HOW TO AVOID OR REDUCE ELECTROMAGNETIC STRESS

AVOIDING OR REDUCING ELECTROMAGNETIC STRESS

By Lawrence Wilson, MD

Electromagnetic stress is the subtle or not so subtle effects of stray or chaotic electrical and magnetic fields on the human body. It is an important cause of stress, especially for some people in certain occupations such as airline personnel and others that work around aircraft, with computers, televisions and others. In this article, electromagnetic fields will be abbreviated as EMFs.

Where they are found. Stray electrical and magnetic fields are found in homes, work environments, in aircraft, ships, offices, automobiles and even in rural parks and city streets due to the presence of cell phone towers, high-voltage power lines and other sources of electromagnetic fields. Some are also natural in origin and may be due to the presence of underground streams or rivers, or even due to various rock formations in the earth.

Types and sources of EMFs. Electrical emissions are often in the radio frequency and microwave range. Common sources are all cell phones, all portable phones, cell phone towers (which are often disguised as telephone poles or even rocks or cactus plants), and high-voltage power lines and line transformers found on power poles.

Others sources that are usually less intense are wifi or wireless modems or routers used in many homes and offices, and appliances such as refrigerators, television sets, computers, heaters with motors, light dimmer switches, and perhaps a few others. Of these, flat-screen televisions and computer monitors are the most important, and can give off quite large and upsetting electromagnetic fields. Always sit as far away from these as possible.

Other sources are radar installations, usually near airports and military bases, and radio and television transmission towers that are usually located on top of tall buildings or on the tops of hills or mountain areas.

Underground wiring can also emit electrical fields, as can other types of underground installations such as in-floor electric heating wires and in-floor water-filled tubing used to heat homes. Even simple home plumbing and wiring will emit some electrical energies.

X-rays. Another type of electromagnetic radiation are x-rays, which are simply a higher frequency of radiation. These are more damaging to human tissue, and are much more penetrating and permanent in their damage. The major sources are all x-ray machines used in medical and dental offices, airports and perhaps package screening locations. Other sources are living near nuclear power plants or in areas with naturally occurring x-radiation emissions from radon gas. Living near uranium mining sites or nuclear waste dump sites are other sources of radiation toxicity. The radiation can affect drinking water, for example, and other things like food. Minimize all of these for best health.

Other frequencies of energy are emitted by some electrical and magnetic equipment, even medical equipment, but these are usually of less importance.

Geopathic stress. A different type of subtle EMFs are produced in some areas of the planet and are related to underground rivers and currents of water.

Mental and/or emotional fields. I include these because although they are very subtle, they are also very real and they affect some people. They are extremely high frequency fields that are emitted when a person is upset, angry, depressed or otherwise out of sorts. They can affect anyone, but particularly children and very sensitive adults.

They are found in some homes, at work, and the worst are at schools. This is why we do not advise sending young children, or perhaps any children, off to school, thinking that the social interaction or other aspects of the school are so wonderful that you can overlook other problems, including this one. Most children today are severely malnourished, the homes they come from are chaotic, and so they emit or radiate a harmful energy that your child will pick up easily in too many cases.

Sensitivity to electromagnetic fields varies greatly among individuals. Some people seem almost immune to their effects, while other people develop headaches, fatigue, depression or other symptoms just be walking near a strong and chaotic electromagnetic field. Exactly why this is so I do not know. However, minerals that respond to magnetic fields such as iron and manganese in the body may be involved.

MICROWAVES AND CELL PHONE RESEARCH

The main difficulty with cell phones, portable phones and cell phone base stations and relay stations is the frequency range in which they operate. Microwave radiation is quite penetrating, even at low power. This is why your cell phone will work inside buildings and garages, and even in tunnels and other underground structures at times. While it is an advantage for phone communication, it also means that the waves easily penetrate your cranium and can affect the brain and other organs and structures.

Here is summary of studies that have shown increased risk of brain tumors and other problems due to cell phone and mobile phone use. For the details of these studies, go to the website of the Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology (PSRAST) at http://www.psrast.org/mobileng/mobilstarteng.htm - summary.

* Finnish research confirms increased brain cancer risk from cell phones.

* Threefold increased cancer risk found among people in the vicinity of a GSM-base station.

* New Austrian research confirms health effects of base station radiation. Significant effects on wellbeing and psychological test performance found at levels far below recommended radiation intensity.

* Mobile Phone Tower causing brain tumors? The top floors of a Melbourne office building were closed down and 100 people evacuated after a seventh worker in as many years was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

* DNA is damaged by mobile phone radiation.

* Large study reports 100% increase of malignant brain tumor risk.

* Three European studies indicate increased brain tumor risk.

HOW TO AVOID OR REDUCE ELECTROMAGNETIC EXPOSURE

Avoiding electromagnetic stress is becoming more and more difficult today. It is especially challenging in cities, where cell phone towers, automobiles, and cell and portable phones are used extensively. Here are some general suggestions to minimize your exposure and to counter electromagnetic fields:

1. If possible, live in a rural area, as there are generally fewer sources of EM exposure in these areas.

2. If possible, live in a detached residence such as a house, rather than an apartment. The reason is simply that the higher the density of population, such as in apartments, the more likely there will be sources of EM fields such as computers, television sets and others.

3. Check to make sure you are not living too close to a cell phone tower and to high tension power lines. Internet sites can tell you where cell phone towers are located in your area. They are often disguised as trees, sculptures and even telephone poles, so you cannot tell just by looking around where they all are.

4. Minimize cell phone and portable phone use. A recent study in England revealed increased incidence of brain tumors in the area of the brain near where the phone is held.

If possible, use simple corded phones, as these give off much less radiation. If you must use portable or cell phones, use a headset or speakerphone with them and keep your conversations as short as possible. Also, turn off the phone when not needed. Some say one should not wear the phone on the body, if possible, but rather carry them in a purse or briefcase to keep them away from the body. I do not know how important this is, providing the telephone is not in use.

Also, limit the time of your cell or cordless phone calls to less than 15 minutes, if at all possible. This also limits your exposure.
Some phones are much safer than others. According to recent research reported at www.Mercola.com, Sprint and Verizon phones (technically called a CDMA network) are much better than the others such as AT&T, T-Mobile, and the rest). These others used pulsed microwaves, that researchers say is worse.

5. Computers. Sit as far away as possible from computers, and preferably do not use very large computer monitors at your desk.

If you use a laptop computer, buy an external keyboard and mouse and use these as often as possible so you can sit further away from the machine. Enlarge the print, if needed, so you can see it.

Another option is to use a large screen TV as your monitor, but only if you can sit at least 10-20 feet away from it. The backlit type of televisions emit the least harmful electromagnetic fields, as far as I know. However, they still emit some. The larger televisions emit a lot of EMFs.

An idea that will help with computer usage is to ground yourself. Attach a piece of lamp cord to the middle screw on an electrical outlet. Attach the other end to your skin, such as tucking it inside your sock so the bare wire touches your skin.

Also, if you use computers a lot, drive a car a lot or travel on planes, go out into the sun for a few minutes whenever possible. This may also slightly reduce the damage of electromagnetic stress.

If you use a computer a lot, install above your head or behind you a reddish, 250-watt heat lamp. These are sold at most hardware, Home Depot, Lowe’s and other outlets where electrical objects are sold. You will need a socket designed for a 250-watt bulb. Do not shine it directly on your head, however, but away from the head on your body.

6. Avoid travel as much as possible, especially air travel today. Although automobiles, buses and trains all emit some electromagnetic fields, the worst form of travel from this perspective is by air. Airplanes have many radar, radio, microwave and engine-related electromagnetic fields that can affect the passengers and crew. Also, the x-ray machines at the airports and baggage handling stations are not healthful. Air travel also exposes you to many germs from other passengers, especially on long flights. In almost all the airplanes today, the air is recycled so you are exposed to many pathogens that other people are carrying. For much more about this subject, read Traveling Safely on this website.

7. Television sets. Always sit back as far away as possible from televisions, especially the large ones. Turn off all electrical appliances in the home, especially near where you sleep, when you go to bed. Do not watch television to go to bed, for example, or have an automatic shut off so the TV goes off after a while.

8. If you have trouble sleeping, and perhaps are sensitive to EM fields, try turning off the electrical power in your bedroom area when you go to sleep. If the experiment works, an electrician could probably install a cutoff switch for the bedroom area to make it easier.

9. Fluorescent lights. If you sit under fluorescent lights all day, set up a full spectrum bulb shining on you, if possible, so balance the light rays. Full spectrum fluorescent tubes are also available and are better, if you can install them in your work area.

10. Red infrared heat lamps. If possible, have some reddish infrared heat lamps positioned around your home. They will purify certain frequencies of energy in the home.

11. Auto EMF emissions. Some cars give off large electromagnetic fields, particularly near the motor. The only way to check is with an EMF meter. This would only be a problem if you drive long distances.

12. Try a Quantum Pendant, preferably, or a Q-Link pendant to reduce some electromagnetic stress. These are not perfect, but may help. The Quantum Pendant is actually more powerful and much less expensive. Many other devices claim to reduce EM fields, but I have not tested them all. They all probably work to some degree.

13. Try grounding or earthing yourself. A company sells grounding pads for your bed and your office area. Check under the heading of ‘Earthing’ on Google or other search engines. Sites include www.earthing.com and www.earthing.net.

14. Go to bed early and stay well nourished. A lot of the sensitivity people feel in regards to EM fields is caused by fatigue, malnourishment, dehydration and other aspects of poor health.

15. Nutritional balancing will reduce extreme EM sensitivity in most cases by restoring proper mineral nutrition and rebuilding the adrenal glands, which help us handle all types of stressors.

References:

George Louis Carlo, Ph.D., Martin Schram "Cell phones: Invisible hazards in the wireless age: An Insider's Alarming Discoveries about Cancer and Genetic Damage."

Mercola.com runs a lot of excellent articles on cell phone and other EMF hazards.

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