Smoke in the air

It looks like I’m spending the day inside. There’s a haze in the air from Canadian wildfires. I went to bring in the trash cans this morning and just that short trip has me clearing my throat and coughing.

To help clear my lungs I use a vibrating massage vest. I try to remember to use it occasionally even if I’m not wheezy since it helps me breathe a bit better from shaking things loose. I end up using it a lot in the winter. The movement out into the cold and back into the heat causes blood vessels in the airways to dilate which leads to swelling and constriction.

It would also help if I exercised a bit more. When moving around the lungs get a workout just as much as the muscles. When we “burn” fat there is heat generated, but the fat also has to be physically and chemically processed. It is broken down into carbon and water – 16% of that fat is converted to water and the other 84% is exhaled through the lungs.

So I’m staying inside to protect my lungs as best I can.