As of November 19, 7am, Delhi's AQI as per the official data stands at 388, however, as per aqi.in, the average AQI of the city stands at 601 at 8.50 am. While there has been data discrepancies, as a result of which, people have come to street to protest against the continuous worsening air quality of the national capital. Amid this, Dr Manan Vora, a Mumbai-based orthopedic surgeon and sports doctor shared some tips to stay safe amid polluted air. While watching a video of a person cleaning their clogged air purifier, Dr Vora says, "Your air purifiers can change filters but your lungs cannot," and suggests the following 5 tips:Creation Of Clean RoomThe first tip Dr Vora shares is to create a clean room, which can reduce exposure of pollutants by 60 to 70%. This could be achieved by an air purifier. He suggests everyone to decide one room in the house and shut its doors, and windows during peak hours, and turn on air purifier only in that room. "This alone curbs your exposure by 60 to 70%," he says. Wear N-95 MaskThe doctor advises to wear an N-95 mask whenever someone is stepping outdoors. He mentions that a cloth or a surgical mask won't protect them against the pollutants, as N-95 masks are the only protective gears with filters that can keep the pollutants out when you breathe. "Only N-95 blocks the same particles clogging the purifier," he says, referring to a video of cleaning a clogged air purifier's filter.Skip Morning Walks"Skip your morning walks," he suggests. "AQI is highest at the sunrise and breathing rate triples while exercising. This means you inhale three times more pollution per minute," he says. This happens because pollutants accumulate overnight, and without wind or sunlight, PM2.5 or the particulate matter stays trapped near the ground, leading to pollution being at its peak by sunrise. As per the data by aqi.in, highest AQI is always registered between 6am to 9am. Use Wet MopDr Vora suggests that while cleaning your house, instead of dry dusting, use a wet mop, this reduces dust particles. "Dry dusting pushes all the particles back into the air," he says. Hydrate Your Self, Check On Your CheckThe fifth tip he shares is to stay hydrated and consume vitamin C and other antioxidant-rich foods. As per the National Institutes of Health (NIH), US, vitamin C increases resistance to various viral and bacterial infections. A 2007 study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine noted that vitamin C or its supplement could in fact help patients with pneumonia or other lung-related disease. Thus vitamin C is a good boost for when lungs are at high risk, all thanks to the pollution. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Manan Vora (@dr.mananvora)]]> The doctor also suggests the consumption of amla or Indian gooseberry and turmeric to boost your immunity. However, the doctor notes that while they do not cure pollution, but consuming these may reduce inflammation caused by pollutants. "You cannot fix the AQI of your city, but you can control how much of it enters your body."
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