The Importance of Our Work Took Center Stage Last Week
Headlines across all local news outlets last week told a story UPHE has been warning against, as the Salt Lake Valley earned the worst air quality in the country, and residents struggled. Every issue we work on, we do so with the goal to protect the health of Utah residents, and most of those link to air quality.
We shared tips on how to protect yourself from the severe inversion pollution we faced, and are still facing. Avoiding outdoor exercise is an unfortunate reality to protect your health during the inversion. If you do need to be outside, wearing an N95 mask can help reduce the impact of pollution. HEPA purifiers can help preserve your indoor environment.
Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce the inflammatory impacts of air pollution. Teas with ginger, peppermint, licorice root, thyme, and eucalyptus can help by reducing inflammation, clearing congestion, soothing throats, and acting as expectorants. We encourage you to focus on hydration, rest, and use steam/humidifiers to loosen mucus. Practicing breathing exercises like belly breathing can also help improve oxygen intake, and avoid triggers from air pollution.
UPHE’s Dr. Brian Moench spoke with Fox13 about the difference between the flu and air quality related symptoms. Symptoms can be felt quickly after air pollution begins to build, including headaches, sinus pain, cough, and nasal irritation. During flu season, these symptoms can sometimes be confused with a viral infection, but residents should take any respiratory changes, especially shortness of breath seriously.
Now, as the legislative session starts, we hope you’ll use the recent inversion as motivation to stand up and make your voice heard on everything connected to air quality because your family’s health depends on it. There are already proposals out there that could add even more air pollution to the Wasatch Front. Please stay involved and take action by contacting your representatives and making your priorities and story heard.