Sooner or later, we all have to venture outdoors – and deal with outdoor pollution. Certain areas are particularly bad. In Denver, they call it ”the brown cloud.” Everybody else calls it smog. Depending on the chemicals that form it, smog comes in two general types: London smog or Los Angeles smog.

Los Angeles smog is typical of warm, sunny climates with heavy traffic. Its main ingredients are ozone, a toxic cousin of oxygen, plus nitrogen dioxide and the petroleum produced chemicals know as hydrocarbons. London smog develops in industrialized cities and supplies its own brand of irritants.

Either way, you can suffer from eyes irritation, breathing problems and blurry vision to coughing, choking and fatigue – even if you’re not allergic. Needles to say, smog is downright dangerous for asthmatic. Your doctor may be busiest – and hardest to reach – during an episode of heavy air pollution. It's important to be able to weather an attack on your own.

Tips for Car Travel

Even on a clear day, driving or riding in a car can expose you to one allergen after another: pollen, dust, auto exhaust, asphalt fumes, industrial emissions. Rolling up all the car windows helps. Closing the windows and turning the air conditioning is even better.

According to a study conducted by William Skellenger, M.D., of the University of Michigan School, Ann Arbor, rolling up the windows removes 90 to 94 percent of noxious particles. Flicking on the air conditioner ups that to 97 percent. Just be sure to have the system cleaned before you run it on for the first time in summer or periodically if you live in warm climate.

Otherwise, you’ll get hit with a blast of dust. Also, have the vents cleaned and condensation water removed frequently to keep the system free of mold, or that too may trigger attack of wheezing, hay fever on other respiratory troubles. If chemicals are your problem, that new car smell can drive you up a tree.

Cars two years old or older usually pose less of a problem because the vinyl interior has aged somewhat. In any case, an air filter powered by the cigarette lighter can help suck up any lingering fumes. And – new car smell or not – an air filter is also helpful when driving in heavy traffic or polluted areas.