54 CHATELAINE • APRIL/MAY 1019
When the air quality is poor, limit your time outdoors and
take it easy. When you’re resting, you breathe an average of
seven litres of air per minute; when you’re exercising, it can
climb to 100 litres. The less air you breathe, the less pollu-
tion you breathe. Drinking plenty of water can help your
body cope with inflammation.
At home, run a portable high-effi ciency particulate air (HEPA)
cleaner and put it in your bedroom at night. If you live in a region
threatened by forest fi res and have a central forced-air system,
it may be possible to install a HEPA fi lter. You can also spend
time in public places with good air fi ltration systems, such as
recreation centres, libraries and malls.
Henderson says masks aren’t recommended except for peo-
ple with outdoor occupations. Many masks aren’t designed to
fi lter out small particles, don’t fi t properly and can make it more
diffi cult to breathe. “People might put on a mask and think
they’re protected when they’re not,” Henderson says.Heat waves are wreaking havoc
You’ve seen the headlines: In 2009, there were more than
150 deaths from a heat wave in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, and in
2010 about 280 people in Quebec succumbed. Last year, another
90 people died in Quebec as a result of a July heat wave. The
annual death toll from extreme heat is only expected to rise.
“Climate change is projected to increase the severity and fre-
quency of extreme heat events,” says Peter Berry, a senior pol-
icy analyst and science advisor at Health Canada’s Climate
Change and Innovation Bureau. One study, published in the jour-
nal PLOS Medicine in 2018, predicted that Canada could see fi ve
times as many heat-related deaths between 2031 and 2080 com-
pared to statistics pulled from 1971 to 2015.
While there are diff erent defi nitions of what constitutes a
heat wave—three or more days of temperatures over 32C, for
example—studies show death rates increase when the mercury
rises above 25C. When your body heats up, your heart rate
increases to pump more blood to the skin’s surface to release
that heat , and you start to sweat. As your sweat evaporates, you
cool down. But if it’s too hot or humid, or if the conditions last
too long, your body gets stressed and its cooling system can
shut down. You may experience swelling, rashes, cramps, head-
ache and dizziness. Signs of heatstroke, which is a medical emer-
gency and can be fatal, include having a core temperature of
more than 40C, confusion and loss of consciousness.
Children and seniors are more at risk. (Kids’ bodies get to a
higher temperature before they start to sweat in comparison
to adults, while seniors often have decreased sweating ability
and are more susceptible to dehydration.)
Heat can exacerbate heart and respiratory conditions and
have mental health impacts; for example, studies show suicide
increases during hot weather. Women also have some unique
vulnerabilities. Research shows that heat waves increase the
incidence of intimate partner violence against women and the
likelihood that pregnant women will have a stillbirth, a prema-
ture baby or an infant with a congenital heart defect.HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
The good news about heat-related illnesses is that they’re pre-
ventable. Listen to local forecasts and extreme heat warnings,
which may come from your health authority or municipality.“When you breathe in air pollution, your body responds to it
like it’s a foreign invader,” Henderson explains. Similar to what
happens when it’s fi ghting a virus, your body mounts an immu-
nological response that leads to infl ammation. But unlike a
virus, air pollution doesn’t die. “There’s always this little bit of
infl ammation in your body, which can aff ect all of your organs.”
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
Keep informed of the air quality in your area by checking out
government alert systems. You can view the Air Quality Health
Index online or download the app, AQHI Canada, and sign up
for push notifi cations. The new WeatherCAN app also includes
air-quality alerts, and Environment Canada’s FireWork system
forecasts where wildfi re smoke is expected to move.