New Delhi: The increased air pollution is not only suffocating our cities—it’s quietly harming our brains and bodies. What we inhale is way more potent than we think. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide, and other toxins reach deep inside the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and even the brain. Repeated exposure to this toxin over time can contribute to impaired memory, decreased attention span, heightened anxiety, and a greater risk of neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In children, it may disrupt brain development, resulting in disorders of behavior and learning, which may be lifelong. But the effect extends beyond the brain.
In an interaction with News9Live, Dr Vinit Banga, Director-Neurology, Fortis Hospital, Faridabad, spoke about how air pollution could weaken immunity during winter.
Air pollution touches almost every body system. It is a cause of heart disease, strokes, respiratory disease, and compromised immunity. It inflames the cells and speeds up aging. Fertility also hangs in the balance—pollutants can now be shown to affect hormonal balance, decrease sperm count, hinder ovulation, and put one at risk of miscarriage. The surge in infertility rates globally is not just a personal concern—it’s an environmental alarm.
Pollution is an insidious enemy, strangling us with each breath. We cannot see it, but we sense it—our exhaustion, our muddled brains, our fitful nights, and crumbling reproductive well-being. Clean air is not just a choice—it is the basis of human life and promise.
If we desire healthy bodies, healthy minds, and a productive next generation, we need to address pollution as the public health crisis it is. Awareness is necessary, but swift action must immediately follow. Our environment mirrors our choices—and so does our well-being. The debate is over whether pollution damages us. The debate is: how much longer do we deny it?