I have had the pleasure for many years now to work with firefighters and first responders, including police and paramedics, military personnel, correctional officers, and Emergency/Medical Personnel. They are my favourite groups to work with as they are amazing people, dedicated, and truly devoted to their professions at all costs.
Much has come to light in recent years as to the health complications that are being observed in this population, including the rising statistics of fatalities, PTSD, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Research is focussing on areas of consideration towards the development of these diseases including environmental and toxic exposures, diet and exercise, stress and sleep deprivation. For the blog, I’ll focus on some of these effects on firefighters as this group is where I have done the most of my research and education.
While much of the research is focussed on statistics of illness, there is considerably less information and research on prevention. Even in the allopathic medical world, prevention pales in comparison to the statistics of disease. However, prevention is foundational to the overall function, protection, defence and proper function of the human body. For example, in the case of firefighting, education and practice of prevention is absolutely necessary across society to educate and inform people as to every measure they can and should take to avoid the risk of fire. From very early age, even young children are taught (and are often great teachers to their elders) fire preventative practices to keep them safe. In terms of the human body and disease, an ounce of prevention is incrementally more weight towards health and healing.
Shifting the focus of Sleep:
So how do we begin to implement prevention in the case where a firefighter may be required to work for 24 or even 48 hours at a time, possibly exposed to various toxins, not getting the opportunity in that time to nourish properly and not getting enough sleep?
Let’s look at the body in 24 hours – it follows a natural circadian rhythm. The body knows when to wake, sleep, digest, eliminate, how to repair, replace, and restore over a 24 hour cycle. It’s also called a diurnal (daily) cycle. If shift work is required, then shift work that requires a commitment of 24 hours is the least damaging for the body given these requirements. Why? Because this “cycle” restores itself every 24 hours. If a worker is required to be on the job for 24 hours, they can assume a regular “diurnal” cycle in that time. Waking, meals, training, work, and sleep can attempt to follow the 24 hour cycle and still be able to compensate for interruptions in the normal activities during that time. However, in order for the circadian rhythm to reset itself, another 24 hours off the job is immediately required for the body to continue the cycle and compensate for any loss (be in dietary/calorically as well as sleep deprivation). Considering sleep loss, it is the total hours lost in the normal “daily” sleep cycle of approximately 8 hours (humans usually require 6-8 hours of sleep during the hours between 11-7 for optimum sleep). All humans are awake approximately 16 hours in a day regardless of work responsibilities. In the 24 hours following, a person could very possibly restore those lost hours reasonably and resume a regular “diurnal” rhythm of waking, eating, working, sleeping, etc. without serious effects of deprivation.
Over 48 hours however, this deficit compounds. If a shift requires a continuum past 24 hours, we have exponential deficit. It is much harder to restore after 2 days than after only 1 day. When we sleep, our bodies produce Human Growth Hormone (among other restorative processes). This helps to repair, replace and restore our cells – the tiny trillions of powerhouses that make up YOU!
While sleep deprivation can be significant in the overall development of chronic disease, it can be compensated for with “catch up” sleep and passive rest (not sleeping per se, but ‘relaxing comfortably”). Any one of you with kids, specifically new Mom’s (New actually comprises about the first 25 years of your life!) knows all too well how you feel with lack of sleep. But it’s not sleep that is as protective as diet – or shall I say Nutrition. Those cells, all trillions of them – rely mostly on what you feed them. Cells are smart, they know exactly what to do to either repair themselves due to damage or injury, and even how to get rid of themselves once their job is done. Scientifically, this is called apoptosis and it’s vital for preventing and reducing the potential of chronic illnesses. All day (and night) your body produces thousands of ways to combat illness and fend of pathogens, bacteria toxins and viruses. Where does it get this ability? Mostly from food and movement – exercise.
I don’t like the words diet and exercise… sounds daunting and restrictive, even consuming. I prefer fitness and nutrition. These words are powerful and bring a positive and uplifting note to what we need to do each day to help our bodies prevent the onset of illness. Toxins, excess simple carbohydrates (white products, sugars, processed foods), rancid fats (trans-fats and most vegetable oils), inefficient protein or poor sources of protein all contribute to oxidation (think rust… free radical damage), and inflammation – FIRE in the body. Upon entering the fireground, firefighters are suited with gear to protect them from flames, heat, toxins , etc. (to the best possible degree). However, just as their exterior body is protected, their interior body needs to be geared up with antioxidants (found in the rainbow of fruits and veggies) to combat free radical damage and mop up these destroyers, adequate complex carbohydrates (such as ancient grains, quality whole grains) to provide sustained glucose metabolism and produce ATP – the cellular energy your body relies on to do everything including blink!, and quality fats (such as olive oil, etc.) to protect nerve cells, burn as clean fuel and reduce inflammation. And not to forget hydration – water… to help keep cognitive function and sustained mental focus, as well as to flush out potential toxins due to exposures. Quality supplementation specifically to restore the body during excess stress, sudden exertion, and sleep deficit can greatly help reduce the overall “toxic burden” of the stressors of the profession. Stress and toxins are cumulative – they can build up over time and accumulate in the body and deplete the host organism – again, YOU!
Your body is equipped with an arsenal of disease-fighters such as NK cells, macrophages, T-helper cells, interferons, glutathione, (the list is huge!), and our organs have specific roles to carry out massive combat missions to drive out toxic metabolites, pound viruses and kill bacteria, molds, fungal infections and restore energy and oxygen. In a toxic body, oxygen is depleted (hypoxia) and therefore heat and energy is also depleted. We all know what can happen if there’s not enough oxygen…
Nutrition: Front Line Therapy for PREVENTION
The toxic accumulation and metabolic burden of stressors due to environmental and chemical exposure, lack of oxygen, vitamins and minerals, water and enzymes (from foods) is far more damaging overall to the body than periodic interruptions of sleep. We can catch up on sleep, but it’s much more difficult to repair cells due to oxidation (free radical damage) and lack of oxygen (hypoxia). Regular, moderate exercise that is enjoyable as well as simple nutrients such as zinc, selenium, copper, beneficial bacteria (probiotics), Vitamin B12 and B-complex vitamins, (act as modulators of stress), Vitamin C (your body’s main antioxidant), Folic Acid, Vitamin D, E and Magnesium, DHA and essential fatty acids, amino acids, as well as supplements that help reduce excess cortisol (adaptogens), regulate insulin response and glucose metabolism (Note: this is HUGE when it comes time to mental health and PTSD/depression and cognitive function), all help the body to destress, detoxify and adapt to stressors. This army of nutrients is much like putting gear on the INSIDE of your body to protect from the damage of the stressors of the job. Even if medication is needed to improve health, all medicine works better in a well nourished, oxygenated body. Anything that develops as an illness or disease must first be on fire – inflammation. The best way to avoid a fire is to prevent it in the first place.
The statistics can be frightening, but statistics can be changed. Nutrition and fitness therapy offer the highest considerable hope and progress towards changing these facts and protect, prevent and empower our best health.
Much research has been done to identify the possible causes of illness and disease experienced by our First Responders in our society today, and while there is literally tons of information, research, science, studies and analyses of the importance of nutrients, very little is being said about the importance of nutrition and exercise/fitness for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease among Emergency Personnel.
It’s time we changed that.
Erin-Michelle
