Is There Anything That We Can Do To Protect Our Bodies from Air Pollution?

Are there are any supplements or vitamins which we can take to protect ourselves from the health issues air pollution causes. Is there anything else that we can do?

According to the US National Library of Medicine, evidence was found to “suggest that carotenoids, vitamin D and vitamin E help protect against pollution damage which can trigger asthma, COPD and lung cancer initiation. Vitamin C, Curcumin, choline and omega-3 fatty acids may also play a role” (2018). One thing we all can do is increase our intake of these vitamins. We have nothing to lose. Even if they do not help as much as we hope, they are still benefiting our health and supplementing other parts of our bodies which may be lacking.

The next way to avoid pollution is pretty obvious. It is to simply avoid the outdoors when pollution concentrations are high. As stated from the same source, “In order to most effectively adjust behavior to reduce exposure and risk, individuals must be able to anticipate when and where air pollutant levels are likely to be elevated above levels thought to confer increased risk.” I think that while we are working on stopping the extremeness of air pollution, we can use our advancements in technology to focus on the air quality and when it is same and unsafe to be outdoors. This can of course be very difficult for third world countries and some of the places with the worst pollution such as India and Iran. Not all locations have the technology that we are fortunate enough to have. But, this could be a start for the countries who are. We can also have face masks donated so that they are readily available for when any dust storms hit or pollution concentrations increase.

The more that I read about the topic of air pollution, the more I am realizing that it is kind of difficult to find solutions or ways of protecting health. I was recently on my classmate Xena Weng’s page and she stated, “All in all, finding a solution towards air pollution is not as simple as doing simple research and utilizing other nations’ plans on reducing their own air pollution” (2019). I completely agree with this. It is not until I sat down and attempted this research topic, that I realized all the factors that goes into air pollution. Even the basics such as the buildups of pollutants, are hard to understand with not much background in chemistry.

This is something that has to be fought with the majority of people, not only the select few who are reading this blog. More people have to care and make small transitions which will eventually lead to a bigger change. If everyone lives with the mentality that they themselves will not make a difference, then we will get nowhere. There comes a point and a thin line where one person DOES make a difference. It is one person who trespasses the boundary line between struggle and success. Who knows, it could be you.

Whyand T. (2018, May). Pollution and respiratory disease: can diet or supplements help? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5930792/

Weng Xena (2019 March). The Solution to Air Pollution isn’t so Easy. Retrieved from https://medium.com/inhale-solution-exhale-pollution/the-solution-to-air-pollution-isnt-so-easy-4d668f2a08e8