The mountains hereย ,talk about the battles that were waged.
But the trees whispered about what men did to men.What more they are planning.
The lake shed silent tears.
Health,Wellness,Education,Mompreneurship
By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on 3
By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on 23
I have blogged for the last oneย and a half years.Learning how to write posts,edit,find images ,publish and promote. It’s a journey which is fun , but all uphill!
I started blogging as an experiment. I knew nothing about blogging, entrepreneurship, marketing or online business.ย
I loved learning everything!ย
ย Afraid about how to grow ,I discovered the best community of multicultural friends online .
Internet is the best melting pot of friendship. People whom you have never met helping you in all possible ways.
That’s when I found my “why”.
ย I knew one thing. I wanted to share my stories.Do my little bit.
What I read ,what I learn from the books,the blogs, people,podcasts,summits,newsletters….everything.
Sometimes about health wellness ,sometimes about entrepreneurship.
My goal is to ,try to help at least 1 person everyday through writing.
I am a “supers skimmer”, speed reader self-proclaimed voracious bookworm.
But like all hard-working moms in learning mode ย , I needed a break .
That’s where this post comes from.
I actually got more stuff written after coming back , than ever before!
But there’s a catch (there always is)!Hectic tours to shopping destinations, don’t give the same benefit.
[bctt tweet=”You donโt choose the day you enter the world and you donโt chose the day you leave. Itโs what you do in between that makes all the difference.โ โ Anita Septimus” username=”misra_amrita”]
I was planning a 7 day long trip to Kashmir with family.
The plan was for the summer vacation.
With less than a month to go to get from reservation and tickets, I decided to first try to get the reservation and then book my plane tickets.
Whenever I book hotels online I prefer doing my research for family-friendly hotels with certain criteria in mind. The most important. It should have garden, nature views.I am not a fan of hotels in bustling urban locations.
They have their own purpose and are helpful for business travelers. But useless if you plan to relax.
I feel claustrophobic if I have to stay anywhere without seeing plants.
“When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.โ โ Susan Heller
I had one main goal.Wanted to be somewhere where I could stare at trees, (I am a tree hugger) and my little girl could play.
Being among natural surroundings watching the sun go down ,a river flowing helps your brain unwind .Imagine a spool of thread unraveling.That’s what happens to the coils of stress in your brain. The hectic pace of modern life increases and constantly overstresses your brain .The constant attention and focus that the brain needs for modern living makes you prone to depression, anxiety and mental Ill health. Just like your body ,brain needs a break,to rest and relax.
That what nature does.It decreases stress! Zero cost(except the cost to reach nature)zero discomfort 100%, ย pros no cons .That’s Nature ย therapy.
Once in a ย while you need to stop the hustle,slow down .Visit someplace where nature surrounds you.ย Nature makes your brain healthier ,happier and actually smarter.
After even small breaks among nature your performance will definitely improve.
That’s why ย I had visited the Hotel Himalaya ย House ย in Pahalgam.
Nestled among tree covered ย valleys and snow peaked mountains ย ,with a sparkling ,river dancing ย by ,this gateway ย to the Himalayas will relax you.
Even if you don’t do anything except sit in the garden you will come back refreshed.
Nature is kind .It knows how to heal.
16th-century German-Swiss physician,Paracelsus wrote, โThe art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.โ
I zeroed in on the hotel with the most amazing view and beautiful ย environment.
Its health promoting ,family friendly .
I wrote to them about my interest in coming to their hotel and reviewing it ,as a family friendly healthy holiday destination
They agreed and my reservation happened without a hitch.
The hotel’s location is magical !
Surrounded by mountains on all sides with the Lidder river in front.
I am a nature lover.I love trees,flowers grass, plants ,mountains ,rushing streams, birds ,butterflies.Not fond of the scary stuff ,or roughing it!
It was idyllic..perfect. Nature helps relax your prefrontal cortex ,which is the brains big boss.This relaxation results in improved attention ย ,increased productivity and enhanced creative thinking.
“You donโt choose the day you enter the world and you donโt chose the day you leave. Itโs what you do in between that makes all the difference.โ โ Anita Septimus
Kashmir doesn’t allow prepaid phone connections .As all our mobile and wi-fi was on a ย prepaid connection ,it was a ย surprise total disconnect from all telecommunications .It’s better to have postpaid phone with you if you travel to Kashmir.ย
No phones ,noย laptops no staring at digital screens.Soaking in nature through our eyes ,ears, nose and skin made our brain very happy.
You just don’t travel physically ,it’s also a sensory journey!
The cons.
Throughout our entire stay of 3 nights and 2 and a half days our mind was in a state of bliss.
In order to give an honest feedback (which is the most important thing for you my dear readers)
I have to tell about 2 ย things which ย interrupted ย our garden of Eden stay .
Not on the menu ingredient, in a pulao ย dish.
To the credit ย of the hotel management,they reacted very promptly to both the issues and made suitable amends.
Apparently entire Pahalgam has a wi-fi ย connectivity problem.That’s a good thing if you are on a vacation. But a bad thing if you have urgent need of the Internet. ย
That’s the main reason I have decided not to immediately ย move to Pahalgam ,open my clinic and work on my blog sitting next to the Lidder river .
Kashmir is beautiful.
The people are beautiful.
Our stay at the Hotel Himalaya ย House was magical(despite the minor hiccups )
Their weather and soul gives the people unique personalities which is evident ย in the way they interact.Nature definitely nurtures. The strife that we keep,seeing on Television was luckily not there,ย during the tourist season. My visit there made me introspect deeply about why heavenly beauty always has a high price to pay.
Shall. I be visiting again?
You bet! Since Kashmir govt doesn’t allow outsiders to buy property there.My plan is to rent or lease a cottage by the river after my retirement and write.
After all blogging is now my favourite side hustle!
Should you be visiting ย the Hotel ย Himalaya House in Pahalgam?
Definitely. Wonderful hospitality ,beautiful view. If you haven’t visited Pahalgam you have missed out on God’s prettiest creation.
Take home message:Go visit Pahalgam!Do have a postpaid phone with you ,of you don’t want to be totally out of touch with reality!
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all people’s cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.โ โ Maya Angelou
By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on 11
Relaxing weekend gateways from Kolkata for families are my most searched topic on travel sites. With hospital duties and other dozen engagements, going for long trips, ย are often difficult. That’s why I make it a point to unwind, with mini, refreshing breaks.
Rest and relaxation are important for a productive life. That’s why just like diet and exercise, you need some therapy, for your soul.The weekend trip options have been chosen based on the following factors:
Your picks, for short gateways, ย from Kolkata can be varied depending on budget, time in hand and personal taste. You can either go to the mountains, the seas or maybe a spa resort! I have often come back rejuvenated, after a trip to these weekend dream spots!
I do the labor-intensive work of dreaming about the trip. The easy work of planning is delegated to my hubby! Yes, that’s the work division …strictly.
Set up as the summer headquarters of the British Raj, it has a unique charm. Darjeeling’s gorgeous nature beckons, to all true blue Calcuttans. Children love the toy train rides and horse rides. Adults can enjoy the natural beauty, window -shop at the interesting curio outlets. You can enjoy the delicious hot momo’s or tuck into the melts in the mouth baked goodies at Glenarys. For me, Darjeeling is the perfect relaxing comfort, a gateway for a long weekend.
It’s best if you have Friday off! Then you can take an early morning flight to Bagdogra from Kolkata.From Bagdogra ย airport ย a shortย drive, to the Queen of hills
There are quaint home stays, luxury resorts, out-of-the-way hotels to suit all budgets. My pick for a family-friendly hotel is Shangri La Regency, Cedar Inn, and Chota Mangwa.
Shangri La Regency is only 10 minutes from the mall. Great service, great view from attic rooms but not on cloudy days. But they don’t have an in-house restaurant. They give basic room service and only breakfast served in the common dining room. If you want to have lunch or dinner at the hotel you need to tell well in advance, so that they can source it from their sister concern.
The area around this place is a tad squalid and is a little out of sorts with the pretty boutique hotel. There is no children’s play area or any outdoor area for you to walk around. It’s like a standalone building right on the street.
Must visit: Glenarysย It’s a bakery and totally out of the world (yes I am a tad obsessed! I love their Kiwi cheesecake tart.
The best views of Darjeeling was at Chota Mangwa an eco-tourist village with basic amenities but Cedar Inn was the most comfortable stay till date.
Chalsa is a small quaint town in the foothills of the Himalayas. It’s a popular part of the Doars region with green tea gardens, beautiful streams, rivers, and trees dotting the area.
Located in the Jalpaiguri district the closest airport is Bagdogra. Take an Indigo Airlines flight to Bagdogra and drive to Chalsa.It takes about 2 hours from the airport to the resort.
They have acres of green, well cared for grounds. Beautiful flowers dot the hedges. Tall trees, their branches gently swinging in the wind. Sparkling blue swimming pool, well-equipped gym and relaxing spa facilities.
They have indoor and outdoor game options including tyre swings, bicycle tracks, and tree-lined walks.
Bicycle is available for hire, for roaming around the grounds. Playground for children with, their favorite rides. They also have a fully equipped gym, an adult swimming pool and a splash pool for kids.
The best part: The service. Smiling helpful staff. They are always ready to go out of their way, to do that extra bit, to make your time there special. Traveling with children means you end up, making requests to total strangers for special favors. The team at Sinclair’s are sympathetic and do their best to make your stay there outstanding.
The food is average and is not up to expected standards. Breakfast and dinner often compulsorily buffet with no other option. Even that would be okay if the taste was better!
What you shouldn’t miss: Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife sanctuary.Back to nature but with loads of comfort!
A sea beach townย 180Km from Kolkata airport .It has grown up over the years as the go to place for sea lovers.
It’s a small town in East Midnapore very popular with beach lovers.
I have visited 5 times with family and each time I gave come back totally tanned and with a smile .
The sea is really beautiful and the beaches are much less crowded than the nearby Digha .
How to get there ?
By Road :Kolkata -Digha route by car.
By Rail :Howrah to Kanthi and then to your resort of choice by car.
My favourite Resort:
Aquamarine Drive in.
The resort is comfortable with great Bengali cuisine. Somewhat limitedย in their variety.But tasty .
Helpful child friendly staff.
They have a swings for children and a few rabbits which they breed.
They have their own gated access to the beach.
They also have an outdoor shower area which is useful to wash the sand out of your clothes after bathing in the sea.
What ย do you do to relax on weekends ?Let me know in the comments ย below.
Other relevant articles
By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on 27
Do you fly a lot? Does ย your ย ear ย pain in ย the aeroplane ย ? Do ย you have severe ear painย even after Flying? Can you prevent It?
The Good news:
Yes ย you ย can ย prevent ย it.
When my little girl was 1 year old we traveled to Jaipur by plane. Among many travel worries, I was especially thinking about ways to keep her awake and ear pain-free while traveling. I knew all the basics but it was still a ย challenge. So that’s when I decided to write a post forย all of you mommies who travel by plane with children. I think when we know why things happen we are much more effective at preventing unwanted events and prevention of airplane ear runs top of my list during air travel.
Pain in the ear, popping ear, blocked ear during air travel is ย the most common medical ย problem faced by flyers. Airplane ear is the better-known name for Barotitis media or ย Aerotitis media. Airplane ear or Barotitis media is the condition where there occurs damage to the ear due to difficulty in adjustment of the air pressure between Middle ear and External ear.
I have to go into aย bit of physics for a proper explanation. Please excuse the science Lecture! As ย you know according ย to Boyle’s ย Lawย : The pressure and the ย volume of ย an ย enclosed mass ย o ย gas are ย inversely ย proportional. When ย the ย plane ย rises in the ย air, there ย is ย a ย progressive ย decrease ย in ย ย air/atmospheric ย pressure. Basically at ย 18,000 ย ft ย above ย sea ย level, ย the ย air ย pressure ย is ย half ย that ย at ย sea ย level.During ย the rise through ย the ย atmosphere , as the ย pressure ย falls ,a particular mass of ย air in an ย elastic ย structure ย expands .Similarly during ย descent, the air contracts and the volume of ย cash decreases.
So what happens in the ear during Flying?
Imagine yourย ear ย is ย made up of ย 3 rooms.The outermost ย part of ย the ear which connects the entryway with the other rooms is the ย external ear.This is the part involving ย your ย ear ย canal. The ย ear drum separates ย your ย external ย ear ย from ย the ย middle ear, where the small bones (malleus, incus, stapes), which ย help transmit sound ย live.The ย ear drum ย is somewhat flexible ย and ย can ย move ย with ย change in volume ย of ย air ย in ย the ย middle ย ear. Two ย windows ย oval ย window (covered ย by stapes ย footplate) and ย round window (covered ย by ย round window ย membrane) connect ย your middle ear and the inner ear.
The ย inner ย ear has ย yourย ย hearing and balance apparatus It’s called ย the labyrinth. ย A tube connects your middle ear with the part of your oral cavity behind the nose (nasopharynx) .It’s called the Eustachian tube.Easily the most important structure ย which helps keep up the normal air volume inside ย your middle ear. It’s through your Eustachian tube that air enters or exits to equalise air pressure between outside atmosphere and your middle ear.
What happens during Ascent?
Air pressure outside falls. Middle ear pressure falls. Air in your middle ear expands (following Boyle law) This excess air pushes the tympanic membrane outwards to its natural limit.This is normally followed by escape of air through your Eustachian tube. Movement of the ear drum may be restricted due to scarring (previous infection).This may cause ear pain during ascent.
What happens during Descent?
Air pressure outside rises. Middle ear pressure rises. Air in your middle contracts and volume decreases (Boyle law). The ear drum moves inwards. (retraction). The opening of your Eustachian tube must be opened to allow air from the nasopharynx to enter and adjust the volume.The Eustachian tube will open with swallowing movement. If this mechanism fails (if you fall asleep, or have a cold), or is delayed, the increasing pressure difference closes the naspharyngeal end of Eustachian tube.When the pressure difference is more than 90 mm,Hg, your tubal dilator muscles are unable to open the Eustachian tube and it stays locked.The ear then feels blocked.
Barotrauma occurs during flying due to:
Very rapid air pressure changes.Sudden ascent/descent. 2) Blocked Eustachian tube.
It may also occur in:
Who is more likely to get Aeroplane Ear?
Anybody who has some nasal or Nasopharyngeal problem which blocks the Eustachian tube.
Acute infection in the nose.
Chronic infection in the nose
Rhinosinusitis
Nasal allergy
Vasomotor Rhinitis
Malformation of nose
Nasopharyngeal tumour.
Sleeping during ascent or descent
Small narrow Eustachian tube; infants toddlers.
How will you know whether youย are developing airplane ear?
Symptoms ( most common)
Discomfort in the ear
Ear pain
Muffled hearing
Blocked ear/fullness of ear
Severe complaints
Excruciating pain in ear
Severely blocked ear
Ringing, buzzing sound in ear (Tinnitus)
Severe Hearing loss
Spinning sensation (Vertigo)
Bleeding from ear
When to see a doctor?
Aeroplane ear:when to see a doctor.Image courtesy David Castillo Dominic @freedigitalphotos.net
If you have any of the severe problems.Or if the symptoms persist even after …..hours “check..
What will your doctor See?
An ENT surgeon may do an otoscopic examinations to see your ear drum.
Signs on otoscopy:
Are there any long term complications ?
Rarely the ringing sound in ear or tinnitus may be permanent.
If inner ear barotrauma occurs hearing loss may not improve
What other tests can ย you ย do?
Pure tone audiometry:ย to check your hearing and rule out inner ear barotrauma ย Tympanometry:To check the air pressure in the middle ear.and find out if there is any fluid.
What can young children do ย to prevent aeroplane ear?
Very young children have difficulty during fflying.Often you will find them irritable crabby , pulling at their ears and may also cry incessantly. This is because the Eustachian tube in infants and very young children are not mature enough to handle the extreme change in pressure.
How to prevent Aeroplane ear in young children.Image courtesy Jeffrey Betts at MMT
What can you do to unblock the ear post flight?
Continue the Valsalva maneuvre/pressure equalizing technique
Normally it’s self healing and gets better within a few hours to few days.
If symptoms are uncomfortable and persists ย , or the ear doesn’t pop you should visit a doctor specialised in ย ear ย diseases
If your nose is blocked , avoid forceful nose blowing and take steam through your nose.This helps to relieve nasal congestion and open up the Eustachian tube.
What your doctor may advice?
If fluid in the middle ear persists even after 3 months myringotomy (incision in the ear drum) is done to drain the fluid.
If the perforation in ear drum does not improve after 3 months tympanoplastyย to repair the eardrum may be needed. ย I hope next time you are flying you will be ย carrying some chewing gum or hard candyย with you.
Write to me at dramrita@healthwealthbridge.com or comment below to let me know how your ears fared this time.
Ear problems, solutions, videos
EAR PROBLEMS : Health ย query
FAQ OTOSCLEROSIS: What you need to know
Cochlear implant (part1): what you need to know
Cochlear ย implant (part 2): who needs it
Effect of alcohol ย on hearing
Disclaimer:The purpose of this article is for educational purpose and should not be taken as professional medical advice.When in doubt always visit your doctor.
By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on 23
Vacation to Kashmir for the summer break . Sounds awesome right!
The Real Story about the Kashmir trip!
Before my hubby took over the charges.I was having a full-blown panic attack. Now that it’s done,I thought this needs sharing to help other parents travel calmer (maybe..no harm trying) I travel with family. This includes my baby daughter and my mommy who is a senior citizen.So no mad dashing around .That’s definite!
For Holiday planning Iย am strictly focusing on
So after my hubby had the glorious idea of Kashmir, we got down to breaking down the journey. (This isย part 1 of a 3 part post series Stress-free travel with a Child) Stay tuned for a thoughtful shopping list for your baby while traveling.
(I traveled to Kashmir in 2017 )
#MAJOR DECISION 1
Flying, Train or by Road? If there’s a plane.. catch it! That’s my motto.The quicker I reach my destination, the happier we all are. Other than the baby I create the most ruckus about less than perfect situations.
The current scenario:
Traveling from Kolkata to Delhi to Srinagar.. with a child. Decisions as parents are never easy. More like hair-tearingly frustrating. I wish I hadn’t misplaced my magic wand. Just a swish of it and all problems solved. Now to the serious business of choosing the right way to travel.
Pros of Flying for me:
Cons of Flying :
Pros ofย Train:
Cons of train travel:
Our problem:
There’s hardly any direct flight, from Kolkata to Srinagar. Solution: Hubby designed our own 1 stop flight. Being a serious fan of Indigo Airlinesย we bought Air tickets from Kolkata to Delhi Indigo flights. I really like, how helpful the Indigo staff is! Good service is very important for travelers, to choose one airline over the other.
Itinerary:
A morning Indigo flight, ย from Kolkata to Delhi ย : We will reach Delhi by 9 am on the morning of 2nd June.
When travelingย with children try to catch the most comfortable early flights. These are easily available.There’s less crowd at the airport and definitely less hassle. For connecting flights, the time in between the two flights is important! Getting your luggage, and boarding pass, for the other flight, takes some time and I really didn’t want the horrible rushingย aroundย with Rai (the little one) Plus I love browsing books at airport lounges!Yes, I know they are overpriced. But there’s something magical about having a book as a memory marker.
Flight from Delhi to Srinagar at 1.20pm.Plenty of time to check out the Delhi Airport bookshops and grab a bite.
The return flight is fromย Srinagar to Delhi by Go Air.
I have traveled once with them before. But not with a child!
The return to Kolkata is through the favorite Indigo again.
From Srinagar ย to Pahalgam: Road trip
We have hired a car for traveling from the Srinagar Airport, directly to Pahalgam. Our plan is to relax at the Himalaya hotel for the first 3 days. Travel doesn’t just broaden the mind.It provides youย with the much-needed disconnect, from everyday irritations.I love holidays which are relaxing!
This is a much-needed break to rejuvenate the mind.I am a mountain lover.I love staring at snowy peaks and breathing the cold, crisp mountain air. Not sure about trekking and hiking.But definitely, love walks in the cold crisp weather! All the walking uphill will also keep us fit , while we gorge on delicious food.
I am planning to soak in the awesome natural beautyย of Pahalgam. Get loads of beautiful pics on the Blog. Taste authentic local cuisine and just relax! ย We will be travelingย back to Srinagar on the 5th of June At Srinagar, we will be staying at a wonderful heritage hotel near Nagin lake.
It’s little away from the Dal lake and city center. But the resort promises abundant space and natural beauty for a perfect getaway. (It’s a family-friendly hotel with loads of awesome reviews) It’s from Srinagar that we will be visiting Gulmarg, Sonmarg, and the local attractions. I am a passionate urban gardener and I have serious plans to visit the beautiful gardens that decorate the city.
ย By now you must have realized I am quite obsessed with eliminating all possible ย ,predictable stress factors. When you are travelingย with a baby you can’t take chances. That was the main intention behind choosing the flights,the hotels and deciding on the touring options!Now planning beforehand has helped me cut out 2 major stress factors.
1)Flight Costs: Plan and book tickets in time to get best deals.Saves you money for other things.
2)Hotel availability and their quality. The hotels we have chosen have been selected based on their child-friendly qualities, service and location. The main purpose of holidays is to take a break from the daily madness. We enjoy visiting new places and tasting the local food and experiencing the culture closely. Kashmir with its pristine mountains faces a lot of strife and is still struggling with normalcy. But one thing I have read everywhere on travel forums, is they truly care for the tourists. They care deeply about their heritage and want the world to know about the rich culture of Kashmir. Unlikeย many, city –ย center hotels were not what we were looking for.We just wanted to be away from the hustle and bustle and still be quite close to essential services. Planning your travel with your top priority in mind is most important. Our top priority: No stress!
3) Use Web check in when possible.Web check-in facility will hopefully help me save a lot of headaches.
4)Have an airport drop and pickup pre-booked if possible. Absolutely important if you have plenty of luggage and a child in tow. Everyone tries to scam you with the most exorbitant rates.
5)Travel light.The biggest challenge with a child. What we do.. Carry only essentials for us. Anything we need extra we buy. When we had traveled to Rohtang Pass our woolens were grossly inadequate.But we got the fur coats gloves and snowshoes for hire at a nominal rate. That’s easily availableย in tourist places
6)Avoid a crazy travel plan . Travelling too much during holidays makes me wish for a break to relax ..after a holiday. So relax +fun. No mad rushing!
We have plans of visiting Kashmir several more times So this is a starter plan only.We just want to relax.
7)Carry all emergency medicines. Travel with a child can be tricky.While we pray to God and take care, one has to have a backup plan. Medicines we carry: Paracetamol Anti -emetic Anti -diarrhoeal OR Wet wipes Band-Aid Antibiotic ointment Anything else…again we buy Our vitamins (For details on this you can check out Travel Health India)Read my post Travel HealthIndia
8)Look at your diet and exercise routine to stay fit. Don’t forget your fruits and green veggies to boost up your immunity.This is for before travel and during travel, as far as possible.
9)Carry a few toys, coloring book, crayons, your tablet.Maybe a new toy too!
10.Dress in layers.The little ones should have easily removable lowers.Avoid hooks, zips, buttons, belts. Drawstring and elastic waists are best for quick loo visits. ย 11.Make your little one sit away from the aisle. Food carts with hot beverages while passing are a hazard with little passengers in the aisle seat. 12.Give them something to chew or water to drink during takeoff and descent.This prevents Aeroplane Ear due to pressure change. 13.Snacks for the little one to munch. It’s unlikely the food cart will have food appropriate for children.So definitely pack something for him/her. 14.Carry plastic bags to collect any wrappers and other items you may have to dispose of during flight. ย 15.If children are carrying their own little backpacks, give them the hotel address, phone number, your numbers all written down on a paper to be kept in an inner pocket.
16.Breathe.
Travelling with children is definitely stressful. Small hiccups are inevitable. But don’t let it spoil your mood.
Take a deep breath and pray and smile.After all, you are on a holiday and life’s like that when you travel.
Updated:December 2017
By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on 68
Clean air is a basic right. We shouldnโt need to fight for it. Right? Unfortunately, the more polluted air you breathe in, the more your brain and your vital systems slow down. And the problem that I see is that people just are not aware of how bad air pollution currently is.
A 2013 study on non-smokers found Indians have 30% poorer lung function when compared to Europeans.
Our Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Air Quality Index (AQI), for monitoring the quality of air in major urban centers across the country in 2015. In this, eight pollutants are measured: PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, ammonia and lead.(2)
The high quantity of pollutants is due to adulterated fuel. Higher the percentage of adulteration more is the emission of poisonous gases which are also known carcinogens.
These carcinogens have a big role in cardiovascular (heart) and Cerebrovascular (brain) health and result in over 800,000 premature deaths every year. This also includes breathing disorders which can result in irreversible lung diseases and poorer quality of life.
Increased population and vehicular congestion have made matters worse.
Traffic jams make vehicles move at a snailโs pace. The lower speed makes the fuel inefficiently utilized that is another important cause of increased pollutants. When speed is 5 -20 kilometers per hour, emissions are 4 to 8 times more than when it was 55 to 70 kilometers per hour.(3)
The pictures are scary and make me very worried. Itโs important you know the quality of outdoor air in your locality before you let sensitive children and sick adults go out. Even particular times of day are prone for greater air pollution.
Something you may not realize is that even while you travel and the AC is on, the air inside the car is still not clean. It has the particulate matter from the environment and the Volatile organic carbons (VOCs) emitted by the interiors of the car. A car air purifier will help clean the air of both these harmful elements.
Car Air purifiers will help make the air breathable in cities while traveling. While researching car air purifiers, I found the Philips Go pure Compact Airmax 100. It provides clean and healthy air in your car when you travel as wherever you go, you breathe pure. It not only removes fine particulate matter but also Volatile organic carbons (VOCs) emitted by the interiors of the car. The product removes allergens, smoke, bacteria, viruses, and unpleasant odors from the car in just 13 minutes!
โข It can effectively remove fine particles and toxic gases like VOCs.
โข It has a Clean Air Delivery Rate of 11.5m3/hour
โข It has a filter replacement indicator.
โข Certified by Airmid for Unique Philips Select Filter technology and cleans the air by adsorption and oxidation.
โข Itโs light and easy to install. Just place it on the dashboard, headrest, under seats or rear deck.
I personally found the product helpful as I am allergic to smoke and fumes. I also try to avoid my daughterโs exposure to polluted air.
Itโs a great way to keep the car air clean, especially for people like me with allergies or who have breathing difficulty due to asthma. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and the infirm will all be helped with products as amazing and unique Philips Go Pure Compact Airmax 100 in the car. For more details, visit here.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but the opinions and experience are mine and are meant to empower you to make an informed choice. Kindly make all purchase decisions after evaluating your individual requirements.Read my full disclaimer.
1) “Indians have 30% weaker lungs than Europeans”. Times of India. Sep 2, 2013.
2)http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/environment/pollution/choking-india-gets-air-quality-index/articleshow/46830411.cms
3)Science & Engg. 55 (2): 127โ142.
Matthew Barth; Kanok Boriboonsomsin (November 2009). “Real-World CO2 Impacts of Traffic Congestion”. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. 2058: 163โ171. doi:10.3141/2058-20. Archived from the original on 2016-05-30
4)Car Air purifier India: Why I want it
Linking up with #Bloggers Pit Stop
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