Dr Siddhant Bhargava and Dr Prashant Chhajed

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Dr Chhajed advises taking a few basic precautions to safeguard your health: “Stay indoors as much as possible. In these extreme conditions, wear N95 masks instead of cloth ones. Avoid stepping out for exercise when there is smog (smoke + fog) around you and exercise indoors instead. It is also advisable for individuals with chronic lung disease to invest in air purifiers. Importantly, teach your children and the elders in your family the importance of mask-wearing, which is a good way to safeguard yourself from air pollution, even after the COVID19 pandemic.” When choosing air purifiers, Dr Lunia recommends selecting those that have both filters and adsorbent. “Gargling with lukewarm water to which a little turmeric has been added can give relief from irritation and help clear the throat. Eat foods that are rich in vitamins A, C, D and E, curcumin and Omega-3 fatty acids, as these have an antioxidant effect. Practice yoga and breathing exercises regularly. If you suffer from a respiratory illness, don’t skip your prescribed medication, especially your inhaler,” he suggests. 

Luke Coutinho and Dr Prajay Lunia

Dietary interventions 

“Strengthen your heart health and lipid profile with the intake of nuts and seeds such as walnuts, flax seeds and chia seeds. To blunt the amount of inflammation that occurs in the nose after prolonged exposure to pollution, include broccoli in your diet. Vitamin B can reduce the chances of pollution affecting heart rate variability and provoking inflammation. Supplementing your diet with fruits and vitamin E-rich foods will play a proactive role in preventing further inflammation and also reduce the total antioxidant capacity to pacify O3 damage caused due to pollution. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could be prevented by vitamin C, and vitamin D, adequate calcium and phosphorus-rich food decrease the severity of symptoms in already affected cells. It regulates allergic responses, increasing smooth muscle mass and lung capacity,” informs Dr Siddhant Bhargava, a fitness and nutritional scientist at Food Darzee.
Luke Coutinho, a holistic lifestyle coach at Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine, points to powerful lung decongestants that are easily found in kitchens: “Tulsi, fenugreek (methi seeds), thyme, oregano, black pepper, turmeric, grapes and jaggery are especially beneficial. Use a handful of these ingredients to prepare a brew. While inflammation is our body’s natural healing mechanism, it is chronic inflammation you should be worried about. To reduce it, make simple lifestyle changes such as cutting out sugar, refined oils, junk, and processed foods. Introducing money plants and snake plants into your homes to purify the air can also help.” 

Why Anulom Vilom Matters

Rashika Chellwani, a yoga instructor at Divine Yoga, suggests alternate nostril breathing or Anulom Vilom: “The controlled breathing removes blockages in your nostrils. Anulom Vilom helps in purifying blood which, in turn, helps in regulating blood pressure,” she explains. 

. Close your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale from the left nostril and close your left nostril with your ring finger. 
. Release your thumb, exhale from the right nostril and inhale from the right nostril. 
. Close your thumb and release your ring finger to exhale from the left nostril. Begin with three rounds and increase to eight to 10 rounds.

Yoga To Heal

Deep, slow, mindful breathing is a foundational practice — your first step should be gentle deep breathing with full awareness. Diaphragmatic breathing or deep belly breathing is a very good way to practice this. Lie down on your mat with your knees bent and palms on the abdomen. Every time you inhale, experience the rise of the belly against the palms and observe the body return to neutral as you exhale. After a few breaths, start making your exhalation slower, to eventually double the length of your inhalation. It’s helpful in correcting our breathing pattern, relaxing our nervous system, and improving our breathing capacity, advises Namita Piparaiya (above), a yoga and Ayurveda lifestyle specialist and founder of Yoganama.