Why is our nose red when it is cold?
This question is asked because I had learnt that when we are cold the body's response is to restrict blood to the extremities, nose included, which I assumed would result in a paler colour. Apparently, it s not so simple.The body will periodically dilate the constricted vessels to allow a brief burst of blood to flow into the area and then constrict the vessels again. This burst of blood causes the nose to turn red.
More people die as a result of air pollution than either alcoholism and obesity in Wandsworth, according to the Wandsworth Environment Forum. There are extremely high levels of Nitrogen oxide which damages lung tissue and can reduce lung function in those who are vulnerable, for example children and those with asthma. This is shocking becuse the risks of alcohol and obesity are widely publicised and air pollution dangers get little publicity. Perhaps there should be more attention on the personal risks of pollution which may help pursuade people to reduce their driving. The worrying thing is that it is the buses, which are always billed as the eco friendly vehicles, which, by burning diesel are contributing greatly to the nitrogen oxide.
It is worth baring in mind though that this is only data from Wandsworth and it is always difficult to establish fully causal relationships in life because we cannot rule out different factors.
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