Mumbai doctors share tips to cope with the recent air pollution in the city

Wear an N95 mask out of homeAir pollution has been on the rise for several years now and the multiple constructions of buildings and vehicular pollution are major factors that also lead to the deterioration of the air quality index of the city The PM particulate matter 10 pollutant released from construction sites has a tendency to get stuck in your air passage while the PM 25 pollutants are far worse as they penetrate the air passage and settle in your lungs which can lead to various side effectsFor prevention what needs to be kept in mind is to absolutely avoid stepping out in the mornings for walking jogging running or for any other form of exercise as you will inadvertently end up inhaling these pollutants And if you already have lungrelated disease disorders or breathing troubles avoid this at any cost But if you wish for an outdoor exercise routine itrsquos best to step out after 930 or 10 amWhen stepping out for any work at any time of the day wear a surgical mask or an N95 mask Though masks donrsquot provide 100 per cent protection from pollution they do help to a certain extent A lot of people who have difficulty in breathing or feel claustrophobic when they wear a mask and so donrsquot wear one should at least wear a mask when they are in an area where heavy construction work is underway or therersquos dust en routeFor asthmatic patients breathing or lungrelated issues or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD medicine adherence is extremely important Some people have this misconception that if you use inhalers you will get addicted to it But if your doctors have prescribed certain medicines and taking into consideration the current Air Quality Index AQI it is best to follow the medicine plan If you contract any chestrelated infection flulike symptoms or coughing it is important to get early medical intervention so as to avoid prolonged recovery period or sideeffects If possible install an air purifier indoors at your home or workplace Cardio exercises as per your capacity done indoors is a good idea as it helps strengthen the lungs Though this is a longterm solution Dr Sulaiman Ladhani chest physician and consultant pulmonologist Wockhardt Hospitals Mumbai CentralAvoid using mosquito repellent vapouriserThis AQI issue is largely due to infrastructure activities taking place across the city It leads to visible and microscopic dust that we end up inhaling The second reason responsible for this is the change in season from monsoon We are now moving to winter so itrsquos a transition period and October is typically a dry and slightly hot month While we canrsquot control these aspects what we can do is adopt a few preventive measures and focus on building up on overall immunity One thing that I highly recommend is to take measures to control indoor pollution which is created by burning incense sticks camphor candles and mosquito repellent products like coils mats liquids or the electric mats These release toxins that can add to the air pollution and may cause health issues in the future If there is a mosquito menace at home apply mosquito repellent lotion or use a bed netWhether a person has any breathing disorders or not till the AQI improves avoid going out in the early morning especially up to 7 am as thatrsquos when the smog envelopes most parts of the city Ideally after 830 am therersquos plenty of sunlight and the pollutants have settled in the higher level of the atmosphereExercising indoors till the time the current smog issue settles is a great idea and is a must because it helps in building up immunity which will enable the body to fight any diseases that may come our way due to the air pollution With the help of certified fitness experts try yoga deep breathing exercises and functional training exercises Try deep breathing exercise that involves diaphragmatic breathing as it strengthens the respiratory muscles and helps you breathe betterOxygenfree radicals are produced in the lungs due to prolonged exposure to pollutants which damages them So eat a lot of seasonal fruits especially the ones that have high antioxidants properties These fruits help take care of this For people who are above 50 or have comorbidities I would advise them to take annual influenza vaccines and a pneumococcal vaccine at least once in their lifetime as these will provide protection from severe types of flu or pneumonia All things considered get your lungs checked periodically from a pulmonologist is a great way to monitor the lung healthDr Samir Garde director of department of pulmonology and lung transplant Global Hospitals Parel