"Take a deep breath."
"Step outside for some fresh air."
Two pieces of advice that involve walking away from the stressors of life and taking in oxygen - an element you can't live without. But what happens when the air is contaminated? That means you're breathing in pollution, which is ultimately a great threat to your overall health.
How Important is Clean Air?
"What we ingest, my friends, becomes a part of us - this includes air," wrote Rev. George Malkmus in his book, 'The Hallelujah Diet: Experience the Optimal Health You Were Meant to Have.' "When we breathe polluted air, we draw that pollution deep into our cells. Our bodies need fresh, clean air for proper cellular reproduction and to provide us with the energy that sustains us."
Main outdoor pollutants include nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. According to Downwinders At Risk, NO2 is one of the most prominent of air pollutants. It's emitted from high temperature combustion and is most likely seen around cities. Carbon monoxide is the incomplete burning of fossil fuels, like natural gas, coal or wood. It's both colorless and odorless, but it's still incredibly harmful.
Additionally, indoor air quality in some households is even worse than it is outdoors. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, common organic pollutant presence can be 2 to 5 times higher inside of homes than outside. Some of these pollutants include aerosol sprays, cleansers and disinfectants, pesticides and more. So how can you ensure you're breathing in the cleanest air possible? Stop using these common household products. This allows you to breath in the freshest air - as God intended for you - which gives your mind and body the power it needs to thrive.
"Oxygen increases the energy in your cells," Rev. Malkmus wrote. "It allows them to function more efficiently as they process fuel. Using plentiful oxygen and nutrients, your cells start a 'spring cleaning' routine, expelling toxins out through the cell membrane."
If you don't supply your cells with enough clean oxygen, they can't function properly. This can make you feel tired, and can eventually lead to sickness.
Keeping the body vibrant
To keep your body in great health, it's your job to be proactive about protecting the air. Keeping the air clean allows you to breath in the uncontaminated oxygen your body needs to thrive. Additionally, Rev. Malkmus recommends following a diet that's rich in oxygenated foods.
"You need to consume oxygen-rich foods," he wrote. "That means raw vegetables and fruits. The most immediate lift you'll feel when you switch over to a raw plant-based diet will be your body's reaction to finally having enough oxygen to function properly."
So what are you waiting for? You now have the tools you need to help your body thrive the way it was designed to. Continue taking care of the atmosphere and fueling your body with God's natural sustenance to live a long and fulfilling life.
