Environmental Factors Affecting Your Health
If you live in a busy city, have you ever taken a weekend and retreated to nature? Maybe you went camping in the woods or spent time at the beach; whatever your trip held, we’re willing to bet you noticed a difference in air quality the further away you got from the electric, concrete animal that is the city. Perhaps you even noticed a change in your health due to the environmental circumstances. The environment around you can play a big role on your overall health and well-being. A 2015 panel at Harvard University addressed this issue with three speakers, the first of which was John D. Spengler, a professor of environmental health and human habitation. He cited a study that “compared the health and mortality of residents in six different cities across the U.S. with varying levels of air pollution,” noting an “inherent link between particulates in the air and health.” Which, of course, makes sense--cleaner air is going to be better for the body than highly polluted air. The two other panel members, “Assistant Professor Joseph Allen and Program Leader Julia Africa, both from the Harvard School of Public Health, each discussed the relationship between one’s environment and mental health. While Allen focused on the effect of the indoor environment in the workplace on health, well-being, and productivity, Africa spoke on how mental health and stress levels are positively impacted by being present in nature.”[1] What this boils down to is that the environment around you can not only affect your physical health, but your mental health as well. This all makes sense, but what can we do to combat the negative impacts our environments might be having on us? Sure, it’s great to get out into nature, but that’s not always an option. Plus, many of us live in cities and can’t just pick up and move. So what do we do?
● Keep your home environment clean. Don’t worry, you don’t have to keep a Pinterest-worthy level of clean around your house. But you can take a few steps to boost the air quality of your home, including regular dusting, changing filters in your air vents, or adding indoor plants to your decor.
● Take time to unplug. We’re so wired into the mainframe that sometimes we forget how to exist without having an electronic in hand. To start, you could pick one night a week that you set your phone and laptop aside. Read a book, play a boardgame with your family, or just sit and talk and with friends.
● Be conscious of your oxidative stress. We’ve previously discussed oxidative stress at length on this blog, and it’s bad news. So what do you do? Pay attention to lifestyle choices like applying adequate sunscreen when you go outside, don’t smoke, and eat a healthy diet. If you’re on the go, you can always grab a packet of our Bod•ē Strong, which features a full spectrum of vitamins, plant sourced minerals, proprietary phytonutrient blend, along with 20mg of plant-sourced silica known to help maintain healthy skin, hair and nails.* This proprietary formula may just be the most powerful liquid antioxidant available anywhere! Bod•ē TEN also protects your cells against damaging oxidative stress like a shield for your cells.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
[1] Ali, Mahnoor B. “The Harvard Crimson.” The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University, 6 Oct. 2015, www.thecrimson.com/article/2015/10/6/panel-discusses-environment-health/.