Polluted Air Triggers More Heart Attacks Than Cocaine

A new study that just came out shows that air pollution triggers more heart attacks than using cocaine. I'm not saying that anyone reading this uses cocaine. It's just an interesting comparison.

The study also showed that air pollution is as high a risk of jump-starting a heart attack as alcohol, coffee and physical exertion.

Now that's even more interesting! Actually, a little frightening, because most people do partake, at least now and then, of alcohol and coffee. And it would be difficult to get through life without a little physical exertion.

Physical exertion is a good thing for most people, but those who are at risk for a heart attack do have to be extremely careful. For anyone who has risk factors for heart attacks, this study is very important information they should not ignore.

According to researchers, other stimuli like sex, anger, marijuana use and chest or respiratory infections and can also trigger heart attacks to different extents, but air pollution (especially in heavy, congested traffic) is, by far, the biggest factor.

Should air quality be taken more seriously when considering heart risks? Most definitely, according to the study published in The Lancet journal in February, 2011. In fact, they should be ranked right up there with higher risk factors like drug use, which are rarer, as compared to the more frequent exposure to polluted air.

Tim Nawrot of Hasselt University in Belgium, led the study. His team combined data from 36 separate studies and calculated the relative risk posed by a series of heart attack triggers and their population-attributable fraction (PAF). In other words, the proportion of total heart attacks estimated to have been caused by each trigger.

What was the highest risk of PAF? First was traffic exposure, followed by physical exertion, alcohol, coffee, air pollution (all very close risks), and then things like anger, sex, cocaine use, smoking marijuana and respiratory infections.

"Of the triggers for heart attack studied, cocaine is the most likely to trigger an event in an individual, but traffic has the greatest population effect as more people are exposed to (it)," the researchers wrote. "PAFs give a measure of how much disease would be avoided if the risk was no longer present."

A report published late last year found that air pollution in many major cities in Asia exceeds the WHO's air quality guidelines. They show the toxic cocktails of pollutants results in more than 530,000 premature deaths a year.

The effects of second-hand smoke (which was not included in this study) were likely to be similar to that of outdoor air pollution. Researchers point out that the ban on smoking in public places in England caused the number of heart attacks to plummet. Savings to the health service are estimated at 8.4 million pounds ($13 million) in the first year.

Heart specialists are quick to point out that besides avoiding polluted air, those wanting to stay healthy should focus on not smoking, exercising, eating a healthy diet and maintaining their ideal weight.

Now that you know how dangerous dirty air is, what can you do if you live in a polluted city? Picking up and moving are rarely options.

There are ways to keep the air inside your home and workplace clean and pure that are easy to implement. Perhaps the least known, but most effective, is diffusing essential oils.

Cold-air diffused oils alter the structure of molecules that create odors, rather than just masking them. They also increase oxygen availablity and produce negative ions at the same time.

Many essential oils, such as lemon, Purification, Citrus Fresh, and Thieves, are highly antibacterial and are extremely effective for eliminating and destroying airborne germs and bacteria.

I personally have experienced the incredible power of essential oils to transform totally polluted air thick with cigarette smoke, burning rubber, auto exhaust and motorcycle, lawn mower and blower exhaust into pure, sweet-smelling air in a few minutes. It's uncanny how the worst air can be turned into fresh air just by diffusing Purification or Citrus Fresh (or any of the others).

Cold air diffusing appropriate essential oils can:

- Reduce bacteria, fungus, and mold
- Eliminate odors
- Stimulate neurotransmitters
- Stimulate secretion of endorphins
- Digest petrochemicals on the receptor sites

Depending on the properties of the oils, diffusing essential oils
can also:

- Improve the secretion of IgA antibodies that fight candida
- Improve digestive function
- Improve hormonal balance
- Relieve headaches
- Stimulate growth horomone production and receptivity
- Improve concentration, alertness, and mental clarity
- Relax the mind and body, relieve tension and clear the mind

Every one of those benefits will improve health and well-being. All this, combined with the ability to purify the air and prevent heart attacks, makes it a no-brainer to start diffusing today.

Learn more about diffusers here

The Essential Oil Diva

PS BRW, for commuting and travelling in your car, nothing beats the Travel Fan Diffuser for keeping the air clean and pure in the worst traffic.