It's in the Air: How Pollution Can Affect Your Health and Well-Being

Ultimate Pollution Guide: Health Issues from Pollution

Nobody likes it, but sometimes we have no choice but to breathe it. Pollution can take a toll on your health in myriad ways, from compromising your ability to think or breathe property to long-term cardiovascular issues. Oxygen Plus (O+) can help you get a grip on air pollution so you know what you're inhaling. Pollution occurs when the air is filled with harmful amounts of solid and liquid particles suspended in air (called particulate matter), which can include gas, dust, fumes, pollen, smoke and other particles. Some of the most high-risk pollutants include carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, which occur due to vehicle emissions, construction and other factors. Most particulate matter particles form in the atmosphere as a result of chemical reactions between pollutants (Particulate Matter).

Who's Affected by Air Pollution?

The simple answer to the question of who is affected by air pollution is, well, just about everyone. Pollution levels are significantly higher in urban areas, but that doesn't mean rural-dwellers are exempt. In fact, agricultural waste - pollutants from fertilizers and machinery emissions, for example - in rural areas has caused a rise in the amount of pollution in areas with low-population (Robertson). Generally speaking, individuals with heart disease and lung disease are at higher risk for health problems caused pollution. Additionally, pregnant women, those who work outdoors, children and athletes have a higher risk for contracting pollution-related health problems (Air Quality).

You can check the Air Quality Index (AIQ) in your city, or the city to which you're traveling, here at AirNow.gov. If you are sensitive to air pollution, or your area is in or below the "moderate" level, you may want to consider breathing Oxygen Plus pure recreational oxygen to help diminish your exposure to polluted air.

The Most Common Health Issues from Pollution

Pollution can cause a range of serious short- and long-term health effects. Those who live in regions with high levels of pollution may notice symptoms such as wheezing, chest pain, dry throat, headache or nausea as well as reduced resistance to infection and increased fatigue. These symptoms occur because the respiratory system must work extra-hard to supply the body with essential oxygen (Air Quality). Here are some of the long-term health effects associated with pollution:

• Cardiovascular illness
• Respiratory illness
• Aging of the lungs
• Loss of lung capacity
• Decreased lung function
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Breathing problems
• Wheezing and coughing
• Chest tightness
• Eye, nose or throat irritation