October is Family Health Month!

SACRAMENTO, Calif., October 2, 2007- Summer has come to an end and Sacramento residents can now kick back and enjoy fall's temperate weather before the wintertime chill approaches. The change in seasons presents families with the perfect opportunity to check in with one another, and that should include checking in on your family's health.

October is Family Health Month. Designated in 1995 by the American Academy of Family Physicians, people are encouraged to focus on their health and conduct a family health inventory before the year's end. The AAFP suggests that families consider the status of their nutrition, physical fitness, mental health, and hazards control during this month-long campaign.

October also marks the end of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District's Spare The Air season, but that doesn't mean residents should stop thinking about air quality. "Though the fall brings cooler temperatures to the region, air pollution still exists throughout the year and still can pose a threat to your family's health," said Larry Greene, executive director for the AQMD.

In the summer, many people are already aware of ozone pollution or smog, where it comes from and ways to avoid it. With the changing of the seasons comes a change in pollutants that you need to know about. The fall and winter months get people thinking about warm wood burning fires, but most people don't know how harmful wood smoke can be to your health and the environment. In fact, residential wood burning is the largest single source of Sacramento County's fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) wintertime air quality problems. Particulate matter may contain soot, smoke from any fire, metals, nitrates, sulfates and dust, none of which are healthy to breathe. These fine particles pose the greatest problems because they can get into your lungs and may even get into your bloodstream.

Air pollution inhibits your ability to stay active and physically fit, and it is hazardous to the body. The AQMD recommends families use Family Health Month to remind them to identify and monitor the effects that air pollution might have on them. Scientific studies have linked long-term particle pollution, especially fine particles, with significant health problems, including:

• Increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing
• Decreased lung function
• Aggravated asthma
• Development of chronic respiratory disease in children
• Development of chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive lung disease
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nonfatal heart attacks
• Premature death in people with heart or lung disease, including death from lung cancer

All people-whether young or old, active or inactive, or healthy or sick-can experience the negative effects of air pollution and are at risk for increased health problems when exposed to poor air quality.

How Can You Help?

There are several things you can do to reduce wood smoke pollution and its health effects through proper fuel selection and use:

• Season wood outdoors through the hot, dry summer for at least six months before burning it. Properly seasoned wood is darker, has cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when smacked against another piece of wood.
• Store wood outdoors, stacked neatly off the ground with the top covered to keep it from getting wet.
• Burn only dry, well-seasoned wood which has been split.
• Start fires with dry kindling, not paper or cardboard.
• Burn hot, bright fires.
• Let the fire burn down to coals, then rake the coals toward the air inlet (and wood stove door), creating a mound. Do not spread the coals flat.
• Reload your wood stove by adding at least three pieces of wood each time, on and behind the mound of hot coals. Avoid adding one log at a time.
• Regularly remove ashes from the wood stove into a metal container with a cover and store outdoors.
• Burning of garbage is prohibited.
• Purchase a cleaner burning, low-emission hearth product.

Take care of your health this month and throughout the year. Family Health Month is the perfect time to make a commitment to healthy choices that reduce air pollution. Pay particular attention to how you can help improve our air quality - a benefit to the environment, and long-term health.

For more air quality information, please visit www.SpareTheAir.com or www.AirQuality.org.