Is Exercise Good For You?
Well it can be but it can also be really dangerous
Exercise IS Good For You
One of the most immediate benefits of exercising is that your lungs will start to work more efficiently and will increase their capacity. That is a big benefit because we are oxygen users and the only way we get oxygen is by breathing it in, which we do about 20,000 times a day every day. No matter what exercise you do the lungs will improve: walking, swimming, skiing, yoga, weights, etc.
But Exercise CAN BE Bad for You
However, if you are in an area with air pollution that means that your exercise-improved lungs suck in more pollution with every breath you take, 20,000 times a day. The body tries to get rid of this pollution and the liver and kidneys work hard to filter out the toxic by-products such as benzene (!). Some of it is released in urine and sweat but unfortunately not all of it.
We Can’t Avoid Air Pollution
Governments are aware of the problem and have had many gatherings and discussions about the issue, which has still not been resolved since the air remains heavily polluted in many industrialised countries. In the meantime, we continue to have to breathe this polluted air.
So, while we wait what could be many years for the governments to solve the problem, what can we do today to stop poisoning ourselves every time we take a breath?
Stop exercising? Stop breathing?
Of course we can’t but luckily there is a solution.
BUT… we CAN Reduce the Effects of Air Pollution
A group of scientists and doctors from American and Chinese Universities did a clinical trial in China giving a controlled group of people 40 micromoles a day of sulforaphane. You can read about this trial on Air Pollution (towards the bottom of the page). Immediately they started getting rid of 61% more of those cancer causing products of air pollution. Yes, that’s right, a huge 61% more meaning that sulforaphane significantly reduces the accumulation of these toxins.
How to Get Enough Sulforaphane
So where can you get a daily dose of sulforaphane?
The best source is from four day old broccoli sprouts which you can grow yourself and juice daily. Alternatively, there is one good source in the world and that is Vegus Juices raw (unheated) Broccoli Sprout Juice. Every little daily tube has more than 70 micromoles of sulforaphane which you can carry around with you wherever you go since it doesn’t need refrigeration. Magic!
