Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 6)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91 2 3 4 Summer Vacations are in, and temperatures and humidity are on the rise. The following facts and ﬁgures will help you beat the heat, stay healthy and have fun. 101 A AIR QUALITY INDEX CODE ORANGE 6 SU M M E R 2 014 PHOTOS BY THINKSTOCK ccording to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an air quality index of 101 or more (Code Orange) is when pollutant levels are considered to be unhealthy for certain individuals. Paul Weinberg, MD, a pulmonologist afﬁliated with Gwinnett Medical Center, says that the elderly and people who have emphysema, asthma or cardiac disease can experience illness during days when pollutant levels are deemed unhealthy. "Individuals with asthma and emphysema have damaged airways that make them more sensitive to the environment," Dr. Weinberg says. "Pollutants such as ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, at this point in time, are not thought to cause disease, but can make the underlying disease worse by causing inﬂammation in the airways." According to Dr. Weinberg, each individual is different, but the general rule should be to limit outdoor exposure during unhealthy conditions. "What affects one individual may not cause any problems in another," he says. "An asthmatic who uses an inhaler less than once a month is probably safe to be active under any conditions except in the unhealthy range. However, an asthmatic who is in the hospital monthly should not be outside very much, even when air quality is at the moderate level."

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
3 Ways to Give
Summer Numbers
Stress SOS
The Truth About Sunscreen
The Transformers
Get Your Head in the Game
The Journey Continues
On the Cover
The Foot Follies
Friendly Fat
Virtual Health
PrimeTime Health
Back in the Swing
And the Beat Goes On
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center