Wildfire Smoke Season

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, "Wildfires are unplanned fires that occur in wildlands such as forest, rangelands or grasslands. These extreme events are common in the Western U.S., usually occurring in summer and fall. Wildfire season is defined by the dates of the first large fire and the last large fire control. Since the 1970s, the wildfire season in western states has extended from 5 months to over 7 months in length."

There are ways to mitigate your exposure when you live in an area prone to wildfires:

Stay Safe Indoors

• Close up your home: Keep all windows and doors tightly shut.

• Filter the air: Run a portable HEPA air cleaner or set your HVAC system to use high-efficiency filters.

• Make a clean room: Choose one room with no fireplace and few windows to set up an air purifier and stay there when you're inside.

• Avoid extra pollution: Do not burn candles, (this is something I stopped doing years ago!) do not use gas stoves, smoke, or vacuum, as these add particles to the indoor air.

Protect Yourself Outside

• Wear the right mask: Use a tight-fitting N95 or KN95 mask. Simple paper or cloth masks do not block fine smoke particles, much like they don't block the virus that causes COVID, but that's a conversation for another day!

• Skip workouts: Do not exercise outside or do heavy work when the air quality is bad.

• Seal your car: Roll up car windows and turn on the air conditioner using the recirculate button.

And, of course, there are herbs to soothe irritated respiratory tracts! This tea recipe is from one of my favorite herbalists, Rosalee De La Foret at Herbs with Rosalee. I'm typing it exactly as it appears on her website, go check out her content.

Smoke Season Tea

A demulcent, heart-supportive tea for smoky days. It works on three fronts at once: soothing irritated respiratory tissue, offering steady support to the heart, and helping settle a nervouse system carrying the weight of it all. Sip it slowly through the day and let it be a small point of comfort while you wait for clearer skies.

Ingredients

• 10 grams dried hawthorn berries (Crataegus spp.)

• 3 grams dried hibiscus calyx (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

• 5 grams dried plantain leaf (Plantago major)

• 5 grams dried linden (Tilia spp.)

• 3 grams dried holy basil (Ocimum sanctum)

• 16 ounces water

Directions

1. Place the hawthorn berries and hibiscus in a pan. Add the water.

2. Bring to a low simmer and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat. Add the plantain, linden, and holy basil. Cover and steep for 5 minutes.

4. Strain well. Add honey or your sweetener of choice as desired. Drink hot or cold within 24 hours.

Yield: 1 serving, can be sipped throughout the day

A note on safety: this tea is made from gentle, food-like herbs and is considered safe for most people. If you have a diagnosed heart condition or take heart or blood pressure medication, check with your doctor or a clinical herbalist first.

Let me know in the comments if you make this tea and how you liked it. I'm making some today even though I'm not near a wildfire at this time. I feel like these herbs support general lung health and, as a Respiratory Therapist, I'm exposed to lung baddies at work! My respiratory system can use all the protection I can offer it.