World Environment Day 2018: 6 Ways Your Environmental Conditions Affect Your Health

The World Environment Day is the most important day of the United Nations and observed on the 5th of June each year. It encourages people across the world to increase awareness and take action for the protection of the environment. World Environment Day 2018 follows the theme, "Beat Plastic Pollution." After it came into existence in 1974, the World Environment Day became a global platform for people. This day is now celebrated in over 100 countries worldwide and is known as the people's day for making an effort to take care of the Earth and environment. And this year, India is the global host for the World Environment Day.

There's a reason why people rush to the mountains when they need peace. There's a reason why people like to sit beside the river to calm them down. Well, it is all because of the clean and peaceful environment. But there's more; have you ever wondered how people living in the hilly areas are healthier than those who live in the plains? Again, it is due to the clean and pollution-free environment. Little do we realize how important a clean environment is; it is only when it affects our health when we realize that we went wrong.

Also read: Beating Air Pollution With The Right Mask: 10 Things To Know

Environmental factors like air pollution, noise, contaminated water and heat affect our overall health. According to the WHO, three million children succumb to environment-related causes.

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This World Environment Day, learn more about how your environmental conditions affect your overall health. Take a look.

1. Respiratory problems

Smoke from kitchens, cars, buses and other vehicles decrease the quality of air you breathe. It increases the level of carbon dioxide in air and decreases oxygen. This is why you feel suffocated in highly polluted areas. This can have a direct impact on your risk of respiratory diseases. Due to the poor quality of air, the incidence of asthma has increased. The city folks are now seen coughing and wheezing, all thanks to the increased levels of air pollution. For prevention, people are now asked to wear masks before stepping out of the house.

 

Air pollution increases the incidence of asthma
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: 6 Most Effective Home Remedies For Wheezing

2. Weaker bones

After affecting the respiratory system, air pollution attacks your bones. Experts reveal that excessive air pollution increases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in people. It can further increase inflammation in the body and result in the hardening of arteries, thereby resulting in coronary artery diseases, hypertension and stroke.

Also read: Rheumatoid Arthritis: 6 Best Natural Treatments

3. Risk of dengue, malaria and other infections

Your environmental conditions can sometimes expose you to a greater risk of infectious diseases like dengue and malaria. Dengue and malaria are caused by mosquitoes which breed in polluted areas, especially where stagnant water lies. And with the increasing incidence of dengue, it is even more important to keep your environment clean. Most importantly, do not let water remain stagnant in an area.

 

Dengue-causing mosquitoes breed in places where water is stagnant
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: Top 10 Known Facts About Dengue

4. Heart diseases

Polluted environment can also increase your risk of heart diseases. It may result in hardening of arteries, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and in extreme cases, it may result in heart attacks.

5. Food toxicity

While using strong pesticides on food we fail to realize how these can enter our body and harm our overall health. This also goes for seafood; while disposing chemical wastes from industries into water bodies, we do not realize how this poison travels up the food chain and harms us. This is one of the major reasons why some of the healthiest varieties of fish need to be avoided, just because of the fear of mercury poisoning.

Also read: These Varieties Of Fish Have The Highest Levels Of Mercury

6. Cancer risk

Polluted air can increase your risk of lung cancer. When the smoke-filled air enters your lungs, it has the ability to damage them just as much as cigarette smoking does. Research shows that on an average, breathing in a city like Delhi is equivalent to smoking 44 cigarettes in a day!

 

Pollution increases the risk of lung cancer
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: Lung Cancer: 7 Ways To Lower Lung Cancer Risk
 

So now that you know how your environment can harm you, its high time you start taking measures to protect your environment.

Happy World Environment Day!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.