How to exercise outdoors, when the smog’s a killer
Thursday, November 15, 2018 IST
We’re in the zone yet again: As Delhi’s air pollution levels hover between ‘unhealthy’ and ‘very unhealthy’, a group of physicians at the Heart Care Foundation of India have asked for the cancellation of the city’s always awaited Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, to be held on October 21. “Not running is not the solution,” says Dr Sangeeta Saikia, co-founder of Delhi Runners Group (DRG) that mobilises everyone from beginners to the seasoned sportsperson, to get moving in a country that sorely needs people to exercise more.
Yet, doctors have a cautionary note: “Your respiratory rate is higher than usual during exercise and it can damage your lungs when you inhale deeper. Exercise in pollution can precipitate a heart attack or stroke in those who are susceptible. These include people with arterial blockages, especially silent blockages (when you don’t know you have one), since there is the combination of physical stress and pollution,” says Dr KK Aggarwal, national president, HCFI.
So what does one do in a polluted city, besides the obvious choice of running on a treadmill in a gym? Dr Deepak Chaudhary, a sports medicine physician and full-marathon runner, who will be taking part in this year’s ADHM, says over the weekend, when he needs to do his long runs, he tries to venture a little distance from the heart of the city, to an area with greenery. Last year, he says the race sprinkled water on the track to ensure as little dust flew.
You can also monitor the city’s pollution levels to see when the best time is. Dr Adil Rizvi, chief of Cardio-thoracic surgery, PSRI, Delhi, says that he has downloaded an app that measures the air quality index. When it’s too polluted outdoors, he’ll stay in and exercise on the treadmill. Since there’s no substitute for cardio, it’s a fine balance to maintain. A healthy diet loaded with antioxidants and pranayama may not be able to offset the pollution, but they can keep your general health up.
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
Lung cancer is usually not noticeable during the early stages. Most people are diagnosed when the disease is at an advanced stage. According to Cancer.org, it is ...
Recently posted . 9K views . 2 min read
The health benefits of wood apple include [1] relief from constipation, indigestion, peptic ulcer, piles, respiratory problems, diarrhea, and dysentery. It also b...
Recently posted . 6K views . 2 min read
The scientists likewise shared how much liquor an individual can drink prior to facing overabundance risk challenges their wellbeing, contrasted with somebody who...
Recently posted . 6K views . 1 min read
Bael, also known as the “Wood Apple”, is a species native to India. The bael tree is considered to be sacred to the Hindus. A famous drink known as sh...
Recently posted . 6K views . 2 min read
More in Food & Health
The FDA has identified 9 hand sanitisers that may be toxic for you. Some of these were earlier labelled ‘FDA approved.’ Read on to know more.
<...
Recently posted. 942 views . 1 min read
Preterm babies who are born before their due date show better brain development when fed breast milk rather than formula milk, says a new study.
&n...
Recently posted. 961 views . 1 min read
Vodka was made for so much more than mules and martinis. It may surprise you to learn that the spirit was actually invented as a source of medicine (something Princ...
Recently posted. 1K views . 2 min read
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 2K views . 155 min read
Recently posted . 3K views . 58 min read
Three years ago, when I made my transition to the development sector, my view about India's public health (PH) was shaped by the media and influenced by armchai...
Recently posted. 1K views . 4 min read
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency ranges from 40% to 99% in the Indian population, with most of the studies reporting a prevalence of 80-90% of population wi...
Recently posted. 1K views . 1 min read