Pay Attention To Air Quality Before Practising Physical Exercise

Intense smoke from the fires of Canada (07/06/2023) reaches the entire central U.S. and east coast, leaving cities like New York under a dense cloud of smoke. It is the worst record ever, since records of the state of air quality are made. Photo: The New York Times

Entering the summer, one of the main ones, if not the main culprit for the lower air quality is forest fires. Every year billions of hectares of forests burn around the world, with very negative effects on public health, derived from toxic fumes from the combustion of materials.

Smoking from fires can cause serious negative effects on people's health, especially those who practice physical activities. Fires release fine particles into the air, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, which can be inhaled by people. These particles can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, as well as breathing difficulties.

In addition, smoke from fires can affect the body's ability to absorb oxygen, which can lead to fatigue, breathing difficulties and decreased physical performance. This can be more dangerous in high-performance physical activities.

It is important to monitor the air quality daily, before practising any physical exercise. If there is smoke from a forest fire, very common in the summer, avoid practising physical exercises. Exposure to the toxic elements of smoke from fires can lead to long-term health problems, which include chronic diseases such as asthma and aphisema, as well as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Whenever the air quality is not the best, according to the meteorological data of your region, there are measures you should take, especially if there is a forest fire, such as avoiding the practice of physical exercises, wearing respiratory protection masks and being abroad for the shortest possible time.