Tag: VOCs

3 REASONS WHY it would have paid for you to get a mask a 6 months ago

Wearing masks might be the new normal today, but did you know that you should have had one months ago? Believe it or not, masks are a must-have for most people, especially since we deal with pollution and other harmful substances that can affect our lungs every day. It might not seem like it, but prolonged exposure to these things and unhealthy habits can have severe effects later on in our lives.

For you to understand the importance of masks, here are three reasons why you need one:

  1. Cleaner Lungs

The common answer for using masks is so that you can protect your lungs and breathe in clean and filtered air. You can avoid a stuffy nose caused by allergens such as pollen or dust. You can also prevent dry coughs by minimizing the risks of getting a cold during the changing of seasons. Another important factor is that filtered air can also shield you from various substances and conditions that will cause lung damage. These can include the following:

  • Smoking – Cigarette smoke produces toxic substances that can cause lung damage because it triggers inflammation and destroys air passages and air sacs, as stated by the Lung Health Institute.
  • Household Substances – From VOCs, radon to asbestos and mold, there are several materials that can be found in homes that can lead to lung damage.
  • Pollution – It can be indoor or outdoor pollution and consistently breathing in these air pollutants can cause lung inflammation, and in worst cases, lung damage.

  1. Comfortability

Who doesn’t want to be comfortable anywhere and at any place? By wearing masks with a high quality filter, you’ll have safety assurance since you would be able to protect your lungs from any toxic and harmful substances or viruses. These days, various masks are used to safeguard people from the spread of the coronavirus and other airborne diseases. Not to mention also that during traffic pollution, you can minimize the risks by wearing masks. For those who drive motorbikes, you are more prone to air pollutants caused by traffic congestion. Thus, it is always better to regularly wear your mask as you travel.

  1. Long-Term Illness Prevention

Air pollution is something that can be hard to escape. Regardless of where you live, it is all around us. According to WHO , “microscopic pollutants in the air can slip past our body’s defenses, penetrating deep into our respiratory and circulatory system, damaging our lungs, heart and brain.” This is why at least 2.5 million people worldwide die each year from the long-term health effects caused by exposure to air pollution, as stated by National Geographic. Because of deadly lung diseases, heart disease, cancer, and other respiratory diseases, air pollution shouldn’t be taken lightly. For these reasons, you can see how crucial it is to wear a mask. This will help reduce exposure to all these pollutants and prevent any prolonged effects.

If you consider all these three reasons, masks are definitely something you need for a lifetime. As much as possible, avoid inhaling substances that can cause damage to your health. As they say, it is better to be safe than sorry. 

The Crimes We Commit Against Our Lungs

If we want to be able to avoid having unhealthy lungs, then we should do our best to prevent ourselves from doing things that can cause harm to our bodies. Most people are not aware of the implications of what our lungs do. They do not understand the risks and effects that are associated with smoking, not wearing masks, non-ventilated rooms, viruses, and bacteria.

In order to understand what affects our lungs better, take a look at the following list below and see if you are guilty of doing some of these things. You will understand why you should stop doing hurting your lungs now.

Smoking

Smoking is one of the common ways that you can destroy your lungs and lung tissue. The damage happens because it decreases the number of air spaces and blood vessels in your lungs. It will then result in less oxygen in crucial parts of the body. It can cause deadly diseases such as emphysema, pneumonia, and lung cancer. According to statistics, smoking is the reason for 84% of deaths from lung cancer and 83% of deaths from COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke happens because of the mixture of smoke from the burning end of the cigarette, and the smoke breathed out by smokers. It contains more than 7,000 chemicals, and hundreds of which are toxic and at least 70 that are cancer-causing agents. on-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke have an increased risk of developing lung cancer by 20% to 30%.

Not Wearing Masks

Based on research, when it comes to exposure to air pollution, even if it’s for a short or long period of time, it can have negative effects on both the lungs and heart. It is estimated that in excess of 3 million deaths happening worldwide each year are caused by outdoor air pollution. So, you might not know it, but indeed, even traffic pollution can harm you if you’re not wearing a face mask. This is because air pollution is made up of particles and gases that include ozone, volatile organic compounds or VOCs, and carbon monoxide, among others. Even dust can be detrimental to your health because it can trigger various allergens.

Breathing in Unfiltered and Unventilated Spaces

Outdoor and Indoor air pollutants are everywhere. That is why you need to have filters and ventilation in place to prevent particles and gasses from affecting your lungs. These pollutants can cause health effects that range from sneezing and coughing to aggravating chronic respiratory disorders and can even lead to fatal illnesses such as lung cancer. Without a filtered or ventilated space, dust mites, smoke particles, formaldehyde, and VOCs can remain in the air and damage your lungs. Poor ventilation can also lead to lingering odors that can have long-term health issues and lower oxygen levels due to the build-up of carbon dioxide.

 

As we learn more about the air we breathe, and we start to realize how much pollution is really out there, we should consider the effects on our bodies. Especially young people or elderly adults with growing or older lungs have to be careful. In many countries around the world it is difficult to find schools, hospitals, restaurants, bars, supermarkets, and other places we find ourselves in daily, that actually filter the air they provide. Especially in bars and restaurants in developing nations, very high levels of PM2.5 are discovered indoors due to the allowance of smoking. Education and knowledge is a great start, so that’s why we are trying to let everyone know the dangers of pollution. What do you think about the air you breathe for the majority of a day? Is it clean?

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