Normal, everyday toxins in our food and water will expose us to toxins that may contribute to feeling tired and sick. Toxins we breathe in from the air around us can also be a problem.

The rising rate of allergy, asthma, and autoimmunity has been increasing around the world over this past decade. There has been considerable discussion about how we are affected by the slow accumulation of environmental toxins.

Outdoor smoke exposure contains very small particles and gases, including carbon monoxide. When these get into our lungs and eyes they can cause health problems.

You may feel burning eyes, scratchy throat, and a runny nose. You could also start wheezing, coughing, get a headache, have reduced alertness, or shortness of breath. Smoke can aggravate already existing health conditions in your lungs and cardiovascular system, like chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Not everyone has the same sensitivity to smoke, but keeping it out is important. When you are in the house you can keep your doors and windows closed and run your air conditioner in re-circulate mode. Some systems bring in outside air so you may need to close the fresh-air intake.

You can use an air filter in your home that uses a high-efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA). Put this in the room that you use the most. But I do not recommend one that generates ozone, that just puts more pollution into your home.

Though it may look strange, wearing a mask can been another option. Respirator masks that are labeled with N95 or N100 will filter out fine particles. Wearing a dust mask or surgical mask is not enough. Scarves or bandanas, while they can look better than a mask, will not help even if wet.

Masks do not keep out the carbon monoxide though. They also make it a bit harder to breath, so be careful if this is already a challenge.

When wearing a particle mask have it cover both your mouth and nose to keep from breathing in particles. It should pull into your face when you inhale. You can also test this by breathing out and making sure air does not escape around the edges of the mask.

In addition to the particles that make the sky gray, smoke can contain many different chemicals. This includes sulfur dioxide, toluene, aldehydes, metals, and dioxins. Don’t worry about the names, just know you should avoid these.

How much pollutants are in the air depends upon what is burning, how far away it is, and how hot the fire is. The particles in smoke are very small, about 2.5 microns or less in size. You cannot see these with a naked eye.

Some surprising guests that ride along with smoke include bacteria and fungi. The spores of mold can become airborne and travel great distances. Fires in Central America can send fungal spores all the way to Texas. The carbon dioxide in smoke can also encourage certain species to grow more rapidly.

While short term exposure can contribute to acute symptoms, long term exposure to smoke may cause more serious problems. Firefighters and those living in areas with more particulate air pollution will be at greater risk for cancer, lung and cardiovascular disease.

The best way to support your body to handle toxins is to reduce your body’s total toxic load. Simply put, limit your exposure. Eat foods that are free of toxins and those that help get rid of toxins. Berries, greet tea and broccoli are great for this. Vegetables high in chlorophyll are also important.

Eat less sugar and cut out the high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. I would suggest reducing, or even removing, wheat products from your diet. They can contain mold mycotoxins or chemicals that are sprayed on them to inhibit mold growth. I think this may just be a bigger concern than gluten.

Overall, I like to make sure I am eating a clean diet, drinking lots of water, and getting plenty of sleep. I will take some foundational nutrients on a daily basis, like vitamin D, magnesium, calcium, B vitamins, and omega3’s.

It’s also important to have a good working gut and have bowel transit times that are not too long. That means going to the bathroom everyday. This is where a lot of toxins are removed. Clinically effective probiotics can be important to keeping yourself regular.

I also think it is important to optimize kidney and liver function. Outside of your gut, the liver plays another major role in detoxification. Supporting that organ with the right nutrients could be helpful. Come on by and we can talk more.

Scott Porter, a functional medicine pharmacist, is the director of the Center for Functional Nutrition at Sandpoint Super Drug.