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The hidden health threat of going shopping
18th April 2008
Well, it's started...
This morning I woke up, pulled back the curtains,
and greeted the day with a 6sneeze salute.
The poor sparrows outside out window probably
thought someone was taking shots at them.
Still, they'd better get used to it, because my
sneezing routine is pretty much a permanent
fixture every morning during the summer months.
Of course, now that I have my Salt Pipe, I'm
convinced my hay fever is going to disappear
almost entirely.
(If you missed last Sunday's letter, find out what
I'm talking about here)
But I wonder if it'll cut out my dawn chorus of
sneezes? I'll let you know...
In the meantime, here's something that won't
make you sneeze, but it might make you choke...
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How your shopping trips could be
damaging your health...
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We all know pollution levels have rocketed over
the past few years, especially in City centres...
And we all know pollution can cause asthma,
coughs, lung problems, and can even increase the
risk of cancer.
But here's a new one...
A new study suggests that pollution may be
behind thousands of deaths from pneumonia.
The study split the country into different areas,
and looked at the death rates from pneumonia and
the pollution levels in each of those areas.
And although there is no solid scientific
explanation for it yet, there seems to be a definite
link between high pollution and deaths from
pneumonia.
For example, Lewisham in South London had the
highest level of pneumonia deaths per head,
whereas BerwickonTweed had the lowest. And
if you've ever been to those two places, you don't
need a scientist to tell you which of those two
places has the most pollution.
The man in charge of the study, Professor George
Know, says 'High mortality rates were observed
in areas with elevated ambient pollution levels.
The strongest single effect was an increase in
pneumonia deaths.'
And pneumonia's not the only illness waiting to
clobber you in highly populated, high traffic
areas...
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Could you be knocking days off your life
each time you visit a City?
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You know how politicians keep braying on and on
about how they're doing all they can to cut
pollution levels in the UK...?
Well, there's another problem that they NEVER
mention that could be having a serious effect on
our lifespans.
It's all well and good to cut the pollution levels,
and in some areas in the UK this has been done
with some success. But the hidden problem is that
pollution is becoming MORE toxic. So even if the
levels drop, the stuff that's left behind is nastier
and more dangerous than ever before.
In fact, these days even low levels of exposure to
air pollution can increase the risk of dying early.
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Professor Paul Elliott said:
'The findings point to continuing public health
risks even at the relatively low levels of black
smoke and sulphur dioxide that now occur. It is
not clear why the risk of early death remains, it
could be because the cause of the pollution has
changed and it is becoming more toxic.'
And Dr Richard Russell, of the British Thoracic
Society, commented:
'There is evidence to suggest the nature of the
pollution has changed so that despite levels
declining it is more harmful.'
So what can we do to protect ourselves...?
Luckily there's plenty...
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The fight everyone wanted to see...
Plants vs Petrol!
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* Angelsword is an excellent all round
protection and purification essence made from
Australian Bush Flower essences. Add six to
ten drops of Angelsword to a warm bath at the
end of the day and just relax.
* Lobelia is a herb that is found growing on dry
grasslands in the US, Canada and Russia - but
when it comes to a natural remedy it really
divides opinion. Some people think it is the
best all-round remedy ever, others think it is
dangerous. This has led to it being banned in
some countries, but sold and loved in others.
In Greece for example, it's a herbal chart-
topper, where they have high levels of
pollution and breathing problems.
Lobelia works by releasing alkaloids that
travel up to the brain and stimulate the
mechanics of breathing. It's like having a tiny
little trainer inside you shouting 'IN, OUT...
IN, OUT' to encourage you to breath calmer
and breath deeper.
BUT - as this is such a controversial herb,
make sure you talk to your doctor before you
think of trying it.
* Dandelion - one of the first things that gets
clobbered by pollution is our good old liver.
The liver's job is to sift out the toxins that
pass through out body and flush them out of
our system. And if it wasn't busy enough
having to deal with everything we eat and
drink, it then has to fight with all the air
pollution we wade through. Which is why a
little bit of dandelion wouldn't go amiss...
It's a rich source of vitamins and minerals,
including Vitamin A, D, C, various B
Vitamins, iron, lecithin, silicon, potassium,
magnesium, zinc and manganese. And it
enhances liver and gall bladder functioning.
* Fennel - this has been used since ancient
times and helps the liver, kidneys and to work
properly.
* Umckaloabo - it's taken me about a minute to
spell this word properly, so I'm not going to
attempt to say it! The root of this plant has
been used for generations in Africa to help
maintain the liver's health and as a digestive
tonic. |
Again, before you try ANY of the above
remedies, make sure you talk to your doctor.
That's all for today. I'll be back on Sunday - and
I'm going to focus on something completely
different... but something we all need to take
very, very seriously. |
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