ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND HEALTHY LIVING

Reducing pollution and encouraging hygienic living habits is the best way to keep our environment clean.

It is not enough to get annual health check-ups and take prescription medication diligently. We must also ensure that the environment we live in is conducive towards leading a healthy lifestyle. Every year thousands of people succumb to medical conditions caused or aggravated by exposure to pollutants or toxins in their home or work environment. This makes it essential to maintain a clean and hygienic environment for all our sakes. Our planet, our health – the link is inevitable.

WHAT ROLE DOES THE PLANET PLAY IN YOUR HEALTH?

Environmental Health refers to the impact of chemical, physical, biological, and social factors in the environment that affects the health and well-being of humans. Without us even knowing there are pollutants or toxins in our immediate environment that are detrimental to our health. Understanding what these factors can be and building a suitable environment is important to maintain proper health.

Key requirements for a healthy environment that promotes healthy living:

– Clean air
– Clean and adequate water resources
– Stable climate
– Safe use of toxic chemicals
– Safe disposal of chemical and toxic wastes
– Hygienic and sanitary living space
– Safe and healthy workplace
– Preservation of nature and natural resources

Ways in which the environment can affect our health:

– Air pollution leads to respiratory illness and aggravates heart disease
– Second-hand exposure can lead to asthma, lower respiratory infections, ischaemic heart disease and stroke
– Contaminated Water can lead to a number of gastrointestinal diseases and other conditions
– Exposure to excess UV rays in sunlight can lead to skin cancer
– Exposure to lead and asbestos can cause a number of illnesses

It is important to note that being aware of possible health hazards related to our environment is the only way to protect ourselves. Reducing pollution and encouraging hygienic living habits is the best way to keep our environment clean.

In recent years, Climate Change has been a great topic of debate and concern. This is because research has shown that human activity and lifestyle choices have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and increased the temperature of earth by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the last decade. Though it might appear to be a slight change, the impact is multifield. Increase in earth temperature will melt glaciers, increase sea level, cause coastal storms, endanger wildlife and lead to droughts and floods.

Ways to protect the planet and ourselves:

– Use water resources sensibly
– Find ways to reduce air pollution by choosing greener ways of transportation
– Find ways to harness and use solar power effectively
– Stop using one-time-use plastics
– Stop deforestation
– Stop dumping industrial wastes in seas and rivers

Maintaining a healthy environment has a considerable impact on the quality of life we lead. It is important for the community as a whole to come together in order to improve environmental health and thereby the planet’s health. Policymaking bodies must make an extra effort to ensure the environment is protected, in order to protect the health and well-being of the public.