Thaddeus and I just got back from the Bulletproof Biohacking Conference and one thing that really stood out was the number of people talking about exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). That was really good to hear considering that EMF's are now classified as a human carcinogen.
With all of the new technology, wireless communications, and electronics on the market today I firmly believe that exposure to EMF is one of the most troubling health issues that we are facing today.
While some people may look at some of this and think "I can't do that" or "That's more trouble than it's worth," just realize that because of how new most of this technology is, we don't have concrete evidence of the long-term effects of exposure to EMF's, but the short-term effects seem to be quite significant.
That means that the long-term effects are probably MUCH worse.
WHAT ARE EMF'S
EMF's are electronic fields produced by electrically charged particles. Everything we come in contact with has its own EMF but the recent introduction of electronics, cell phones, WIFI and other types of EMF's related to these technologies can have some serious consequences to our health.
Humans are a very resilient and adaptive species. We have had to adapt to changing climates, food sources, pollutants and living conditions throughout our history and I have no doubt that over time we can adapt to the increase of EMF-based pollution. The problem with adapting to these things is the speed at which we have increased the load of EMF's on our body. Most things that we have successfully adapted to have been over a period of hundreds or thousands of years.
Electricity by itself is still a relatively new technology. If that was the only new type of technology then I have no doubt that we would be able to adapt quite easily to it, but that's just not the case.
Within the last 20 years, the amount of electrical pollution we have to deal with on a constant basis has skyrocketed. That's why it is so important to protect ourselves as much as possible from this new danger to ourselves and our loved ones.
DANGERS
Since this technology is relatively new, we have no idea of what the long-term effect of these things will do to us and our children.
- Brain tumors [r]
- Reduce sleep quality
- Testicular cancer [r]
- DNA and gene damage [r] [r]
- Reduce sperm quality [r] [r]
- Inhibit tissue repair [r]
- Reduce immune function [r]
Here are some of the top ways to reduce the impact they have on you and your family.
CELL PHONES
Cell phones started becoming popular in the 1990's and today they are everywhere which makes it all the more concerning that they were classified as a possible carcinogen in 2011. Most households have multiple cell phones and kids are spending more time than ever glued to them or at least in close proximity to them. Here are some ways you and your family can limit your exposure to the EMF's from cell phones.
Keep your phone off as much as possible.
Even if you aren't using it, your cell phone is still emitting radiation. When you aren't using it try to keep it off or in airplane mode and use a landline phone.
Carry them as far away from your body as possible.
Since cell phones are such a big part of our lives today people go everywhere with them. A big problem with this is that people just place them in places which are convenient like pockets and bras. Keeping them so close your body for long periods of time is definitely a bad idea. If you must keep them in a pocket, try to keep them as far away from your genitals and chest as much as possible. Keeping them in a backpack or purse is ideal. If you must keep them in a pocket try to keep them in the lower pockets of cargo pants.
Use airplane mode when sleeping.
The presence of EMF's from your cell phone and other sources can have a negative effect on your sleep quality. Turn your cell phone off or to airplane mode when you go to sleep and try to keep it as far away from you as possible.
CORDLESS PHONES
Get rid of your cordless phones.
Cordless phones are considered by some to be even more harmful than cell phones. It's best to avoid them altogether but if you just can't live without them then look for an older type that uses 900 MHz instead of the 2.4 and 5.8 GH and try to use them on speaker phone so that you're not exposing your brain to as much of the signal.
I still have a cordless phone, but keep it far away from the bedrooms and only use it when needed.
WIRELESS INTERNET (WIFI)
WIFI is becoming a bigger and bigger issue. If you can't get rid of WIFI entirely, then here are a few steps you can take to reduce your exposure to the harmful effects.
Turn off WIFI at night and when not in use
With most routers, you can set the WIFI to turn on and off on a schedule. If you're like me and your schedule can vary, you can opt for a remote control outlet like the one pictured below. This allows me to turn my router off before I go to bed and turn it back on when I wake up in the morning.
Another thing you can do is shut off WIFI from your router completely and connect your devices via adapters and ethernet cables.
Here are some adapters for your phones and tablets:
Android/MicroUSB to Ethernet- http://amzn.to/2FkAQ9v
iPhone/iPad to Ethernet- http://amzn.to/2GCsIk5
COMPUTERS
Some of the biggest dangers associated with computers are the WIFI and Bluetooth signals that are present and also any wireless devices like a mouse and keyboard that you may be using.
The best way to limit this is to use only corded accessories and turn off the WIFI and Bluetooth when it isn't needed.
The only time I use WIFI on my laptop is when I am not at home. When home I have a hard line connection to my router via an ethernet cable.
CONCLUSION
While there is no way to get rid of your exposure to EMF's completely, there are quite a few ways to reduce the risk of them becoming a serious problem.
Since many of the negative effects of EMF's are to our DNA and genes, we may not see the full effect they for a few more generations. That's why it is so important to teach the next generation of the dangers. While I know that handing your child a cellphone or tablet to keep them entertained while you are traveling or trying to get things done, just stop and think of the consequences down the road. Children are much more vulnerable because their skulls have not thickened as much as adults That's why it's so important not to let them use these devices when they are young.
Here's a video about some of those things mentioned above.