Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic Radiation, The device is known as electromagnetic field meter displays electromagnetic wave measurements in volts (V), millivolts (mV), Watts (W), milliWatts (mW), Gauss (G), milliGauss (mG), milliTesla (mT), microTesla (µT), or perhaps nanoTesla (nT) devices.
An electromagnetic field meter can detect sometimes static (DC) everlasting (rare earth) magnetic or perhaps compelling (AC) electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
Consequently, it’s essential to go through an electromagnetic field meter specs before buying it to make sure suitability for the intended application.
Neodymium (NdFeB) permanent magnets are of all the world’s best and most popular magnets.
When examining magnets made of neodymium or other rare earth components, an EMF Meter, gaussmeter, or magnetometer capable of measuring DC magnetic fields is needed.
Nevertheless, the majority of electromagnetic fields encountered are produced by AC currents. Examples include electric power lines, wiring, and transformers for overhead lighting, other electrical devices, solar panels.
Electromagnetic fields from electric installations trigger feelings of nervousness, paranoia, and anxiety in EMF-sensitive human beings.
Each EMF Meter is calibrated and certified based on DIN ISO 9000 requirements for an extra fee. Replacement EMF Meter probes and suggested accessories are out there for many EMF meter models.
Is electromagnetic radiation safe?
Chances are you’re probably sitting in an electromagnetic field (EMF) at this very moment. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences describes EMFs as invisible areas of energy, often referred to as radiation, associated with the use of electrical power and various forms of natural and human-made lighting.
What Is Electromagnetic Radiation?
There are electric fields that develop through variances in voltage, and there are magnetic fields that extend from the flow of electrical current.
The higher the electric field or the more significant the magnetic field, the stronger the electromagnetic radiation.
If you are traveling with your cell phone using a navigation tool, it will create a higher electric and magnetic field because it’s working harder to maintain a secure connection the whole time you are traveling, another reason your battery may run out more quickly. It is using way more energy to operate (find and maintain) a signal.
The problem is that when this type of energy is high and near your body, it may cause damaging microwaves provoking free radicals within the body.
Non-Ionizing Radiation
This electromagnetic radiation category includes low- to mid-frequency radiation, which is generally perceived as harmless due to its lack of potency.
Forms of non-ionizing radiation include:
- Extremely Low Frequency (ELF)
- Radiofrequency (RF)
- Microwaves
- Visual Light
Source examples include:
- Microwave ovens
- Computers
- House energy smart meters
- Wireless (Wi-Fi) networks
- Cell Phones
- Bluetooth devices
- Power lines
- MRIs
Ionizing Radiation
This type of electromagnetic radiation includes mid-to high-frequency radiation, which can, under certain circumstances, lead to cellular and or DNA damage with prolonged exposure.
Forms of ionizing radiation include:
- Ultraviolet (UV)
- X-Rays
- Gamma
According to the World Health Organization:
- The time-varying electromagnetic fields produced by electrical appliances are examples of low frequency (ELF) fields, which generally have frequencies up to 300 Hz; our electric power supply and all devices using electricity are the primary sources of ELF fields.
- The intermediate frequency (IF) fields range from 300 Hz to 10 MHz; computer screens, anti-theft devices, and security systems are the primary sources of IF fields.
- Radiofrequency (RF) fields include frequencies of 10 MHz to 300 GHz; radio, television, radar, cellular telephone antennas, and microwave ovens are the primary sources of RF fields.
Key Electromagnetic Radiation Points
- Mobile telephones, television and radio transmitters, and radar produce RF fields, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These fields are used to transmit information over long distances and form the basis of telecommunications and radio, and television broadcasting worldwide.
- Microwaves generate RF fields at high frequencies in the GHz range. In microwave ovens, we use them to heat food quickly.
- The electromagnetic spectrum encompasses both natural and human-made sources of electromagnetic fields.
- Ionizing radiation such as X-ray and gamma-rays consists of photons that carry sufficient energy to break molecular bonds. Photons of electromagnetic waves at power and radio frequencies have much lower energy that does not have this ability.
- Wavelength or frequency usually describes EMFs more specifically as non-ionizing.
EMF Comparison Chart
The National Cancer Institute provides a handy chart to help you understand the levels of EMFs.
Courtesy of: http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes prevention/risk/radiation/electromagnetic-fields-fact-sheet
As you can see on the left side of the table, power lines and computers are lowest, with the cell phone and microwaves being higher, but all are in the non-ionizing radiation range.
It is the ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays caused by diagnostic radiation and therapeutic radiation that move into the more damaging ionizing radiation levels.
Is Electromagnetic Radiation Dangerous?
Now that you know what EMFs are let’s establish some awareness about some specific dangers around you.
The World Health Organization notes that low frequency and high-frequency electromagnetic waves affect the human body differently.
Cell Phones
Have you ever noticed your cell phone getting hot when you are driving your car?
When your phone is in high use, including when you’re using a GPS location finder or talking while your vehicle is moving, your phone is doing a lot of working to keep up.
The harder it has to work, the more cell-damaging microwaves it puts out into the atmosphere, right near your body.
If you think this doesn’t affect you, think again. Researchers conducted two separate studies, one on a 38-year-old vegetarian woman and another focusing on a healthy 21-year-old woman.
Both carried cell phones in their bras for several years. What do you think happened? You guessed it; an aggressive breast cancer developed in the exact spot where the cell phone was carried.
Now, I think it is fair to point out that the Susan B. Komen website lists cell phones as one factor that does not cause breast cancer.
But, since we do not have enough research, carrying cell phones on the body is probably not the best choice.
Microwave Oven
The World Health Organization reports that microwaves are high-frequency radio waves that are “part of the electromagnetic spectrum,” much like light—visible radiation.
Microwave ovens are typically designed so that microwaves are only produced when the stove is on. The door is shut; however, older, less-cared-for microwave ovens could seep, so checking to make sure it is in good condition can help.
This is important since the body can absorb the energy created by microwaves and caused free radicals to form in tissues.
However, this thermal damage requires long exposures at high power levels, “well over those measured around microwave ovens,” WHO notes.
What about microwaves and how it affects the food that is being cooked? Harvard Health Publications pointed out that the best way to preserve nutrients is by using a shorter cooking method.
Basically, the less time needed to cook food, the more nutrients it will retain. This claim states that microwaved cooked food is excellent, though more research is required.
Myself, I do not opt for microwaved food.
Wi-Fi
What about Wi-Fi? A relatively newer technology, some organizations deem it safe while others say it’s posing a public health threat.
Technically, Wi-Fi works in the range of 2.4 GHz frequency, the same as a microwave oven. So as noted above, it may require a lot of exposure to yield negative results.
On the flip side, Environmental Health Trust warns of electromagnetic radiation’s dangers, saying it contributes to a person’s toxic body burden.
The organization points to research showing that the brain’s protective barrier — the blood-brain barrier — is compromised due to wireless electromagnetic radiation.
Several studies suggest wireless radiation pokes holes in this protective barrier, causing more toxic compounds to reach the brain.
Doctors and organizations have also voiced concerns over Wi-Fi technologies in schools, where students and teachers often experience massive electromagnetic radiation exposure throughout the entire day.
Stephen Sinatra, MD, an integrative metabolic cardiologist and co-founder of Doctors for Safer Schools,
says the heart is sensitive too and can be adversely affected by the same frequency used for Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) at levels a fraction of federal guidelines (less than 1 percent) and at levels that have been recorded in schools with Wi-Fi technology.
Dr. Sinatra says children in high-tech classrooms have complained of the following symptoms:
- dizziness
- racing heart or irregular heartbeat
- weakness
- anxiety
- fatigue
- feeling faint
- difficulty concentrating
- chest pain or pressure (11)
Power Lines
When it comes to power lines, the American Cancer Society states that electromagnetic radiation levels are considerably lower as you move further away from the edges.
The lines’ strength is highest when you are underneath them, but usually, it’s the same frequency as some appliances in your home.
If a power line is positioned across the home and you are concerned, you can measure its strength using a gaussmeter.
If you are not happy with what you find, you can move or ask the power company to bury the lines, though underground lines may not differ.
Regardless of the source, it may not be as much of a problem as you think, but it is best to take precautions.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that various frequencies are regulated. For example,
EMFs from “cell phones, power lines, smart meters, and other wireless devices is regulated by a combination of other state and federal agencies.”
4 Major EMF Dangers
1. Electromagnetic Radiation May Cause Cancer
Although much more research needs to be done, there are reports that EMF sources include cell phones, Wi-Fi routers, and microwaves, causing cancer.
One such report studied childhood leukemia and noted that EMFs might put children at high risk for damaging carcinogens.
Another study’s results were inconclusive. The bottom line is more independent research is needed.
Preliminary results of a large, $25 million government study released in 2016 found that cell phone radiation could increase the risk of malignant gliomas in the brain and schwannomas of the ear.
(Schwannomas are rare tumors in the nerve sheath.)
The study found a dose-response effect. That means the higher the dose, the higher the risk.
The results backed up previous research suggesting cell phone radiation could increase the risk of gliomas. Acoustic neuromas have also been linked to cell phone use.
Otis W. Brawley, MD, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, called the results of this rat study “good science” and released this statement:
The NTP report linking radiofrequency radiation (RFR) to two types of cancer marks a paradigm shift in our understanding of radiation and cancer risk. The findings are unexpected; we wouldn’t reasonably expect non-ionizing radiation to cause these tumors. This is a striking example of why serious study is so important in evaluating cancer risk. It’s interesting to note that early studies on the link between lung cancer and smoking had similar resistance, since theoretical arguments at the time suggested that there could not be a link. (16)
In 2011, the World Health Organization listed cell phone radiation as a 2B carcinogen, meaning it’s possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Since cell phones have only been in full use since the 1990s, epidemiological studies looking for long-term risks from cell phone exposure could be missing specific threats that may not be surfacing in humans yet.
2. Electromagnetic Radiation Affects Brain Function
Studies are being conducted to see if cell phone use affects our brains.
Even though the EMFs from cell phones are considered low, studies have concluded that there is an effect on the brain.
Dr. Nora D. Volkow, a lead researcher with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, reported “changes in brain glucose metabolism after cell phone use.”
The Environmental Working Group conducted studies using focus groups with cell phones attached to their heads.
The studies varied the stimulus with periods when cell phones were off as well as turned on.
Though the research has not provided enough information to confirm significant issues, it concluded that brain glucose increased when the phones were on for some time.
This could cause inflammation in the brain, leading to illness.
3. Electromagnetic Radiation May Fuel Dementia
Studies were conducted in a lab to see what happens when subjects are exposed to cell phone radiation.
The results suggest electromagnetic radiation could cause symptoms of dementia.
In addition to damaged DNA, which can cause cancer, the studies indicated that neurons in the brain experienced damage linked to memory loss and negatively affected learning capabilities.
What’s even more shocking is that this damage occurred just two hours after exposure to cell phone radiation.
Researchers found the radiation seemed to poke holes in the barrier between the circulatory system and the brain, allowing toxins to make their way into the brain.
This is pretty scary.
4. Electromagnetic Radiation Could Cause Loss of Antioxidant Defenses
Cell phone usage may cause the loss of antioxidants in our saliva.
Saliva is critical for many reasons, including its purpose to fight pathogens. Saliva is one of our first defenses against microbial infections.
Studies show that talking on a phone for up to an hour can lead to a 25 percent lower level of salivary antioxidant levels.
5 Natural Ways to Reduce the Dangers of EMFs
1. Keep Your Cell Phone and Computer at a Distance When Possible
People are spending a lot of time around electromagnetic radiation.
Your cell phone is one prime example. Did you know nomophobia — the fear of being without your phone is a thing?
I know that staying connected is a big deal to many, especially our teens out there, but EMFs are disruptors that may cause damage to the cells in your body. Why risk it?
Luckily, there are simple things you can do to avoid excess levels of electromagnetic radiation.
Avoid carrying your cell phone in your pocket or bra. For both men and women, especially young boys and girls, this is a big issue.
Those little microwaves that you cannot see may cause damage to your body, including reproductive issues and possibly cancer.
There is also the potential for congenital disabilities and many other problems we don’t know enough about.
It’s not just your cell phone that you need to think about. Avoid overusing electronic tablets and try to keep these devices away from children in particular.
Never use your computer on your lap when connected to a power source; if working on laptops for an extended period, use a separate keyboard and mouse.
This can help minimize time with your hands or legs near the power source, the battery area.
2. Avoid Bluetooth Headsets and Use Speakerphone Instead
These little conveniences, when combined with cell phone usage, may affect you. However, CNN reports that it is minimal, and the problem lies in wearing it always, even when not in use.
You could avoid it altogether by using the speakerphone option.
The further your cell phone is from you, the better. (That’s why texting with your phone held far away from your body is a safer option than talking with the phone by your ear.)
The radiation is significantly reduced for every inch it’s away from your body.
3. Try Earthing
Earthing is making direct contact with the Earth, putting you in connection with electrons found on the surface of the Earth.
I always make sure to get grounded when I travel, especially to different time zones.
I will take a walk on the beach or in the grass of a nearby park as soon as possible upon arrival. It’s the perfect time for some mindful thinking and meditation, too.
The good news? Grounding works. Researchers conducted a study measuring voltage in multiple areas of the body in people while they were grounded and ungrounded.
The grounding resulted in significant reductions in voltage in the body.
According to Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman, the study confirms the “umbrella” effect of earthing in his lectures on electromagnetism.
Feynman said that when the body potential is the same as the Earth’s electric potential (and thus grounded), it becomes an extension of the Earth’s extensive electrical system.
The Earth’s potential thus becomes the “working agent that cancels, reduces, or pushes away electric fields from the body.”
Grounding can eliminate the ambient voltage that comes from everyday electricity power sources.
4. Protect Your Home
There are a few things you can do to protect your family while at homes, such as electromagnetic radiation filters and even special paint and fabrics that can help shield your home. There are some fundamental things you can do, too.
- Unplugging appliances when not in use. This not only avoids wasting energy but will also reduce the levels of EMFs emitted in your home.
- Keep the bedroom clear of as many EMFs as possible. You spend a lot of time there, and technologies can affect your sleep as well as your DNA.
- Avoid halogen and fluorescent lighting.
- If you use Wi-Fi instead of ethernet internet in the home, unplug it when it’s not in use, and be sure to keep the router away from areas where you or family members spend a lot of time.
- Avoid unnecessary, ridiculous Wi-Fi technology, such as wireless pacifiers that monitor a baby’s temperature and wireless diapers that tell you when the baby’s diaper is wet. Parents and caregivers survived for centuries without these technologies.
5. Eat a Healing Diet
Food is medicine, so it should be of no surprise protecting your body from EMFs’ adverse effects involves nutrient-rich options.
A nutrient-dense diet is essential. High Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) foods can make a big difference in healing EMF-related DNA damage.
Try adding pecans, pomegranate seeds, rosemary, asparagus, blueberries, walnuts, prunes, cruciferous vegetables, cinnamon, dates, broccoli, and cilantro into your diet regularly.
Certain nutrients and amazing superfoods are iodine, Vitamin D3, spirulina, noni, B-complex vitamins, melatonin, holy basil, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and zinc — are just a few beneficial options you can easily incorporate into your daily life.
Final Thoughts on Electromagnetic Radiation
The fact is we are bombarded by EMFs from numerous technological devices in use today, but we don’t know enough about these EMFs impact the human body.
That is the perfect reason to take extra precautions, especially with cell phones, tablets, and Wi-Fi.
Having your cell phone attached to you at all times is an unnecessary risk I don’t recommend taking.
It’s best to avoid exposure when possible, especially for our children, since they will be using cell phones for a much more significant percentage of life than many of us due to their popularity at such an early age.
If you have concerns around your home, you seek an electromagnetic radiation field testing professional who can perform tests in your home.
