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That Brown Stuff is Smog!



Ever fly into Los Angeles and see that big brown piece of crap sitting over the city? That is our air a few months out of the year~

And no, you shouldn't exercise in it.

Welcome to Los Angeles! The rich, the beautiful live here and so does a thick, orange-brown, thing that will burn your throat, infect your heart and lungs, make you cough, and we call this thing-SMOG.

People don't take it seriously and I used to not as well. When I first moved here from being in Arizona, I was like, "The smog isn't bad, what are people talking about?" I went running every day in the foothills of the Sam Fernando Valley. I couldn't see the smog, so I thought it wasn't there. Truth is, I was in it, so that is why I couldn't see it.

One day I as at work and started coughing up blood! EEK! I went to the hospital and after a full check up and black stuff coming out of my nose, the doctor asked me if I had been exercising outside? Like I was crazy to even think about that.
I had been, the smog got me and I had a virus in my heart.


Cut to several years later, on my way to Sydney and after doing a chest X ray for TB, they found a spot on my lung. I had to go through all the lung cancer tests-I don't smoke and am healthy-I run the marathon for F*sake!-they discovered I had a tear in my lung, from running the marathon. I told them that I always run in the mornings and or at the gym. They said, prolonged running in the valley is what caused it.. Sheesh-the price of fitness!

I have a friend that moved here from out of state and she was always complaining, "What's wrong with people in L.A, no one is outside!!" usually in the middle of summer, 100+ temps in the Valley and thick, dangerous smog levels. I would explain to her, "Dangerous smog levels today, so people stay inside". She thinks that this is some conspiracy to get people to join gyms. Smog isn't real.. pish posh! LOL

Okay, whatever.

Another friend of mine mentioned they were coughing up black stuff and their throat has been burning...well being outdoorsy, it is the smog again.

I love L.A. I love to go hiking, I love to run the parks, and I walk every where, BUT when there is smog and smog warnings, or you can't see the mountain that is across the street, it isn't safe. That is just the way it is. The beach cities are better, and anywhere over the hill towards the water is safer, but just be careful. It's real, it's here and it will hurt ya if you give it a chance.

Here are two photos of the lovely L.A. air.

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