Health Tips for the Haze

9:55 PG JunAina 8 Comments


Dear all,

We are currently experiencing the “haze season” . The haze is caused by "hotspots" (zones with high temperature levels as seen via satellite imagery) in Malaysia and Indonesia. Lingering smoke from forest fires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra are identified as the primary cause. Farmers regularly burn scrub and forest to clear land during the dry season for agricultural purposes. The haze   phenomenon can easily last for several weeks and quite possibly longer until the dry season ends.

Air Pollution Index (API) and Health Effects
The API is an index developed based on 5 air pollutants to reflect the air quality status and it relation to health in easily understandable way for decision-making. The following table provides details on the API values and its relevant air quality status.

API Value
Air Quality Status
Description
0 to 50
Good
-
51 - 100
Moderate
-
101 - 200
Unhealthy
Susceptible group might be affected
201 - 300
Very Unhealthy
General public are affected
Above 300
Hazardous
General public are affected

What are the possible effects of haze on health?

What Should We Do?
1.  Keep the haze out - Before going out of the house, make sure all your windows and ventilation outlets are closed. It is better to come back to stale air rather than a million haze particles that will stay inside for a long while. Practice this until the city’s air purity level goes up to ‘moderate’ and ‘good’. Constantly check the news updates and the Department of Environment’s website to keep in the know.
2. Drink at least 2 litres of water a day - The key is to stay hydrated. Haze toxins absorbed by our lungs and skin force our kidneys to work extra hard, hence we need to help them in excreting the toxins by staying hydrated.
3. Stay away from alcohol & coffee - In regards to the previous point, alcohol and coffee dehydrate our system – which makes it even harder for the kidneys to function in hazy days like these. It is hard to go coffee-less, but stay strong for the sake of well-functioning kidneys!
4. Boost your immunity with superfoods -  A healthy diet is important at all times, but in hazy days – it is a definite must. If you are determined to not suffer from scratchy throat or runny nose, then do your part: eat healthily. Make sure you have sufficient daily intake of: protein, calcium, refined carbs, and ‘good’ fats. With balanced diet – you should have enough amount of vitamin C, E, and Omega-3 without having to source them from capsules.
5. Avoid going outdoors - Stay indoor as much as possible, but when you do have to go out, put on a face mask.
6. Wash your hands & face regularly - As much as we try to not be exposed to the toxins, our skin still absorbs them. Be fussy about washing hands and face in public places. After going out, shower immediately to cleanse away the toxin residues.
7. See the doctors immediately after health problems - For those with breathing problems (e.g. asthma) and skin problems (e.g. eczema), always be prepared with your medical solutions during the haze period. For those who experience sudden health problems, especially to do with breathing, see the doctor immediately. However, be informed it is common to experience runny nose because the body produces extra mucus to excrete the toxins.


Sumber: email (lain-lain sumber dari email ini tidak diketahui)

Nicholas Maria Soosay Thas
Senior HSE Engineer 


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8 ulasan:

  1. good tips sis..thank you for sharing..

    BalasPadam
  2. yg penting, diri sendiri mesti mau igt...ada sesetengah org mcm tak 'cara' je kesihatan sendiri...

    BalasPadam
  3. cool..i'M WEARING MY MASK JUST NOW

    BalasPadam
  4. Kena banyak minum air masak. Risau kesihatan anak2 jer.

    BalasPadam
  5. Entri yg bermanfaat nie...moga2 keadaan cepat pulih inshaallah

    BalasPadam
  6. A lot tips given here and there to take precautions but unfortunately kakak found that almost every year the same will occur again and again. It seems the country caused all these haze happened wash-hands didn't bother.

    JB now much better after slight rain yesterday afternoon.

    BalasPadam
  7. jb dh kurang.. ade tmpt dh hujan... :)

    BalasPadam
  8. tq share this yer... gd one ni !

    BalasPadam