Air flows between us, in and out of us and connects us. Air is the one thing all living organisms share. The air we breathe is our closest and most important contact with the outside environment. Air is our primary source of nutrition. Our health is influenced by the quality of air we breathe, as well as the manner in which we breathe. Good, regular and relaxed breathing greatly improves health by:
Neutralizing our excessive body heat, which maintains our ideal body temperature
Regulating our heartbeat
Helping our mind and body integration
Strengthening our nerves, and settling the emotions
Cleansing our body of waste matters, especially carbon dioxide
Increasing our metabolism
Helping our blood circulate to the deeper tissues and capillaries
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
“millions of people live in areas where air pollution can cause serious health problems. Local air quality can affect our daily lives. Like the weather, it can change from day to day.”
The EPA has developed the Air Quality Index, or AQI, to make information available about the health effects of common air pollutants and how to avoid
those effects Environmental Protection Agency, 2016).
The World Health Organization
According to the World Health Organization:
“Air pollution is the largest single environmental health risk, estimated to kill 1 in 8 people globally, due to heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and cancer. Air pollution has become a growing concern in the past few years, with an increasing number of acute air pollution episodes in many cities worldwide. As a result, data on air quality is becoming increasingly available and the science underlying the related health impacts is also evolving rapidly. By reducing air pollution levels, countries can reduce the burden of disease from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma.”