“Two decades after foreign terrorists attacked Americans on U.S. soil, the impact of Sept. 11, 2001, is still being felt today. Hundreds of thousands of people remain at risk due to the trauma and exposure to toxic air following each attack. Carcinogens from building materials, gases and jet fuel laced the air around each crash site, with the most severe toxicity among the ruins of the World Trade Center towers in New York City.

An estimated 410,000 first responders, cleanup crews and survivors spent days and weeks breathing in air heavy with toxins from 400 tons of crushed concrete, glass and asbestos at Ground Zero. Exposure to contaminated air and toxic chemicals created a growing list of health concerns for many of the men and women who were there, with some illnesses such as mesothelioma taking approximately 20 years to develop.

To date, more people have now died from this toxic exposure than in the 9/11 attacks. Although 2,974 people lost their lives that day, 4,343 survivors and first responders have died in the years since, according to the World Trade Center Health Program.

Respiratory diseases and cancer have caused the most deaths among first responders over the past 20 years. The toxic cloud of dangerous particles inhaled by so many first responders made their bodies more susceptible to these illnesses. To date, 1,469 WTCHP members have died from 9/11-related airway and digestive disorders, while 1,366 died from related cancers.”

Asbestos.com – brought to you by The Mesothelioma Center. (20 Years Later: The Lingering Health Effects of 9/11)

HEALTH EFFECTS FROM SEPTEMBER 11 DISASTER

The world trade center (WTC) terrorist attact and its aftermath exposed hundreds of thousands of people to dust, debris, smoke and fumes.  I was one that went down that day as a volunteer RN to help out my country.  It was a sight I will never forget and thank God nothing like it has happened since including developing anything from being exposed to the environment of this disaster.  September 11, 2001, among rescue and clean up workers, office workers, building evacuees, and residents of lower Manhattan living down their have shown increased respiratory and other physical health problems, like developing cancers after this terrible terrorist tragedy.  Following is a outline of the most common conditions experienced by individuals exposed to the WTC attacks and their aftermath.  The types of conditions are:

Upper Airway Cough Syndrome:  Formerly named postnasal drip syndrome which is commonly caused by continuous irritation or infection of the sinuses and the nose either due to allergies or from environmental irritants.  The signs or symptoms that arise from this are cough, nasal congestion, postnasal drip and frequent need to clear the throat.

Asthma/Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome:  Some people exposed to the WTC disaster area have developed asthma related to exposure to irritants (also called reactive airways dysfunction syndrome [RADS]).  Signs and symptoms include:  Shortness of Breath (SOB); chest tightness, wheezing, coughing, phlegm, possible triggering of symptoms by colds or seasonal allergies or exercise or fragrances or extremes of temperature or humidity, recurrent episodes of respiratory infections requiring antibiotic treatment.

GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE OR LARYNGOPHARYNGEAL REFLUX DISEASE:  Some people exposed to the WTC disaster developed this condition.  GERD results from the flow back or return (reflux) of stomach contents into the esophagus. LPRD results from the reflux of stomach contents into the voice box or throat.

Symptoms of GERD: Heartburn, acid regurgitation, upset stomach, cough made worse with meals or at night

Symptoms of LPRD: Hoarseness or other vocal changes, sore throat, cough, sensation of having a lump in the throat

Long-Term Physical Health Concerns:

There has been increased concern about sarcoidosis and cancer among individuals who were highly exposed during the WTC disaster. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in conjunction with other programs, is closely monitoring these conditions in order to detect any increases in these diseases.

At this time, there is no evidence of an increased rate of cancer among individuals highly exposed to the WTC disaster. Increased rates of sarcoidosis have been documented among fire department personnel ( Izbicki G, Chavko R, Banauch, GI, et al. World Trade Center “Sarcoid-Like” Granulomatous Pulmonary Disease in New York City Fire Department Workers. Chest. 2007;3:131;1414-1423). Rates of sarcoidosis among other groups are currently under investigation.

Sarcoidosis is difficult to verify because NYC providers are not required by law to report sarcoidosis cases to the Health Department.  Based on New York City death certificate records over the   past 10 years, there have been an average of 32 sarcoidosis deaths per year, with the annual number remaining the same since the WTC attacks. During the   same period, there have been between 362 and 439 sarcoidosis-related hospitalizations per year in NYC (five per 100,000 people), with the annual   rate remaining the same since the disaster.

* Breathing in beryllium, other metal dust or fumes or moldy materials can cause lung disease, which may resemble sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis* is an auto-immune disease that can attack any organ   of the body, although it often starts in the lungs or lymph nodes. It mainly   affects people between 20 and 40 years of age, with African-Americans three  times more likely to develop the condition than Caucasians and women twice as   likely to develop it as men. While most sarcoidosis patients recover without treatment, less than one-third develop chronic debilitating sarcoidosis and  fewer than 5% die from the disease. The exact cause of sarcoidosis is unknown.

Sarcoidosis and World Trade Center (WTC) Dust Exposure

While studies have not definitively linked dust exposure from   the WTC disaster to new-onset sarcoidosis among exposed workers, the data   does suggest elevated levels of sarcoidosis among firefighters.

There have been a few reported sarcoidosis cases among rescue   workers that may be related to Ground Zero dust exposure. In May 2007, the New York City Chief Medical Examiner determined that dust exposure from the disaster contributed to a sarcoidosis death, based on published epidemiologic findings among exposed firefighters.

Cancers

The collapse and burning of the WTC and neighboring buildings   released a complex mixture of irritant dust, smoke and gases. The dust cloud   also contained heavy metals, as well as asbestos and other carcinogens. In   addition, smoke released from the fires contained hazardous and potentially   cancer-causing substances.

Because of these exposures, there has been concern about the   possibility of increased cancer rates among WTC-exposed people. The NYC   Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Fire Department of New York and   other researchers are carefully monitoring cancer rates among highly exposed   people.

In 2007, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene brought together a panel of experts, including representatives from FDNY, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the New York State Department of Health and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, to discuss the potential impact of the WTC disaster on cancer rates and mortality.

In 2010, after beginning the process of confirming cancer   diagnoses within their cohorts, the NYC Department of Health and Mental   Hygiene and FDNY co-chaired another conference of outside experts, including biostatisticians, environmental health scientists and cancer epidemiologists,   to help address the complex methodological questions associated with their   preliminary cancer investigations. The conference produced several   recommendations which are described in the 2010 WTC Medical Working group annual report.

Although cancer associated with specific exposures takes a long   time to develop, three early cancer studies based on verified diagnoses   within their cohorts through 2008 (the latest year for which data was   available when these analyses began) have been published:

• FDNY found that nearly 9,000 firefighters with WTC exposure may be at greater risk for cancer than firefighters  who weren’t exposed.
• The WTC Health Registry found small increases in rates of prostate cancer, thyroid cancer and multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, among nearly 34,000 WTC rescue and recovery workers in comparison to rates among New York State residents after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity and sex.
• Prostate and thyroid cancer rates were higher than expected among nearly 21,000 rescue and recovery workers enrolled in the WTC Health Program in comparison to rates in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania where the majority  of workers lived.

Cancer analyses continue at FDNY, the WTC Health Registry and at   the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

In 2012, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health  added many different types of cancers to the list of conditions that can be treated at the World Trade Center Health Program.

What the New York City  Health Department Is Doing:

Through the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Registry, the Health Department is conducting a cancer study that will help determine if cancer rates are higher among those exposed to the WTC disaster. Results of   the study will appear on this Web site and will be submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals.

The Department is also conducting a broader public awareness campaign about cancer testing, and is working with its clinical partners to offer free cancer screenings. Identifying cancer early in the course of the disease reduces the risk of developing disability from cancer. Department efforts to reduce the rates of smoking among WTC disaster-exposed people also help reduce their risk for developing cancer and other diseases.

What You Can Do

Seek medical care.

If you were exposed to the WTC disaster and have developed symptoms or conditions you feel are related to this exposure, tell your doctor and bring the Clinical Guidelines for Physicians Treating Adults   Exposed to the WTC Disaster to   help your doctor diagnose and treat your symptoms. The Health Department also   released clinical guidelines  for   health care providers on how to treat children and adolescents exposed to the WTC disaster.

If you or your doctor believe that you require more specialized   care, you may be eligible for free treatment at a WTC   Center of Excellence or affiliated facility.

Practice preventive   health.

Whether or not you are currently experiencing symptoms, there   are things you can do to maintain your current health status, prevent   worsening of your health, and detect any new conditions. Suggested measures include:

1. 1. If you smoke, quit! Tobacco is known to cause   cancer and make existing respiratory conditions worse. If you currently   smoke, there are programs in place to help you quit.
   2. Lead a healthy lifestyle by drinking alcohol   in moderation and avoiding more than moderate sun exposure. Increase physical   activity, keep your weight down and eat a healthful and nutritious diet.
   3. Have a physical exam every year that includes a   complete blood count (CBC). Be sure your exam includes all tests appropriate   for your sex and age, including cancer screenings.
   4. Avoid risks at work and during leisure time. If you have any respiratory conditions  try to reduce your exposure to irritants such as dust, pollen, grass and smoke both at home and at work. Consider giving up activities that expose you to irritants, and if activities cannot be avoided, wear personal protective   equipment to minimize exposure.

“National Yoga Awareness Month is celebrated every September to promote the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga. Created in 2008 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), this month-long observance encourages people of all ages and fitness levels to explore yoga.

September is an exciting time for yoga enthusiasts and wellness seekers, as it marks the observance of National Yoga Awareness Month. Celebrated each year throughout September in the United States, this month-long initiative encourages individuals to deepen their understanding of yoga and explore its physical, mental, and emotional benefits, including discovering different styles of yoga that suit their personal goals and body types.”

All Yoga (National Yoga Awareness Month 2026: September Guide & Events)

National Yoga Awareness Month was created by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (N.C.C.I.H.) along with the Office of Research Services (O.R.S.) to raise awareness of the benefits of yoga-like mental and physical well-being, less stress, and increased longevity of life.

CDC states the following about childhood obesity:

• “Approximately 1 in 5 U.S. children and adolescents have obesity.
• Obesity affects some groups more than others, including adolescents, Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black children, and children in families with lower incomes.
• Health care for obesity is expensive for patients and the health care system.
• Overall, obesity prevalence was highest in Hispanic children (26.2%) and non-Hispanic Black children (24.8%) followed by non-Hispanic white (16.6%) and non-Hispanic Asian (9.0%) children.^[1]
• The prevalence of obesity increased with age. From 2017 to March 2020, obesity prevalence was 12.7% among U.S. children 2–5 years old, 20.7% among those 6–11, and 22.2% among adolescents 12–19.^[1]”

Center for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC (Childhood Obesity Facts | Obesity | CDC)

It is shown that there are high rates of obesity worldwide which have been attributed to a combination of genetics and environment. Myriad environmental exposures may contribute to obesity, including calorie-rich diets, sedentary behavior, stress, and overuse of antibiotics. Just as important as the types of exposures is the timing. The period from conception to adolescence is known to be especially sensitive to obesity risks influenced by maternal fitness and childhood diet and physical activity. Parental experiences and fitness before conception, generational effects, and early-life events can also affect adult health.

The “CDC-Centers for disease control and prevention” have obesity facts they present as follows:

• “Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.
• The prevalence of obesity was 18.5% and affected about 13.7 million children and adolescents.
• The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012, now 18.4%.   Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period, now is 20.6%.
• In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.
• Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors.
• Obesity is defined as having excess body fat.
• Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.”

WEB M.D. states “One third of children in the U. S. is overweight or obese, and this number is continuing to rise. Children have fewer weight-related health and medical problems than adults. However, overweight children are at high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults, placing them at risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes later in life. They are also more prone to develop stress, sadness, and low self-esteem.

Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. Only in rare cases is being overweight caused by a medical condition such as a hormonal problem. A physical exam and some blood tests can rule out the possibility of a medical condition as the cause for obesity.

Although weight problems run in families, not all children with a family history of obesity will be overweight. Children whose parents or brothers or sisters are overweight may be at an increased risk of becoming overweight themselves, but this can be linked to shared family behaviors such as eating and activity habits.

A child’s total diet and activity level play an important role in determining a child’s weight. Today, many children spend a lot time being inactive. For example, the average child spends approximately four hours each day watching television. As computers and video games become increasingly popular, the number of hours of inactivity may increase.”

The effects of childhood obesity impact a short time (if handled quick enough and obesity resolved) as opposed to a long lifetime of obesity. Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on a person’s health and well-being.

Presently by CDC, they state in this topic the following:

Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States putting children and adolescents at risk for poor health. Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents is still too high.

For children and adolescents aged 2-19 years¹:

• Hispanics (25.8%) and non-Hispanic blacks (22.0%) had higher obesity prevalence than non-Hispanic whites (14.1%).
• Non-Hispanic Asians (11.0%) had lower obesity prevalence than non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics.

Here are childhood effects that can occur:

• Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease versus if one of your parents has cardiac disease one out of a 4 children family are at risk of getting it (25%) just based on the parents history.
• Obese adolescents are more likely to have pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.
• Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.

Long-term health effects that can occur:

• Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.  One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults. Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• One of the best strategies to reduce childhood obesity is to improve the diet and exercise habits of your entire family. Treating and preventing childhood obesity helps protect the health of your child now and in the future.

The KEY to stopping childhood obesity into adulthood is through Prevention (which starts in childhood):

• Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases.
• The dietary and physical activity behaviors of children and adolescents are influenced by many sectors of society, including families, communities, schools, child care settings, medical care providers, faith-based institutions, government agencies, the media, and the food and beverage industries and entertainment industries.
• Schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviors. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.

To prevent obesity and overweight in children we need our communities throughout the world to:

• Promote improvements to the nutritional value of the food children eat in schools, child care centers and after-school programs.
• Support increasing children’s physical activity through improved compliance with physical education mandates by New York City schools, as well as through making physical activities available in after-school programs and City parks and playgrounds.
• To increase education for children and parents about good nutrition, why healthy food choices are important, and how to combat obesity.
• To support efforts that help all in every state of America and in the world making healthy food choices, such as laws eliminating trans-fats, and policies to tax or limit the sizes of sugary beverages. Which has already started in many areas but we need to keep doing it and making it stronger for the children health now in their future.

“Gynecologic cancers are cancers of the female reproductive system, including the cervix, ovaries, uterus, vagina, and vulva. Anyone with female reproductive organs is at risk for these cancers.

According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 110,000 women in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with a gynecological cancer and more than 34,000 are estimated to die from one in 2026.”

American Association for Cancer Research – AARC (Gynecologic Cancers | Cancer Awareness Months | AACR)

“Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.”

U.S. Department of Labor (History of Labor Day | U.S. Department of Labor)

How bad is it elsewhere? In West Africa, pretty bad. Lack of resources and a slow global response has let the virus run wild. Over at Nature, they used WHO data to illustrate just how terrifying it’s getting. For an on-the-ground perspective, see what Karin Huster, a healthcare worker who just got back from treating Ebola in Liberia’s clinics, told R29. We’re also beginning to feel the first economic effects of the crisis.

What is the CDC doing to stop the spread of Ebola? Well, the first thing to remember is that the U.S. is not in the middle of the same kind of outbreak those in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia have been dealing with for months now. Ebola has not spread to the general American population, and those who have contracted the virus here have been in close contact with someone who was already severely infected. Complicating matters, the nurses who cared for Duncan report that they were forced to do so without proper training or equipment. And, Vinson says that she called the CDC before getting on her flight with a low-grade fever, but was told her temperature did not surpass the dangerous threshold (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit). However, the CDC has learned from its slow response to Dallas and has vowed to dispatch an Ebola response team to any hospital in the country with a confirmed case of the

How contagious is Ebola? Compared to other diseases you are more likely to get (such as enterovirus D68, the measles, and the flu), Ebola is not very contagious. It has a long incubation period (21 days) during which an infected person may begin to show symptoms. But, as far as we know, that person is not contagious until he or she is symptomatic. Ebola can only be spread by: direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is contagious (e.g., blood, urine, vomit); objects that have been contaminated with those fluids; or infected mammals, such as bats.

What are the symptoms of Ebola? Fever, headache, muscle pain, severe vomiting, and bloody diarrhea, among other unpleasant things. These symptoms hit hard and and they hit fast. They also get worse the longer you’re infected. So, if you feel kind of icky but are still dragging yourself to work, you’re probably Ebola-free BUT GO TO THE M.D.

Can we treat it? Not in every case. We have several experimental options, such as ZMapp, that have worked for some human cases or in animals. But, American scientists are still working on a cure that can save as many people as possible — and get approved by the FDA, too. Chinese and Russian scientists are on the case too, reportedly working on a cure and vaccine, respectively. But, Ebola is not necessarily a death sentence. About half of the people who have contracted it worldwide have lived to tell the tale. The CDC says whether or not you survive depends on your immune system and the quality of care you’re getting. And, when a person recovers from the virus, he or she will have antibodies that will protect against Ebola infection for at least 10 years.

Can we protect against it? Yes — with proper hand hygiene, basic public health tactics, a vaccine on the way, and a ramped-up CDC response.

Finally, I reinforce that unless you have had direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone with Ebola when that person was contagious (or if you’ve eaten some bushmeat recently), then your risk for Ebola are low and you don’t need to worry about getting it. Really, even Fox News says so. Instead, you should probably just get yourself a flu shot with how much higher you are at risk of getting the flu as opposed to the disease Ebola but our country should take strict action in preventing a disease epidemic in travelers coming back or from Africa to the US or any other country that has this disease in their country, safety for the people in America.

How is Ebola so deadly:

Lets look here on how it works: Symptoms start in two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain, and headaches. Typically, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash follow, along with decreased function of the liver and kidneys. Looking at a car the engine of the human body is the heart, the liver Are we absolutely sure it’s not airborne? Pretty much.

Some of these fears can be traced to a 2012 paper in which researchers found that one strain of Ebola in pigs could be transmitted to macaque monkeys housed in separate cages. But, this effect has only been shown in animals. Although some scientists have suggested that the virus may have mutated into a more contagious (i.e. airborne) form, this has not been confirmed and remains extremely unlikely. Plenty of other scientists have proclaimed their disagreement.

Symptoms start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain, and headaches. Typically, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash follow, along with decreased function of the liver and kidneys. Which means in English your organs, the kidney and the liver go in decreased function and not resolved will go into failure and with the these 2 organs doing that it effects the rest of your organs. Just like a car if your oil or transmission or both aren’t functioning properly it will affect your engine (and the heart is our engine to the human body where your oil and transmission are like the kidneys and liver for example as a metaphor). Ending line one system affected with multiple systems failing with no treatment death occurs whether a car or human body.