Common Air Pollution in Coronary Artery Disease

It is now well known that inflammation is the driving force behind heart disease.  It is also understood that inflammation can come from many different sources such as stress, a lack of sleep, poor quality food, and exposure to chemical toxins.  A recent study analyzed the affects of inflammation in response to common pollution in a group of adults living in LA who had existing coronary artery disease¹.  The researchers found that on days when small particles from common pollution were elevated, whether the adults were indoors or outside, there was a significant increase in inflammatory markers in their blood, blood cells were more likely to stick together (clot risk), and key antioxidant enzymes were lowered.

Common pollution from traffic emissions must now be added to the risk factors for heart disease.  The greater the concentration of pollution, the greater the risk.  Consider it another form of stress that must be managed.  Your detoxification system must be up to the challenge, just like your stress management system must be up to the emotional challenges in your life.  If you are not up to the challenge then your antioxidant systems will run in a less than optimal way and your blood cells are at an increased risk for clotting.

I am willing to bet that the very same problem contributes to obesity in children, as part of the defense system against pollution is to stick it in to fat to get it away from the heart, liver, and kidneys.