This is a difficult subject and one that we’ve not touched on before however with the focus on climate change, the levels of pollution from factories, cars, planes etc.. it was a subject that we decided to review.
We know that in general the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks from air pollution however we also know that certain groups of people are more at risk due to air pollution – asthmatics, those with lung disease, diabetes and heart disease.
It’s okay – I’ll just wear a mask. You do see a lot of masks out there however the Guardian in 2018 advised to ditch the masks as they get clogged up and don’t really work. Also, to be of benefit they would have to be so tight round the face however it isn’t really effective.
Also, people quite often think that summer is the worst time for pollution and hence exercise. This isn’t really true either as each season has their own evils.
So? What do we do? Shall we exercise indoors and forget about going outside. No! The mental health benefits as well as the physical benefits from exercising outside are also well proven.
You keep on saying No! How about saying something which is a bit more helpful? Okay! There are a number of things which have been written by various people about exercising outside:-
- Avoid Busy Streets
- Avoid Rush Hour (More car pollution due to cars standing around for longer).
- Keep an eye on the pollution levels – You quite often find that a lot of weather forecasts will also give a pollution and a pollen forecast. If you are at risk then use this as a guide.
That seems pretty basic but sometimes the best advise is the simplest advise.
Common Sense quite often is the best guide but still get out there and exercise.
