Every single day, we inhale about 15,000 liters of air. Any toxins in that air we circulated throughout our entire body. According to research at MIT, air pollution causes 200,000 early deaths a year. When pregnant women are exposed to air pollution, it can cause pre mature birth, and birth defects, like asthma, autism, and lower IQ. One of the key ways air pollution causes damage is through cellular inflammation, detoxification impairment, and impairing the immune system. Air pollution is often hard to avoid do to industry, factories, fossil fuels, and more. We have to focus on what we can control. There are indeed various strategies we can use to improve air quality around us.

Common Sources of Air Pollution

Indoors-

-Toxic cleaning supplies

-Formaldehyde in furniture, and carpeting

– Gyms, these are often sources of high CO2 environments. This is do to all the people breathing heavy. Some air in gyms is as toxic as outdoor air pollution in cities. They also contain, liquid droplets such as dust, metals, and nitrates. This comes from mats, clanging the weights together, and rubber. These get into our lungs, and cause damage, especially when were breathing hard in an indoor environment.

– VOCs

– Mold

Outdoors-

Sometimes, outdoor air can be just as polluted as indoor air.

– Sute

– Ozone

– Smog

– Fossil fuels

How to Improve Air Quality

1. Deep nasal breathing- The air that is processed through the nose goes through small hairs called cilia. These filter, warm, cool, or humidify the air. Breathing in, and out through the nose helps us to take deeper, and fuller breaths. The lower lung receptors are associated with the parasympathetic nervous system that relax the body, while the upper lungs are associated with the sympathetic nervous system, this is more of  a stress response. The sinuses also produce nitric oxide, this helps us protect against viruses, and dilate the blood vessels.
2. Bring nature indoors- Open windows as much as possible. This gets stale air to circulate, and create more negative ions. These are very energizing to the body, and what you would find in abundance by the beach. When you allow air to circulate, it also cleanses the air. You can also use a fan, this helps generate negative ions, and circulate the air.
3. Get house plants- Having clean air that is filtered, charged, and circulating can be accomplished by having many house plants. NASA did a clean air study that showed the most beneficial plants for air cleaning. Some of them included english ivy, snake plant, and peace lilly. Plants also produce beneficial aromatic compounds that reduce stress. Having more greenery around in general is great.
4. Install HEPA (high efficiency particulate absorbing) air filters in your home. These filter down to .003 microns of air. These also filter out gas, and VOCs if it has a carbon filter. I use the air doctor, this has all these filters, plus a negative ion generator. You also can get a molekule. This is a filter that operates out of PECO ( photo electrochemical oxidation), and operates at the molecular level. This destroys pollutants 1000 times smaller than HEPA filters.
5. Use Essential oils- All essential oils are antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic. Diffusing these throughout the air can be very beneficial, and purifying to the air. Most notably, thieves, oregano, lemon, peppermint, and rosemary.
6. Use natural cleaners- Synthetic cleaners are a huge source of pollution indoors, and outdoors. These have been proven to disrupt the nervous system, and the endocrine system. There are many natural cleaners that are very effective. Some brands include biokleen, better life, and 7th generation.