Cancer is caused by "saving"! Doctors reveal the truth! This bad habit must be changed

Experts in this article:

Hu Houxiang, Chief Physician, Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Professor, Doctor of Medicine, Master Supervisor

Zheng Zaiyong, Master's student in cardiovascular medicine at the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College

Today is the 53rd Earth Day.

Did you know?

On Earth, more than 37,000 species are on the verge of extinction, 8 million tons of garbage flows into the ocean every year, and 7 million people die prematurely every year due to air pollution...

Among them, the health hazards brought by air pollution are far more serious than we imagined. It reduces human life expectancy by 20 months, becoming the fourth largest risk factor for death after high systolic blood pressure, smoking, and poor diet. In addition, the often overlooked oil fume pollution also poses a risk of cancer.

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Only by correctly recognizing and fully understanding air pollution can we save more people's health and better "reduce the burden" on the earth. This concerns you and me.

Can cooking cause pollution? Often overlooked oil fume pollution

Air pollution can be divided into two types: outdoor and indoor. Ambient air pollution is mainly caused by automobile exhaust, gas emissions from power plants and factories, agricultural straw or garbage incineration, etc. Indoor air pollution is mainly related to cooking, fire, decoration materials, smoking, chemical products, etc.

Among these pollutions, the air pollution caused by cooking is easily overlooked. The air pollutants it brings include incomplete combustion of fuel and oil smoke, which is a type of indoor pollution.

Don't turn on the range hood! These cancers are "saved"

Some people are reluctant to turn on the range hood when cooking in order to save electricity, and some do not have a range hood in the kitchen due to conditions or to save money. However, this habit and practice can cause a lot of harm to the body.

Studies have shown that long-term inhalation of fumes produced during food cooking is related to the occurrence of tumors in women, and using range hoods can significantly reduce the risk of tumors.

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Kitchen air pollution mainly comes from two parts.

One part is various forms of carbon, nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter PM2.5 produced during the combustion of fossil fuels and wood. These pollutants are similar to automobile exhaust. Long-term exposure to these pollutants can lead to lung cancer.

The other part is cooking fumes, which mainly refer to the volatile oils, organic matter and their heating decomposition or cracking products emitted during food cooking and processing. The generation of this part of pollutants is related to high temperature, frying and the type of cooking oil. It not only affects women's sleep quality, but also increases the risk of chronic diseases and cervical cancer.

Air pollution also causes cancer! It also causes these hazards

Short-term exposure to polluted air can cause coughing, sputum, chest tightness and other discomforts, induce asthma, increase the risk of respiratory infections, etc. Long-term exposure can lead to the following diseases and affect our lifespan.

Carcinogenic

Many substances in air pollutants can cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified outdoor air pollution as a Class I carcinogen. Air pollutants can be associated with lung cancer and bladder cancer. Some studies have found that air pollution is also related to the occurrence of breast cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma.

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Lung damage

Statistics from the World Health Organization show that 43% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 29% of lung cancer are caused by air pollution.

Pollutants in the air, such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, can strongly stimulate respiratory contraction and induce asthma. Nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, etc. can directly damage the respiratory epithelium and lung tissue, leading to inflammation and damage of lung tissue, as well as the occurrence of chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Triggering stroke

Air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides can affect the ability of hemoglobin in red blood cells to bind oxygen, causing acute or chronic hypoxia in the body. For example, carbon monoxide poisoning from burning charcoal can cause the patient to fall into a coma or even die. Air pollutants can also cause blood viscosity, promote thrombosis, and induce stroke.

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular damage

Air pollution causes 19% of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular deaths, and heart disease associations in many countries around the world have listed air pollution as a risk factor for heart disease.

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Pollutants with particle diameters less than 2.5 microns can enter the blood through the barrier of lung tissue and deposit in tissues such as the heart and brain.

These particles can damage endothelial cells in blood vessels, promote the process of atherosclerosis, and lead to coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction. The deposition of particles in tissues and organs can cause local inflammation, leading to organ damage. At the same time, it may interfere with the normal electrical activity of the heart and cause arrhythmia.

Affects children's lung development

Children inhale more pollutants per unit of body weight than adults. Air pollution affects children's lung and cognitive development. Due to the incomplete development of organ function, they have a poorer ability to excrete and detoxify toxic pollutants. Pregnant women exposed to polluted air are more likely to have premature births and their babies have lower birth weights.

Other damages

Long-term exposure to polluted air may also cause damage to the eyes, immune system, skin, etc., leading to the occurrence of diabetes, autoimmune diseases, etc. It also increases the risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, learning disabilities, anxiety and depression.

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How to protect yourself?

Reduce occupational exposure to air pollution and take appropriate protection measures.

Avoid stopping on busy streets or intersections.

Stay away from secondhand smoke and avoid smoking indoors.

Avoid strenuous exercise during heavily polluted weather.

Use clean fuel for cooking. It is recommended to reduce frying of food. Regardless of whether visible smoke is produced, use a range hood or cook in a well-ventilated place. Turn on the range hood before cooking and turn it off after a while after finishing.

It should be noted that when going out when the air quality is poor, remember to wear a mask that can filter out particulate pollutants.

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