That dreaded C-word thatno onewants to hear uttered by a medical professional.
Yet, it seems more prevalent than ever.
In 2020, there were anestimated 19.3 million new cancer casesand, devastatingly, 10 million cancer-related deaths worldwide.
This disease is the first or second leading cause of premature death in 134 out of 183 countries.
Over the last few decades, researchers have learned more and more about this wide-ranging disease.
But it seems the more we learn, the more questions were left with.
What causes the various types of cancers?
How do we avoid them?
Is there a way to better diagnose and treat affected patients?
It will take decades to uncover the answers to these questions.
Tobacco chemicals are a prime example.
Another is ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
If we avoid smoking and protect ourselves from the sun, we decrease our risk of cancer.
Whats in your air?
The average person spends around 90% of their time indoors and breathes around 20,000 breaths per day.
Have you ever really sat down and considered whats in it, though?
Chances are, its packed with all sorts of things.
How does all of that impact your health?
Lets take a look at VOCs alone.
According to theEPA1, indoor levels of VOCs can be 2 to 5 times higher than outdoors on average.
Chronic exposure to VOCs can lead to central nervous system and organ damage.
Some can even cause cancer.
What about the countless other invisible threats circulating through our indoor air?
That said, our lungs arent the only organs negatively impacted by toxic air.
These can range from soot, dust, smoke, mycotoxins, bacteria, and more.
That being said, particulate matter isnt the only problem.
Older adults, children, and those with existing health issues are particularly vulnerable.
One interesting note from many researchers is that there is no completely safe level of air pollution.
This calls for a reevaluation of what constitutes ‘safe’ air quality standards.
Be mindful of your environment
Think about what locations you spend the most time in.
So, what can we do to create healthier, cleaner air?Lots of things!
Another often neglected step isbreathing clean air.
The fewer substances in our air, the healthier it will be for our bodies.
Promoting healthy indoor air quality will benefit humanity as a whole.
Withchronic diseaseandcancer ratesincreasing, this will be a key component to living healthier lives and preventing illness.
This is one piece of the puzzle in helping people live healthier, happier lives for generations to come.
