Gambling Your Health: How Air Quality Inside Casinos Can Make You Sick

When it comes to entertainment, the last thing a person wants to worry about is the possible health risks associated with a given activity. However, it is important to understand the possible health risks associated with leisure activities so that they can either be avoided or decreased. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for example, “indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors,” and much of that time is spent involved in recreation. So it is necessary to understand the effects poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can have on an individual and how such conditions can be improved.

Biological contaminants are part of poor indoor air quality and can contribute to health issues in people who are exposed. Such contaminants can be an even bigger problem in a casino establishing due to the sheer number of people that are present at any given time. Particular individuals, especially the elderly or those who have an existing respiratory condition, are at a high risk of being affected by airborne contaminants. Thus, avoiding high levels of mold in the air is very important. Moisture intrusion is necessary for the growth of black mold. If a building, such as a casino, has existing leaks, the structure can become a prime location for toxic mold to fester. In this kind of situation, it is very important to keep the building properly maintained and to fix any leaks or water intrusion sites as soon as they happen. If mold spores are present and water is added, mold can begin to grow rapidly, even within 48 hours. Those who are affected by black mold exposure will expect to suffer from the following symptoms: scratchy or irritated throat, watery eyes, congested nasal passage, coughing, sneezing, bloody nose, flue-like symptoms, skin sensitivity and rash. Severe reactions can cause damage to the kidneys, immune system, central nervous system or brain, and can even result in death. Not only does water intrusion lead to mold growth, which can cause serious health problems, but mold can also destroy the structural integrity of the building resulting in increased repair costs.

Indoor Air Quality and Pollution Awareness

Many Americans are aware of the dangers of poor air quality from pollution in the outside world. Pollen counts and air quality index readings are reported alongside the temperature and humidity in daily weather forecasts. Warning labels and news stories have long alerted Americans to hazards found in tap water, consumer goods, and food products, some of the common means of ingesting potentially harmful biological and chemical compounds. However, surveys indicate that the general public does not share the same level of awareness with indoor air quality (IAQ). Although many Americans may feel as though the air they breathe when they are indoors is cleaner and safer than the air they breathe outside, research suggests that, in reality, the exact opposite is true. Generally speaking, indoor air contains much higher levels of toxins and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Chemicals from building products, harmful levels of mold, dust mites, indoor allergens, and other indoor pollutants all contribute to poor IAQ. Polluted indoor air is becoming increasingly damaging to the health of Americans, despite their unfamiliarity with the issue.

Three Steps to Reduce Humidity in Your Home

Excess indoor humidity can make life miserable. People who suffer through humid air in their homes can experience a wide range of problems—anything from frizzy hair, to sleeplessness, to respiratory system illnesses. There are many potential causes for indoor humidity, but they can be remedied rather simply. You can, and should, gain control over the humidity level in your home. Doing so could save you and your family from any number of adverse reactions caused by unwanted moisture in the air.

The first step in effectively combating any recurring problem is to determine the underlying cause. What is humidity in the first place, and why is it in your home? In the most general sense, humidity is the presence of water vapor in the air. Water vapor enters the Earth’s air, or atmosphere, in two main ways: 1) heat from the sun evaporates water from oceans, lakes, and ice, and 2) plants sweat water out in the process of transpiration. Water vapor usually doesn’t stay in the atmosphere very long. It accumulates and then returns to the Earth as precipitation.

COPD Blog: COPD During the Dog Days of Summer

Robert T. Schreiber, MD, an American Lung Association in New York expert

It’s hot, hazy, and humid here in the United States. The “dog days of summer” produce poor air quality with high humidity and air pollution that makes it hard to breathe, particularly for people with COPD. Air pollution can irritate the bronchial tubes and alveoli (air sacks in the lungs) in people with and without lung diseases. For people with COPD, the resulting bronchospasm can lead to a “breathing attack” requiring further treatment, such as increased bronchodilator therapy and corticosteroids. If not managed properly, emergency room treatment and hospitalization can result. So what can you do to get through these hot and humid days?

1: Be aware. You can follow the air quality index on your iPhone with the Everyday Health COPD Tracker, or by watching your local weather forecast, reading the newspaper, or going to a Web site such as www.stateoftheair.org by the American Lung Association. Based on the air quality where you live, you can take actions to protect yourself.

2. Stay indoors. If the air pollution levels are high, try to stay indoors and avoid breathing the noxious gases out there. You can limit the time you spend outside by only doing things that “have to be done” on bad air quality days. Put off errands and visits that can wait. Shop for food and go to doctor’s appointments early in the day (best choice) or late in the day (second choice) when it’s not as hot. Air pollution levels usually are lowest in the mornings, so if you have to go out, get up early.

3. Run your air conditioner. Some people don’t like to use air conditioners since it makes them feel cold, or they might be trying to keep down the electric bill. But air conditioners aren’t just for lowering the temperature; they remove humidity and filter the air, keeping the air clean. They can be kept on a low setting (preferably with an energy saving model), and the living area doesn’t have to be cold — the air conditioner should be used to keep the home free of hot, humid, polluted air.

4. Change your exercise routine. Exercising increases your respiratory rate and depth of breath, increasing your minute ventilation, or the amount of air you breathe in a minute. This means your lungs are exposed to more air, and if it’s polluted, you’re more likely to have a difficult time breathing. Medical studies have shown that people who exercise in air pollution have a drop in lung function. So, keep your workouts indoors (at a gym or with home equipment) in air conditioning, and if you want to exercise outside, go early in the morning when the air quality is usually best.

5. Drink fluids. Many people don’t realize that your body loses a lot of fluid to stay cool in the heat, even when you don’t feel sweaty. This is especially true for older people, who may be even less aware of becoming dehydrated. You can also lose extra fluid while staying indoors in air conditioning. It’s a good idea to increase your liquid intake by at least an extra two glasses a day on very hot days, even if you’re inside.

It’s not easy getting through the hottest days of the year if you have COPD. Hopefully, these tips will make it easier for you to breathe well during the summertime, until the air quality improves and the temperature moderates.Dr. Schreiber is board certified in internal medicine and pulmonary diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is a member of Nassau Chest Physicians, P.C., who are actively involved with the American Lung Association in New York. Schreiber is director of the SICU at St. Francis Hospital, medical director of the Oyster Bay Cove Village Police Department, and a member of the Nassau County Medical Reserve Corps. He is on the professional staffs of St. Francis Hospital, North Shore University Hospital (Manhasset and Plainview), and St. Joseph Hospital.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/summer-humidity-and-copd-blog.aspx