Sreemoyee Chatterjee
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Opt for an anti-pollution diet to skip health impact of air pollution © Shutterstock
It is almost impossible to avoid exposure to air pollutionand suspended particulate matter (SPM), all thanks to increasing pollution due to vehicular emission, discharge from factories, burning of garbage and many more. It is practically not possible to stay indoors to protect yourself from pollution. However, air pollution does lead to several illnesses like chronic bronchitis, heart disease, lung cancer, asthma, wheezing, coughing and difficulty in breathing. This is why you need to opt for a diet that can ensure you protection from polluted air. Here is a list of foods that can safeguard your health from air pollution.
Olive oil: Olive oil is a bliss when it comes to guarding your health from air pollution. Alpha-tocopherol, the vitamin E in olive oil enhances lung function and the fatty acids present in olive oil help in curbing inflammation. Add some olive oil to your salad and consume it raw instead of cooking it. That's how you reap the best of its benefits.
Flaxseed: A storehouse of high levels of phytoestrogens and omega 3 fatty acids, flaxseeds have great anti-oxidant properties that aid in lessening the signs of asthma and other allergic reactions. Take flaxseed regularly in smoothies, salads or with your baked foods to keep the health hazards induced by air pollution at bay.
Avocado: Study conducted by the environmental research group from King's College London has shown that those suffering from lung conditions including asthma have decreased levels of vitamin E that help in combatting the adverse effects of certain kinds of particulate pollution. Avocado and spinach are extremely rich in vitamin E content and should be consumed more in order to amp up lung health.
Broccoli: A study carried out by the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University showed that broccoli has the ability to flush out or excrete toxins associated with ozone and particulate matter pollution. This excreting property of broccoli is all due to the presence of sulforaphane which is an anti-carcinogenic compound that broccoli contains.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes should essentially be a part of your anti-pollution diet as they contain lycopene, an antioxidant that protects your body from several kinds of respiratory issues. Cook it or have it raw in the form of salad.
White wine: For wine lovers, this is great news. Studies have found white wine to play an important role in amping up your respiratory and cardiac health. This is because wine is made of grapes which are known to have high levels of antioxidants. But you may be prohibited from drinking wine in case you are on medication. Hence, consult your doctor before having wine.