How to Combat Air Pollution?

Air pollution can adversely affect our health in a number of ways. The presence of high amounts of pollutants can result in a hoard of serious health issues ranging from respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis, asthma and even diabetes. Long-term exposure to air pollution has also been linked to heart diseases, strokes, cancer, shortened lifespan, etc. Hence, it is important to take preventive measures and protect our lungs.

While the government and environmental protection agencies continue to play their part in combating rising air pollution, we can also reduce the effects of pollutants on the body by making simple changes to our lifestyle that can help reduce the effects of toxic pollutants on the health.

• Using less fossil fuel - Riding a bike or walking instead of driving. Using a public transport or Carpooling will also help in reducing vehicular exhaust to much extent.
• Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use. Using energy efficient light bulbs and appliances is the need of the hour.
• Adopting an anti-pollution diet. Our food choices also greatly help our body build resistance against the effects of pollution. The key is to focus on foods high in antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E which can help cleanse our airways because of their anti-inflammatory properties. Eating foods rich in antioxidants helps us fight free radicals produced by toxic air particles entering our body.
• Getting rid of dust mites in our surroundings by wearing a nasal filter, Nose filters allow us to filter most types of airborne particles to a high degree when breathing via our nose. Clenare Nasal Filters work as an invisible face mask which filter the air we inhale preventing certain impurities and allergens from entering our organism and ensuring that the pollutants get caught in the filter.

While the above will help us combat air pollution, let’s delve a little more on eating a well-balanced diet. Few foods that work as the primary shield and can protect the body from the detrimental effects of pollution and all sorts of diseases are:

• Tomatoes - Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that can help safeguard against respiratory problems.
• Broccoli - The cruciferous vegetable possesses an abundance of health-protective properties due to its high content of fibre, nutrients, and antioxidants. Broccoli contains various potent antioxidants such as vitamin C, which can help protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals.
• Kadha - Kadha is an Ayurvedic home remedy that can protect us, make us stronger from within and also help in fighting seasonal infections. Prepared in many variations with pepper, dry ginger, turmeric, tulsi, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg or such commonly found kitchen spices and herbs, it is known to aid the body’s ability to fight infections by boosting immunity.
• Turmeric - In most respiratory ailments, breathing properly turns out to be the most difficult part as most people feel a strange heaviness in their chest and this is due to the persistent congestion and inflammation in the air passage. Daily consumption of turmeric helps in reducing the inflammation in the air passage.

All of the above will help us fight the infections that come along with the toxic polluted air we breathe in today!