Today we dive deep into electromagnetic frequency (EMF) exposure. I feel this is an important topic which is not getting the attention it deserves in our high-tech, constantly-connected, powered-up world.
Let’s discuss what EMFs are and how to reduce your exposure to them on a daily basis, whether in your home, your office, or in your pocket (are you ever without your cell phone?).
Two Sources of EMF Exposure
There are two sources of electromagnetic field exposure.
1: Electric fields, which include anything that is electric and has a voltage. Examples are cell phones, WiFi, electrical outlets, and all appliances.
2: Magnetic fields which include anything that has an electric motor, such as a refrigerator, power meter outside your house and yes, ladies – your hair dryers! They are actually one of the worst offenders.
How Do EMF’s Impact Our Health?
1: Electrical devices produce frequencies which communicate with our cellular structures, such as electrons and atoms. These frequencies can disrupt our chemistry. In 2011, The WHO/International Agency for Research on Cancer labeled magnetic radiation as a class 3 carcinogen.
2: EMF exposure research shows it may reduce the pineal glands production of melatonin. We all know the benefits of the hormone melatonin for sleep and its ability to suppress cancer cells.
3: If you are sensitive to EMF exposure, you may have fatigue, poor sleep, and a lower ability than normal to handle stress. Chronic EFM exposure or sensitivity can also lead to a foggy brain. It has also been linked to chronic fatigue, mitochondrial issues, poor neurological health, anxiety and ADD/ADHD.
8 Ways to Reduce Your EMF Exposure:
1: Put a Barrier Between You and Your Laptop: Keep your laptop away from your lap (I know, the irony!) and if necessary use a Lap-Pad or put a pillow barrier between you.
2: The Power of Plants: NASA researchers have done studies and research on the best and most efficient ways to clean the air in space stations, and they recommend 15-18 plants for an 1800 square foot home or apartment. Plants can absorb toxins through their leaves and serve as a natural way to filter the air in your home. The plants we recommend include peace lily, chrysanthemum (pot mum), cactus (absorbs EMFs and reduces computer radiation and indoor pollution), and Aloe (used medicinally in support of detoxification and digestive health but also against radiation and EMF exposure). We did an entire show on this here. I have at least two plants in every room and a living wall in my office next to the wifi. A living wall is an easy way to load up on plants especially if you don’t have the space for large houseplants.
3: Salt Lamps: Salt lamps act as natural negative ion generators, ionizing the atmosphere, and help in neutralizing EMF radiation. I have a salt lamp in every room of my home including even having a salt block in the kitchen and a set of pink salt candle holders in my bathroom!
4: Spend Time in Nature: Grounding in nature is the best way to reach optimal mental and physical health, even just 15-30 minutes at a time. Grounding products, such as a grounding mat can be beneficial as well.
5: Keep Your Cell Phone Away From Your Head: Use your phone speaker instead of holding it up to your ear and avoid making calls when you have poor service. The National Toxicology Program found an increase in brain cancer from overexposure to cell phones. We don’t have many published studies regarding cell phone frequencies because they have not been around long enough for us to see the effects of long-term use. I believe this will change in the coming years. In the meantime, please get a qualified, tested, and proven shield with a silicon-based microprocessor to put on the back of your phone to reduce its EMFs. Our favorite, and the one on my phone, is by airestech. (Use coupon code TWJ10 for 10% off your order.)
6: Ditch the Blow Dryer: Did you know that a hair dryer can emit roughly 40 milligauss to 20,000 milligauss in EMFs? To put this in context, a microwave emits 100-500 milligauss. Try air-drying your hair a couple days a week or take advantage of dry shampoo. This is also a beauty tip. Since having Austin, I really don’t have time to dry my hair any longer and my hair quality has really improved as a result. 🙂
7: Not So Smart Meters: If possible, avoid installing smart meters into your house. They are electronic devices which automatically record electrical energy usage for monitoring and proper billing. Thousands of people and their families are feeling the effects of smart meters and often complain of dizzy spells, fatigue, ear ringing, anxiety, heart palpitations and disrupted sleep. You can call your power company and pay a fee to have them remove the smart meter and replace it with an old-school analog meter. This one is “on my list”.
8: Antioxidant Rich Foods: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich foods to help negate the effects of EMFs, so stock up on those. We did an entire Food as Medicine show about this here.
Optimizing Sleep Through Reducing EMF Exposure:
No Phone in the Bedroom: Avoid having your phone in the bedroom. This is one of the most important things you can do for your sleep! Go old-school with battery alarm clocks and leave the phone in the kitchen. Or, if that just isn’t practical for you, make sure your phone is in airplane mode.
Proper Plugs: Try keeping plugs 6-8 feet away from your bed. This is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Try unplugging as many things as you can at night. Power strips can be great for this.
Note: this means do not charge your phone next to your bed. Use a battery alarm clock if possible.
Turn off the WiFi: We live in an instant gratification society and high-speed wifi is no exception. Check and see if there are wifi signals in your bedroom, this includes Bluetooth connections, wireless printers, and cable boxes.
Now we want to hear from you in the comments below.
Do you feel you are affected by too much EMF exposure?
What are the top three things from our list above that you can comfortably work into your life to reduce your EMF exposure?
References:
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/results/areas/cellphones/index.html
http://www.toptipspot.com/tips/health/howto/air-cleaning-plants.php
http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf
Hi Christa. Great read – thanks. I’m curious if you’ve heard anything about how high on the EMF spectrum Electro Magnetic Pulse Therapy is? We have a device which we use to reduce muscle tension.
Hi Hannah – Thank you for reading! We believe that PEMF is relatively low in EMF exposure.
To Chris and anyone else doubting the science behind this article, I can attest that there’s more than plenty of science behind Christa’s article. Do not rely on telecomm companies or the FCC telling you that this is safe. Educate yourself with the best available non-biased science you can find. Our apt. building has a cell phone tower on our roof that was installed 10 years ago, before anyone was aware of the dangers. Once we became aware, we have been trying to get it removed, but it’s a losing battle with the telecomm co. I’ve done tons of research on this, and most people are oblivious. A book I recommend that’s written for the layperson, but fully backed with the current and historical science is “The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs” by Nicolas Pineault. You can get it on Amazon and he presents the material in a humorous way. The other two big emitters in the home besides Smart Meters are cordless phones and baby monitors. There are things we can do to mitigate our exposure, some easier than others.
Thanks for your input, we will check out the book you recommended 🙂
Salt lamp what company I should I buy
Hi Gezel, we personally love these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CW50WR2/?tag=wwwthewholejo-20
If you want to know electromagnetic waves around you, we develop an android app: ElectroSmart.
Thank you for reaching out, and letting our tribe know about the app 🙂 We will check it out!
Love all of your segments. Great presentation.
Thanks for watching, Jennifer 🙂
Thank you Christa ! X
Hi Christa, What was the item you mentioned and showed quickly in your video for putting laptops on your lap? It isn’t listed in the transcript. Thanks
Hi Mary! You can find that here.
Thanks for watching!
Hi! Do you have links to the beeswax candle, the other laptop pad Christa showed (the black one), and the headphones? Thanks in advance!
Hi Rachelle, you can find that black laptop pad here. 🙂
Thanks, Christa! All good information. While most of us can’t move into a tent and live in the backyard, these are good tips to improve our current situation and make us aware of the issues. Most take it for granted that we don’t have to worry about such things. Unfortunately, I just looked into removing our Smart Meter and it is “unavailable” in my area, so you may wish to move that up on your list for sooner rather than later. 🙁
Hi Mary, Thanks for watching! Yes, we totally agree with you, even just applying a few of these recommendations can be beneficial. 🙂
Do you think if you ran this information by an expert on EMFs and non-ionizing radiation, that they would give their blessing on this article? No? Well then why would you put this out?
I appreciate your desire to empower people to be their best selves, but please use the most accurate scientific consensus of what is true when discussing science.
https://dceg.cancer.gov/research/what-we-study/non-ionizing-radiation
Just think of all the misinformation you’d be exposed to throughout the course of history if you had latched onto the “scientific consensus” of the day. So many “experts” are hired to serve an agenda that their perspective has to be balanced by the perspectives of independent researchers whose “boots-are-on-the-ground”. Learn to question what is “known” just as much as you question those who question it.
Ok Tim, where’s the independent researcher on this issue? And what are this expert’s qualifications? I’d be happy and eager to get this person’s take.
Unfortunately, this article doesn’t demonstrate what you mentioned. It presents a narrative circulated through holistic living circles and on YouTube videos with David Avicado Wolfe (who’s not an expert) talking about the dangers of WiFi routers. News flash: it’s essentially a radio communicating to another radio.
Anyway, the article above drops in a few cherry-picked sources to add credibility and bam, science you can trust because it’s from a brand you can trust.
And hey, the author is great. Christa is wonderful. But if you’re going to posit yourself an expert and use your platform to share expert advice, make sure it’s accurate. Don’t mislead people.
Check out the German Institute for Building Biology and many other credential sources. But if you are convinced that Science (a belief system in itself) has all the answers to all there is, you will not find anything to convince you. Ask any scientist the difference between an alive human being and a corpse. Science generally excludes all the parameters that make life worth living and reduce humans to flawed machines.
My salt lamp is melting and making a big mess.Why has this happened?What do you do about it?
HI Millie, This can happen if it is exposed to a humid environment or if it gets wet. If you take the light and cord out of it, you can put it in the oven at 100-120 degrees for a period of 15 minutes, you can also try to pat it dry.
And don’t ever turn it off or unplug it. I have 2 and that’s what the instructions say. Hope that helps.