Air Pollution and How to Protect Your Health Naturally

Hazy summer days make you think of warmth, sun, blue skies, and fun. They also bring concerns of smog, wildfire or barbeque smoke, agricultural chemicals, or even the smell of asphalt and road repair compounds. These pollutants may leave your eyes, sinuses, and respiratory tract irritated or worse, forcing you to limit your time outdoors.

The number of pollutants in the air may vary day to day depending on weather patterns, heat, humidity and ventilation as well as living and occupational environments around you. Indoor air quality is often worse than outdoor air. The sources of air pollutants are extensive, everywhere, and must be managed!

Where Does Particulate Matter Go?

When you inhale pollutants or particulate matter in the air, your respiratory tract must clear them. Most of the inhaled particulates are removed via a process called mucociliary clearance. Mucociliary clearance is a waste disposal system found in your nasal passages, throat, and respiratory system and involves cilia, mucous, and mucosal membranes.

Cilia are tiny hair-like projections that line the surface of your airways. They engage in a beating like activity to move and clear mucous in coordinated movements. This is a significant immune defense mechanism against chemicals, dust, and biological compounds that you inhale and swallow.

Once the mucociliary clearance process has been activated, the pollutants in your throat/respiratory tract or in your saliva are ultimately transported to the gastrointestinal system. The gut microbiome manages its removal.

Tips to Aid Your Mucous Membranes and Clearance of Pollutants

Hydration is important to keep cilia beating and mucosal membranes moist. It is also essential to protect and nourish the mucosal barriers in your respiratory and digestive tract. It is vital to support your gut microbiome from the impact of swallowed particulates. Your eyes also require healthy mucosal and antioxidant protection against air pollutants.

Mucosal Barrier Defense Support

Mucosal barriers require several nutrients to maintain their integrity and defense mechanisms. These include vitamins A and D, omega-3 oils EPA and DHA, hyaluronic acid, collagen peptides, and the amino acids glycine and glutamine.

Each nutrient is important, but vitamins A and D deserve a special mention as many individuals may lack adequate intake or exposure to sunlight. The best dietary sources of vitamin A are found in beef or poultry liver, cod liver, eggs, dairy products, and fish. Carotenes which are found in green-leafy, red-, orange-, yellow-, and purple-colored fruits and vegetables can be converted into vitamin A. However, the conversion rate of carotenes to vitamin A is low and may be impaired by changes in gene expression.

Daily Protector Eye & Immune contains a combination of vitamin A as beta carotene and palmitate, along with other antioxidants for immune health.

Vitamin D is especially important for mucosal barrier function, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and immune function.

More information about vitamin A and vitamin D may be found in the articles:

Vitamin A – An Essential Nutrient for Immune, Respiratory, and Gut Health

Vitamin D and Your Immune System – Are You Getting Enough?

Customer favorites for respiratory health and mucosal barrier support consist of Daily Protector Eye & Immune, Vitamin D, Astaxanthin, and Daily DHA. More nutritional support may also include GI & Muscle Helper and Collagen Peptides.

Arabinogalactan and Mucosal Barrier Function

In addition to the above nutrients, the mucosal barrier in your gut benefits markedly by fiber. Dietary fiber feeds beneficial gut flora to make short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Dietary fiber is critical for mucosal barrier integrity and immune function.

Arabinogalactan, a beneficial prebiotic carbohydrate-fiber helps make SCFA. It helps nourish and maintain the growth of beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus and Bifidus. This prebiotic fiber also supports several immune related activities to aid in lymphatic function. 

Arabinogalactan is found in Immune Plus and Super Immune Booster. These products are customer favorites as they aid in clearance of mucous and support immune and lymphatic function. It is also found in Fiber Helper.

More information about mucosal barrier health may be found in the articles:

Healthy Mucosal Barriers Makes for a Healthier You.

Fiber and Your Gut Mucosal Lining

Pollutants and Free Radical Support

Pollutants also create free radicals and oxidative stress in your tissues. It is vital to ensure daily dietary intake of a rainbow of colors of fruits and vegetables. Strive for 5-13 servings per day of a combination of these foods.

Plant flavonoids, polyphenols, and vitamins provide a variety of antioxidant benefits for your eyes, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Great resources include quercetin, curcumin, anthocyanidins like grape seed extract, resveratrol, and pterostilbene, vitamins A, C, and E, and many others.

Customer favorites include Daily Protector Eye & Immune, Quercetin or Repair Plus, Grape Seed Extract or Cardio Helper. These are great for kids and elderly too or those with more sensitive respiratory needs.

Additional Tips for Air Quality Support

Indoor air pollution is often worse than outdoor air pollution. Open the windows in your home to get cross-ventilation air flow on a beautiful, clear day. Also consider an air purifier for use in your home or bedroom and even your automobile. Not all air purifiers are created equal, and you will need to evaluate and research items to meet your needs.

Houseplants provide great beauty and are also great air purifiers. Popular plants for improving indoor air quality include Spider plants, Philodendrons, English Ivy, Peace Lily, Mother-In-Laws Tongue/Snake Plant, Bromeliads, Dracaena, Boston House Ferns, Chrysanthemums, Rubber plants, Areca Palms, reed or bamboo plants, and many more. Consider planting additional trees or shrubs in your yard. Check with your local gardening experts for what might work best for your area and your “green thumb” abilities.

Air pollution is part of 21st Century life. Great emphasis is often placed on the quality of your food and water, but air quality is also highly important for your health. Provide your body with the antioxidant support it needs to manage the everyday effects of pollutants with a great diet and supplementation for extra support. Ensure protection and support of your mucosal barriers to support your eyes, respiratory, and gastrointestinal health and tolerance to pollutants.

Happy Summer!


Additional resources:

Essential Nutrients for Detoxification

Restore Health After an Immune Challenge

Eye Health and Gut Health Linked

Protect Your Precious Eyes from Oxidative Stress

Diesel Exhaust Causes Strain on Heart, Brain, Liver, Lungs, and Pancreas