Breathing polluted air stresses the body by creating inflammation and damaging cells through oxidative stress. This damage affects the lungs, heart, and blood vessels, increasing the risk of asthma, heart disease, and accelerated aging. Nutrition plays a key role in helping the body defend itself from these effects.
Certain nutrients—especially omega-3 fats, vitamins C, E, and D, B vitamins, and plant antioxidants like those in broccoli—help reduce the harm from pollution. Omega-3s from fish oil support heart rhythm and reduce inflammation.
Vitamins C and E protect lung tissues from ozone and smog-induced damage. B vitamins help the body repair cells and maintain healthy circulation, while sulforaphane from broccoli activates detox pathways that clear pollutants.
Because pollution blocks sunlight, many people in cities may also need extra vitamin D for bone, heart, and immune health.
Eating a diet rich in colorful fruits, vegetables, and fish, or taking targeted supplements when needed, can strengthen the body’s defense systems and reduce the harmful effects of pollution.
Optimal Takeaways
- Pollution causes body-wide stress and inflammation that harms lungs, heart, and cells.
- Omega-3 fats from fish oil and antioxidants from fruits and vegetables reduce this damage.
- Vitamins C and E protect lungs from ozone and particulate exposure.
- B vitamins and vitamin D support heart, nerve, and immune health under pollution stress.
- Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables help the body detoxify pollutants naturally.
- A nutrient-rich diet is a powerful way to build resistance to pollution’s effects.
Want to Learn More?
OPTIMAL DX MEMBERS CLICK HERE to learn more about nutrition intervention, air pollution, health consequences, etc.
