Tag Archives: Health

Environment, hawaii, Health

Hawaii health hazard: Volcanic air pollution

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Hawaii conjures the postcard perfect image of health in most people’s minds: sunshine, warmth, gentle breezes, inviting water, lush green plants and tropical flowers. All true. So newcomers and visitors to the islands may be surprised to learn Hawaii harbors a serious health hazard in the form of air pollution from the actively erupting volcano on the Big Island.

Volcanic air pollution erupting from Kilauea on Hawaii's Big Island

Health Hazard

All that gas and smoke emitted by Kilauea volcano make for intensely red sunsets and great photos, but it also endangers health. Volcanic smog, or Vog, poses danger to humans, other animals and plants, according to the US Geological Survey‘s fact sheet on Vog:

Noxious sulfur dioxide gas and other pollutants emitted from Kilauea Volcano on the Island of Hawai`i react with oxygen and atmospheric moisture to produce volcanic smog (vog) and acid rain. Vog poses a health hazard by aggravating preexisting respiratory ailments, and acid rain damages crops and can leach lead into household water supplies. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is closely monitoring gas emissions from Kilauea and working with health professionals and local officials to better understand volcanic air pollution and to enhance public awareness of this hazard.

How it Works

Simply put, vog is a mixture of chemicals suspended in the air. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas and other pollutants emitted from Kilauea Volcano interact chemically with atmospheric moisture, oxygen, dust, and sunlight to produce volcanic smog (vog) and acid rain. Vog appears as a visible haze consisting of gas plus a suspended mixture of tiny liquid and solid particles, called aerosol. It is this haze that makes the Kona sunsets famously red. According to the USGS fact sheet on vog:

SO2 is a poisonous gas that irritates skin and the tissues and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and throat. During even moderate physical activity, SO2 penetrates deeply into the airway and can produce respiratory distress in some individuals. In the absence of strong winds, SO2 emitted by Kilauea can accumulate in the air and reach levels that exceed Federal health standards. Since 1986, this has occurred more than 85 times within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, which includes much of Kilauea.

Ill Effects

Because vog particles are small, they easily lodges deep in human lung cells where they are readily retained, aggravating preexisting respiratory ailments and may induce asthma attacks. About 106,000 people in Hawaii are affected by asthma, and approximately one third are children, according the Hawaii State Department of Health. Vog is an important trigger of asthma attacks, along with cane burning, secondhand smoke and pet dander.

Vog exposure also causes more generalized symptoms, including:  headaches, breathing difficulties, increased susceptibility to respiratory ailments, watery eyes, sore throat, flu-like symptoms, and a general lack of energy.

Vog also interferes with plants ability to breathe, causing crop failures in everything from flowers to coffee. Since 1983, Pu’u O’o vent of Kilauea Volcano has spewed roughly 2,000 tons of sulfur dioxide per day, according to USGS. In March 2008 when Halema’uma’u vent opened, the amount of sulfur dioxide doubled. On November 24, 2009, the US Department of Agriculture declared there were major crop failures on Kona and the US Government declared the BIg Island “a primary natural disaster area” because of losses caused by volcanic emissions since the start of the year. It continues an expired disaster designation for the island that was originally issued in July 2008. The disaster designation was made Nov. 24, making all qualified farm operators on the island eligible for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency, according to a Hawaii Tribune-Herald report.

The related acid rain can leach lead from rainwater catchment systems into household water supplies, leading to lead poisoning and mental health problems. When it’s really thick, volcanic haze reduces driving visibility, causing motor vehicle accidents. The irony is that Vog is all natural.

How to Spot Vog

On neighboring islands, such as Maui and Molokai, residents and visitors don’t typically notice vog unless the prevailing northeast Trade Winds slow, stop or reverse pattern. When the winds blow from the southwest, locals call these “Kona winds”, because the winds blow vog from the Big Island over the state, creating those famously red Kona sunsets on other islands. Thus, an unusually deep red sunset is almost a sure sign that volcanic air pollution is present. Sudden and unexplained headaches, scratchy throat and lethargy are common symptoms of vog exposure. Health officials usually recommend staying indoors on voggy days and avoiding any strenuous activity outside.

Common Signs of Vog

  1. Hazy skies accompanied by slow or eratic Trades or reversed wind patterns
  2. Smell of smoke in the air
  3. Deep red sunset
  4. Sudden headache, scratchy throat, lethargy or difficulty breathing
Health

How I lost 12 pounds in 6 weeks

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I lost twelve pounds in six weeks. I didn’t mean to, but it happened when I radically changed my diet. You probably don’t want the illness that initiated this change, but you may find interesting the weight loss results I have achieved.

My liver swelled up with a rare kind of hepatitis in early November, about 2 months after I returned from the Amazon, and I could no longer digest just about everything normal in the American diet. No alcohol, no wheat, no corn, no sugar, no fruit, no raw food, no cold food, no fried food.

It takes a lot of will power and a very upset stomach to say “no” to so many foods. So it may be tempting to refer to this as the “No diet” diet. Or, worse, the hepatitis diet.But perhaps reverting to a simple diet is a better description.

Japanese breakfast of rice, miso, seaweed, daikon and vegetables improved my health and helped me lose weight

What I have been able to eat and enjoy resembles a diet eaten by Japanese farmers: rice, cooked vegetables, miso, broths, small amounts of fish and dark meat and tea. The healing power of this simple Japanese-style way of eating is reknown.

Japanese people suffer less heart disease and obesity than Americans, and even those that move to Hawaii — halfway between Japan and the Mainland US — live longer if they maintain a Japanese lifestyle, according to the landmark Honolulu Heart Program, a long-term study of Japanese men in Hawaii. Acculturation was a primary study parameter, and researchers found that Japanese men who adopted the Western diet and sedentary lifestyle most fully were more likely to develop coronary heart disease, as well as 11 other risk factors (Am J Epidemiol, 1982). Conversely, eating a more Japanese diet and maintaining physical activity lowered men’s risk for heart disease, overweight and other risk factors.

In my time of illness, a simple Japanese diet was all my liver could tolerate. Following it helped to restore my health and, in the process, I have lost weight. After years of indulging in rich western foods, I definitely carried some extra pounds and was in no danger of becoming too skinny. The hardest part of the diet was battling intense cravings for all the foods I was withdrawing from within the first two weeks, foods such as greasy meat, spices, bread, and sugar.

This simple diet has also eliminated nearly all of symptoms from seasonal allergies to pollen, dust and molds. For years I have taken over-the counter and prescription medications for runny, drippy nose that comes with seasonal allergies. It’s the classic western answer to any health problem: take a pill.

But recovering from hepatitis or any other liver problem is all about not taking and eliminating the unhealthful. With an injured liver, you can’t take anything. So removing all I could not tolerate was my only choice. This includes wheat and corn, and doing so has worked wonders for my immune system.

Two weeks ago I took a small taste of a corn tortilla and within about 30 minutes, my nose started to run. Same when I tried to reintroduce wheat. Wheat also slows my digestion, causing almost instant feelings of nausea. So both corn and wheat are out for good, but removing them also means removing everything that eats them, including all factory farmed chicken, pork and beef.

I already don’t like ranch dressing, Coke or catchup. Now I’m eliminating wheat, corn and factory-farmed animal flesh from my diet all because I don’t want to take pills and I want to feel healthy. I also exercise every day and enjoy taking my dogs on long walks. Depending on your politics, I am suspiciously unAmerican or all about freedom. Either way, I am 12 pounds lighter and allergy free.

Family, Travel

Checking pets to and from Hawaii

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Question from a reader: What are the airlines’ rules for kennels to transport pets as checked cargo/baggage to and from Hawaii?

Answer:

American Airlines provides the most specific details on which size of pet (dog or cat) kennel / crate they allow. According to their website:

Pets Traveling as Checked Baggage

The maximum size for checked kennels is a series 500 kennel with the following dimensions: 40″ long x 27″ wide x 30″ high. However, this size kennel is not accepted on the Boeing MD-80 (S80). Kennels checked on MD-80s must be able to fit through the cargo door while remaining in an upright position. MD-80 cargo doors are 29″ high x 53″ wide.

Series 700 kennels are not allowed on any aircraft.

The maximum weight of a checked pet and kennel (combined) cannot exceed 100 lbs.

Collapsible Kennels (those which can fold down flat) can not be accepted due to the risk of collapse during transport.

Pets Traveling as Carryon

The maximum size for cabin pet carriers is 23″ long x 13″ wide x 9″ high.

Other domestic airlines are likely to have similar guidelines, but they aren’t posted. I suggest calling your desired airline to check before booking a ticket.

Remember that the FAA also imposes runway temperature restrictions for pets. Generally, pets are only allowed to travel when the runway is not more than 85 degrees F and not less than 45 degrees F. An exception can be made to 20 degrees F, if a veterinarian certifies that the pet is acclimated to lower temperatures. No exceptions are allowed over 85 degrees (think Dallas in summer) or under 20 degrees (think Boston in winter).

Basic health requirements must also be met, including original proof of vaccination for rabies for pets departing Hawaii. For pets traveling to Hawaii, stringent health rules apply. Learn more about those from the state quarantine office. Due to state budget cuts, the inspection facility at Honolulu Airport has reduced its hours as follows:

Effective December 1, 2009 inspection hours for dog and cats at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) will be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays. This information is particularly important for those who are qualifying their pets for direct release at the airport.  Pet owners should be sure to arrange for their flights to arrive by 3:30 p.m. because it may take up to one hour for the airlines to transport a pet to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility and animals not arriving at the facility by 4:30 p.m. will not be released at the airport that day.   Pets arriving in the late afternoon and evening will be held overnight until inspections are completed the following morning.  Pet owners who are connecting to neighboring islands should pay particular attention to the change in inspection hours.  (An advisory was posted on this website on August 17, 2009 to advise pet owners of the probability of reduced inspection hours.)