Ozone Alert: The levels are HIGH

I had never heard of ozone alerts until last night when the news reported we are in a high alert. The anchorman didn't go into much detail and wishy-washed around the idea of high ozone levels causing respiratory problems. I've done a bit of research myself and see that I'm being effected tremendously at the moment. My chest aches, my nose flips back and forth between runny and plugged up, I'm sneezing up a storm and my sinuses are very tender. I don't have asthma or any respiratory problems or diseases as a whole, but I do have seasonal allergies which it seems high ozone levels can kick into overdrive.

I've learned because of pollution the ozone is becoming destroyed (this is an obvious we learned back in grade school), and therefore causing damage to people during high exposure. To break it down a little more, getting too much exposure to high ozone levels can cause a sort of sunburn to the inside of your lungs. This happens just by breathing in the air which is containing the ozone. Overtime and with repeated exposures the lung tissue can become less elastic and permanent respiratory injury is suffered. The authorities on this matter are recommending people with respiratory problems stay inside, as well as children and the elderly. It also seems that because of the ozone deterioration that children are becoming more and more affected with asthma and allergies than ever before. I think I'm going to become an advocate against pollution now after what I've been learning.

I've had worse allergies this summer than years past and have refused to take any medication for it because, well I just like to limit medications as much as possible. Last night I gave in because my symptoms had kicked up a notch from annoying to suffering. I've decided, though I'm not necessarily in the category of people recommended to stay indoors, that is where I'll remain (for the most part) until the level decreases back to moderate alert. How crazy is all of this?!?!