London pollution advice: 6 ways to stay safe in the capital's 'black alert' toxic smog

Here's how to clean up your act
Hold your breath: a man cycles through the fog in Richmond Park
Getty Images

This morning, Londoners awoke to an oppressive blanket of smog shrouding the horizon. Cycle lanes were emptier, not just due to frost on the ground but because commuters were put off by the choking chemical smell in the air. We are facing an airpocalpyse.

Yesterday in the capital, the Government’s air-quality index hit 10, the highest level — the third time in the past 12 months. We are less than one month into 2017 and already Brixton Road has breached its annual air pollution limit. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “The shameful state of London’s toxic air has meant that I am forced to trigger the first ‘very high’ air pollution alert.”

Researchers at King’s College London say that the cold and windless weather is compounding the high levels of emissions and particulates — microscopic dust that is too small to be filtered out by the nose or throat and travels into the lungs. It all feels a bit like the Great Smog of 1952, as seen recently on The Crown, which triggered a crime spree (police couldn’t see what was happening in front of them). We’ve moved on from the Fifties, though. Here’s how to beat bad air days.

Spray solution

You’re worried about your lungs but you can’t see those. At the moment, you are more concerned about the smog’s effect on your skin: wrinkles are far more ageing than a spluttering cough. Create a protective layer with a face mist: REN’s flash defence anti-pollution spray creates a viscous layer that noxious chemicals will struggle to penetrate. It smells great too.

Masquerade

If you are persevering with your bike, consider a mask. The Respro City Mask is a fabric mask that fits around your face and has robust valves that wick away pollution. There’s also Nosk, a tiny air filter that you fit up the nostrils in order to trap globules of bad chemicals before they get into your airways. Or, go for something surgical — it might quell your panic — and try the functional Totobobo, which looks ready for minor surgery. Avoid peering to closely at the grime trapped in the filters.

Wash your air

A room mists claim they can change the atmosphere, even on the streets or bus. Tincture’s Iona has antimicrobial silver technology to purify, and 1001 Remedies PurAir has immune-boosting cinnamon and eucalyptus essential oils in it to toughen you up in the fight against pollution. Your fellow commuters will thank you.

Eat clean

Protection is crucial. The right diet will bolster your body to fight the chemicals and process them fast. Calcium and vitamin D help skin rebuild after the onslaught of fumes, so drink milk, which is rich in both and eat tuna, mackerel, salmon and egg, which are all vitamin D-based. Pears are useful — they replenish potassium, vitamin C and K and copper, and you should wash it all down with green tea for antioxidants to protect the lungs and liver.

Detox face masks - in pictures

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Cycle indoors not outdoors

Reinvent the wheel and switch outdoor cycling for an indoor cycling class. Granted, you’re not getting from A to B, but in some respects, stationary bikes are better: you need not race traffic lights (killjoys), the soundtrack is melodic, and you are inhaling others’ sweat (natural) instead of chemicals (unnatural). Get back on the bike at Core Collective in Kensington, Boom Cycle, which has studios in Holborn and Shoreditch, and Psycle, which is set up in Canary Wharf and Oxford Circus. Plus, high-intensity exercise might give your lungs a fighting chance against the strangling smog in the long-term.

All hail the cab

Normally, daytime taxis are for shame-faced hangovers — you make it stop around the corner from the house so no one sees you — but while the air is curdling they’re a legitimate form of public transport. While the Tube swirls with filthy dust particles and buses admit poor air every time the doors open at a stop, taxis use less diesel than regular cars, and being cloistered inside a car with the windows closed can protect you from the air pollution outdoors. Buckle up.

Follow Susannah Butter and Phoebe Luckhurst on Twitter: @susannahbutter @phoebeluckhurst

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