Tips for Dealing with Smokey & Stressful Times

This article was originally written in 2020. It stands just as relevant today, as it will tomorrow. With climate change, and this country’s historic fire suppression techniques, we are bound to continue to see catastrophic wildfires. With fires, comes smoke, displaced families, loss of wildlife & habitat, burning of sacred sites, loss of ground cover that prevents mud & landslides, and so much more.

I want to take a moment to honor and thank all the wildland fire fighters out there, working hard to contain these fires. The work is hard - from digging fire line, sawing through brush, night shifts to mop-up. So much mop-up… It’s hard to believe this was an environment I worked in for six fire seasons myself.

How do we “take care” in times like these?

Here are a few tips for dealing with smoky & stressful times

1. Drink water - When you think you have drank enough, drink more. Sometimes, in really hot & dry environments, it is important to have a bit of salt & sugar present with water to allow the cells to “drink up” and hydrate. This can look like adding some sea salt & honey or fruit juice to water (a natural Gatorade), or making smoothies, juices, soups & broths.

2. Get your antioxidants – Vitamins A, C, E, beta carotene, lycopene, selenium. The vegetables & fruits that are red, orange, yellow, green, blue & purple. Berries. Frozen berries are my favorite right now, right out of the freezer and into a bowl. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, an important mineral needed in the detoxification pathways. Vitamin / Electrolyte packets are really helpful (also rich in antioxidants). Whenever I was out working on a fire, I would add electrolyte packets to water daily.

3. Liver & Heart supportive foods – These foods include the Brassica plant family (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, radishes, turnips, maca), citrus, garlic & onion plant family, beets, artichokes, Brazil nuts, berries, and lots of fiber.

4. Herbs and plants that help lower toxic burden on the body - Tulsi / holy basil, milk thistle seed, dandelion root, cilantro, parsley, sesame seeds, seaweeds, turmeric root, flaxseeds

5. Close the windows - It sometimes feels like a debate - which is better? Airing out the house and getting “fresh air” or closing it up to prevent smoke from entering the house. Smoke will settle into materials in your house. If the presence of smoke is visible, it is best to close up the house as best as you can.

6. Reduce your activity time outdoors.

7. Air filtration devices - If you have an air filter, now is a good time to turn it on.

7 1/2.  Did I mention hydrate?

8. Reduce further burden on the body – Smoky days are good days to avoid other stressors to the body like sugar, processed foods, any known food sensitivities or allergies, alcohol, tobacco, chemicals in beauty & cleaning products, or too much time on social media.

9. Reduce exercise intensity - Did you know exercise adds stress to the body during and immediately after? Rather than intense exercise on extremely smoky days, opt for some other gentle methods of movement & self care such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, journaling, music, dancing, art, and bathing. I also highly recommend utilizing creative forms of expression ~ dance, song, music & art ~ as a way to release grief, fear and anger about climate change and the state of the world… an act of resistance, creativity & prayer.

In Gratitude & Appreciation,

Dr. Sarah Sue

Brins Fire, Oak Creek Canyon, 2016

10. On smokey days like these, can you let go of expectations & be a bit more gentle with yourself? - Prioritize basic self care, essential responsibilities and ask yourself, “Does this need to be done right now? Can it wait?” Grant yourself grace.

Notice your self talk. Can it be kinder? How about just simply more neutral?

The medicine / energy of the lungs is about grief and letting go.

It is common for emotions of fear, sadness, grief, anger & resentment to surface when the lungs are being physically challenged. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling any or all of the above. It is simply being human. It is also the nature of the lungs… to release and let go, just like an exhale or a sigh.

Can you allow yourself space to feel & process what is coming up?

Ask yourself, “Just like an exhale, can I allow this thing to move through and be released?”

11. Remember & thank your local firefighters...

I want to take a moment to honor this lineage of people who have committed their time, energy, careers and even lives to fighting forest fires. I honor the many firefighters, and their families, who have lost their lives, on the line, over the years, including the 9 Prineville Hotshots and 3 Smokejumpers who were burned over on Storm King Mountain, in 1994. We shall never forget.

I also want to honor Lance Honda, my 2006 Prineville Hotshots crew foreman. He passed away in 2021. He taught me many things ~ working hard, showing up, how to properly dig fire line, not be scared of pain, and how to be accountable in communication by saying what you mean and nothing else. He taught me that is okay to not be liked by everyone. He was not scared to be himself. Sometimes, he rubbed people the wrong way because of this. Sometimes, he connected to people in an unexpectedly deep way, because of this. When we are in integrity, we won’t please everyone. He would remind me, “What someone thinks of you, says nothing about you, and everything about them.” A lesson I will never, ever forget.

He truly saw me & my light, before I ever really recognized it myself. A lesson I am continuing to learn…

Prineville Hotshots, 2010