What is Pollution?
Air is said to be polluted when there is too much activity related to burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gas, and wildfires, which generate hazardous gases in the air. When the air gets polluted, it releases toxic effects and raises the temperature, releasing greenhouse gases and worsening the climate cycle. In today’s era, air pollution is one of the leading causes of harmful health conditions globally.
Air pollution in Delhi is getting worse, and the air quality is alarming. Air pollution impacts health conditions in many ways, including skin which may become dull, dehydration, acne, respiratory issues, lung damage, and many more. Polluted air needs urgent action as it has increased the burden of chronic diseases such as strokes, lung cancers, and chronic and acute pneumopathies, including asthma.
How does Air Pollution Affect Your Health?
Air pollution is a significant threat as it contains dust, gas, mist, odor, smoke, and vapor. When air quality is poor, it appears like Smog, including smoke and fog. As we breathe in these pollutants, it causes an impact on our respiratory tract, which can lead to various severe health conditions such as asthma, irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat, other allergies, respiratory ailments, lung damage, and so on.
How to tackle Air Pollution?
There are some below-mentioned steps that you can follow to prevent Air Pollution:
Follow AQI
The Air Quality Index is used tomeasure air quality. AQI helps track the air quality near you. When air quality is unhealthy, it is good to avoid outdoor activities, stay indoors, and use N95 masks when under the sky.
Use Public Transport
It is advisable to use public transport and transports that emit fewer emissions, such as buses, metro, carpools, bicycles, andEV vehicles.
Use Air Purifiers at Home
Air purifiers that have a high-clean air delivery rate (CADR) have the in-built capacity to improve indoor air quality.
How to take care of yourself when AQI is Unhealthy?
Air quality in unhealthy zones is a cause of concern as it can harm health. Therefore, it becomes essential to take the proper precautions as the toxic air can worsen health conditions such as asthma and cardiovascular diseases.
Some of the critical measures to protect yourself from the harmful effects of air pollution are:
Use Face Mask
It is essential to wear a face mask when going outside in the pollution as wearing a face mask will help prevent damage to the respiratory system. Further, it is essential to purchasing a show that can block dust particles of smaller sizes.
Do Easy Exercises
When AQI is bad, it is advisable to do a routine walk in an indoor area and to avoid strenuous exercises such as running and any other outdoor activities. This is because outdoor exercise increases our breathing, making us more vulnerable to in-take pollutants.
Install an Air Purifier at Home
In cases where there is colossal smog or the AQI I s poor, doctors recommend having an air purifier at home and offices as air purifiers help reduce the concentration of pollutants indoors. Further, installing an advanced air purifier will help eliminate smoke, dust, and chemicals and make the air pure compared to outdoor air.
Keep Air Purifying Indoor Plants
Planting air-purifying plants within the house is an excellent way to clean the air and reduce the harmful toxins of air pollution. Some plants that can help you breathe pure air are Snake Plants, Devil’s Ivy, Peace Lily, Bamboo Palm, and many more.
You can fight lousy air quality easily if you are fit and healthy. Therefore, focusing on one’s fitness is the key solution to poor AQI. On days when AQI is hazardous, consuming the below-mentioned foods/herbs might help:
Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants which can help neutralize the harmful effects of pollution; hence it is good to increase the consumption of foods such as oranges, lemon, amla, green vegetables, tomatoes, grapefruit, and potatoes in your diet.
Turmeric
It is rich in curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties that protect our lungs from oxidative stress.
Ginger
It helps in reducing the inflammation in the body and is the best remedy for cough. Consuming ginger will help remove toxins from the body and detox our body.
Below mentioned are other methods to adopt to fight air pollution:
House Cleaning
Many products are kept in with highly volatile organic compounds are held in the house advisable not to support such products in the home or to lower their consumption.
Keep Your House Ventilated
It is always good to have a well-ventilated house as natural air must come into the house; however, when the air quality is poor, keeping all the windows open is a poor idea. You can minimize the pollutants by working on indoor air quality and taking precautions while cooking, using appliances, and using things that emit VOCs.
Disclaimer: This blog has been written after performing in-depth secondary research related to the topic from various articles, blogs, and journals that have expertise in writing for healthcare. Suppose you see any issues related to coughing, irritation in eyes or chest, or have any query related to Air Pollution and it effects. We strictly advise you to seek medical consultation.
