Pink cold has started in most areas of North India in the morning and evening. With the onset of winter, air pollution is also increasing. First, pollution increased due to burning of stubble, then the remaining work was completed by bursting crackers during Diwali.
The air quality index has reached above 200 in most areas of North India. AQI level has crossed 350 in most areas of Delhi. This means that the air quality is very bad. It is at a dangerous level in Delhi. Due to which health is being harmed a lot.
When we breathe, the pollutants in the air also enter our lungs. It can enter our bloodstream and cause diarrhea or itching in the eyes. Due to this, there is a risk of many diseases related to breathing and lungs. Sometimes it can also cause cancer. Now new studies continue to show that it also affects brain function.
So, today'in health water We will know how air pollution spoils our brain health. You will also learn that-
Air pollution can cause brain stroke According to a recent global study published in the Lancet Neurology journal, air pollution is the main cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). It has been found that air pollution is responsible for about 14% of deaths and disabilities due to subarachnoid hemorrhage in the year 2021. It is proving to be more dangerous than smoking.
What is subarachnoid hemorrhage? This hemorrhage affecting the brain is directly related to how clean or polluted the air we breathe is. Dr. Abhilash Bansal, neurosurgeon and spine surgeon at SS Sparsh Hospital, Bengaluru, explains subarachnoid hemorrhage like this –
What is the meaning of air quality index? Air Quality Index (AQI) is a type of instrument that measures how clean the air is. With its help, we can also estimate what harm the air pollutants present in it can cause to our health.
AQI primarily measures the concentrations of five common air pollutants. These include ground level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. You may have commonly seen AQI at these numbers on your mobile phone or in the news: 80, 102, 184, 250. See the graphic for what these numbers mean.
Understand all the :
0-50: This air quality index can be called good. This means that air pollution is very less or there is no danger from this air.
51-100: This air quality is acceptable. However, some pollutants present in this air can cause health problems for people who are very sensitive to air pollution.
101-150: People who are sensitive to this air (those with respiratory conditions) may face health problems. Generally it does not have much effect on other people.
151-200: This air can cause health problems to everyone. People who are sensitive to pollution can face serious health problems.
201-300: This level of air pollution is a warning for our health. This air can have a very serious effect on every person.
301-500: If air pollution increases too much, it can trigger emergency health conditions. This air can have very serious effects on the entire population.
Is breathing bad air the same as smoking cigarettes? Dr. Abhilash Sharma says that breathing bad air can sometimes be more dangerous than smoking cigarettes. Many types of chemicals, particles and carcinogens are found in it.
According to a study published in the famous journal BMJ, more than 21 lakh people die every year in India due to air pollution. About 21 lakh 80 thousand people died in the year 2023. In this matter, India is second only to China, where more than 23 lakh people die every year due to air pollution.
Air causes harm equivalent to smoking how many cigarettes a day Researcher Richard A. of the American city of Berkeley. Miller and Elizabeth Miller created an online calculator to compare air pollution with cigarette smoke.
According to them, if a person breathes at 64 AQI level for 24 hours, it is like smoking one cigarette a day. While this air quality is not generally considered bad, it is acceptable. Now just think that if the AQI level has reached above 250 in cities like Delhi, then how many cigarettes are required to smoke.
The simple calculation is that the worse the air quality is, it is like smoking cigarettes. See his calculation graphic:
Many diseases can occur due to air pollution Air pollution has many adverse effects on our health. Due to this the risk of cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases increases. What other diseases can this cause, see graphic.
How to protect yourself from increasing air pollution?
Graphics Source: NavJivanIndia | VaskarAssets
