According to new research, people living in towns/cities or villages are at a much higher risk of developing lung cancer in comparison to those who live in the mountains. Apart from smoking, genetics, smog, or working conditions (for example, a mine), one of the reasons why people in some areas are more susceptible to developing lung cancer is the air they breathe.
It seems that it makes a difference which altitude above sea level you live at. For one thing, air in the lowlands is thicker, meaning richer in oxygen, and it’s oxygen that poses a threat to the human body.
Oxygen is in fact a very peculiar element. Our body uses it to turn food into energy. However, oxidation is a metabolic process during which many free radicals, which are highly carcinogenic, are released.
These highly reactive atoms can severely affect our organism, damage our DNA and over time, transform our cells, which is the onset of cancer. As lungs are breathing organs, they are the first affected by oxidation, thus most susceptible to developing cancer.
However, if you want to lower your risk of lung cancer, move to higher altitudes. The best thing is to move in the mountains because the air is thinner and your lungs work differently and spread more.
According to an American study, lung cancer risk decreases manifold every 1,000 meters of altitude above the sea level.
