How to Stay Safe from Air Pollution

Woody Short

6 years ago

Learn how to stay safe from air pollution with these simple and easy-to-follow methods that you can implement into your every-day life.

The World Health Organization has stated that one of the biggest health risks that we suffer as a civilization is the exposure to contaminated air. Unfortunately, this is one issue that we simply can’t eliminate from our planet, but rather take steps into making it less impactful. So, what can we do? Can we learn how to stay safe from air pollution? How do we fight back?

Seeking protection from air pollution may seem like an almost impossible task. Even when we don’t see it clearly, there are all kinds of contaminants in the air that we breath, in our homes, work environment, in our parks and lakes.

Pollution is all around us, and because of our daily contributions it is a factor that keeps increasing. As much as we try to be a little more “green” for the sake of our planet, we are active agents on this fight, and basically adding to the damage that already exists.

With new technological advances, a more conscious approach we can try to mitigate or avoid certain health risks that come from pollution. For example, setting up a Google air quality notification is a great way to understand the current state of the air in a particular zone.

This helps whenever you are traveling to a new place, when you experience sudden changes in the sky around your house, or if you are working near a particular industry. By researching air pollution in your area, and setting notifications like this one, you can be more aware of changes that could be potentially harmful for you and your loved ones.

Obtaining protection from air pollution could be as simple as wearing a protective mask when walking around the streets, a practice that has been more than common in several countries throughout Asia, because of the level of contamination they have.

Citizens of these countries have been making smart use of available apps on their smartphones, tablets or computers where they can receive a google air quality notification that lets them know when changes are potentially critical and protective measures need to be taken.

As a population that wonders how to stay safe from air pollution on our side of the globe, we can take these measures as a form of example.

Furthermore, when seeking protection from air pollution, we can make use of other methods that have been recommended by experts at the WHO, the American Lung Association, and health officials. These include:

Avoid spending time outdoors whenever pollution levels are high. This is especially important when trying to protect children and the elderly from heavy contaminants that are present in the air.
Inspect and change the filters around your home and office whenever necessary. These are particular important when trying to filter the air that comes from outside whenever you open the windows or doors. Changing these every 25 to 30 days is the recommended practice.
If you plan on working out or taking a stroll outdoors, do so in the early mornings of the day or during the night. This is particularly important because it is when the air pollution is lower due to the absence of heavy traffic, use of heavy machinery and industries that emit fumes, etc.
Make necessary changes in your diet, but adding ingredients that are rich in Vitamins A and C, and antioxidants since these strengthen the mucous membranes and blood vessels of your body, making you least likely to catch infections and helping you heal faster if you do.
Include certain supplements in your lifestyle, such as fish oils and olive oil, since these have been proven to be helpful in providing at least a partial level protection to the liver and lungs, especially in patients with a history of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

How to stay safe from air pollution is a struggle that concerns all of us, as individuals and as cohabitants of our planet. We must make the necessary changes to protect our environment and the life of our world, ensuring that we take our health and the health of future generations as our main concern.