The 21st century is marked by climate change and pollution. Apart from the fact that these factors are caused by our society, they also have impacts on us, expressly on our health. Respiratory problems, sequels on the nervous system, skin cell exposure, higher risk of disease transmission, and many others are complications our well-being is subjected to and, hence, require exits. So here are simple solutions to take better care of our health in these times.
- Apply sunscreen
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The hole in the ozone layer, a result of polluting gases named chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), is responsible for making UV radiation penetrate through Earth without proper filtration, which makes our skin extremely vulnerable to premature aging, allergies, and, in more severe cases, melanoma. In this scenario, it is indispensable that we protect ourselves with a high-factor sunscreen daily, especially on the face and neck areas.
- Wear masks when necessary
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Polluted air contains countless toxic substances that reduce the protection of our respiratory tract lining, which gives us a predisposition to inflammatory diseases, like bronchitis and pneumonia. When nearer to contaminated air spaces, such as factories, non-sustainable power stations, and congested roads, we should try to wear masks to keep our airways safe.
- Strategies to remember to drink water
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Because of global warming, at the same time as wet environments tend to get wetter, dry ones are prone to become drier, which is highly dangerous to our levels of hydration considering that up to 60% of the human body is water. To add insult to injury, on account of modern life’s rush, countless people forget to drink water regularly setting the need for strategies supposing memory activation, such as setting alarms, establishing daily hydration goals, or always having a water bottle near you.
- keep spaces ventilated
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Abrupt weather changes are becoming more and more common in a world where summer and winter seem to intercalate day by day, which makes viral colds customary since they have a seasonality component. In that sense, we must keep our windows open whenever possible (and, in closed rooms, always have maintenance checks on air conditioners!) as a way of avoiding virus concentration and decreasing the chances of catching colds.
- Caring for your mental health
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Studies have shown that the health-related effects of climate change and pollution go beyond physical terms and encompass our minds. Anxiety, stress, and depression are bound to escalate because of the poor air quality and temperature/humidity abnormal variations, especially eco-anxiety, that is, chronic fear of suffering an environmental disaster, which has increased by 4,5% from 2018 to 2023 in searches worldwide. Caring for our mental well-being with attitudes like meditation or therapy is crucial to keeping our thoughts in a good place.
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The article above was edited by Beatriz Oliveira.
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