Saturday, February 11, 2017

Air Pollution and Dementia


We think of air pollution as a problem that impairs our lungs and our breathing, but there's new evidence that it may also affect our brains and even cause dementia.

See this article "Is there a Connection between Dementia and Dirty Air?" by Casey Kelly-Barton on senioradvisor.com.
https://www.senioradvisor.com/blog/2016/12/is-there-a-connection-between-dementia-and-dirty-air/

One specific culprit may be the magnetite particles found in dirty air.

Increased levels of magnetite have been found in the brains of persons with Alzheimer's disease.

I have a friend who died in 2012 from lung cancer--specifically, non small-cell lung cancer.  Her name was Katherine McTaggart.

She never smoked, so the change in her lung cells had to come from some other irritant, such as the polluted air in West Los Angeles, where we both live.  The 10 freeway starts at the beach and passes a few blocks from her house and from mine as it stretches east toward Texas and finally Florida.

Thus I am sure that the pollution surrounding my community is having effects on me and my friends.

Read the article above to find ways you can deal with particles in the air.  These methods include:

  • Avoid the outdoors and exercise on high-pollution days.
  • Wear a mask if you do need to go out on these days.
  • Use HVAC filters to remove irritants inside your home.



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