Which, The Healthiest Part Of Wyoming? (Rock Springs, Pinedale: sale, 2013, theatre)

[OldChina]

Though I seem to be okay, touch wood, my wife is susceptible to several diseases, such as asthma. Therefore, in coming to Wyoming, it would be useful to know your opinion about which are considered to be the healthier parts of the state. And, as animal health may reflect on the human condition, it would be interesting to find views of how that of wild animals or livestock varies in different localities. I pose this question as someone who has experienced different patterns of health in various parts of Europe and Africa, with some of them being surprisingly pronounced. However, they tend not to feature in official figures, statistical analyses, etc, despite that those who can afford to will live in desirable locations, and will avoid others, practically regardless of affordability. And to focus on conditions as obvious as drinking, obesity or smoking, as the authorities tend to do, to me, seems less than constructive

[OldChina]

For example, what are the effects of the windiness? I've noticed that in the UK there seems to be an increase in respiratory infection following a disturbing storm. It's as though the wind will unearth or sweep up clouds of microbial spores, etc. And that reminds me, in the days before popular antibiotics, when surgery was particularly dangerous, an eminent US brain surgeon would preach about how important it is to keep the theatre air still. And so much so that he'd discourage talking near open incisions. His methods turned out to be notably successful

[sunsprit]

Several thoughts:

1) a sensitivity to wind-borne dust could be an issue in areas of the state; more a problem in the South Central/South East portions than other areas of Wyoming.

2) altitude is a problem for some; ie, some folk will not adjust well to the air density here for effective blood oxygen levels and will have symptoms associated with that ... headaches, fatigue, or even cardio inadequacy.

3) prevailing dry humidity can be an issue for some folk. For much of the state, when there's not visible precip, it's not unusual for less than 20% relative humidity levels. Much of Wyoming is a desert climate which can aggravate respiratory problems for some folk. Absent knowing the triggers for your wife's asthma, it's tough to know if they are present here ... but there are pollens which could be a factor from trees, grasses, and other plants; as well, dust/debris from livestock operations, stables, poultry raising, extractive industries, railroad operations, dirt country roads, etc.

4) cold weather in much of the state keeps minimizes many things. Wyoming has fewer of the insects than other areas of the country due to this. For example, fleas and termites aren't a big problem here like they can be in more humid warmer climates ... although we can still have seasonal mosquito problems.

5) outbreaks of communicable to human diseases from wildlife are rather minimal. Compared to other states, rabies outbreaks are infrequent ... although the usual cast of vectors are here ... rodents, skunks, etc. Brucellosis can show up from time to time in wild animal populations, but this is monitored (due to the potential of transmission to domesticated livestock) and it's a big deal when a positive test shows up in a herd. Livestock and health agencies are fairly aggressive about quarantines as a positive finding affects the livestock industry, with bans on transport of livestock or sale out of the area.

6) the windiness can be a nuisance for other things, such as contact lens wearing. I had to give them up when I moved here because of all the wind-borne debris, although I can use them when I travel out of the area. While not a health issue, the debris can be so intense that it spoils driving a two-seat roadster for me ... I used to enjoy daily travels and recreational top-down drives in Colorado's high country with my MB SL's and AlfaRomeo roadsters. Here in SE Wyoming, I've sold my 'benz roadsters and my Alfa's only get driven with the top up, even on a hot summer day.

7) the cold climate here doesn't support many of the diseases and vectors found in tropical climate areas. Your experience with such illness in other parts of the world isn't applicable here.

IMO, it would be difficult to choose any one part of Wyoming as "healthier" than another unless a specific risk factor presents for an individual. Then that could be a deciding factor; ie, if you need ongoing health care which isn't readily available in your immediate area, then you're looking at traveling ... which many folk in Wyoming do to out of state facilities such as the Front Range of Colorado, SLC, Billings, or Rapid City.

[ElkHunter]

Sunsprit hit it dead on.

Livestock. There is an interesting phenomena that occurs in Wyoming. Many many cattle, migrate from the lower plains, to the mountains, every spring. Late in the fall, about the first week of October, you will see these same cattle migrate back to their original ranches in the low lands.

[Froggie Legs]

Interesting, There is a listing by county on air quality for Wyoming American Lung Association State of the Air 2013 - Wyoming

and While Huff Post is generally biased, they did have this article... about the drilling causing more pollution than Las Angeles has....though I'm not sure the accuracy of it.

[ScottStielow]

Los Angeles retains notorious rankings for worst smog, traffic http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...93O00S20130425

LA still has a ways to go. Maybe you have some issues with smog in Wyoming. Usually the winds you have blows most of the smog away. But nothing can comparer with LA. I went to Junior and senior High School in the early to mid seventies and lived through the smog alerts, not fun. I think just pushing fracking and drilling as usual.
I tried to post the article from April of this year, hope it shows up. Even Hawaii is on the list, for Traffic congestion.
Scott

[volosong]

Hmmmm. Smoggy in Wyoming?

When our NASA geological project was in full swing, three of us were standing on an outcrop in the Wind Rivers. We were looking out across the sedimentary basin, discussing the geology of the distant mountains. One of us remarked, "Wow! It's a little bit hazy today." We discussed it for a few minutes and then referred to a map. It was then that we realized those mountains in the distance that were partially hidden in the smog and haze were over 150 miles away!

No. Wyoming doesn't have smog.

While I was growing up in a suburb of Los Angeles, up against the mountains during the 50s and 60s; there were many, many days where we couldn't see the local mountains. They were hidden in smog . . . and "as the crow flies" they were only about a half mile away. Now, that's some honest smog!

[WyoNewk]

There has been a few smoggy weeks the last couple winters in the Pinedale/Rock Springs area where they've been doing a lot of gas drilling. You'd think Wyoming's wind would blow it to Kansas, but sometimes when it gets so cold there's just no wind.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by WyoNewk

There has been a few smoggy weeks the last couple winters in the Pinedale/Rock Springs area where they've been doing a lot of gas drilling. You'd think Wyoming's wind would blow it to Kansas, but sometimes when it gets so cold there's just no wind.

It's from all those illegal and highly toxic fire places and wood stoves we use for stupid things, like primary heat in the winter and cooking. It is so much more dirtier than the nice, clean, power plants that burn beautifully clean radio active material that we have yet, figured out where to throw it away when we're done with it.

I've seen a lot of drilling of both oil and gas and have never noticed any smog from it. But, I've also noticed that it's one well every 30 miles down the road. So if it's been a problem of late, how thick are the well spacings that it's actually causing a problem?

[OldChina]

Air pollution will make us sick and should be discouraged. However, that it's easier to observe than other conditions may cause us to overlook them. In other words, if there were no atmospheric pollution, there would still be healthy or unhealthy parts of any state, according to things that are hard to understand or measure. And one of those might be to do with our susceptibility to the more obvious ones. For instance, it may be easier for the physician to blame the sick for smoking, etc than to make the effort for diagnosing or treating their illness