Delhi Pollution : Tips to Save yourself from Air Pollution
15-12-2022 | Posted By: Chhavi | 7798 View(s)
Delhi’s pollution is increasing day by day and it can ruin our health. Delhi right now is covered in an ugly smog and toxic air that is making people sick. No wonder people are coughing everyone in Delhi and falling sick. The air pollution is causing throat irritation, cold, cough, and even spreading viral infections. The condition is even worse for people suffering from cardiovascular issues and asthma. Last year too, Delhi’s pollution got worse, giving the city, the worst air quality readings of any place on earth. The condition got so worse that Schools had to shut down for a few days. And the problem is back again! People living in Delhi can be seen roaming with masks and drinking tea to soothe their throat. I too live in Delhi, and I wondered how pollution can ruin our lives. The more I read about it, the more I was shocked. Pollution has the ability to cause a minor condition like a cough to a life-threatening disease like lung disease.
How Air Pollution Affects our Health?
Air pollution from industry and traffic leads to the premature death of more than three million people a year. You will be shocked to know that globally, that is more than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined.
Pollutants from road traffic and burning of fossil fuels have been linked to suppressed lung growth in children, heart disease, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. If women who are pregnant are exposed to air pollution, it can also affect foetal brain growth.
Air pollution directly affects our physical and psychological well-being. It can affect our organs and bodily functions.
Exposure to air pollution can cause:
• Respiratory diseases
• Fatigue
• Irritation of the eyes
• Cardiovascular damage
• Liver disease
• Nervous system damage
• A headache
• Anxiety
• Throat pain
• Anxiety
• Skin problems
• Hair fall and dry hair
• Intestinal damage
How to Tackle Air Pollution?
One cannot avoid living in a place which is too polluted. But you can follow some tips to prevent yourself from getting sick due to air pollution.
Follow these tips to protect yourself from air pollution:
1. Avoid going for a morning walk
Walking is an excellent exercise for health, but exercising is not helpful when we are breathing toxic air. People who have the habit to engage in outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, running should avoid going out in the morning until the smog settles.
2. Use Face Masks
Wear a face mask when you step out. Make sure to cover your mouth and nose when you are outside.
3. Take Steam Everyday
Take three to four drops of eucalyptus oil and use it to take steam. Do this every day in the morning or evening to relax your air-passages. This will help your body remove harmful particulate substances.
4. Eat Jaggery
Jaggery (gudd) helps to flush out pollutants from your lungs. Eat jaggery every day to keep yourself protected from the harmful effects of air pollution.
5.Ventilate your Bathroom and Kitchen
You must avoid indoor air pollution as much as possible. For that, it is essential to keep your house ventilated. Make sure there is exhaust in the bathroom and chimney in the kitchen. This will help the air to get recirculated. Indoor air pollution can seriously be worse than outdoor pollution.
6. Avoid going Outdoors at Night
Delhi’s pollution varies depending on the traffic and neighbourhood, but generally, the coldest temperatures create the highest levels of pollution due to inversion. Hence, you should avoid going outdoors at night to protect yourself from air pollution.
7. Increase Greenery in your House
Adding more houseplants to your home can make the indoor air cleaner.
Outdoor trees can also help when their leaves catch big particulate matter.
8. Use Olive Oil for Cooking
Olive oil helps to boost the immune system against the attack of external microorganisms. Cook food with olive oil to boost your immunity and stay healthy and fit.
9. Use Neem
Wash your hair and skin properly with neem leaves boiled in water. It will help to clear the pollutants stuck to the skin and mucosal membrane. You should also try to eat a few neem leaves at least two times a week. This will help to purify the blood and lymphatic tissue.
10. Make use of Turmeric
Turmeric has a lot of health benefits. It also helps to fight the harmful effects of air pollution. Mix half teaspoon of turmeric with one tablespoon of honey and take this in the morning on an empty stomach.
11. Pippali
Pippali is an excellent herb that helps to purify lungs and enable easy breathing. Mix ¼ teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, 1/8 teaspoon pippali powder and 1 tablespoon of honey. Take it for seven days. However, do not give this to kids.
12. Take a Warm Oil Massage
Get a full-body warm oil massage because it acts as a powerful recharger and rejuvenates mind and body.
13. Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice helps to purify the blood, and hence you should drink fresh pomegranate juice every day to stay healthy and fit.
14. Include Garlic and Onion in your Diet
Both garlic and onion help to boost immunity and fight infections. They also help to treat asthma. Include garlic and onion in your diet to stay healthy.
15. Eat Citrus Fruits
Add citrus fruits like orange, lemon, grapes, etc. in your diet. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C which helps to strengthen the body’s immune system and lessen the effects of air pollution.
16. Restrict Outdoor Activities for your Kids
Kids should not be allowed to go outdoor for a long time. If possible, parents can also request school authorities to suspend outdoor activities. Make sure your kids spend maximum time inside the house. Kids below the age of one should be kept indoors and those above three years of age should go out wearing a mask however mask for children below 3 years of age is not recommended as it could choke them.
17. Drink Basil Tea
Basil (Tulsi) has a lot of health benefits. Drink a cup of basil juice or basil tea every day to flush toxins out of your body and steer clear of pollutants from your respiratory system.
18. Use Air Purifiers
Use air purifiers in the room to minimise the harmful effects of air pollution. Plants act as best natural air purifiers.
Let us know more about plants which act as a natural air purifier.
The Toxic levels of the polluted air have forced people to go in for Masks, and a Wide range of Air Purifiers have been launched to cash on the need to purify air at home and is proving to be a money spinner for a lot of brands. However as per a study by IIT Kanpur-These so-called Air Purifiers only serve a limited purpose and do not hold much value. Instead, the air can be purified at home by having plants which help us to clean air from its toxins and gives fresh air as well. Here are Three Plants which serve as a Natural Air Purifier of the air inside the house.
19. Wear Protective Clothing to take care of your Skin
People are advised to wear protective clothing in this kind of weather. With increasing levels of air pollution, problems like complexion mediated change, dryness, premature ageing, a flareup of conditions like allergic-contract dermatitis,irritant-contact dermatitis acne, psoriasis and eczema also increases. So its advisable to take care of skin and shield it. People should avoid staying out for long and if you have too then wash your face with a soap-free cleanser once you come back. Apply moisturizer and sunscreen four to five times a day and wash your face each time before applying sunscreen. When going out cover your face wear bandanas, glasses, hand gloves and focus on protective clothing.
The Three Plants which act as a Natural Air Purifier
1. Areca Palm
Areca Palm is also known as living room Plant. This plant is known to absorb Carbon Monoxide, and Formaldehyde thereby cleaning the air of the toxins and also increases the level of oxygen in air Helping in giving fresh and purified air and acts as a Natural Air Purifier.
These plants require minimal effort to be maintained and are only required to be put in sunlight once in about 3-4 months.
Keep around 4 Areca palm plants of around shoulder-length for every person at home to be able to reap the full benefits. You also need to make sure to keep cleaning the leaves to enjoy inhaling pure air at home.
2. Mother in Law Tongue Plant
The Second Plant which helps in purifying the air indoors is the Mother in law Tongue Plant also known as Snake Plant or the Bedroom Plant. The speciality of this plant is that it converts CO2 to Oxygen even at Night Time thereby increasing the level of Oxygen in the air and making it better. You need to plant around 6 plants of Mother in Law Tongue Plant of up to waist height or 3 feet to reap the maximum benefits.
3. Money Plant
One of the very popular plants is the Money Plant. It is believed to be an auspicious plant and known to bring in money. It may or may not bring in the monetary gains but helps Clean Chemical Toxins from the air and gives fresh air for sure, and the best part is that it does not require much efforts as far as the maintenance is concerned. So go for a Money Plant right away and help yourself in improving the quality of air as the Money Plant is a Great air cleaner.
So wait no longer and go in for these plants to make not just your home a safer place to breathe but if all do the same, it would definitely help in reducing the air pollution levels of the entire city as small drops make an ocean. Stay Healthy, Stay Protected.
Follow all these tips mentioned in the blog to protect yourself from air pollution. You never know what pollution can do to your health. Air pollution can cause many diseases like liver disease, throat infection, etc. You must get yourself checked to be aware of your health. Get a health checkup done and say goodbye to all your health worries!
