Wildfire Smoke Is Poisonous. Take It Seriously, But Don’t Let It Run Your Life

Particulate pollution, especially those of 2.5 microns or smaller — has been demonstrated to cause, promote, or aggravate numerous serious health effects including inflammation and specific syndromes involving the immune system, diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, cancer, cardiovascular disease as well as neurological and psychological maladies.

A recent study found wildfire smoke loaded with numerous hazardous chemical and carcinogens including Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, butenes, phenol, isoprene and pinenes

Smoke can also affect the results of scientific studies.

This ad-free article is made possible by the financial support of the Center for Research on Environmental Chemicals in Humans. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation for continued research.

Indoor pollution help

If you do not have a HEPA HVAC system, this small device works well. It has a carbon pre-filter to help remove smoke odors and a HEPA filter for particulates. We found that a small unit can keep a 400 square-foot room at a healthy level. We have five of them in our home.

This article was written by Lewis Perdue, Chairman of the Center for Research on Environmental Chemicals in Humans, Co-Principal Investigator of the Stealth Syndromes Human Study and Co-Founder, of the Stealth Syndromes Project

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Exposure to airborne fine particulate matter is associated with impaired endothelial function and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation

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Air pollution and inflammation in type 2 diabetes: a mechanism for susceptibility

Inflammatory and oxidative stress responses of healthy young adults to changes in air quality during the Beijing Olympics

Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease

Associations of Short-Term and Long-Term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollutants With Hypertension

Associations between ambient air pollution and blood markers of inflammation and coagulation/fibrinolysis in susceptible populations

Fine Particulate Air Pollution (PM2.5) and the Risk of Acute Ischemic Stroke