Want To Help Protect Yourself From Air Pollution? Eat This.

Try as you might, it’s hard to avoid polluted air - and the whole slew of health consequences that result in exposure to it. But does that mean we should just sit back and accept our fate? No way! Indeed, new research is showing that eating foods rich in vitamin C can help our bodies deal with the inevitable consequences of air pollution.

A study by researchers at Imperial College London looked at 200 patients suffering from chronic lung diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) admitted to London-area hospitals. They also looked at pollution levels on the days they were admitted; unsurprisingly, admission rates spiked on days with the poorest air quality.

Researchers also found another trend: on days with higher-than-average pollution levels, patients with low levels of Vitamin C in their systems were more likely to be hospitalized. This was true even when smokers and the elderly were excluded.

This is just the latest study that has connected a diet rich in antioxidants to improved lung performance. Research has suggested that antioxidants block harmful molecules from damaging cells. As if you needed another reason to eat your fruits and veggies!

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Val M.

3:53AM PDT on Apr 27, 2013

Thanks

April 27
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gary p.

4:23AM PDT on Mar 16, 2013

Vit C it is then. Love fruit so should be OK.

All the best everyone xx

Biking Birder 2010

March 16
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Melania P.

9:21AM PST on Feb 11, 2013

February 11
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greenplanet e.

5:39PM PST on Jan 22, 2013

Thanks for good info.

January 22
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Denise M.

7:29AM PST on Jan 9, 2013

Good to know, thank you :)

January 9
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Roger M.

11:06PM PST on Nov 12, 2012

Very interesting. Thanks.

November 12
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Nirvana J.

9:25PM PDT on Oct 28, 2012

October 28
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JL A.

3:57PM PDT on Oct 28, 2012

good to know

Christa D.

5:28PM PDT on Sep 14, 2012

September 14
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heather g.

2:24AM PDT on Sep 1, 2012

I don't think my multivitimin tablets have sufficient Vit. C.

Your advice is truly appreciated, as my attempts to move out of the line of heavy traffic pollution have not yet been successful.

Our Municipality's planning dept. has added to the unhealthy stew we find ourselves living in.. they plan to make our road a major route for large trucks delivering goods to the port. Our requests have fallen on deaf ears .... so I've gone from 100% healthy to coughing, spluttering and nightly wheezing in three short years.

Even when I go for a walk downtown or I visit our dusty library, I need to use my puffer because I'm sensitive to vehicle pollution and other invisible pollutants.