(LFA) Living in a large modern city takes its toll on the quality of fresh air we breathe due to various forms of air pollution that concentrate in densely populated urban areas. Presently I share the air with 5.5 million of my closest neighbors, from a 2nd floor house apartment with a balcony, facing a busy street with streetcars and the rail tracks under renovations, then down a small hill there are two sets of train tracks that commute passengers to and from the greater surrounding city areas. Next is a 6-lane highway and adjacent to that is another busy 6-lane byway, and a view of Lake Ontario with all kinds of boats on the wavy water, and in the skies above are airplanes flying; the high altitude jets leave their man-made clouds, called contrails and chemtrails. Living so close to major local traffic zones means dealing with smells of exhaust fumes and a noisy atmosphere, even at night.
Camping trips, hikes and out of the big city
On occasional camping trips and multi-day hikes outside of the big city, I can notice a difference in the quality of air away from the bustling streets, especially in remote wilderness areas such as Algonquin Park (featured in photo). You can find plenty of fresh air if you drive away from large cities for at least 100km, though usually I drive 250km or more to reach a destination more away from busy civilization. If you don’t want to drive far, 50km should take you to some rural areas, woodlots, and farm fields offering plenty of personal space. You know you are getting far enough from a metropolis cityscape when at night you look up at a cloudless sky and can see thousands of stars shining down out of the blackness. An added bonus is leaving all that electro-magnetic interference from radio towers, wireless networks, power lines, and electronic devices that are abundant in populated spaces. Leaving this type of electrical pollution also brings a certain clarity to the mind, free from artificial electrical components making sounds, lights, and heat.
Natural reserves, conservation areas, and parks are good places to start visiting to breathe some life into you. Local greenhouses and plant conservatories are a nice break closer to home. Look for forests to hike through and spend some time near waterfalls where the air is moist and filled with kinetic energy all around you. That mist is full of tiny suspended water droplets and is very pleasing to the senses and rejuvenating to inhale.
Large bodies of water offer similar benefits as the warming and cooling effect of the water tends to create air currents. Sailors get plenty of fresh air. Moving masses of air will help disperse air-borne pollution concentrated in any particular areas.
If you work, make some time to take a daily walk outside, and leave the office building recycled air or that stuffy factory. There are many benefits of simple and pure air!
Benefits of Fresh Air
- Deeper breathing of clean air provides more oxygen to the brain, and increases alertness, and provides the proper operation of body chemistry
- Helps revitalize mental energy, mood, and improves attitude and spirits
- Fresh air outdoors means more exposure to sunlight and it’s benefits, as outlined in the article Helio-Hygiene: Sun Bathing Health Benefits Explained
How to Get the Most out of Your Fresh Air
- Seeking fresh air will help you to get outdoors and enjoy the natural beauty all around inside and outside the cities
- Take natural air baths, wear minimal or lose clothing (nude is best), air out the body smells from arm pits and sweat glands, particularly after meals, or in the mornings. Air baths in the sun are the next best thing when you don’t have access to water and want to keep your body clean.
- Grow lots of plants to naturally filter the air from chemicals and dust. If you have outdoor access, plant trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables. Many plants grow well indoors and make your home look lively and fresh while helping to filter the air.
- Refrain from using perfumes and colognes on skin and clothes, these toxic mixes of sweet smelling chemicals are dangerous to your health.
- Avoid using indoor “air-fresheners” which are really indoor air-polluters, ditch the irritating chemicals trying to trick you into thinking you have fresh air and go find the real thing, open your windows!
- Purchase a HEPA certified indoor air filter to keep dust levels down in your home, vacuum and sweep floors often.
- If you smoke cigarettes, cigars, marijuana, or any other substance that burns (like crack), it will remain an obstacle in the way of obtaining as much fresh, clean, and pure air as possible as these will eventually damage your lungs. These habits may help create other difficult life obstacles, beware!
- Improve your oratory sense of smell and sensitivity by stopping to notice the aromatic pleasures of flowers, trees, and natural wildlife habitats. Strive to challenge your nose and it will become more sensitive, avoid inhaling chemicals from spray cans, and paint lacquer. For stuffy noses, don’t use sprays up your nostrils as that liquid will damage your sinuses and ruin your sense of smell.
We can survives weeks without food, days without water, but only minutes without oxygen. Ensure optimal health by finding your places with plenty of fresh air outside of the city.