Technology and industrialization is changing our way of life–making it easier and fast-paced. Nevertheless, development does not always bring good news. Sometimes, development can also negatively affect our life in small, unforeseen ways. Air pollution is one example of this.

Air pollution is becoming a huge problem in our society. Every year, more than 5.5 million reported deaths around the world are said to be caused by air pollution. A study also says that 94 percent of these deaths usually occur in low and middle-income countries, like the Philippines.

These large numbers are saying something: Indeed, air pollution can harm your health! But you can still fight back to air pollution, and there are many ways that you can do this. Here are some examples:

Wear a smog mask.
A total of 300 million people around the world suffer from asthma, and the cases keep increasing year after year.

In heavily polluted areas like Metro Manila, wearing a face mask is necessary as it serves as  a protective barrier between your lungs and the hazardous air outside. Wearing face mask reduces inhaled exposure by at least 95 percent. You can use this to avoid common respiratory diseases—such as cold, allergies, and sinusitis.

Exercise often.
A lot of respiratory ailments can be improved with regular exercise. Exercise oxygenates our lungs and bronchi and improve the condition of our respiratory system.

Some examples of exercises that can help muscle the lungs are brisk walking, cardio, jogging, cycling, and swimming. Although when doing exercise, always remember to avoid high-polluted areas.

Don’t accept secondhand smoke.
We all know that smoking can bring a lot of diseases, from asthma, to heart disease, to lung cancer, but do you know that even if you don’t smoke, you can still get respiratory diseases?

Inhaling secondhand smoke can also contribute to developing lung complications, both to adults and children. Adults can acquire cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, stroke, and nasal irritation. Children and infants, on the other hand, can experience sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, middle ear disease, pneumonia, and bronchitis. To avoid these diseases, don’t allow smoking inside your home, work, and car.

Save electricity.
You can save money, your lungs, and the environment by reducing electricity use. The reason for this is because using electricity, even in the smallest way, contributes air pollution. How?

Point your fingers at the fossil fuel, the most common source of energy and electricity. The burning of fossil fuel, when creating electricity, creates various greenhouse gases. These gases are not only harmful for us when inhaled, but also to the environment.

Check the air quality in your city.
You can actually check the quality of air in your area. This will rightly inform you if the area where you live is clean or if it is polluted.  Expect heavy pollution in densely populated areas like Manila, Makati, and Quezon City.

Of course, regular check ups from the most effective doctors can help keep your health in top shape. The nearest clinic or hospital, like ManilaMed, offers services that will help keep the lung healthy, but aside from keeping our respiratory system healthy, we should also do our part in minimizing pollution for a healthier environment.