Sprawling cities like Los Angeles and Dallas are notorious for high levels of smog, but even smaller cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Denver, Colorado, are becoming dangerously polluted. While many of us try to reduce our carbon footprint by taking a bicycle to work or recycling, sometimes the rising danger of air pollution and toxins leaves us feeling powerless to protect ourselves. However, there is research to suggest that ingesting certain nutrients can help to fortify your body against air-borne threats.
Ramifications of Rising Pollution
There’s no denying that smog affects our everyday health. Exposure to air contamination over time can result in serious health conditions, especially among the very young, the very old, and anyone with existing respiratory illness. Some of the conditions caused by smog include:
- Aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illness
- Added stress to heart and lungs, which must work harder to supply the body with oxygen
- Damaged cells in the respiratory system
- Accelerated aging of the lungs
- Loss of lung capacity
- Decreased lung function
- Development of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and possibly cancer
- Shortened life span
How to Combat the Effects of Smog
While you, as just one individual, may not be able to fight back against the onslaught of air pollution throughout the world, you can help your own body protect itself. Certain nutrients and organic chemicals can fortify cells against the damaging power of air-borne toxins:
- Vitamin C protects the cells and tissues against the effects of water-soluble chemicals such as carbon monoxide, metals such as cadmium, and metabolic by-products such as carcinogenic nitrosamines made from nitrites.
- Vitamin D deficiencies run rampant in areas with much smog, causing skin and bone problems. Supplementing can reduce this risk.
- N-Acetyl Cysteine powerfully counteracts oxidative stress caused by air contaminants and toxins. It has been shown to prevent further protein oxidation and inflammation, protecting respiratory tissues.
- L-Arginine can regulate airway responsiveness in asthma and exacerbation by air pollution.
- L-Glutathione collects toxins from blood and tissues and delivers them to the liver, where they can be flushed out of the body.
- Aspartic acid protects the liver by combining with other amino acids to aid in the removal of excess ammonia and other toxic pollutants from the body.
- Grape seed extract substantially increases levels of antioxidants in the blood, helping to neutralize free radicals and the damage caused by air-borne toxins.
One way to combine the forces of these vitamins, amino acids, and antioxidants is to take a multi-nutrient liquid supplement like T.J. Clark’s Smog Detox™. Many more vitamins and minerals are available in the Living Clean store. You can also read more about supplementing for health on the blog: