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The new year is the perfect time to resolve to improve your health. Maybe you’ve decided to eat more vegetables or do more cardio, or maybe you’re finally ready to commit to a nutritional and fitness overhaul. But, while a major lifestyle change can be beneficial, there is one simple way to help make your resolution to get in better shape a reality: purchase a high-quality air purifier with a True HEPA filter.
What does clean air have to do with being in shape?
The air we breathe is filled with all different kinds of pollutants. Most are harmless, but some can be very damaging to your health. Those who live in areas with particularly low-quality air need to be especially careful. Polluted air is responsible for over 4 million deaths each year. But, even if the air quality where you live is good, there are still several reasons why an air purifier is essential to staying in shape.
Indoor air quality is worse than outdoor air
No matter how good the air quality is in your area, it is likely that your home still contains an unhealthy level of pollutants. That’s because indoor air quality is generally 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air. This is due to a combination of seeped-in outdoor pollutants and human activity like cooking and heating our homes.
Unfortunately, there are no federal standards for indoor air, no alarms that go off in our home when dangerous levels of pollutants are present. If we don’t monitor our home air, we will continue to breathe in toxins that greatly inhibit our ability to stay in shape in a number of ways….
Low-quality air leads to weight gain
Recent studies have shown a connection between obesity and poor air quality. One study from the University of Colorado Boulder found that young adults exposed to higher levels of ozone show more of a certain species of microbe linked with obesity.
Another study from USC seems to show that exposure to traffic pollution during childhood makes adolescents 34 percent more likely to eat foods high in unhealthy trans fats, regardless of household income, parent education level, or proximity to fast-food restaurants.
While scientists don’t know exactly why pollution seems to lead to weight gain, they suspect that microscopic particulate matter (PM2.5) are triggering a cascade of reactions in our bodies. Breathing in those particles irritates the tiny, moist air sacs that are meant to let oxygen into the bloodstream. The irritation sends the lungs’ lining into overdrive, causing it to release hormones that interfere with the body’s system for controlling blood sugar levels. This disturbance may also trigger immune cells to invade healthy tissue and disrupt our normal appetites.
Low quality air disrupts your sleep
The amount and quality of your sleep have a direct impact on your weight and overall fitness. The average human needs around 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. According to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, getting less than 7 hours can reduce and undo the benefits of dieting. In the study, those on a sleep-deprived diet experienced a 55 percent reduction in fat loss compared to their well-rested counterparts.
One of the most important components to a good night’s sleep is air quality. While any pollutants can hamper your sleep, allergens and volatile organic compounds are generally the most disruptive. Allergens such as ragweed, dust, and pet dander interfere with the deep breathing that is essential to healthy sleep, while breathing in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) affects the central nervous system and can lead to respiratory problems including sleep apnea. Ridding your bedroom of these pollutants will help you sleep better and increase your energy and motivation to stay in shape.
Pollutants can affect your mental health
We all know that exercise can make you feel happier, but did you know that happy people are more likely to exercise? A new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Chapman University says happiness may actually inspire you to exercise. Researchers assessed the mental health and physical activity of almost 10,000 adults ages 50 and older and found that individuals who were happy at the beginning of the study were consistently more mobile during the following decade. This suggests that better mental health leads to more physical activity which is essential to physical fitness.
Mental health is multi-faceted and complicated. But studies show that there is one thing you can control which may make a real difference… air quality!
One US study showed that counties with the worst air quality had a 27 percent increase in bipolar disorder and a 6 percent increase in depression, compared to the national average and studies in London, China, and South Korea have discovered similar links between dirty air and poor mental health.
The effects are even more noticeable in children and teenagers. A study published recently in Environmental Health Perspectives, examined the link between short-term exposure to pollution and health effects in children. Just days after breathing in dirty air, the children’s mental health became noticeably worse.
Breathing in cleaner air will improve your mood and increase your desire and ability to stay in shape.
How can you make sure your indoor air quality is most conducive to staying fit?
There are several things you can do to improve your indoor air quality including:
Buy an electric stove. The best way to keep pollutants down in your kitchen is to opt for an electric stove. But, if you already have a gas stove, there are some things you can do to make it safer to use such as making sure it has been properly installed, and using a fan or opening windows while you cook.
Reduce the use of harsh cleaners and scented products. Using natural cleaning products and avoiding anything scented will reduce the VOC’s in your home.
Purchase an aeris purifier. Our purifiers have 3 to 5 times more filtration material than other air purifiers, making them the most effective way to capture smoke, odors, and VOCs. Improving your air quality will give you the energy and motivation you need to be in your best shape ever this year.
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