Medical emergency risk management strategy

Health and safety assurance demands savvy, effective, appropriate, timely and well-executed risk management strategies and tactics. Previous columns have addressed biting insects such as black flies. Now let’s turn our attention to self- and situation-specific awareness and preparedness. All biting and stinging insects, some plants and foods, as well as medications and chemical agents, can trigger allergic responses. It is critical to know the risks -- more specifically, the risks that are specific to you personally including your lifestyle habits, preferences, recreational and occupational endeavors, and the settings where you perform these activities of daily living. It’s important to know how healthy and thus, functional your immune system is. If the immune system is weak or compromised, you may be at elevated risk for an allergic response.

Our immune system is our body’s defense and special operations forces, which are mobilized to combat foreign entities (i.e., bacteria, viruses, parasites and other pathogens) we may allow inside us via ingestion, inhalation, injection, through breaks in the skin such as cuts and scratches, and other means of entry. Invasions often consist of substances -- chemicals, gaseous compounds and waste products released by cells, toxins, and other destructive or infectious agents that threaten our physiological systems and health. It’s the immune system that fights these battles; thus, is very important that we protect the immune system. Problem is, the integrity, functional health and efficacy of our immune system is impaired by many things. These are the top 10 most common:

(1) Age -- both children and older adults have compromised immune functioning. (2) Health and fitness status -- if your physiological health and physical conditioning is poor, your immune functioning is likely to be suppressed. (3) Diseases and other medical conditions -- dozens of illnesses and conditions significantly impair the immune system. (4) Some medications. (5) Pregnancy -- and for a period of time postpartum, a mother’s immune system remains compromised. (6) Emotional stress and duress, especially if the stress is chronic, which can lead to a condition known as adrenal fatigue including depletion of physiological energies required for immune functioning. (7) Poor or inadequate nutrition and water intake, which affects the immune system on a cellular level. (8) Excessive exercise, and prolonged intensive physical exertion without adequate rest and recovery. Over-training, be it occupational or recreational activities, during an illness or too soon after an illness. (9) Chronic insomnia (inadequate sleep over time). (10) Chemical exposures -- the most common is carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals contained in cigarettes and cigarette smoke.

If you easily and/or frequently succumb to illness, such as coming down sick after contact with others who are ill, or an illness is experienced for a long time, these signs may indicate a weakened immune system. Discuss these matters including your susceptibility to an allergic response with your doctor, an advanced nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant. It’s better to be safe, healthy and alive, than suffer anaphylaxis. Holding this awareness and knowledge of the risks you may face is step one in the risk management process. Step two, is acceptance. Outdoor enthusiasts who choose an it-won’t-happen-to-me mindset will not prepare adequately, if at all. The third step consists of taking the right actions at the right times, beginning with preparedness.

Brian “Mac” McDermott is a Wasilla-based business health consultant with a diverse background in healthcare, sports medicine, fitness and wellness. This column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman or its parent company, Wick Communications.