India, Nov. 6 -- Down To Earth talks to doctors toget a senseof the ailments that residents of NCR are exposed to

It has been more than a week of breathing heavily polluted air for Delhiites. It is safe to say that for mroe than 150 hours they breathed a toxic cocktail, with the air quality 'severe' or 'severe +' since October 30.

Particulate matters (PM) 2.5 and 10 remained at least five times more their safe standards. These ultrafine particles can enter the respiratory system and reach the bloodstream.

On an average, a person breathes 25,000 times a day. For those living in Delhi and the National Capital Territory (NCT) regions, this means breathing toxic air 25,000 times a day. Toxins once deposited in lungs cannot be cleansed.

Wh...