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💇‍♂️ Protect Yourself From Poor Air Quality

THE health and wellness newsletter

Author

James Kratch
April 26, 2024

Welcome back to Optimize Me — the health and wellness newsletter for evidence-based advice on how to 🥦 eat better, 🏋️ workout smarter, and 🧑‍💻 be more productive.

In today’s send: Notes on grappling with poor air quality, evolving consensus on daily aspirin usage, a fascinating new study, and some supermarket strategy.

Let’s get to it!

💇‍♂️ Air on the side of caution

As you read this, there is a 40% chance you do so surrounded by unhealthy air.

That statement is courtesy of the American Lung Association, which released its annual State of the Air report this week. About 131M people in the U.S. live in places where the air is above healthy ozone and particle pollution levels, almost 12M more than a year ago.

The combination of drought, higher temperatures and wildfire has worsened conditions, even amid stricter government standards and long-term efforts to improve air quality. And there is no indication things will be much better this summer, leading to more burning eyes, runny noses, labored breathing and other symptoms.

Air pollution is believed to hasten tens or even hundreds of thousands of deaths nationally yearly. Long-term exposure can exacerbate or lead to conditions like allergies, asthma, bronchitis and cardiovascular disease

You can see where your community stands using this comparison portal. What can you do to protect yourself if the air is unhealthy where you live? Here are some tips:

  • Check the air quality index (AQI) where you live each day. The higher the AQI value, the more polluted the air is. AQI readings help you determine how to proceed with your day and preventative measures to consider.

  • If the AQI where you live is above 150, experts recommend avoiding unnecessary time outside, such as exercising or running errands, until the AQI improves. And if you have to be outside, you should dig out that N-95 mask you have left over from the pandemic -- it is more effective against small particles in the air.

  • If you opt to stay indoors, make sure you minimize exposure. Close all doors and windows and place a damp towel on any cracks in your windows to limit airflow. Central air conditioning should have air filters; air purifiers are also a good idea. If you are driving, make sure the air inside your car is recirculating rather than pulling air from outside into the cabin.

  • Be smart. Eco-friendly utilities in your home can reduce substances in your immediate air. A high AQI day is not the time to burn all those documents in your fireplace, too. And avoid tobacco smoke.

  • Certain household chores should also be put on hold, like dusting and vaccuuming. Wet mopping and cleaning with machines that have special filters is less likely to send substances into your air.

  • Use moisturizer and stay hydrated. That will keep particles out of your pores and prevent dry skin. You can mask smells with essential oils or strong-scented lip products.

  • If you have to spend time outside, take a bath or shower once you get back inside to address any pollutants that may have stuck to your hair or skin.

🥦 The aspirin chronicles

It has been over 30 years since aspirin became part of many daily routines. A 1988 study found a 44% drop in the rate of heart attack among males ages 40-84 who took aspirin regularly, so its usage became conventional wisdom, even for a wide swath of people who were never explicitly instructed to do so by their doctors.

The worm has since turned. More recent studies have found aspirin's efficacy in preventing cardiovascular disease from being far more modest -- about 10% -- while regular usage was linked to significant risk increases for severe internal bleeding since aspirin impacts blood clotting or hemorrhagic stroke.

So what changed? And what are the best practices for men today as they age?

  • Previous guidelines suggested all adults ages 50-59 should take low-dose aspirin daily, with adults 60-69 continuing if they were at elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. The recommendations are a bit hazier now. Some experts say adults ages 40-59 can take aspirin if they are at elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, but no one over age 60 should. Others say patients can continue taking aspirin in their 60s.

  • Most doctors say patients not at risk for problematic bleeding can continue to take aspirin. Patients who have already had cardiovascular issues should also stick with it as a preventative measure against future occurrences.

  • Researchers now believe the benefits prescribed to regular aspirin usage may have actually been the result of other activities that encourage cardiac well-being. Fewer Americans smoke nowadays, diet and exercise have improved and doctors are better equipped to treat hypertension/high blood pressure.

  • There have been advances in new aspirin-like drugs that appear to provide cardiovascular benefits without the bleeding profile downsides. But those drugs are still in trials and have been tested on people with existing cardiovascular issues, not the general population.

Also worth noting: Aspirin has been found to provide preventative health benefits beyond the heart. Daily aspirin has been linked to reducing the risk of colorectal cancer and reoccurrence of polyps, and some research suggests it reduces general cancer risk, especially gastrointestinal forms.

The bottom line: Always consult with a doctor. People who have allergies, clotting disorders or ulcer history likely should not take aspirin, But the higher your risk factor for cancer or cardiovascular issue, the greater the benefits of daily aspirin usage are compared to the bleeding risk. And if you are already taking a daily aspiring, do not stop without talking to a doctor, as that can also present health risks.

💪 A different type of gender gap

You are less likely to die if your doctor is a female, according to a new study. Especially if you are also female.

  • Researchers at UCLA examined claims data from over 700K Medicare patients from 2016-19. The mortality rate for female patients when being treated by a female physician was 8.15%. The mortality rate while being treated by a male physician was 8.38%.

  • Yes, that seems like a negligible difference. But it is clinically significant one by research standards, according to the study's authors. They noted the findings with male patients were far less conclusive -- 10.15% mortality rate with female doctors, 10.23% with males.

  • The female patients of female doctors were also less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of a stay, with a 15.51% rate compared to 16.01% with male doctors. Male patients again had statistically irrelevant differences when comparing physician gender.

The findings mesh with past studies, but the authors said more research is needed into mechanisms that cause different patient outcomes, as the current findings are relatively anecdotal. The study also needs to be replicated with younger patients, as this research involved older adults who already had conditions that required hospitalization. But there are some hypotheses, both from this research and past efforts.

  • The study suggests continued emphasis on increasing the ranks of female physicians is necessary given the results.

  • Female patients may be less likely to have their concerns heard and more likely to have delayed diagnoses, especially when their providers are male. Female patients may also feel more comfortable being forthcoming with female doctors.

  • Female doctors may be more prone to providing patient-centered care and fostering strong communication than male doctors, as well as ordering testing and spending time with patients.

The study is not a call to change your doctor, researchers said, but to reflect on what you are looking for in a doctor.

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