Air pollution is now a leading cause of death around the world

Smog filled skies, polluting factories, and the emissions of thousands of cars crowding the freeways have all taken a toll on our air quality. An estimate 92% of the world live in places with dangerous amounts of air pollution. No one is immune, rich or poor, old or young.

We all know that air pollution can cause problems such as asthma and other lung diseases, but what may surprise you to learn is that it can also attack our cardiovascular system. Man made air pollution specifically can cause increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and may also cause problems to infants before they are even born in the form of preterm births.

In one landmark study, it was estimated by researchers that as much as 8.2 million deaths are caused by air pollution itself, more than the number of deaths caused by AIDS, war, and even smoking tobacco products.India has some of the worst air quality in the world. 21 of the 30 worst cities for air pollution are all in India. 6 of those cities made the top 10. Air pollution has gotten so bad in the past that New Delhi declared a state of emergency over air quality in November of 2019.

The local government has made efforts to control air pollution, but these attempts have so far been unsuccessful. Local efforts to limit smog are ineffective due to pollution rolling in from other areas, mainly farm land where farmers burn fields to get rid of stubble from the previous year. The pollution is so bad, 2 million of the 8.2 reported deaths from air pollution are in India.     

Until a united effort is made to limit air pollution, these numbers will continue to rise. This is an especially painful realization if you live in an area with high pollution, but there are things you can do on a personal level to avoid inhaling dangerous particulates.

1.Keep windows and doors closed

When air quality is bad, letting more smoke and exhaust into your home makes little sense.Instead, keep your house sealed as tightly as possible when home. If you have air conditioning or a HEPA filter, use them to help purify the air inside your home instead. When looking at filters, look for STATCELL technology.

STATCELL provides an additional layer of protection that helps remove even fine particulates. A filter with STATCELL technology can remove 40% more germs, viruses, and air pollutants compared to standard filters.