Air Water Hazards In China How Bad

Air & Water Hazards In China: How Bad Is It, & How To Stay Healthy

About Me… § I am Dr Richard Saint Cyr, a family medicine doctor, from America § I work at Beijing United Family Hospital § Director of Marketing, UFH § My health website: My. Health. Beijing. com § Weibo: weibo. com/daniudaifu

Let’s Review Pollution…

The Common Air Pollutants § § § Particulates (PM 10, PM 2. 5) Nitric oxide/dioxide Sulfur dioxide Ozone Carbon monoxide

The worst one is: small particles (PM = particular matter)

These Are Very, Very Small…

Health Effects § Short-term (days): – Heart attacks – Asthma – Bronchitis § Long-term (>8 years): – COPD/emphysema – Heart Disease – Cancer

London in 1952!

The Great London Smog of 1952 § It was a bad combo of cold weather + more coal burning + inversion layer of air… § = disaster for 5 days… – pollution at 3, 000 -14, 000! (Beijing is usually ~140) – 12, 000 premature deaths – 100, 000 illnesses

Many People Died In Days

USC Children’s Health Study § (http: //www. arb. ca. gov/research/chs. htm), following thousands of kids in smoggy Los Angeles over 9 years, from 4 th to 12 th grade. § In Los Angeles, the average annual Air Quality Index is around 50, which is almost 3 times lower than here in Beijing.

“Air Pollution Harms Children's Lungs for Life” § - Children exposed to higher levels of particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, acid vapor and elemental carbon, had significantly lower lung function at age 18… – N Engl J Med 2004; 351: 1057 – 1067 § Children that were exposed to current levels of air pollution had significantly reduced lung growth and development when exposed to higher levels of acid vapor, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter … – Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002; 166: 76 - 84 § Children living in high ozone communities who actively participated in several sports were more likely to develop asthma than children in these communities not participating in sports. – Lancet 2002; 359: 386 - 391

Closer Look: § ”The estimated proportion of 18 -year-old subjects with a low FEV 1 (defined as a ratio of observed to expected FEV 1 of less than 80 percent) was 4. 9 times as great at the highest level of exposure to PM 2. 5 as at the lowest level of exposure (7. 9 percent vs. 1. 6 percent, P=0. 002). ” N Engl J Med 2004; 351: 1057 – 1067

Long-Term Effects: Heart Disease § A curved line (maxes/tapers off) § Relative risk in Beijing air: 1. 32 (ie, 32% increase) – 1 ppd smoker: ~2. 3 relative risk (230% increase) http: //t. cn/St. QNu 6

Long-Term Effects: Lung Cancer § Linear; NO MAX – 1 ppd smoker: ~21 risk (2100% increase) – Beijing air: 1. 49 risk (49% increase) http: //t. cn/St. QNu 6

Do You Like Those Odds?

Conclusions? § Air pollution risk is real – but small? § Risk: – Individual = small effect – Population = large effect Smoking is really, really bad

Compare To Other Risks Weight change (Kg)

Cardiovascular Risk: Meet Joe Myhealthcheckup. com

How Bad Is Beijing?

World Cities & PM 10 Levels (2004 -5) Beijing China US WHO

A Day In Beijing Is Like Smoking How Many Cigarettes? § 1/6? § 1? § 5? § 10? § 20?

= 1/6 Of A Cigarette!

How To Protect Yourself § Indoor protection – Air purifiers – Plants § Outdoor protection – Avoidance AQI >200 – N 95 masks – School action plans

Don’t Forget: 90% of Your Life Is Spent Indoors!

Schools Should Have Action Plans!

In Other Words: § Any AQI over 200 = NO OUTDOOR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Air Purifiers Really Work! § My own tests: reduce PM 0. 3 95 -99% § Imported brands: IQAir, Blueair, Alen… – Must be true HEPA! – Cheap? Too good to be true… § Local?

Maybe Helps The Heart? § An Air Filter Intervention Study of Endothelial Function among Healthy Adults in a Woodsmoke-impacted Community § Conclusions: – improved endothelial function – decreased concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers (CRP) § So…less disease? Maybe…probably… http: //ajrccm. atsjournals. org/content/183/9/1222. abstract? maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&ful ltext=HEPA+pollution&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT

Indoor Plants Help!

Indoor Plants § Areca Palm (风尾竹, feng(4)wei(3)zhu(2), about RMB 180 each) - – Efficiently converts CO 2 to oxygen. § Mother-in-Law Tongue (虎皮兰, hu(3)pi(2)lan(2), about RMB 50 each) – Efficiently converts CO 2 to oxygen at night – Good for bedrooms. § Money Plant （绿萝, lv(4)luo(2), about RMB 150 each） – Removes formaldehydes and other volatile chemicals.

Food Safety: The Main Problems § Bacteria – Infections – Food poisoning § Chemicals & Pesticides – Cause cancer? – Endocrine problems – Allergic reactions

Your Goals § § Minimize your exposure to toxins Control what & where you eat Control what & where you buy Live SUPER-healthy – Antioxidant lifestyle – Don’t smoke – Exercise – Stay slim

Water Safety Big Water jugs? Maybe not – 50% counterfeit water – Bacteria in water – Cheap plastic leaches into it

Install A Water Filter § Tap water – add a filter – Aquasana highly rated

Food Handling Is A Major Issue! http: //www. who. int/foodsafety/consumer/5 keys/en/index. html

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Wash Your Produce! § § § Store brands Citrus Salt Vinegar Chlorine

Basic Tips § If it can be peeled, peel it! – Less nutrients § Leafy greens -- SOAK

Thank You www. myhealthbeijing. com Weibo. com/daniudaifu Richard. saintcyr@ufh. com. cn United Family Healthcare Address: #2 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100015 P. R. C. Tel: +86 (10) 5927 7000 Fax: +86 (10) 5927 7200 24 Hour Emergency Hotline: (010) 5927 7120 www. ufh. com. cn 42