Evel Knievel once said, "I love the feeling of the fresh air on my face and the wind blowing through my hair." It's hard to disagree on the virtue of fresh air.

This just i...

Evel Knievel once said, "I love the feeling of the fresh air on my face and the wind blowing through my hair." It's hard to disagree on the virtue of fresh air.

This just in from a new study in Neurology: Particulate matter pollution, especially containing ultra-small micron-sized bits, is a risk factor for stroke-related death in people hospitalized for stroke.

That study looked at the dangers associated with exposure to the smallest particulate pollutants. They come from on- and off-road vehicle exhausts, burning wood, heating oil or coal and forest and grass fires. Indoor sources include tobacco smoke from cigarettes and particulate matter from vaping and water pipes, cooking, burning candles or oil lamps, and fireplaces. The researchers found that the smallest particulate matter invades the deepest parts of your lungs and gets into your bloodstream, where it creates inflammation and damages your cardiorespiratory system, upping your risk of dying from stroke.

How can you dodge the risks of fine particulate matter pollution?

-- Check AirNow.gov for your area's air-quality reading.

-- When there are alerts, avoid strenuous outdoor exercise. Stay clear of busy roads where particulate matter is usually worse.

-- Install whole house HEPA filters on your heating/cooling system or use room HEPA air filters.

-- Wear an N95/KN95 face mask when outside on highly polluted days, especially if you have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

-- Tell your representatives in Congress that we could prevent 53,000 premature deaths and provide more than $608 billion in benefits annually from avoided illness and death if fine particulate matter pollution was removed.

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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Young adults, ages 18 to 30, are notorious for their casual attitude about nutrition -- around 60% only get one to two servings daily of fruits and vegetables. In contrast, the average American eat...

Young adults, ages 18 to 30, are notorious for their casual attitude about nutrition -- around 60% only get one to two servings daily of fruits and vegetables. In contrast, the average American eats about 83 pounds of beef a year, the equivalent of 333 quarter-pounders! That's enough to take your breath away -- literally.

A study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2022 Conference reveals that, especially for smokers and ever-smokers, folks whose diet as a young adult, ages 18 to 30, was woefully short on fresh produce and long on beef and unhealthy fats are 60% more likely to develop emphysema than people who ate a plant-based diet as young adults.

Tracking the participants in the CARDIA study for 30 years, the researchers discovered that while smoking is a huge factor in respiratory problems, it is not the only one. When combined with poor nutrition in younger years, it delivers a superdestructive blow to your lungs. Add that to the news that in 2017, more than 1 million teens, ages 14 to 17, became new daily tobacco users (75% through vaping) and we have a nation of future emphysema sufferers -- unless we act now.

Parents, help your kids, teens and young adults appreciate the joys of loving food that loves you back! Kids, dig into plant-based food options, on the run and cooked at home. Mom and Dad, don't assume your teen doesn't vape. Show them the facts at CDC.gov -- search for "Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Kids, Teens and Young Adults." Help them enjoy an active life for years to come.

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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

A study once showed that when given the choice, folks prefer to hear bad news first, good news after. But news givers are inclined to deliver good news first. When it comes to long COVID-19 and bre...

A study once showed that when given the choice, folks prefer to hear bad news first, good news after. But news givers are inclined to deliver good news first. When it comes to long COVID-19 and breakthrough infections among people who are vaccinated, you win -- here's the bad news first.

According to a study published in Nature Medicine, about a third of folks who have been fully vaccinated (but not boosted) and then experience a BTI, develop long COVID-19. That means that they are more likely to contend with cardiovascular, coagulation and hematologic, gastrointestinal, kidney, mental health, metabolic, musculoskeletal and/or neurologic disorders -- and death -- 30 or more days post-infection than folks who have never had COVID-19.

The good news? The study shows that that being vaccinated leads to a 15% reduction in long COVID-19 symptoms related to lung and blood clot disorders for up to six months after a breakthrough infection. (More bad news: the vaccination seems to do little to protect from other symptoms.)

The study that generated these findings looked at almost 40,000 people in the Veterans Affairs database and found that around 10.65 of every 1,000 people who were fully vaccinated developed a BTI. Their conclusion: While vaccination offers some protection, it is still important to protect yourself from possible infection.

I suggest that handwashing and mask-wearing don't take much effort, but the protection they offer may be life-changing, even if you're vaccinated.

And P.S., get twice boosted if you qualify. Most probably, it gives you a lot more protection from BTIs.

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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.