This is a sponsored post for Eureka Forbes AeroGuard and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com
There was a wedding in the family last week; and
while I had to give it a miss because of my little one’s exams, my parents and
extended family attended and enjoyed it! What’s more, the wedding was at my
native place, a little village in northern Karnataka, where
agriculture is the main source of livelihood. So after the wedding, my brother
and cousins spent a day picnicking in our sugarcane fields; breathing in the
fresh, dry air that my native is famous for; and sent me such amazing pictures
that had me longing for my ancestral village and that picnic!
Really, I so wanted my little one to be able to
enjoy that clean, crisp air from our fields too! But alas, I am the city mouse
and my little one unfortunately breathes air that is polluted way too much.
With an apartment close to a busy road and now because of the advent of
winters, there is constant smoke and particulate matter present in the air that
we breathe on a daily basis that is not only unhealthy at present, but also a
big cause of concern for the future!
In big cities, where there is also a lot of
industrialization; as much pollution is caused by particulate matter as is
caused by the large number of vehicles on the road. Particulate matter that I
mentioned earlier; is a mixture of soot, metals, smoke, sulfates, nitrates,
dust, tire rubber and water; and studies have connected long-term exposure to
particulate matter to significant health problems in people; as particulate
matter can penetrate deep into the lungs; or even in our bloodstream!
Now, the worst fears of any mother are to do with
her children falling sick for whatever reasons; and a mere cursory glance at
the diseases caused because of just air pollution is enough to send a chill up
the spine of the best of us! From constant coughing fits to reduced lung
capacity; from cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses to asthma, bronchitis
and emphysema; from damage to the respiratory system to a reduced life span;
the evils of air pollution are just too much to ignore!
Speaking of illnesses, did you know that air
pollution causes several diseases; some of which we never would otherwise
relate to air pollution? For example, would you ever have thought that air
pollution has the potential to cause cancer and neurobehavioral disorders? Yes,
you read that right!
- Lung
cancer and pulmonary cancer could be caused because of air pollution.
According to an article, a 2002 study by C. Arden Pope III, Ph.D. and
colleagues published in "The Journal of the American Medical
Association," long-term exposure to combustion-generated fine
particulate matter poses a significant risk for cardiopulmonary and lung
cancer mortality. Another 2000 study by Fredrik Nyberg and colleagues
published in the journal "Epidemiology" has concluded that urban
air pollution increases lung cancer risk, especially motor vehicle
emissions!
- Air
pollution also causes neurobehavioral disorders where the polluted air
directly affects the nervous system.
- Air
pollution can also cause the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder which
causes a person’s airways to lose shape and become floppy or distended!
- Air
pollution also causes the weakening of lung functions along with diseases
like asthma, pneumonia, acute bronchitis.
But this does not mean that it is only outdoor
pollution that affects us and we are good if we just close our doors and
windows and sit inside our homes. Nope. Air pollution occurs inside our beloved
homes too! Inefficient cooking and heating particles in our own home, in
addition to a plethora of indoor plants, pets and even unhygienic use of our
indoor space causes air pollution and gives rise to the fear of the diseases it
causes!
Scared? Me too! And as every mother worth her salt
will agree, it is high time we started looking for solutions! It is time to
think what we can do to ensure that our family breathes in clean and pure air.
And while reducing emission of pollutants and using cleaner fuels and processes
can help us when it comes to controlling outdoor air pollution; it is more the
indoor air pollution that we need to individually concentrate on controlling.
And the good news is; this isn’t a very difficult task!
Yes. By improving the ventilation in our homes, by maintaining good hygiene, by
throwing open our windows, by grooming our pets well; and by keeping only those
plants indoors that help with controlling air pollution; we can work wonders in
our homes!
Not only that; but air cleaners and purifiers help
too. They help take out smaller allergens like smoke, dust, asbestos,
chemicals, pet dander and pollen. Every time the air passes through them, it
gets cleaner and leaves our home that much more safe to live in!
So if you ask me, the time has come now, to think
seriously about that air purifier that you have not thought about for a long
time. After all, your family’s health demands it and the peace of your mind
depends on it! Like they say, the air that we breathe is a gift, so why not
make it a pure one?
Sources:
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