It’s nice to see that some researchers are noticing the connection between the air we breath and our digestive health. This recent article from the Scientific American indicates that air pollution may play a role in digestive health and the immune system.
Yes. That seems obvious.
Of course it effects our entire health, not just the health of our lungs. However, it would be nice if they spent more time looking at what people put in their mouths. There is no comparison when it comes the impact that has on your digestive tract. But we’ll take what we can get!
Excerpt:
The impacts of air pollution on the lungs and the heart have been widely documented for decades. But until now, few researchers have paid attention to the gastrointestinal tract.
“We tend to think about air pollution in terms of lung health, but the GI tract is also being bathed in it continuously. Fine pollution particles are cleared from the respiratory tract by mucous that makes its way to the gut,” said Karen Madsen, a gastroenterological scientist from the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Some evidence suggests inhaling fine particles, or soot, may disrupt the immune system and trigger inflammation in the gut by making it more permeable and altering its normal bacteria.
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