Air Pollution Still Running: 4 Ways to Mitigate the Harm

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For the majority of running enthusiasts, continuous rainy days are a headache, but air pollution is also not suitable for outdoor sports. Air pollutants contain a variety of harmful substances, such as carbon monoxide, ozone, dust, pollen, and some particles that are less than 1/30 the diameter of a human hair, and are easily inhaled into the lungs. If harmful gas is inhaled for a long time, the body function will decline. It can be said that running when the air is heavily polluted is likely to backfire.

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However, is it ideal to stop running because of air pollution? The answer is naturally no. As air pollution becomes more and more serious, if you give up exercising because of pollution, then there are only a few days suitable for exercising throughout the year.

Some people may say that you can run on an indoor treadmill when the outdoor air is polluted, but this is not a long-term solution. The indoor environment is airtight, and the air will be turbid when there are many people. Sweat, bacteria, carbon dioxide, etc. are also harmful to the human body if inhaled.

So, how to solve this problem that is a headache for many runners? Although the air quality is poor, it does not mean that the air quality is poor at all times of the day. As long as runners run during the time of the day when the pollution level is the least, there is no problem. Pollution tends to be worst during the heaviest traffic and warmest times of the day. Therefore, if runners choose to run in the morning or at night, they can reduce the harm caused by air pollution. Even if you can't avoid busy traffic while running, as long as you stay 200 meters away from heavily polluted areas, the air pollution level will drop significantly.

If the area where the runner is located is seriously polluted for a certain period of time, how to reduce the pollution damage and keep running? Check the Air Quality Index first. Before going out for a run, check the local air quality index. If it exceeds 150, it is best to run on a treadmill. If you must run outside, you need to be alert to symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, or itchy throat. If the runner itself has asthma or other breathing problems, it is not suitable for outdoor running if the air pollution index reaches 100.

The second is to run in the morning or in the evening. It is ideal to choose to run in the morning or evening before the traffic rush hour when the air pollution is relatively light. In addition, sunlight exposure will lead to an increase in surface ozone, so it is not suitable for running at noon.

The third is to stay away from the main road. If the conditions are right, runners are best to run in parks or on tree-lined roads, so as to stay as far away from heavily polluted areas as possible.

Finally, a healthy diet is also very important. Eat more foods containing antioxidants, such as leafy green vegetables, broccoli, tomatoes, citrus, nuts, berries, etc., which can reduce the harm of air pollution to the body.

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Smart watches can monitor your physical condition while running in real time and help you better manage your health.

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