oxidative stress."https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304416516305128
A4. Diseases
"New research has linked air pollution nanoparticles to brain cancer for the first time. … Toxic air has been linked to other effects on the brain, including huge reductions in intelligence, dementia and mental health problems in both adults and children. The World Health Organization says air pollution is a “silent public health emergency”https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/13/air-pollution-particles-linked-to-brain-cancer-in-new-research
Air pollution has been implicated in elevated risk of pulmonary and cardiovascular disease as well as brain conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke. … Air pollution may be contributing to glaucoma due to the constriction of blood vessels, which ties into air pollution's links to an increased risk of heart problems. Another possibility is that particulates may have a direct toxic effect damaging the nervous system and contributing to inflammation."https://www.news-medical.net/news/20191125/Air-pollution-associated-with-greater-risk-of-glaucoma.aspx
"We found there is at least a five per cent increase in the risk of deaths of Canadians when comparing between high- and low-pollution areas. This is concerning because millions of Canadians live in high-pollution areas and the aggregate impact is substantial."https://www.news-medical.net/news/20191125/Air-pollution-associated-with-increased-risk-of-deaths-in-Canada.aspx
And the converse is true: reducing air pollution save lives in just weeks.
“… policies and laws aimed at curbing emissions are often linked to reductions in hospitalisations, premature births, and deaths in just a few weeks after their enactment."https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2019/12/reducing-air-pollution-saves-lives-in-just-weeks-report-finds/
A5. Children more vulnerable
Children suffer more by receiving a higher dose of pollutants per kilogram weight, than adults.
"Their size and breathing rate means they are hit with a higher dose of pollutants per kilogram of body weight than adults. Also, natural barriers such as the blood–brain barrier and nasal, gut and lung linings can be compromised in children exposed to air pollution. This renders their brains more vulnerable to the entry of tiny particles, which enter through the lungs and nose."https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-problem-of-particulate-air-pollution/3010428.article
A6. DNA
And there is even more bad news: it would seem that the DNA of children could be damaged, and their immune systems compromised for life.
"... exposure to high levels of that tiny particulate matter, abbreviated as PM2.5, impairs the immune system of children. The Stanford University researchers tested the blood of 36 children exposed to wildfire smoke blown into Fresno in 2015 and found changes in a gene involved in the development and function of T cells, an important component of the immune system. The alteration made the gene less capable of producing T regulatory cells, potentially putting the children at greater risk of developing allergies or infection."https://www.wired.com/story/the-health-effects-of-wildfire-smoke-may-last-a-lifetime/
A7. Other damage
Other childhood damage includes slowing cognitive development, increased risk of ADHD, Autism and schizophrenia, and the start of Alzheimers. More recently, a study showed that increases in air pollution in childhood, increases the risk of schizophrenia.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-air-pollution-childhood-linked-schizophrenia.html
"Children in schools with more traffic pollutants had slower cognitive development.” … ‘The hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease are evolving relentlessly in metropolitan Mexico City infants, children and young adults,’
https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-problem-of-particulate-air-pollution/3010428.article
Counter-measures to air pollution additional to avoidance
B1. Omega-3 Protection
So air pollution means much more than inconvenience and a cough. But the good news is that recent research focussing on children found Omega-3 from oily fish affords some protection from the effects of air pollution.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304416516305128
Also, "that higher reported-intake of omega-3 was linked to reduced effects of indoor particulate matter on symptoms”, .... ‘Kids who were eating more omega-3’s seemed to be more resilient to the effects of particulate matter."
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/30/707991097/eating-fish-may-help-city-kids-with-asthma-breathe-better
A study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology found that omega-3 from fish oil has cardioprotective effects against airpollution in highly polluted areas in Shanghai.
https://www.pollution.news/2019-11-03-omega-3-protect-against-air-pollution.html
B2. Toxicity and Mercury
Eating oily fish that is safe is preferable to supplements as the body is always better able to utilise vitamins and minerals in the presence of whole foods. Ironically, air pollution also adds to the toxicity of sea-sourced food. Australian inland oily freshwater farmed fish such as Jade Perch from Queensland, and Silver Perch from NSW are generally much safer than sea-sourced fish. If eating sea-sourced fish, ensure they are small fish and low in the food chain, such as Sardines from South Australia. They should not have a build up of toxicity from Mercury etc found in larger fish higher up the food chain.
If your main source of fish is the sea, increase your consumption of Selenium from say Brazil Nuts as it helps neutralise fish-based Mercury, in part caused by …. air pollution from industry, volcanos and burning coal.
B3. Avoid Omega-6
Reduce the amount of Omega-6 from processed foods and vegetable oil such as Palm Oil, and Canola as it negates the Omega-3, and aggravates inflammation.
“Typically, Americans eat far more omega-6 acids compared to omega-3’s, and this was true of all the kids in the Baltimore study, too. And, the study found that children who consumed the most omega 6 fatty acids had more severe asthma symptoms.”https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/30/707991097/eating-fish-may-help-city-kids-with-asthma-breathe-better
B4. Mediterranean Diet
Eat a Mediterranean Diet as it has been voted the best diet by a panel of experts for the third year running.
https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/mediterranean-diet-revealed-as-best-by-nutritionists-for-third-year-running--c-634281
It contains oily fish, along with vegetables, nuts and fruits high in Salicylic Acid (Aspriin) which triggers a boost in the inflammation resolving capabilities of Omega-3.
“… increasing tissue omega-3 levels may be a promising nutritional means for reducing the risk of diseases induced by particle exposure.”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304416516305128
“... A U.S. study found that taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as aspirin, halved the effect of PM2.5 on lung function. The researchers, from Columbia University in New York, speculate that NSAIDs may reduce inflammation brought about by air pollution. Others warn, however, that aspirin isn’t suitable for everyone, including children.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7649811/Could-aspirin-day-halve-harming-effects-deadly-air-pollution.html
The Future
For a deep dive on the pioneering science involving inflammation from a potential Nobel Prize-winner:
"Specialized proresolving mediators (SPMs), identified in recent years, are endogenous mediators that include the n-3–derived families resolvins, protectins, and maresins, as well as arachidonic acid–derived (n-6) lipoxins, which promote resolution of inflammation, clearance of microbes, reduction of pain, and promotion of tissue regeneration via novel mechanisms. Aspirin and statins have a positive impact on these resolution pathways, producing epimeric forms of specific SPMs, whereas other drugs can disrupt timely resolution."https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.201601222R
Meanwhile, "The best strategy, of course, is to prevent or limit the spread of wildfires. In the meantime, deciphering their toll on human health has become an urgent priority.”
https://www.wired.com/story/the-health-effects-of-wildfire-smoke-may-last-a-lifetime/
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