1.What is haze?
Haze, a combination of fog and haze, is a state of atmospheric pollution, haze is a general expression of the content of various suspended particles in the atmosphere exceeds the standard, especially PM2.5 (aerodynamic equivalent diameter of particles less than or equal to 2.5 microns) is considered to be the “culprit” of hazy weather. With the deterioration of air quality, the phenomenon of hazy weather has increased and become more hazardous. In many areas of China, the hazy weather phenomenon is incorporated into fog as a catastrophic weather warning forecast. It is collectively referred to as “hazy weather”.
Haze is mainly composed of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and respirable particulate matter, which combine with fog to make the sky instantly gloomy and gray. The abbreviation for particulate matter is PM, and Beijing monitors fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which are pollutant particles with an aerodynamic equivalent diameter less than or equal to 2.5 microns. Such particles are both a pollutant in themselves and a carrier of toxic substances such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
2.How is haze formed?
The formation of haze has both a “source” and an “accomplice”, which is unfavorable meteorological conditions for the diffusion of pollutants, once the accumulation of pollutants in the long-term static meteorological conditions, it is easy to form hazy weather. Haze formation has three elements.
One is the physical base source for generating particulate dust. China has the world’s largest loess plateau area, its soil texture is most likely to generate particulate dust particles.
Second, poor movement causes dust. For example, the middle of the road flower beds and street road teeth of the soil after rain or splash if there is mud flow to the road, an hour after drying, by the wheel a spin will cause a lot of dust, even if these particulate matter fall back to the ground, but also because of the car constantly driving over, was again thrown over the city.
Thirdly, the dust base source and poor motion process collects in a certain spatial range, and the particles eventually collect with water molecules nodules into haze. At present, the stock of the three elements of haze construction is quite abundant in more than 350 cities in the Loess Flat Plateau region of China.
3.What are the hazards of haze?
(1) Impact on the respiratory system: The components of haze harmful to health are mainly aerosol particles less than 10 microns in diameter, such as mineral particles, sea salt, sulfate, nitrate, organic aerosol particles, fuel and automobile exhaust, etc. PM2.5 particles can enter the alveoli, and early exposure to air pollution may trigger aspects such as asthma in childhood and adolescence, and even the development of the fetus during pregnancy. For patients with chronic respiratory diseases such as bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, obstructive emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hazy weather can cause acute attacks or acute exacerbation of the disease.
(2) Effects on cardiovascular system: Haze hinders normal blood circulation, leading to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, coronary heart disease, cerebral hemorrhage, which may induce angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, etc., making chronic bronchitis appear as pulmonary heart disease, etc.
(3) Hazy weather can also lead to the reduction of ultraviolet light in the near-surface layer: so that the activity of infectious bacteria in the air is enhanced and infectious diseases increase.
(4) detrimental to children’s growth: due to reduced sunlight in foggy weather, children’s UV exposure is insufficient, the body does not generate enough vitamin D, the absorption of calcium is greatly reduced, serious will cause rickets in infants, children’s growth slowed.
(5) affect mental health.
(6) Affect reproductive capacity.
4.How should we protect ourselves?
(1) wear a suitable mask, with the advent of autumn and winter, the sky is about to blow to the northern land, you go out to the wave of partners again to come up with a boring and annoying mask.
But patients with respiratory diseases, especially those with breathing difficulties, wear masks instead of artificially creating breathing obstacles, heart disease, emphysema, asthma patients are not suitable to wear masks for a long time. Patients with chronic diseases are advised to avoid going out shopping and participating in various outdoor activities in the early morning when the fog is thick, to drink more water and pay attention to rest. If you feel unwell, go to the hospital as soon as possible.
(2) Drink more water, eat a light diet, and eat more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins.
(3) The elderly and children should go out as little as possible.
(4) Smoke less. Cigarettes contain fine particles belonging to PM2.5, and smoking itself is hazardous to health, so smokers try to smoke less on hazy days.
(5) Good personal hygiene, after going out into the room, to wash your face, rinse your mouth, clean your nose, and remove the residue of pollution from your body.
(6) conditions, you can install an air purifier at home to purify indoor air and keep indoor air fresh and healthy.
5, suitable for everyone lung-clearing remedies
Haze clear lung tea
Composition: Luo Han Guo 20 grams, Wu Mei 15 grams, lily of the valley 10 grams, wide money grass 10 grams, rooibos 10 grams, decoction of water to drink as tea, several times a day.
Efficacy: It can clear the lung in time, moisten the lung and anti-viral, with warming the middle and moving the qi, moistening the lung and nourishing the yin, resolving phlegm and dispersing nodules.