Air Quality Index Delhi: Foods that can boost your immunity and keep your lungs healthy as pollution levels spike

The National Capital woke up to a blanket of dense, grey and noxious smog that reduced visibility while air pollution breached “severe” levels for the first time this season on Sunday. The air quality index (AQI) of certain places docked as high as 625 at 10 am on Sunday morning despite light drizzles. In a bid to raise awareness and protect residents from the hazardous pollution levels, the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority declared a public health emergency on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_7596821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Diet to improve your lung’s health and boost overall immunity. PTI[/caption] Breathing polluted air may cause respiratory illness in healthy people on prolonged exposure. Even on short exposure, it poses risks of pronounced respiratory or other serious illnesses like stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, chronic and acute respiratory diseases. Apart from taking measures like wearing anti-pollution masks, it’s important to focus on a diet which is rich with foods that can boost your immunity to overcome various health problems caused by pollution. Here is a list of foods that can help fight the pollution. However, it is advisable that one consults with their physician before taking up any diet. 1) Citrus fruits: The vitamin C content in the citrus fruits helps boost your immunity and lessen the overall effects of air pollution on your body. Foods containing Vitamin C, such as oranges, strawberries, apples, watermelons, can counteract the inflammatory allergic response. Vitamin C can also be found vegetables like red bell peppers, kale, parsley, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach, green onion and more. 2) Ginger: Ginger is considered a natural decongestant and it can enable the body to handle stressors like pollution and environmental toxins. The gingerol and other compounds help in reducing airway inflammation and inhibit airway contraction. One can add some grated ginger to a cup of tea or chew a fresh piece with a pinch of salt everyday. 3) Lots of water: As water flushes toxins and waste from the body and transports nutrients to where they are needed, its very important that people make sure that they drink as much water as they can in these times. A minimum of two litres of water a day is advisable. 4) Turmeric: Those who suffer from gastro-oesophageal disorder, consider turmeric to be the best condiment to rely on. Raw turmeric also has curative properties that protects one from chronic bronchitis, wheezing, allergy coughs and colds. 5) Jaggery: Jaggery or gur is a rich source of instant energy, as it is loaded with iron. Iron-rich food improves the haemoglobin level in blood, which in turn increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This helps get rid of the acute effects of pollution. 6) Tulsi: In Ayurveda, tulsi is known as “The Incomparable One,” “Mother Medicine of Nature” and “The Queen of Herbs,” and is revered as an “elixir of life”. The plant helps protect against the toxic effects of chemicals and radiation. It not just purifies the air but also helps in soothing throat irritation. The long-term consumption of it purifies blood and boosts immunity.