On a trip to London several years ago, I remember how shocked I was at the black stuff that came out when I blew my nose.
Hope the fresh air gets you cleared up soon.
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I think part of my cold and coughing that I have now is from visiting certain European areas where there are just ...more smokers.
Or just trends in certain Canadian municipalities to restrict smoking in public areas alot more for a number of years.
Last edited by shootingstar; 06-20-2010 at 08:55 PM.
My Personal blog on cycling & other favourite passions.
遙知馬力日久見人心 Over a long distance, you learn about the strength of your horse; over a long period of time, you get to know what’s in a person’s heart.
On a trip to London several years ago, I remember how shocked I was at the black stuff that came out when I blew my nose.
Hope the fresh air gets you cleared up soon.
Kirsten
run/bike log
zoomylicious
'11 Cannondale SuperSix 4 Rival
'12 Salsa Mukluk 3
'14 Seven Mudhoney S Ti/disc/Di2
I was really affected by the second hand smoke in Spain; much more than when I was in the UK, Italy, or Germany (although I had some trouble then). It was not good to be on a cycling tour in 95 degree heat, breathing in all that smoke. I had to use my inhaler on almost all of the days and I actually was wheezing at one point.
It went away as soon as I got home.
Cig smoke doesn't bother my lungs a lot (in the short term), thankfully, but if I spend more than three or four hours in NYC I get a sore throat and hoarseness. I haven't visited any other city that does that to me. But if you're in a more urban area than you're used to, it might be that.
Anyway, hope you feel better soon.
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
Yuck! Actually, I'm surprised I didn't have the black snot when I was on my medical mission trip. We were in Nairobi, Kenya (working in Kibera, the largest slum) and the air quality there is really not good. Cooking in the slums is done over charcoal fires, there is a lot of traffic, and most vehicles are diesel (and not the clean type). You could see and smell all that smoke and exhaust in the air. I think a lot of what we saw in the clinics and treated as "allergies" (red, itchy eyes; runny noses; scratchy throats) was partly irritation from the pollution. One member of our team was having some bad eye irritation from it; the rest of us were OK apart from the occasional tickly cough. It was probably a good thing I didn't go for any runs while I was there!
2011 Surly LHT
1995 Trek 830
I went to a Cherokee casino bar recently, where smoking is allowed (in Arkansas, smoking is not allowed in public places). I had exactly 2 martinis over about 4 hours, after a big dinner at the buffet. I got home, laid down on the bed, and the bed started spinning like I'd been drinking all night long. I believe it was the cigarette smoke, nicotine reaching toxic levels or something. Because of the excellent smoking laws in Arkansas, I NEVER breath smoke. My body just didn't know what to do with the overload, I think.
I almost had to burn my clothes. :P They definitely went straight from my body to the washer.
Karen
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insidious ungovernable cardboard
Kirsten
run/bike log
zoomylicious
'11 Cannondale SuperSix 4 Rival
'12 Salsa Mukluk 3
'14 Seven Mudhoney S Ti/disc/Di2
I am terribly allergic to cigarette smoke. I had to quit showing horses because of the exposure to the smoke locally (everyone smokes). It has gotten better with treatment, but I cannot go to restaurants that are not totally non-smoking and cannot visit bars locally. I have to either go to IL or MI to enjoy a cocktail or to get a meal sometimes. My town is very backwards and smoker friendly, which runs off many would-be tourists.
I actually find this abit frustrating. It makes me seriousy wonder how I would cope with air quality in certain areas of Asia if...I ever visit in future.
I didn't have this type of high sensitivity to 2nd hand smoke.
My Personal blog on cycling & other favourite passions.
遙知馬力日久見人心 Over a long distance, you learn about the strength of your horse; over a long period of time, you get to know what’s in a person’s heart.
This is more true than false haha! Never thought of it that way, but it is the truth. There are only about 2 restaurants in town I can go to. Everything else is out to kill me.
I will say, our non-smoking room at NYNY was perfect. I think maybe that entire floor was NS, or maybe it was the entire tower. As soon as we got off the elevator the air was much nicer. There was something in-bloom that set off my allergies, too. I had no idea that there would be so many flowers in Vegas--I did like that part.
Kirsten
run/bike log
zoomylicious
'11 Cannondale SuperSix 4 Rival
'12 Salsa Mukluk 3
'14 Seven Mudhoney S Ti/disc/Di2
If I am around smokers or I am in a polluted city - I usually catch a cold and have great difficulty breathing. I'd say I don't have asthma or allergies, but I seriously cannot breath if I'm around a smoker - so that may not be an accurate statement.
So I avoid smokers, smoke, and polluted cities. Europe is terrible for smoking. Basically, I just make myself a pain in the *** when in europe and refuse to go to any restaurant with smokers and move if someone near me starts lighting up. It helps a little bit. But people aren't always so tolerant of it.
I know smokers get a lot more colds because the cigarette smoke kills the cilia on the mucous membranes - these cilia are usually what forces foreign particles, bacteria out of your nose, breathing passageways, etc - so without them, you get more bacteria or viruses that can stay down on your mucous membranes. I don't know if second hand smoke has that same effect.