Daily Health Center

Electropollution—An Emerging Health Threat

The technological age we live in has brought us many amazing devices—microwave ovens, cell phones, and wi-fi connections, just to name a few. However, I’m concerned about the serious health dangers that may be associated with these tools of convenience.

Many chronic illnesses have become more prevalent in recent years—including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autism, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune disorders. And the standard reasons given for the staggering rise in these and other conditions certainly hold true: poor diet, lack of physical activity, stress, and environmental toxicity. These negative factors combine to weaken the human immune system and open the door for inflammation and infection. However, there’s another factor that has been largely overlooked—the effect of electropollution on our bodies’ operating systems.

Electronic Toxins Permeate the Air

Electropollution is a collective term for the unseen, unfelt, and unnatural electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that we are increasingly exposed to. EMFs are generated by everything from high-tension electrical wires, wiring in the walls of homes and offices, cell phones, wireless networks, and even such accepted home appliances as radios, televisions, and microwave ovens.

The truth is, there’s much that is still unknown about the effects of EMFs on the human body. What I think is clear, though, is that chaotic EMFs crisscrossing your community, flooding your household, and bathing your body cannot be good for you. After all, we are highly tuned and highly sensitive bioelectrical creatures. Every process in the body is regulated by dynamic electrical currents. The three most obvious, of course, are the pumping action of the heart, the neurotransmissions taking place within the nervous system, and the electrochemical activity of the 500 trillion synapses contained in the organic computer that runs it all—the brain.

EMFs, Behavioral Problems, and Brain Tumors

A team of researchers at UCLA studied the possible association between behavioral problems in young children and prenatal and postnatal exposure to cell phones. They reviewed questionnaires answered by the mothers of 13,159 Dutch children once their children reached seven years of age. The researchers concluded that exposure to cell phones before birth—and, to a lesser degree, after birth—was associated with “emotional and hyperactivity problems around the age of school entry.”

I also read the results of two long-term Swedish studies that concluded the use of cell phones could substantially increase the risk of developing either a malignant brain tumor or a non-malignant auditory tumor that could lead to ringing in the ears, loss of hearing, and problems with dizziness and loss of balance. The researchers found that long-term, heavy use indicates a 20 percent increased risk of developing one of the two types of tumors—particularly on the same side of your head that you usually use to talk on your cell phone.

How To Reduce Your EMF Exposure

I want to make it clear that I’m not a Luddite who shuns all technology. I love how much easier it is to keep in touch and stay informed with devices like cell phones and laptop computers with wi-fi connections. However, when it comes to health, I’ve decided to err on the side of caution by monitoring my exposure to electropollution and trying to reduce it when possible. Here’s how:

Use a landline. For most phone calls I make or receive, I’m content to wait for a landline. However, not all landlines are safe either. Cordless phones, which have become the norm in most households, generate alarmingly large amounts of EMF radiation compared to phones with cords.
Put it on speaker. When you do use a cell phone, use the speakerphone feature to better protect your ears and brain.
Make it brief. If you must place the cell phone next to your ear, make the conversation as brief as possible and don’t always hold it on the same side of your head.
Know the SAR. When purchasing a cell phone, find out its specific absorption rate (SAR). SAR is a way of measuring the quantity of radio frequency energy that is absorbed by the body. The lower the SAR of a cell phone, the better it is. I wouldn’t consider any cell phone model with a SAR level of more than 0.5.
Become an EMF detective. Consider buying an electropollution detector. Electropollution detectors can tell you how strong EMF waves are—and how far they extend beyond their source.
Try Earthing. Research shows that Earthing (also known as grounding), which is the practice of physically reconnecting with the Earth by either going barefoot outside or sitting or lying on special conductive devices (such as pads for the floor or bed) that are plugged into a grounded electrical outlet, powerfully protects you from EMFs. Find out more about how Earthing protects against electropollution.