3 Benefits of Fresh Air in Healthy Living

Posted: August 27, 2019
By: weadmin

Story

Update 10/1/2019. Last week I had the opportunity to accompany a friend to the pulmonary specialist, not only to provide support but to learn more about what was happening and how to best approach her illness. As I observed the struggles of other patients in the waiting room while they moved around with oxygen tanks, I noticed a few things: slow movement and speech; pain; discomfort; low energy and deep struggle to simply breathe. With this and listening and questioning the healthcare professional to learn more about pulmonary disease, I gained a new appreciation for fresh air and its benefits to our body systems.

I can’t stress enough about preventing the lifestyle habits that create so much pain and suffering through illnesses. I am so torn up watching my friend as she goes through this ordeal. My hope with my blog is to reach as many of my family, friends and strangers with encouragement to choose healthy living.

Now let’s dig into my original article, with more of her story embedded throughout.

What is Fresh Air

First, let’s agree on our definition: Fresh Air is simply natural, clean air from outside, as opposed to the relatively stuffy air inside. It is also often referred to as air with contamination level at the barest minimum. Fresh air, like other naturally occurring gifts of nature, has proven over time to be essential in the healthy development of individuals.

There is a high level of civilization and globalization in the world today, with many people choosing to live in the city. This has made it difficult to find and enjoy good air. Most office jobs require people to stay indoors for the better part of the day, affording them limited access to fresh air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American spends 93% of their life indoors with an estimated 6% spent in automobiles. About 7% of our lives spent outdoors is just not sufficient to get the quality and amount of fresh air we need.

Fresh air should contain about 20-21% oxygen. Oxygen is the most important gas for survival as a human being on earth. Without oxygen, a person would die almost immediately. In fact, a person can only survive an average of 3 minutes without oxygen before death. Contaminated or stale air contains a lesser volume of oxygen. This could lead to difficulty in breathing and impaired functioning of the body systems. Therefore, the importance of getting the right amount of fresh air daily cannot be over emphasized.  

Health Benefits of Fresh Air

Increases Immunity Against Respiratory Diseases

A leading cause of respiratory infections, especially the upper tract respiratory system is due to the presence of microorganisms, dust and toxins taken in from the air. Inhaling as much fresh air as possible reduces the chances of taking in these harmful substances. This naturally boosts our immunity against certain respiratory diseases.

Now here’s a cool thing! You can get rid of harmful particles lining your respiratory tracts simply by breathing in fresh air; and the fresher the air the better. Fresh air at the seaside has a considerable amount of water molecules which, when inhaled, helps to trap these foreign substances.  You are able to exhale them easier this way. Research has also proven that a couple extra minutes spent enjoying the sea breeze can significantly improve the symptoms of asthmatic patients.

The white blood cells which are important in fighting diseases in the body also make use of the oxygen in fresh air to carry out metabolic activities.

Maintains Heart Health

Oxygen present in inhaled fresh air is absorbed through the capillaries in the lungs into the cardiopulmonary system. The heart pumps oxygenated blood to other parts of the body where cellular respiration takes place. When the air is polluted, its oxygen content becomes low and this leads to poorly oxygenated blood. This makes the cardiopulmonary system work harder to supply oxygen to the cells. Over time, this stresses out the heart and could lead to heart problems.

Let’s not take this lightly. Remember my story about my friend above, a few days ago she was rushed to the emergency room and now her heart has been impacted. They have been trying to regulate her heart rate for two days now. I write to you from a place of experience and personal pain. Note that adequate supply of oxygen could lead to a healthier heart and a regulated blood pressure.

Improves Mood

Have you noticed you feel better and happier after taking in some fresh air? This is because the presence of sufficient oxygen in the body has been shown to increase the level of Serotonin – the happy hormone, in the body. The more improved your mood is, the more effective and productive you will be.

SOURCES OF FRESH AIR

Parks and Forests

If you know me personally, you will know how much I value being outdoors; in the bushes, on a farm, or mountain somewhere. In fact, after the experiences with my friend this past few weeks, I’m extra careful to get more fresh air so I’m actually working outside today, in the shade of trees, listening to the birds and taking in fresh air.

There is a reason we are encouraged to plant more trees and reduce the rate of deforestation. Trees and plants, in general, are God’s gift of nature to us in providing us with fresh air. Plants have the incredible ability to take up air pollutants such as carbon dioxide in exchange for oxygen. They do this through a process called photosynthesis. They generate energy for themselves and release oxygen as a byproduct into the environment. In this way, vegetation serves as natural air purifiers. The best part? They are completely free. Thank God for creating so many species of plants for us to enjoy in healthy ways.

If you want to improve the quality of air you are exposed to, you should consider living in an environment with an abundance of green vegetation such as trees. You can also have potted plants around and inside your home to purify the air. Make a habit of spending some time at the park every other day, go camping with friends. Engage in more outdoor activities that would bring you closer to vegetation.

Around Natural Water Bodies

You must have noticed that it is easier to breathe and you are more relaxed on the beach, especially at night. This is because the air around offshore natural water bodies is usually fresh. Ocean air also contains some salts and trace minerals such as magnesium that help us to remain healthy. A visit to the beach once in a while is a good way of getting fresh air needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A waterfall or uncontaminated river are also good spots for natural water bodies.

Final Thoughts

If we wish to live a healthy life, we should understand the value of embracing the Natural Laws of Healthy Living, which includes breathing fresh air. It is my hope that sharing a few health benefits and suggestions on the best places to getting fresh air will encourage everyone to spend more time outdoors in nature. Better yet, take that vacation and head to the beach or find a waterfall. Take some time to open up that lungs while you practice deep breathing.