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The Air Quality Index: Reading the Colours
The air quality index runs from 0 to 500 and uses colours from green to maroon. Moderate days may bother unusually sensitive people, and at orange and above people with asthma, COPD or heart disease should cut outdoor effort. Check AirNow before exercise. A supplement does not change the air you breathe.
Written by the PureLung label deskUpdated · 5 min read
What the index is
The Air Quality Index, or AQI, turns pollution readings into a single number from 0 to 500 with colour bands. The EPA calculates it for common pollutants such as fine particles and ozone. Lower is better (AirNow, Air Quality Index).
The colours
Six colour bands cover the range, and each has a plain-language meaning for health.
| Colour | Number | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 0 to 50 | Good |
| Yellow | 51 to 100 | Moderate: some risk for a few very sensitive people |
| Orange | 101 to 150 | Unhealthy for sensitive groups |
| Red | 151 to 200 | Unhealthy for everyone |
| Purple | 201 to 300 | Very unhealthy |
| Maroon | 301 and above | Hazardous |
Who are sensitive groups
People with asthma or COPD, heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people and those who work or exercise outdoors. If you belong to a group, take care from orange upward. Some people with lung disease feel symptoms at yellow.
Using AirNow
Search by zip code on AirNow, which shows the current index, a forecast and a map of fire and smoke. Many weather apps show it too. Check the main pollutant, which many apps list beside the number: ozone is higher on hot afternoons, and fine particles can spike with smoke and winter inversions.
Planning your day
A simple rule for each colour keeps decisions quick, and you can adjust it for your own health.
- Green: enjoy outdoor activity.
- Yellow: sensitive people can still go out but watch for symptoms.
- Orange: shorten or ease outdoor exercise, and move indoors if symptoms appear.
- Red and above: avoid strenuous outdoor activity, keep windows closed and use a clean room.
PureLung: 60 capsules a bottlePacks of 1, 3 or 6 bottles · live price shown at checkout · guarantee as printed on the live listing
See packsOzone and particles differ
Ozone peaks in the afternoon in warm weather, so exercise in the morning. Particles rise with smoke, traffic and heating, and can be high at any time. Indoor air has its own issues, covered in the indoor air post.
The index is a guide. If you cough, wheeze or feel tight even on a low day, ease off and follow your action plan.
What the index does not tell you
It does not measure indoor air, pollen or mould. It does not describe your health. A good number does not mean no risk for a very sensitive person. Use it with your symptoms and your clinician's advice. Some people set a phone alert for their zip code, so a change from green to orange does not catch them out on a run or a school pick-up.
What does the PureLung label say?
The label shows 60 capsules, a serving of 2 and a 600 mg Proprietary Blend of eleven names with no single amount; it names no disease.
| Item | As printed |
|---|---|
| Form and count | Capsules, 60 per bottle; serving size 2 capsules; 30 servings |
| Blend per serving | Proprietary Blend, 600 mg: eleven names, no single amount printed |
| Inactive | Rice Flour, Magnesium Stearate, Silica Dioxide |
| Distributor | MJO, Sheridan, WY 82801 |
Supplements and air
No capsule offsets polluted air. The ALA recommends avoiding polluted air and not smoking (ALA, Tips to Keep Your Lungs Healthy). For smoke events, see the wildfire smoke post.
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Order 6 bottlesPrices are filled in once the live listing is confirmed. A single bottle is also sold. Check your medicines with your doctor or pharmacist before you order, and keep using every inhaler and prescribed medicine.
FAQ01
PureLung questions people ask
What is a good AQI?
0 to 50.
Is yellow safe for asthma?
Some people react. Watch symptoms.
Where do I find it?
AirNow or a weather app.
Does it include pollen?
No.
Can a pill protect me from pollution?
No.
Who wrote this02
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label images, seller information and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a U.S. authorized retailer for PureLung. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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