In the kitchen, women spend most of their day. But not only them, those who live alone are also not exempt from the same situation. Having a gas stove can help; however, in most rural areas, cooking is done over traditional clay stoves. And that comes with a consequence. At first sight, it may look harmless, but it is silently damaging your lungs. The smoke from cooking is hitting your respiratory system every hour, and it can be more dangerous than smoking.
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According to studies, the long-term inhalation of cooking smoke can be worse for the lungs than years of smoking. Women who spend long hours daily in the kitchen suffer from breathing problems in 84–85% of cases, and it may even lead to serious lung damage.
How does cooking smoke harm your lungs?
PM 2.5 and toxic gases
Cooking smoke comprises very tiny particles, even smaller than PM 2.5. These particles enter the lungs directly via airways and may get into the bloodstream, affecting the heart and brain. The toxic gases in smoke include carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, which reduce the oxygen supply in the body.
Smoke trapped indoors for long time periods
While smoking would occur outdoors, cooking smoke stays inside a kitchen. Building up and continuous exposure to it for hours daily can cause serious damage.
Risk of breathing problems and long-term diseases
The repeated and regular inhalation of cooking fumes leads to breathing difficulties, asthma, bronchitis, and even lung cancer. In children, it causes pneumonia and a variety of other respiratory diseases. Eye and skin problems. These particles in smoke can irritate the eyes and even cause long-term damage. They may also lead to inflammation in the tissues of the mouth and throat.
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What can you do?
When cooking, wear a mask. Open windows when possible. Cooking in open spaces is ideal. If not, use a chimney or exhaust fan to vent the smoke outside of the home. The less time you are in smoky conditions, the better it is for your health.
