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– The effects of air pollution are not limited only to the respiratory tract, but also to all other organs. There is a clear correlation between the number of cancer patients and the degree of air pollution, and it is similar with all other diseases – says in an interview for “Blic” pulmonologist prof. Dr. Branimir Nestorović.
In recent days and weeks, the air in Serbia has color and smell. The number of children with respiratory problems grows year after year, and the heavy metals that we breathe permanently settle in our bodies and cause numerous diseases.
We are witnessing that air pollution is a growing problem in our country. Is the number of children with breathing problems increasing?
– Air pollution is one of the most important causes of illness and death, according to the World Health Organization. Another cause is noise pollution. When I started this business, the number of children with respiratory tract diseases was low (less than one percent of all children). Current estimates indicate that nearly one in six children have asthma, more than 20 percent of allergic sneezes, and other respiratory tract illnesses (including respiratory infections) are on the rise. I always worked at the Clinic at the Clinic on Wednesdays, the number of patients increased from five to 10 at the beginning of my career to 30 to 40.
What are the most aggressive particles for our lungs?
– Although there is much talk of particles (POM2.5 and PM10), gases are much more important, because they penetrate more deeply into the respiratory organs. The particles cause diseases of the upper respiratory tract and large airways (sinusitis, bronchitis, secretions). Gas is the cause of asthma, chronic obstructive diseases and probably also cancer (here the gases produced by the combustion of cigarette filters, which are made of cellulose acetate, stand out). The most aggressive is sulfur dioxide, which is produced by burning coal in power plants, but we must not forget ozone (it is created by internal combustion engines, especially diesel engines).
Can we talk about the most sensitive age, when it comes to air pollution and its impact on the lungs?
– Children up to three years of age are the most sensitive, because their lungs are in the development phase. Damages during this period can have lasting consequences. This group is also highly susceptible to viral infections, further exacerbating lung damage caused by air pollution.
What are the subsequent illnesses that can develop in people who were exposed to polluted air as children?
– The most frequent are asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic sinusitis in the upper respiratory tract. Damage to the lungs by azezadenie leads to a decrease in resistance to various infectious agents, so it is a well-known phenomenon that residents of cities where air pollution is high often have attacks of repeated shortness of breath or pneumonia. .
Does air pollution also cause certain allergic reactions?
– Damage to the mucous membrane leads to easier penetration of allergens through the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and this facilitates the development of allergic sensitization. Works from Japan indicate that the percentage of asthmatics is directly proportional to the distance between the house and the road. Additionally, allergen particles (especially pollen) bind to air pollutants. This facilitates breathing, inhalation leads to inflammation of the mucous membrane, and said inflamed mucous membrane often becomes allergic. Air pollution, allergens and viruses are common in the appearance of rhea in our airways.
Can polluted air systematically damage the whole body?
– As a consequence of the introduction of air pollutant particles, there is a greater production of oxygen free radicals (and they are the basic factor of damage to our tissues and DNA). The effects of air pollution are not limited to the respiratory tract, but to all other organs as well. There is a clear correlation between the number of cancer patients and the degree of air pollution, and it is similar with all other diseases. Heavy metals from fossil fuels are permanently deposited in the body and have numerous negative consequences.
What is the best protection?
– Specialized masks (N95 and N99) reduce the amount of inhaled particles between 40 and 70 percent, they do not affect gases (unless they have an activated carbon filter, which must be changed periodically). Surgical and canvas masks are of little help. Quality air purifiers can be helpful as they reduce the amount of particulates and gases to low values. Especially good are those with high air circulation values, because they allow the air to filter in about six to 10 minutes after ventilating the room. This is especially true in an apartment on the side of the road or in the center.
What should be used in the diet to neutralize the toxins that we breathe?
– Natural antioxidants are the best solution (from vitamin C, quercetin from onion, resveratrol from red wine). They antagonize oxidative processes that are accelerated under the influence of air pollution. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has excellent effects on all life processes, from aging to the incidence of cancer and chronic diseases.
He once talked about coriander and its ability to buy heavy metals from our bodies. What other prevention is there to prevent our children from ending corticosteroid inhalation therapy?
– Coriander is a powerful antioxidant, improves the functioning of the immune system, reduces blood sugar. Beet juice removes all heavy metals from our body, and silicon-rich water is the only one that can remove aluminum, when it is abundant in packaging and food (it is added to extend the shelf life, because it reduces the percentage acid in products).
Go out around noon
What is the safe time to be outside during the period when the air is polluted?
– It is better to go out around noon, especially when there is a draft (the wind carries particles and gases). You must walk along the rivers, because the water dissolves the gases of air pollution, so its concentration in those places is lower.
Video: Pollution in Nis
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