an introduction to emf radiation and how to protect yourself
We live in a world dominated by technology. For most of us, we can’t imagine life without our precious iPhones, laptops, tablets, and internet access. *Shudder…* That’s a terrifying thought isn’t t?
We know and love technology because of how easy it makes our lives – we can do, learn, and connect with anyone and anything, anywhere in the world. To be living in today’s day and era with the advent of modern technology, it’s truly a blessing.
Unfortunately, this blessing may carry more baggage than we previously thought and hoped for…
Our bodies run on electricity
Our bodies are more than just physical, spiritual, emotional, intelligent beings – we are electrical ones too. In fact, every single cell that we are made up of uses electrical signals to send messages back and forth to various parts of our bodies, especially the brain.
The human brain solely operates through electrical signals and requencies. When these frequencies get interrupted, we lose proper functioning that is crucial to our very existence.
Similar to the brain, cell phones, tablets, and laptops all emit and recieve electrical signals constantly. That is how they function and allow you to talk to your friends thousands of miles away – by sending these signals.
What is an emf
EMF radiation is energy that travels through space in electromagnetic waves such as radio waves and light waves. The distance between these energy waves is called the wave-length. The number of wave crests moving past a certain point over a period of time is described as the frequency.
How powerful a type of EMF radiation is comes down to its wavelength and frequency.
For example, radio waves are much longer in length and have a lower frequency compared to visible light waves which have short wavelengths and high frequency.
Radiation is also separated into two groups – ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation has waves with short wavelengths that move at a high frequency. This radiation is considered the most dangerous because it can cause permanent damage to the body and even kill with a single exposure. This is due to the incredibly short wavelengths that move at a high frequency; they can easily rupture atomic structures and instantly fracture the molecules in our bodies.
Non-ionizing radiation on the other hand moves at a low frequency and genearlly have longer wavelengths. This type of radiation is much less harmful than ionizing radiation. However, recent evidence demonstrates that non-ionizing radiation can also alter cells at the biological level. This becomes especially prominent from long-term exposure.
Ultimately, it’s safe to say that neither type of radiation is particularly enjoyable.
electronic devices and radiation
Our electronic devices emit two types of non-ionizing radiation: extremely low frequencies(ELF) and radio frequencies (RF). When currents flow between components in an electronic device, the device will emit ELF radiation and when devices connect to the internet through WIFI or cellular signals they additionally emit RF radiation.
More and more research is starting to show that exposure to non-ionizing ELF and RF radiation (that mainly comes from our phones, tablets, and laptops) may cause serious health issues. These findings have taken years to emerge because the immediate effect of exposure can’t be noticed. However, over time, the continuous exposure seems to lead to huge consequences.
Here is a short list of just some of the emerging risks from long-term EMF exposure:
- Reproductive effects (fertility problems)
- Rare forms of brain cancer
- Lethargic response times
- Blood-Brain barrier disruptions
- Sleep problems
- Behavioral effects
Dr. Reba Goodman from Columbia University says that “Cells in the body react to EMFs as potentially harmful, just like to other environmental toxins including heavy metals and toxic chemicals. The DNA in living cells recognizes electromagnetic fields at very low levels of exposure, and produces a biochemical stress response.”
Think about that… we are always surrounded by these invisible forms of radiation from cell towers to our phones to WIFI all over the place; this means that our bodies are in this constant state of stress (fight or flight mode). Remaining chronically stuck in this state leads to terrible health problems down the road.
Now back to how EMF radiation affects the body…
how emf radiation affects the body
As I previously mentioned, the body is a complex organism that utilizes electrochemical signals for communication and proper functioning by each cell. When these signals run properly, we are healthy. Likewise, when these signals get disrupted from outside influences, we become unhealthy and sick.
When EMF radiation constantly surrounds our bodies, the behavior of our cells undoubtedly becomes compromised. As our cells receive these unnatural electrical signals from our environment, abnormal changes and irreparable damage can occur.
In fact, research from a 2013 study has shown that outside sources of electric activity have the potential to harm the cell, or influence its growth in an extremely abnormal way. In particular, they showed that it was possible to use electric signals to force tadpoles to grow eyeballs on their tails.
Even the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that “Workers exposed to high [electromagnetic] fields have increased cancer rates.”
Why haven't I heard about this?
Cell phones, internet, and WIFI technologies have only been around for a relatively short period of time. We utilize them every single day and with no immediate effect or symptoms, have come to believe that they must be safe. But as new research emerges, this doesn’t seem to be the case…
History has tons of examples of commonplace things that have turned out to be a detriment to human health or just completely false.
Nobody had any idea that cigarettes caused lung cancer and other diseases until the 1960’s, decades after they were first introduced. Lead paint was used for everything before we discovered it was highly toxic and banned it all across the globe, etc, etc, etc.
With this is mind, it’s incredibly important for us to dig deeper, do more research, and in the meantime remain cautious and do all that we can in the event our fears are true (in this case, it’s not looking to promising). Even just the slightest doubt and evidence provided should be enough to make the decision that you don’t want any part of it.
how to protect yourself
There are a number of products and actions you can take to protect yourself from the potentially harmful and devastating effects of EMF radiation.
Probably the most obvious first move, knowing that we spend so much time with our devices close up to our bodies and brains, would be to invest in an EMF reducing or blocking case for your tablet, phone, and laptop. The last thing you want is to be unknowingly blasted with EMFs just by being in the presence of your electronic devices.
After doing some searching, I found the Defender Shield protective cases to be the most effective that come from a very reputable source. They also offer blue-light blocking glasses, laptop pads, and blankets. I also highly recommend checking out their book, Radiation Nation: The Fallout of Modern Technology, as part of your own research to learn about the science and studies done that show just how important protection is.
Another great way to protect yourself is to invest in air-tube headphones. Air-tube headphones differ from normal headphones in the sense that the sound is actually delivered to your ears through actual air tubes rather than metal wires. This significantly reduces the amount of EMFs you’d otherwise be exposed to. Along with the protective device cases, air-tube headphones are extremely important because of the fact that we’re dealing with something so close to our brains.
I’ve found that Dr. Mercola brand air-tubes don’t fit my ears to well, even with the different size options, so I am still looking for an alternative. Defender Shield offers a pair of air tube headphones but they are currently out of stock.
Turn your WIFI off at night. It doesn’t even have to be an inconvenience – use a cheap auto timer to turn it off when you go to bed every single night. Sleeping with the WIFI on disrupts your melatonin production and proper sleep cycles. I’ve noticed a huge difference in my sleep when the WIFI is off – I tend to wake up groggy and with stuffed sinuses when the WIFI is left on. The symptoms will be different for everyone, but I encourage you to experiment and feel the difference for yourself.
Although I haven’t explored it too much, I have heard a lot about the dangers of smart meters on homes and the radiation that they produce. Ideally, you have an analog meter than produces very little/low frequency EMFs. Again, I encourage you to do your own research on this subject to learn how to best protect yourself and those around you.
Turn your devices to airplane mode at night and as much as possible during the day. Also, when talking on your phone, be sure to use hands-free mode or air-tube headphones to keep the phone as far away from your body as possible.
If you’re serious about protection, you can immediately reduce your phone’s EMF output. Go into your phones settings -> Cellular -> Cellular Data Options -> Enable LTE and select Off. This will set your phone to 3G which emits much less radiation than 4G and 5G.
Go wired in your home and office. Switch to Ethernet in as many places as you can. Use a wired mouse and wired keyboard. Stay away from Bluetooth as much as possible.
Lastly, if I haven’t said it enough by now, the best thing that I can recommend you to do is to conduct your own research. Search online for the health implications of EMFs, electronic device radiation, smart meters, 4G/5G, and make sure the sources are reputable and unbiased. Then, take the appropriate actions you feel are necessary.
Once you become educated and aware is when you can make the best decisions for yourself and your health.
So what's next?
In this article, I discussed an unseen danger than lurks in most of our pockets… our phones (and other electronic devices). I gave an introduction into EMF radiation, what it is, where it comes from, and how it impacts our health. Most importantly, I provided you with some actionable steps to take so that you can keep yourself protected.
But now what?
Now, it’s up to you to continue digging. It’s your responsibility to continue to do your own research so that you can make educated decisions for your health and safety.
Starting August 26th through September 1, 2019, there will be a 5G summit where health professionals and industry experts deliver the science, health implications, and the full story about EMFs. You can register for FREE to this summit by clicking here. Upon registration, you will also receive a number of free gifts that will teach you how to best protect yourself from EMFs and esure that you are doing all that is in your power to live a long, healthy, vibrant life.
Until next time, stay healthy, stay well, thrive.
If you're interested in going paleo, I wrote a tutorial that will explain everything and help you get started right now. In college? I've got a super detailed guide on how to maintain your diet and find the resources you need to stay healthy ! Have any questions about anything? I'm happy to help!
