One day, the levels in your area may be unhealthy, but the next, they may be perfectly fine. Your first line of defense against pollution is to check the daily air pollution forecasts, which can be found on radio and TV weather reports or at AirNow.
If levels are particularly high one day, try to limit how much time you spend outdoors. This is especially important when it comes to exercising, which puts more demand on your lungs. In addition, you can:. Remember — much of the pollution comes from cars and electricity.
By limiting your own energy-use as much as possible, you can do your part in reducing pollution and keeping everyone healthy. From bone-strengthening vitamin D to its relaxing, warm feeling, the sun provides a number of benefits. But a sunshine filled day can do more harm than good — especially without the right protection. The sun's UV rays have been proven to damage your skin's cellular DNA, which can trigger genetic mutations that cause skin cancer.
UV rays can do more than damage your skin, too. They can also harm your eyes, causing cataracts when the lens of your eye becomes cloudy , eyelid cancers, and other eye-related cancers. How to Protect Yourself Get ready to lather up — sunscreen is your best defense against harmful rays.
It provides important protection during every season of the year from bright, sunny days to cloudy, rainy ones when rays can still poke through the clouds and get to your skin. Even just 10 to 15 minutes unprotected in the sun is more than enough to cause DNA damage, and over time, skin cancer. Some things to keep in mind when it comes to sunscreen application include:. Don't forget to protect your eyes, too, either with a wide-brimmed hat or UV-filtering sunglasses.
Read more about protecting yourself from the sun. Starting at the sound of your own breath all the way to the sound of a car alarm, there are a wide range of noises that you hear every day. While most sounds usually don't cause any harm, extremely loud noises or repeated exposure to loud noise can affect your hearing — even after exposure has stopped.
Your ears contain extremely sensitive parts, including hair cells, membranes, and nerves. Whether from a severely loud noise such as a siren or repeated exposure to loud noise such as headphones at their highest volume , damage to these parts can lead to temporary or permanent loss of hearing. For more information on our New Zealand Environmental Burden of Disease Study, go to the environmental burden of disease webpage. Barton H, Grant M. A health map for the local human habitat. Environment and Health.
In M Crowley Ed. Preventing Disease Through Healthy Environments. Towards an estimate of the environmental burden of disease. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Latest news Our newsletter. Publication search Reports and journal articles Presentations. Environmental Health Indicators. What is environmental health? On this page: What is environmental health? Folic acid is recommended for all women planning a pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects in babies but it can also protect against autism. Another factor to consider is economics, which plays a crucial role in the way disease, illness and disability plays out over the long-term.
Autism, for example, has been associated with an immune response in mothers that scientists hope someday could help identify the condition before a baby is even born. Very early intervention could help children with autism — but only if their families have access to quality health care.
People who are socially and economically disadvantaged carry a heavier burden of disease.
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