Air pollution is becoming one of the most pressing concerns for public health in today's increasingly urbanized world. The harmful effects of polluted air include respiratory problems, cardiovascular issues, and even a higher risk of certain cancers. Vigilance and proactive measures are required to safeguard your health from the harmful effects of air pollution. To avoid risking your health and falling sick due the air pollution you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, monitor the air quality, wear masks, stay indoors when necessary, and advocate for cleaner air in your community for long-term improvements in public health.
Delhi's air quality has been deteriorating for the past few days with every dip in temperature. The air quality of Delhi has declined to the category of "very poor". Pollution in Delhi is not new and the dreaded smoke is back again in the capital. As the present air pollution scenario in Delhi is worsening people are more prone to lung and serious heart diseases. Owing to the danger of these health issues, Delhi is keeping a check and monitoring the smog levels, and also monitoring the air quality index so that the increased levels can be controlled by any means.
How To Protect Yourself From Air Pollution & Poor Air Quality
1. Avoid burning wood during winters at home since domestic burning has significantly increased and is becoming the largest contributor to particulate matter emissions.
2. Avoid burning leaves in your garden and solid fuels such as open fires and wood-burning stoves as they have a significant impact on air pollution.
3. Avoid generating more electricity and consuming more power which causes air pollution. Instead, use energy-saving electricity.
4. Avoid driving and choose to walk, bicycle, or carpool at your convenience. Driving less reduces car emissions which is harmful to the living environment as it pollutes the air and causes acid rain.
5. During high pollution days, it is better to avoid exercising outdoors else it will lead to chronic health issues due to bad air quality.
6. Use N95 masks to protect against smoke instead of cloth masks. Cloth masks don't protect against smoke since the fine particles easily pass through cloth masks.
7. Avoid vacuuming, dusting, and other chores that kick up dust particles for the time being. These activities further lead to the degradation of indoor air quality.
8. Place air-purifying plants such as Aloe vera, Ivy, and Spider plants indoors as they help purify air and minimize indoor pollution.
9. Take steam every day to relax your air passages and to help the body remove harmful particulates. You can also add a few drops of eucalyptus oil.
10. To minimize the pollution effect, drink ginger tea and tulsi tea once or twice a day.
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