By Hazel Sartorio
The 21st century is the era wherein everything is possible. The constant improvement is evident, not only in our lifestyle, but also in our environment.
May it be in vast cities in Metro Manila like Makati, Taguig, Alabang, or even in provincial cities like Davao or Cebu—the never ending construction of skyscrapers for business establishments and condominiums to compensate the demand for living in very populated areas. Hotels, restaurants, and malls are also on the rise to give leisure and entertainment. Vehicles here and there. Truly, these developments have made our lives easier and more convenient.
But, the sad thing about the condition of our cities today is that with every progress, the health of each and every one of us pays for the price.
Breathing is very important because air is the very essence of life. It is not only vital for our lungs, but also for our cells. The oxygen that we inhale floods every single cell in our body in order to produce energy. It is very unfortunate that most people usually neglect the importance of our nose. With all the air pollutants that we inhale every single day, it is important that we maintain the nasal passage as healthy as possible. As a matter of fact, we need nasal hygiene as much as we provide hygiene for our oral health.
According to the Department of Health, there are over 800,000 premature deaths every year due to cardiopulmonary diseases, acute respiratory infections and cancers caused by urban air pollution. The most affected population are those below five years old, senior citizens, pregnant women, immuno-compromised children, and people with existing respiratory and cardiovascular problems. It is said that the main source of pollutant mostly came from mobile sources like motor vehicles, and stationary sources like boilers of various industrial processes and power plants. In addition, there is also an emerging concern on indoor pollution like tobacco smoke and cooking fuels. The result, there are 10,000 excess cases of acute bronchitis, 300 excess cases of asthma, and nine additional cases of chronic bronchitis. Allergic rhinitis is also very evident in most people due to allergy to dust and pollen.
Despite these risk factors, we can still do little things in order to help reduce toxic air pollutants roaming in our environment. We can start by reducing the use of hazardous household chemicals, planting trees and plants in order to help reduce carbon dioxide and produce clean air for the environment. In this way, breathing is not much of a problem, since we will be more confident that the dirt and dust is somehow being controlled. Another way is by advocating and educating our friends and families with the health risks and what we can do in order to help our environment in combating these toxic air pollutions.
This is why the United American Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Unilab are introducing NasoClear.
NasoClear is a Saline Nasal Spray Solution that aids in the relief of allergies and irritations caused by allergens, pollutants, and germs in nasal passages. The sodium chloride component adds moisture inside the nose to dissolve dirt and mucus to help clean the nasal area.
It is foreseeable that the condition of pollution in our country can be worse in the years to come. Right now, the strongest solution to the problem that we are currently experiencing is to be a good role model to our friends and family every one of us must be disciplined in keeping our environment clean and healthy so that it will reflect in our own health as well. This, combined with a healthy lifestyle, can go a long way when it comes to keeping up with the improvement of our cities. After all, it is better to enjoy all these progresses if we are not troubled about the risks that is surrounding around us.