Love Your Lungs

For some people, February is a month to show your loved ones how much they mean to you. Whether you have a Valentine or not, we would like to encourage you to love your lungs this month – and every month! You can do this by abstaining from tobacco use, keeping the air quality clean through sustainable practices, and protecting your lungs from the harsh winter air and wildfire smoke pollution.

Quitting Tobacco

If you are a tobacco user, one of the most important things you can do to love your lungs is to eliminate tobacco use. Quitting tobacco and nicotine use is incredibly difficult due to the addictive qualities of nicotine. According to the Mayo Health Clinic, fewer than 1 in 10 adults successfully quit smoking each year (Mayo Health Clinic). However, over time, 60% of smokers who try to quit, usually more than once, are successful. Committing, and recommitting, to your lung health and quit journey is the ultimate act of love for your lungs!

While quitting tobacco is incredibly hard, it’s never too late to start or restart! There are a wide variety of free resources to help you love your lungs and quit tobacco use.
Local to Sacramento County?

• Free “quit kits” can be obtained from Sacramento County Tobacco Education Program by calling 916-875-5869
• Pucci’s Pharmacy in East Sacramento also offers tobacco cessation counseling and nicotine replacement therapy options through health plans and can be reached at 916-442-5891.
• Kaiser Permanente members can access free health education at 916-688-2428 and phone cessation counseling in English and Spanish at 1-866-251-4514.
• UC Davis Health System members can access a free Quit Tobacco Program at https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-education/
• Sutter Health Plus members can access nicotine replacement therapy options by talking to their Primary Care Provider

KickItCalifornia is a completely free resource open to all individuals 13 and older who live in California. KickItCA offers free, customized one-on-one coaching grounded in science to develop personal quit plans with a coach. You can use their app, texting services, or phone services to access support. They offer services in English and Spanish, as well as an Asian Smoker’s Helpline. Check out all of the options KickItCA offers at https://kickitca.org/ or get started by texting “Quit Smoking” or “Quit Vaping” to 66819.

For support outside of California, the National Cancer Institute created https://smokefree.gov/. Smokefree.gov offers specific services for veterans, women, teens, and for individuals who are 60+ (all of this in both English and Spanish). Through Smokefree.gov, you can build a quit plan, access 24/7 text support programs, learn about nicotine replacement therapy options, access their app, and more services completely free.

A cessation support program, EX Program, was recently launched by Truth Initiative, after years of collaboration with the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center. The EX Program offers 24/7 support for experts and experienced quitters, with research showing that the program can increase your odds of quitting by up to 40%! Through employers, sponsors, and health plans, members can access quit medication like nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches.

Clean Transportation

Loving your lungs means not contributing to air pollution through tailpipe emissions. Utilizing clean transportation options helps reduce air pollutants, leading to happier and healthier lungs year-round. By choosing and advocating for active and clean transportation options we can elevate the importance of air quality. Make this month a reason to try transit, biking, walking or carpooling.

Have you tried one of the many electric vehicles (EV) out on the market? Opting for an electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid can significantly cut down on harmful pollutants compared to gas-powered cars. EVs produce zero emissions, reduce smog and improve overall air quality. Supporting policies and infrastructure for EV charging stations and better public transit helps create a cleaner, more breathable environment (U.S. Department of Energy).

Reducing and Recycling Food Scraps

Another way to make a difference is by composting organic waste. When our food scraps and other organic materials end up in the landfills, they release a potent greenhouse gas called methane. Methane contributes to climate change and worsens our air quality. The increased air pollution irritates lungs and worsens conditions like asthma, allergies, and other respiratory illnesses. By making the decision to reduce overall food waste and by sorting our waste, we can significantly reduce these harmful emissions.

Here are some tips on how to reduce food waste at home:

1. Plan your meals: Create a weekly meal plan and shopping list. Purchase ingredients you can use for multiple recipes.
2. Store Food Properly: Learn the best ways you can store fruits, veggies, and leftovers to keep them fresh longer. For example, cilantro lasts longer when placed in water. You can also pickle, or freeze produce before it goes bad!
3. Compost Scraps: Start a compost bin to keep organic waste out of landfills. You can even use them in your own garden! Remember, you can sort your food scraps wherever food waste is generated, like at restaurants, businesses, home, and schools (United States Environmental Protection Agency).

Cleaner air means healthier lungs, and every step we take towards sustainable practices, like supporting clean transportation and reducing food waste, is a step towards loving our lungs. You can learn more about our extensive air quality initiatives on our website at https://sacbreathe.org/what-we-do/air-quality/

Protection from Wildfire Smoke

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, wildfire smoke can lead to respiratory symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, wheezing, difficulty breathing and respiratory effects such as bronchitis, reduced lung function, and increased risk of asthma exacerbation and aggravation of other lung diseases, and increased emergency room visits and hospital admissions. Cardiovascular effects such as heart failure, heart attack, stroke; and increased risk of premature death can also result from exposure to wildfire smoke. There is no available research for long-term wildfire smoke exposure, yet (EPA). To decrease exposure to wildfire smoke, stay indoors as much as possible. If you must go outside, wear an N-95 mask. When you’re indoors, keep all doors and windows shut, wash any clothes or skin that has been exposed to smoke. Use an air filter and keep your space clean (South Coast AQMD)

Staying Healthy

It is especially important to take care of your lungs during the winter months, when the air is colder and dryer. This can be irritating to lungs and our airways, especially for those who have pre-existing conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or allergies. To make matters worse, exposure to pollutants like particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), Nitrogen Dioxide, and Volatile Organic Compounds can further irritate and inflame airways (think more exposure to wood-burning-fireplace-smoke or wildfire smoke during the winter months). For tips on how to love your lungs and help combat the effects of the dry winter air, check out these sources: (Zen Hospital) (American Lung Association).

Whether or not you use tobacco, participate in sustainable practices to reduce air pollution, or are not affected by wildfire smoke, take some time this month to give your lungs a little extra love! Aerobic activities like walking, running, jumping rope, biking, and hiking can strengthen lungs and supportive muscles, and increase oxygen levels in your blood. Exercises like diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing and pursed lip breathing can improve lung capacity over time, decrease feelings of anxiety and stress, and support conditions like asthma and COPD. As always, please consult a health professional if you experience trouble breathing.

Authors: Ellen Brickey, Nicole Grady, Sharon Kaur