Currently, we are exposed to far more radiation than any time before in history. Electromagnetic radiation has been around since the beginning of time. Radiation is defined as energy, in the form of light, heat, or sound, that comes from a source and travels through a certain material or through space, emitted by one body or mass, and absorbed by another.
About half of the radiation we are exposed to comes from natural sources like the sun and radionuclides like radon present in rocks since the earth’s formation. Prior to the last century, humans were mostly exposed to naturally occurring radiation. However, since the birth of the industrial revolution (and much more so in recent decades), our ever-increasing technological advances have augmented our exposure to artificial man-made sources of radiation EXPONENTIALLY!
Most people don’t realize that we are fundamentally electrical beings. The cells in our body communicate with each other electrically. So, when you’re exposed to high levels of external electrical magnetic fields (EMFs), the cumulative effects can severely impact cellular communication and functionality, wreaking havoc on your body systems, and increasing the likelihood for developing many adverse conditions and diseases.
Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy, MD, Medical Director for Center for New Medicine, interviewed by The Truth About Cancer, said:
When you walk outside you are exposed to a lot of different challenges and we don’t know. We talk about electrosmog, there is a lot of stuff written on it but we don’t know exactly what our cell phones, and cell towers, and all this electricity is doing to our bodies, some people think it’s the single biggest threat to mankind. People think that we are just this physical person that you are seeing, but no, you have this bioelectric energetic field that’s more influential than this 3D morphology that you see right now.
WHAT THE HECK ARE EMF’S ANYWAY?
EMFs, or electromagnetic fields are different forms of energy that emit various levels of radiation. Any instrument that carries an electric current is a source of EMFs. The amount of electricity being used and the voltage determine the strength of an EMF. Artificial EMFs are everywhere these days, and while they may be invisible, they can still pose MAJOR health risks! Upon entering the body, these fields can affect virtually any system, increasing stress levels, lowering immunity, disrupting sleep cycles, and ultimately damaging your DNA. The closer you are to the source, the stronger the radioactive effect.
According to Dr. Igor Smirnov, Ph.D., Inventor, scientist, radiation expert, author, speaker, interviewed Ty Bollinger, “When man made electromagnetic field effect the cells they shut down their membranes, the cell membrane mechanism. It’s an electro mechanism, the same way cells behave when there is a chemical poison being introduced to the cells.” These chemicals can be removed, but there is often a never-ending continuous exposure to this chaos which bombards the natural energy fields our cells use to communicate and survive.
When many of us consider radiation exposure, we think of nuclear weapons, nuclear power plant disasters like Chernobyl or Fukushima, x-rays, or controversial conventional radiation therapy which paradoxically can create cancer at the same time it’s trying to eliminate it! While these are all powerful forms of ionizing radiation, that’s only part of the story when it comes to radiation exposure.
With that being said, there are two forms of radiation, ionizing and non-ionizing. Although both forms can have health consequences, ionizing radiation has a greater potential to do bodily harm in the short run. High energy ionizing radiation can have DISASTROUS effects on a cellular level! When ionizing radiative energy mixes with water molecules the cell is stripped of electrons creating highly reactive free radicals that can permanently damage cells. Ionization can tear apart the molecular structure of the cell, damaging the DNA that carries out genetic instructions, causing premature cell death, abnormal growth like with cancer, or other disease manifestation. Ionizing EMF emissions can DESTROY DNA in living cells very quickly, depending on the health of the individual.
Non-ionizing radiation on the other hand, is just like ionizing radiation but it carries far less energy. Even though non-ionizing radiation does not strip electrons from the atoms of cells, it has the potential to excite atoms which is equivalent to producing heat. Although not as dangerous as ionized, non-ionized radiation can surely inflict personal damage, especially when exposed to excessive amounts from various sources in close proximity. Non-ionizing radiation can also bioaccumulate over time, potentially producing SERIOUS health consequences as it adds to the overall toxic load!
Types of Ionizing Radiation:
Besides natural forming and man-made radionuclides, the far end of the ultraviolet spectrum, as well as X-rays and gamma rays (including medical imaging tests, CT scans, nuclear power plants, food irradiation, airport security scanners, conventional radiation therapy for cancer patients, and mammograms) are all forms of ionizing radiation.
Types of Non-ionizing radiation:
Cell phone radiation, microwaves, computers, hairdryers, stoves, heaters, electric power lines, Wi-Fi, cell towers, satellites, other wireless forms of radiation, and anything that uses electricity are all referred to as non-iodizing forms of radiation. Visible light, infrared, radar, laser light, and the majority of ultraviolet light also fall into this radiation category. The sun actually produces ionized and non-iodized rays, with only a SMALL percentage being the more damaging iodized ultraviolet rays.
DANGERS OF CT SCANS
CT (X-ray computed tomography), or CAT scans provide much more detailed information than ordinary X-rays do, but they come with a MUCH greater risk! This type of radiation, referred to as ionizing, is very powerful at low doses with shorter wave lengths. A CT scan can be of urgent necessity when dealing with head trauma’s and acute abdominal conditions, especially in extreme cases when minutes can mean life or death. However, CT scans are not necessary in many cases, especially for screening or to assess your risk of disease. This is particularly applicable with cancer, as ionizing radiation can increase the risk of developing CANCER dramatically!
Overuse of medical imaging tests like CT scans is far too common! Besides lack of knowledge, greed and money is always an incentive to go “scan happy”. A lot of doctors get compensated by volume, so it behooves them to order excessive, often times unnecessary tests. In addition, many doctors have a vested interest in radiology equipment and clinics. Besides, many patients demand or pressure their doctors for these tests when pain is excessive, and they don’t know where else to turn. Conventional medicine has many roadblocks, unlike holistic medicine that addresses root causes and uses non-invasive therapies.
Although not noticeable right away, massive doses of radiation from CT scans can have major health consequences 10 or 20 years later! Disturbingly, the risk of one of these highly radioactive scans far outweighs the benefit in most cases.
- One CT scan is equivalent to about 750 chest x-rays.
- A CT scan is the equivalent of about 74 mammograms.
- Shockingly, you need to be scanned by an airport body scanner 200,000 times to amass the radiation that you would acquire from one single CT scan!
- 1-3 CT scans compares to the levels of radiation that atomic bomb survivors were exposed to.
- Knowing that radiation increases the risk of cancer, doctors of conventional medicine use CT scans to try to pick up small nodules or tumors that x-rays can’t pick up. Ironically, a 40-year-old woman who undergoes just 1 CT scan has a 1 in 270 chance of developing cancer with that risk doubling for a 20-year-old.
- About 19,500 CT scans are conducted daily, and over 70 million scans annually, equating to 1 in 5 Americans receiving a CT scan annually. As a result, some estimates claim that CT scans CAUSE 29,000 excess cancers each year in the US alone, mostly in women!
CELL PHONE RADIATION
Other wireless forms of radiation, like from cell phones, can be EXTREMELY dangerous because of long-term constant exposure to relatively small amounts of non-ionizing radiation in conjunction with the natural and man-made ionizing radiation in the environment. Therefore, it would be VERY WISE to limit the duration of time exposed, as well as the number of devices.
Numerous studies have associated EMFs with higher cancer rates, like leukemia, brain tumors, melanoma, head, neck, and breast cancer!
When the mobile industry did its own research in the 13-country Interphone study, researchers found a 40 percent increase in the risk of brain cancer with 1,640 or more hours of cell phone use, while 2007 independent Swedish research showed a 540 percent increase in the risk of brain CANCER from over 2,000 hours of cell phone usage. Yikes!
Alarmingly, cell phone usage has been associated with both malignant and benign brain tumors after a ten-year period. According to lead researcher Lennart Hardell, an oncologist and cancer epidemiologist at University Hospital in Örebro, Sweden, “We found that cell phone use is linked to gliomas [malignant brain tumors] and acoustic neuromas [benign tumors of the brain’s auditory nerve] and are showing up after only ten years.” (1)
Numerous case reports are compiling of younger women in their 20’s and 30’s with genetic pre-disposition getting diagnosed with breast cancer. Ironically, the tumors were found directly beneath the skin, in the same location where they tucked their cell phones into their bras! (2)
EMF’S AND REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Exposure to EMF’s can have serious negative effects on the reproductive system and have been linked to miscarriages, stillbirths, preterm delivery, offspring congenital abnormalities, sperm dysfunction, chromosomal deviations, and offspring with spinal cord and brain tumors!
Zarei (2015) found a significant association between either the call time or history of mobile phone use (months used) and speech problems in the offspring and exposure to mobile phones during pregnancy was found to adversely affect the cognitive performance of both female and male offspring (Razavinasab 2014). Liu (2007) found that the use of a microwave oven or a mobile phone were risk factors for early spontaneous abortion! Shahin (2014) observed that microwave irradiation induced a significant decrease in sperm count and sperm activity.
In 2006 the at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting, US researchers and doctors in Mumbai, India, reported that the more men used a mobile phone, the worse their sperm count, and the poorer the quality of their sperm would be.
Did you know The World Health Organization has classified radiofrequency emissions as a group 2B carcinogen, meaning suspected in causing cancer, and in the same group as lead, engine exhaust, DDT, and chloroform!
CHILDREN ARE FOUND TO BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO RADIATION!
Children are still growing, and their cells are rapidly dividing, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2013, The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancers stated, “the average RF energy deposition is TWICE as high in certain regions of children’s brains and up to 10 times higher in the bone marrow of children’s skulls, compared to energy deposition in adult brains and skulls.”
Besides ionizing radon gas which has long been implicated as a cause of leukemia in children, many epidemiological studies also indicate an increased risk of childhood leukemia with exposure to low frequency EMFs in the home.
In 2008, renowned EMF scientist Anders Ahlbom, speaking at a WHO/ICNIRP international scientific workshop entitled “Risk-factors for Childhood Leukemia” made this statement: “There is relatively strong epidemiological evidence that EMF magnetic fields are a causal factor in the development of childhood leukemia. The evidence is stronger than that for passive smoking and lung cancer”.
As recent as 2013, Röösli suggests that, if causal, 1-4% of all childhood leukemia cases could be attributed to low-frequency magnetic fields!
OTHER ADVERSE CONDITIONS AND NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH EMF’s
Excessive electromagnetic field exposure throws off pH levels and increases the likelihood for chronic inflammation and free radical activity, putting us at greater risk for MANY adverse health conditions. Dr. Robert Becker, a world-renowned expert on (EMF’s) proclaimed, “At the present time, the greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of EMFs!”
Constant excessive exposure to high-power densities of non-ionizing radiation, or “dirty energy” has been linked to headaches, increased anxiety and risk for suicide, depression, fatigue, lowered libido, attention-deficit disorder, attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder, and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis.
Researchers have found EMFs to instigate SIGNIFICANT imbalances in levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine leading to adverse effects on mood, memory, learning, and stress. (3) Studies show a rise in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier along with increased oxidative damage, linking radiofrequency exposure with brain cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. (4,5,6)
Many epidemiological studies have shown a significant correlation between neurological and cognitive disorders like dizziness, headaches, tremors, lowered memory and attention span, decreased reaction times, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, as well as sleep and visual dysfunction and low frequency EMF’s in both adults and children. (7,8,9,10)
IF EMFS ARE SUCH A PROBLEM, WHY HAVEN’T I HEARD ABOUT THEM?
For most consumers, information about the health effects of these EMF’s comes from reports in electronics-based media (internet, radio, and TV) or tech-ads-dependent media (newspapers and news magazines). And the vast bulk of the research is paid for by the telecommunications industry, which cares about its sales and legal liability and not your HEALTH, unfortunately! So, the last thing they are going to do is tell you their products are harmful. The FCC is required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 to evaluate the effect of RF exposure on the quality of the human health. However, these industries have spent billions of dollars in political lobbying so don’t expect any negative feedback! Once again, no one cares about your health more than you SHOULD, so do your own research!
WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID EMFS?
We are already exposed to a great deal of naturally occurring radiation from the cosmic rays of the solar system, as well as radioactive elements present in the soil, like radium, both natural and man-made. For this reason, it is CRUCIAL to avoid EMFs whenever possible and protect the body with nutrition and various devices (listed below) that absorb and limit the effects of electromagnetic frequencies. Also, EMF levels rapidly become weaker as you move away from the source, so keep your distance!
Cell phone radiation, and other wireless forms of radiation, are dangerous because of long-term constant exposure to relatively small amounts of non-ionizing radiation in conjunction with the natural and man-made ionizing radiation in the environment. Therefore, it is wise to limit the duration of time exposed, as well as the number of devices.
Many forms of EMF are somewhat unavoidable, but there are ways to better protect yourself from radiation emitted from cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices:
- Keep cell phones as far away from your body as possible.
- Use a different side of your head to talk on the phone to disperse the radiation across both sides.
- Or just use a headset or ear buds for speaking, or the speakerphone from a distance.
- Better yet, even though less personal, texting is a much safer option than calling.
- Avoid using cell phones when the signal is weak.
- Bluetooth transmits the same radiation as microwave ovens and should be avoided.
- Use an anti-EMF phone case and turn cell phones on “airplane mode” when placed close to the body.
- Even though it’s called a laptop, avoid putting the computer on your lap, especially when plugged in.
- Unplug laptop and use it on the battery whenever possible.
- Keep a crystal salt lamp near the computer. These lamps release negative ions helping to absorb some of the electromagnetic radiation being emitted from the computer.
- Keep electrical power cords, transformers and circuit breakers away from most visited house areas.
- Cell phone radiation protective cases are also available that absorb a significant amount of radiation protecting the brain.
- Grounding pads and bracelets are also available for at home use. They absorb radiation by grounding you to the earth. They also make them for your bed allowing for a restful night’s sleep!
- Unplug all electrical power cords and devices when not in use.
- Restrain from using electrical devices in the bedroom. Further, turn off everything electrical when your sleeping like your WIFI, portable and cell phones, as well as laptops or tablets. Blue light is emitted from artificial light electronic devices can throw off the body’s Circadian rhythm as these rays tell the body its daytime, creating hormone imbalances and damaging sleep cycles.
- Keep your head at least 3-6 feet from electrical outlets.
DITCH the microwave! Arielle Reynolds from Knoxville, Tennessee did an experiment using 2 identical plants. She watered one plant with boiled purified water and the other with microwaved water. After 9 days the plant fed the microwaved water was completely dead! Imagine what microwave radiation can do to your food and your body after years of usage.
Hair dryers are some the most dangerous sources of magnetic fields due to their high power and the close proximity of the motor-heater to the head. In fact, it can emit up to 40 times the milligauss in EMFs as a microwave oven! Consider investing in a low-EMF hair dryer.
Did you know– Alarmingly, over two-thirds of adult’s sleep with their mobile phone next to their head and, this number rises to 90 percent in the 18-29 year old group. Don’t use your cell phone as an alarm clock!
AVOID IRRADIATED FOODS
Irradiated foods are zapped with ionizing gamma rays to kill off any potential bacteria, damaging nutrients and altering the chemical composition of the food worse than a microwave oven. Cats fed an irradiated food diet were found to develop serious neurological dysfunction, paralysis, and vision loss. These symptoms dissipated when the cats were removed from the toxic diet, confirming the deleterious effects of the irradiation. Currently the FDA requires labeling of irradiated foods, so make sure you avoid them like the plague. Unfortunately, when eating out your taking a chance, unless the food is organically grown of course.
AVOID CT SCANS WHENEVER POSSIBLE
Instead of CT scans and mammography, a far safer alternative would be thermography, or Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging (DITI). This diagnostic technique is so noninvasive it is FDA approved safe for both babies and pregnant woman. DITI can detect the infrared heat in the body, exposing early stages of inflammation, nerve damage, and abnormal vascular patterns like the ones that feed a tiny tumor to make it grow way before it can be seen on a mammography. One series of mammograms, or 2 x-rays each breast, equates to the radiation of 1000 chest x-rays!
NOT ALL EMFS ARE BAD
According to Dr. Martin Bales certified thermologist and licensed acupuncturist, “We hear a lot about the dangers of certain high frequency EMF’s, but very low frequency EMF’s are actually beneficial, its similar to the earth’s magnetic poles, which we are actually losing the effect of.” The earth’s natural electromagnetic field has a frequency measured at about 7.83 Hertz, which is a healthy magnetic frequency that resonates with the human body. Infrared saunas, lamps, and sunlight would also be examples of healthy EMFs without excessive exposure.
GET RE-ACQUAINTED WITH THE EARTH!
With that being said, grounding is a great way to balance out all the electromagnetic chaos that we are exposed to. There is an emerging science documenting how conductive contact with the Earth, which has is also known as Earthing or grounding, is HIGHLY beneficial to your health and completely safe. Earthing appears to minimize the consequences of exposure to potentially disruptive fields like “electromagnetic pollution” or “dirty electricity.” Grounding, or Earthing is defined as placing one’s bare feet on the ground whether it be dirt, grass, sand or concrete (especially when humid or wet). It is well known that the Earth maintains a negative electrical potential on its surface. When you are in direct contact with the ground (walking, sitting, or laying down on the earth’s surface) the earth’s electrons are conducted to your body, bringing it to the same electrical potential as the earth. Free anti-oxidants from the earth!
RESPONSIBLE SUN EXPOSURE IS INDISPENSABLE!
Sun exposure is essential, without it, life would not exist as we know it. The sun emits health promoting infrared and ultraviolet rays which plants, humans, and animals have evolved with for millions of years now. To name a few, the sun generates photosynthesis, and provides Vitamin D which has been found to reduce the risk of most diseases including cancer. However, too much of a good thing may not be so good anymore.
Excessive exposure to the sun, especially when it causes the skin to burn, can increase the risk of skin cancer, especially for unhealthy people overwhelmed with toxicity. In order to get the immense vitamin D benefits from the sun you should expose your skin for at least 30 minutes to one hour before applying mineral based, NOT chemical based sunblock. Even a low SPF sunscreen lotion blocks the beneficial cancer protective UVB rays almost completely which reduce risk of ALL cancers across the board by 50%! Then apply a safe non-toxic sunscreen, most brands of sunblock contain toxic chemicals that paradoxically INCREASE your risk of developing skin cancer exponentially! As you develop a tan the increased melanin will protect you from the radiation and you can spend more time in the sun without lotion.
Developing cancer or some other disease resulting from accumulating ionizing and non-ionizing radioactive exposure, along with other toxins, is much more likely to occur when our body is not properly protected with antioxidants. Just like a plant protects itself from the radiation of the sun with its own supply of antioxidants, so do we protect our bodies by consuming these plants protective compounds on a daily basis. Also, as you gradually develop a deeper tan, the increase in melanin further protects the skin. We also protect ourselves by avoiding as much toxicity as possible, doing a few deep cleanses every year, and maintaining a cleansing pH balancing anti-inflammatory diet so the body can remain in a state of homeostasis!
Foods, supplements, and other activities increase the body’s ability to detox accumulating radiation:
Eat foods that for most significantly detoxify and reduce excessive acidity, inflammation, and free radical activity like greens, parsley, cilantro, green juices, green powders, algae’s like spirulina and chlorella, phytoplankton, sea vegetables like kelp and nori, beets, cherries, berries, lemon water, apple cider vinegar, herbal teas, whole food multi and whole food vitamin C, adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, ginseng, and mushrooms like shitake, reishi, and maitake, activated charcoal, zeolites, bentonite clay, chaga mushrooms, and miso.
Besides nutrient dense whole food nutrition, regular bouts of moderate to intense exercise, grounding, radiant or infra-red sauna use, & meditation are all highly recommended activities!
REFERENCES:
Radiation-What it is, what you need to know Robert peter gale, md- p.18
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/radiation
http://www.safespaceprotection.com/harmful-effects-electromagnetic-fields.aspx – check out this site to maybe add some more info.
http://www.ancient-wisdom.com/earthenergy.htm
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/04/why-does-walking-barefoot-on-the-earth-make-you-feel-better.aspx
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/is-electromagnetic-radiation-dangerous-how-to-protect-yourself/
https://www.energpolarit.com/category.aspx?cid=246
http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/index1.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-ionizing-and-non-ionizing-radiation.htm#didyouknowout
http://www.ehs.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/manuals/emf.pdf
https://www.nde-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/RadiationSafety/theory/ionization.htm
http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/acspc-038756-pdf.pdf
http://www.alternativefamilydoctor.com/service-thermography.htm
http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1698163,00.html
http://www.electricsense.com/1644/what-about-ct- scan-radiation/
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/ciencia_industryweapons207.htm
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/25/Irradiated-Food-Causes-Brain-Damage.aspx
http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/health/childhood-cancer-non-ionising-ch4-hq.pdf
http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/library/downloads/rf-emfs-4-reproduction-2016-05.pdf
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2015/01/when-to-skip-ct-scans-and-x-rays/index.htm
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/06/16/emf-safety-tips.aspx -can also do a separate article just on cell phone dangers.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/the-surprising-dangers-of-ct-sans-and-x-rays/index.htm (use more info if writing separate article on CT scans)
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/crim/2013/354682/ -cell phone breast cancer
(Neurological disorder link) https://www.aaemonline.org/emf_rf_position.php
1- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2569116/
2- http://www.hindawi.com/journals/crim/2013/354682/
3- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23852905
4-Nittby H, Brun A, Eberhardt J, et al. Increased blood-brain barrier permeability in mammalian brain 7 days after exposure to the radiation from a GSM-900 mobile phone. Pathophysiology. 2009; 16: 103-112.
5-Awad SM, Hassan NS. Health Risks of electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone on brain of rats. J. Appl. Sci. Res. 2008; 4(12): 1994-2000.
6-Leszczynski D, Joenvaara S. Non-thermal activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK stress pathway by mobile phone radiation in human endothelial cells: Molecular mechanism for cancer – and blood-brain barrier – related effects. Differentiation. 2002; 70: 120-129.
7-Santini R, Santini P, Danze JM, et al. Study of the health of people living in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations: 1. Influences of distance and sex. Pathol Biol. 2002; 50: 369-373.
8-Abdel-Rassoul G, Abou El-Fateh O, Abou Salem M, et al. Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations. Neurotox. 2007; 28(2): 434-440.
9-Hutter HP, Moshammer H, Wallner P, Kundi M. Subjective symptoms, sleeping problems, and cognitive performance in subjects living near mobile phone base stations. Occup. Environ. Med. 2006; 63: 307-313.
10-Kolodynski AA, Kolodynska VV. Motor and psychological functions of school children living in the area of the Skrunda Radio Location Station in Latvia. Sci. Total Environ. 1996; 180: 87-93.