Does Air Pollution Cause Asthma?

There have been many studies done to see if air pollution is causing Asthma and other health conditions. One thing they looked at first was our ozone which is something that protects us from the harmful effects of the sun. Ozone can actually drop down to lower elevations. It may also be causing what we call smog, keeping the air pollution down low where we can simply breathe it in. Smog happens mostly in the summer time when temperatures are hotter, causing the ozone to drop down and keep the pollution in. When the Ozone is low children and adults will have an increased risk of an asthma attack.
Children are more susceptible to asthma attacks because of their smaller body mass, giving them a much higher risk of breathing something in that will cause their airways to narrow, rather than that of an adult. Ozone can destroy good asthma control, when pollution comes down and smothers small towns and big cities in smog, it can destroy even the best action plan. Keep a close eye on the news for warnings of bad pollution days so that you know whether to stay inside or if it's safe to go outside?
Several local news channels can now alert people when ozone levels are at high or dangerous levels. There are also places online that keep track of air pollution and how high the risk is. High pollution days should be watched closely if you have children that suffer from asthma, so their asthma attacks can be kept at a minimum. Ozone levels seem to be lowest in the early morning hours. So if you go to the gym, jog outside, send your children outside to play, then I suggest going out early in the day. Going outside early would be your best chance of avoid breathing in pollution. You can feel better about breathing in and out more rapidly when pollution levels are at their lowest instead of their highest.
There was a study done on the affects of exposure to high traffic pollution called the MAMSE project. Scientists measured the amount of traffic and the circumstances that cause air pollution to move into the homes and the surrounding areas. 4,000 children took part in the tests and they found children exposed to higher levels of car/air pollution, had a 60% higher chance of developing Asthma, respiratory dysfunctions and had a higher probability to being allergic to pollens, airborne toxins and allergens. Genetic factors also played a role in this study. Automobile emissions are becoming bad news. There was study conducted on the size of the medication particulates that should be used for the inhalers of someone suffering from asthma. The drug particle size that was found to work the best was the size of 2.5 microns. At this size the medication can reach the deepest part of the lungs to give an adequate start to opening up airways in the lungs. This study also concluded that the emissions from Diesel exhaust had over 40 toxic air contaminants and some are known carcinogens such as arsenic and benzene.
Gasoline and diesel exhaust is a huge contributor to ground level ozone and the holding of smog in our cities and towns. Short term exposure to high levels of pollution can lead to headaches, eye irritation, coughing and even nausea. Long term exposure can lead to much more serious problems such as damage to your nervous system and can even cause brain damage. Does Pollution cause asthma? I think it's a major contributing factor to the development of Asthma and many other health conditions. Our reaction to allergies is stemmed from how much protection we have when we were children from smog.
There are all sorts of exhaust emissions from cars and diesel trucks that are now increasing every year because of our population growth. It will not be slowing down anytime soon, so we must protect ourselves from the threats we ourselves create. Learn ways to naturally remove the toxins and pollution from your bodies. Over time we develop what is called a "toxic burden". What our bodies cannot get rid of on its own are just absorbed into the body. That's a scary thought. Learn more about protecting your family members and close friends, it could change many lives and in some cases even save lives.