Are Airport Scanners Safe?

At this point, I've earned quite a few frequent flyer miles. Whether I’m headed out for business a vacation, or a fishing trip I always follow my own healthful traveling tips. Plus,  lately there’s another travel issue that has me concerned—exposure to airport scanners.

We all receive radiation frequency (RF) exposure from everyday items at home and at work. But an even bigger source of exposure to RF’s is airport scanners, and the more you fly the greater your exposure since RF’s accumulate in your body over time.

So, how many RF’s do you get from airport scanners? Recently, when I was headed to the airport for a television shoot to promote my book The Great Cholesterol Myth, I did my usual side step at the security checkpoint in order to opt for the “pat down” instead of walking through the scanner. As I did, the airport security agent approached to assure me that they had just installed the latest RF-free scanner—the L3 Provision ATD—and that all would be well.  

Skeptically, I gave him the Missouri challenge: I asked him to “show me.” I grabbed my trusty RF/EMF detector from my backpack as it careened down the belt to be x-rayed. Then, I asked that the agent take it into the scanner chamber to see what frequency level it picked up. Remarkably, the detector sensed nothing at all. He was right!  Even the metal in my hip replacement sailed through uneventfully, so I didn’t need the typical wanding.

But, my return trip from San Diego was another story. There, they use the old-style airport scanners, so both my wife and I opted for the pat down. I’m sure my RF/EMF detector would have had a nervous breakdown there. It would be helpful if the FAA would release guidelines on the various models, what they emit, and which airports are using them. Then we could discriminate. But I don’t see that full disclosure coming to settle the controversy about the safety of these devices any time soon.

After my trip, I was talking to Dr. Kerry Crofton—author of Wireless Radiation Rescue—about my airport scanner experience and she wasn’t so sure that any airport scanner is safe. She said my detector may have registered a false negative on the first leg of my trip if it wasn’t sophisticated enough to detect the wide range of radiation frequencies in the scanning devices.  So, I will go back to joining my wife in the "opt out" line for a pat down until I can get more clarification that any scanner is truly safe.

In the meantime, if you are concerned about your own exposure—whether in an airport, at work, or at home—here are some tips for removing RF’s from your body:

• Drink a detoxifying juice to help your body purge itself of stored toxins.

• Take a sea salt and soda bath to neutralize toxins. Draw a tub full of medium-hot water and add 2 cups each of baking soda and sea salt. Soak for about 20 minutes, or until the water cools.

• Use an infrared sauna. As far infrared rays penetrate the body, the transfer of water across cellular membranes increases, improving blood flow and facilitating healing.

• Get grounded. Earthing will help neutralize the toxic effects of radiation.

Now it’s your turn: What is your opinion about airport scanners?

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