If you love your morning walks, probably you will need to stop. As per the Met, it was a misty morning in the national capital today with pollution levels 'very poor.' The presence of smoke in the air is not supportive for walking or jogging. There will be mixture of smoke and haze in the days to come. The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi was 391 at 10 a.m., merely 10 points from being 'severe', on a scale of 0 to 500. The humidity also remained high at 93 percent in the morning, making it difficult for pollutants to disperse. The national capital faces westerly and south-westerly winds, which being moist were also not supportive of pollution dispersion. The average presence of particle pollutants, across 37 areas of Delhi during the morning hours was on the verge of 'severe' category.
While you cannot prevent going out in the open, you can definitely keep your body and health ready for combating air pollution. We list out some herbs that you can bring in use to tackle air pollution:
1. Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that is best used to boost immunity and protect the lungs from the toxic effects of pollutants. The active compound curcumin found in turmeric is said to have antioxidants that protect your body from any toxin coming your way. All you need to do is to mix turmeric with ghee and take a teaspoon of it with warm water.
2. Neem
Neem is used to flush out toxins in the body. It purifies the body and helps it get rid of the effects of pollutants. It is the therapeutic properties of neem that come to your rescue and protect you from the harmful effects of air pollution. Drink neem tea to boost immunity. You could chew on two to three leaves every day to purify blood.
3. Tulsi
It is said that if you plant tulsi in your home, it absorbs toxic air, making it an excellent natural air purifier. Apart from that drinking 10-15 ml of tulsi juice may also help clear pollutants from the respiratory tract.
4. Pippali
Pippali is a herb that is said to strengthen your lungs and enable easy breathing. A small quantity of this powder can be mixed with honey or warm water and consumed daily for stronger immunity.
5. Ghee
Ghee helps in combating toxicity from your body. Consuming two to three teaspoon of ghee daily may help protect against toxic metals like lead and mercury and does not allow them to accumulate in bones, kidney and liver.
Make sure you wear face masks to protect yourself from the harmful air surrounding Delhi and other regions. Drink lots of water to clear out toxins naturally and try and exercise at home to stay fit.