Air Pollution And Respiratory Problems

Cardiac & Respiratory Problems & Air Pollution by Jane Thurnell-Read

A new study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association this month (JAMA. 2006;295:1127-1134) highlights again the concern about particulate matter in the air.

The very small particulate matter (PM2.5) is a particular worry. PM2.5 includes heavy metals and toxic organic compounds produced by industry. Because these particles are so small, they are much more likely to reach the small airways and alveoli sacs than the larger airborne particles (PM10).

The researchers, Francesca Dominici, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA, and colleagues, conducted a study to estimate the risk for cardiac and respiratory diseases from exposure to PM2.5.

They analysed data from 1992 to 2002 for hospital admissions for 11.5 million Medicare enrollees (aged 65 years or older), living in urban counties (population greater than 200,000). This information was correlated with statistics from small particulate matter (PM2.5) monitors. On average the subjects lived 5.9 miles [just under 10,000 metres] from a monitor.

Both cardiac and respiratory admissions increased with same-day increases of particulate matter in the air. The association was particularly clear for heart failure. The researchers wrote:

“In the lung, particulate matter may promote inflammation and thereby exacerbate underlying lung disease and reduce the efficacy of lung-defense mechanisms. Cardiovascular effects may reflect neurogenic [arising in or stimulated by nerve tissues] and inflammatory processes.”

Research like this puts increasing pressure on governments to tighten up controls on industry, but we also need to do our bit by reducing our need for more and more consumer goods.

If you use kinesiology or EAV, you could work preventively by checking out your clients for PM2.5 particles, and correcting any problems you find. If you have a client with heart and respiratory problems, looking at these small particles may well be a key to improving their long term health. The common metal kit or the element kit gives you access to heavy metals. The industrial and environmental 1 and 2 kits give you some of the chemicals produced by industrial processes. If you don’t know how to use these kits, consider buying my book "Energy Mismatch".