Breathing Easier During the Summer Months

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Breathing Easier During the Summer Months

WVLT - Knoxville,TN

http://www.volunteertv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5072084

Knoxville (WVLT) - It smacks you in the face as soon as you step

outside, the hot, humid, stagnant air settled into the Tennessee

Valley.

It's not only uncomfortable, it can be harmful to your health.

Medical Reporter Jessa Goddard has more on the problems this air can

cause and how you can breathe easier.

Extreme heat and humidity, combined with stagnant air conditions and

the ozone levels that typically rise between may and october, and

it's not only unpleasant... It's sometimes dangerous to be outdoors.

As your body adjusts, certain changes take place... You breathe

faster, your heart beats more rapidly, your blood pressure and body

temperature also rise.

" The heat's hard on people, particularly with chronic lung disease,

people that are outside working, not getting enough liquids, getting

a little dehydrated and some mild heat exhaustion, " Parkwest

Emergency Room Doctor Barry Cummings says he regularly treats people

suffering from heat cramps to heat exhaustion to heat stroke.

But it's not just the heat that's on in East Tennessee.

" The humidity plays a big part, too. And with the still air and the

humidity we have increased toxins and allergens in the air too,

which affects some people, " says Dr. Cummings.

Compounding the problem is East Tennessee's geography. It's a hot

bed for mold spores that get stuck in the valley.

" We have some mold in this area, being down in the valley we don't

get quite enough wind to flow through here. If you have the same

amount of heat on a beach or someplace where you've got a lot of

breeze, it feels cooler, " says Dr. Cummings.

Long-term, repeated exposure to high levels of ozone can lead to a

reduction in lung function, inflammation of the lung lining and

increased respiratory discomfort.

The environmental protection agency estimates five to 20 percent of

the US population is particularly susceptible to the harmful effects

of ozone air pollution.

Air conditioning is your best method of protection.

If you don't have air conditioning, spend time in public facilities,

such as libraries and malls.

Schedule strenuous actities in the early morning and evening hours

when its cooler.

And of course, drink fluids regularly.