EMF Hygiene
It is hard to read anything about health these days without the topic of EMF or EMR exposure coming up. EMF and EMR stand for electromagnetic frequency and electromagnetic radiation, respectively. We cannot see this radiation and many cannot feel its overt effects, however, let’s be clear, EMF is a very real hazard.
EMF is not a new phenomenon. In fact, as a species, we’ve been exposed to EMFs since the dawn of time. The earth has a naturally occurring EMF called the Schumann resonance, which is 7.83 Hz and the sun offers naturally occurring EMFs in the form of UV and infrared radiation. So what’s the big deal with EMF exposure now?
The native (meaning naturally occurring) EMF frequencies of the earth and sun are comparatively weak to the man-made (non-native) EMFs that our urban lifestyles offer every day. After all, our bodies are electrical in nature, as many of our bodily systems function through electromagnetic pulses, making these non-native EMF frequencies potentially quite problematic. The current theory is that EMF exposure can easily scramble our body’s ability to internally communicate. Our mitochondria (found in every cell in our bodies), function using electrical signaling, as well as our hearts and nervous system. When we expose our bodies to non-native electromagnetic fields, this can create interference and an inability of those systems to function properly. This could potentially (and likely does at least to some degree) disrupt many systems in the body, including the pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin, as well as further reaching negative effects. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has even classified low-frequency EMF radiation as a class 2B possible carcinogen (source).
Typical cell phone towers look like tall skinny rectangles often mounted on the roof or sides of taller buildings and the round shaped tower is a radio or microwave tower.
In our urban landscapes, we are increasingly drenched in these intense frequencies from nearly every direction. The impacts of these frequencies vary in severity for each individual, with some being almost incapacitated by exposure due to fatigue, headaches, vertigo, skin issues, anxiety, depression, etc, and some feeling no overt effects. However, keep in mind these “unaffected” individuals are still impacted at a cellular level.
Examples of common EMF/EMR exposure include:
Wifi routers from your home/office or surrounding neighbors/offices. Check your wifi drop down to see how many wifi routers your computer or phone picks up. This can give you a general idea of how much EMF exposure from wifi you are getting at home or work. The least amount of wifi signals the better. Ideally, you only see yours or none if you use ethernet to hardwire your internet connection.
Cell phone towers - look up on the sides of buildings or roofs of high rises. 4G is already installed, usually on tall towers or buildings, and 5G is beginning to get installed in many urban environments. Cell towers often resemble tall skinny white rectangles or they have been painted the same color as the building so as to go unnoticed. They are most problematic within the line of sight of your living or working area. For example, if your apartment or home is at the same height as a cell phone tower that is pointed in your direction, that may be cause for concern and you should have your home tested by a professional using an EMF meter to discover how high the radiation is in your dwelling.
Cell phones transmit EMFs when they are not in airplane mode and also when they are in Bluetooth or wifi mode. Keeping your cell phone in your pocket or right next to you on a nightstand or table is not the best course of action. Keeping the phone as far from you as possible or using a shielding device in your pocket or purse would be a good idea if you need to have the phone near you.
Smart meters in your home or office often transmit a frequency, sometimes up to every few seconds to the power company! This is especially an issue if these meters are within 20-40 feet of an area you spend a lot of time working or sleeping in. The worst placement is on the other side of your bedroom wall.
Air-pods/Bluetooth headsets and headphones all transmit EMFs, which are particularly problematic due to the close proximity to your brain.
Bluetooth-enabled speakers/fitness trackers/smart watches/car stereos all transmit EMFs when in use unless they have an airplane mode that is enabled. The only fitness tracker I know of that has an airplane mode is the Oura ring which can be found here. It still gathers sleep, activity, and readiness data even when in airplane mode.
Computers that are using Bluetooth and wifi are transmitting EMFs. Consider hardwiring all computers, tablets, and phones, etc.
Wifi enabled printers, security systems, and smart appliances.
Power lines that are close to your home may be problematic.
Ways to limit EMF Exposure:
Use airplane mode instead of do not disturb at night to avoid EMF exposure.
Putting your phone on airplane mode as much as possible and especially AT NIGHT. This means also disabling wifi and Bluetooth so that the phone is not transmitting anything while you sleep. You should also enable airplane mode when you have your phone near your body, such as in a pocket or in a purse. If you are expecting a call or text, you will need to disable airplane mode.
Turning your wifi router off at night is one of the easiest ways to reduce EMF exposure. You can unplug it or put it on a timer or use a remote shut off. We use a remote shutoff at our home and simply hit the off button on the remote when we are turning in for the night. A reliable timer can be found here: https://amzn.to/2DsHkna and my favorite remote shut-off plugs are here: https://amzn.to/2IRdigd .
Keep all Bluetooth transmitting items in airplane mode (if they have airplane mode) or turn them off completely when not in use. No need to have additional exposure when you aren’t even utilizing it.
Putting items that always transmit Bluetooth in a fully shielded pouch from a brand like Silent Pocket when not in use. The faraday pouch I use is here. You will not receive calls, texts, or emails while in your pocket. You will need to remove your device from the pocket to use it.
Install and use only ethernet cabling instead of wifi in your home. This allows you to hardwire your computer with internet access. I use Cat6 shielded cable to run ethernet. Ethernet ports cost about the same as a regular outlet to have an electrician install in a new build. Installation in an existing structure may be more involved.
You can use ethernet adapters for newer computers that do not have an RJ45 port. The adapter I use utilizes a USB port to connect to the RJ45 ethernet cable. These adapters for computers come in black or white and can be purchased here: https://amzn.to/2Xws3cwTo use ethernet to hardwire your phone or tablet, turn off all cell data, Bluetooth, and wifi on your device and use ethernet to lighting port adapter to surf the web/do emails, etc here: https://amzn.to/2IQvfvl For newer devices, type C adaptor is here: https://amzn.to/2PodK76
You will not be able to make calls using ethernet unless you use facetime, skype, or another web-based calling service.Consider hardwiring your smart TV so that it uses ethernet cable instead of wifi to stream Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, etc. We do this at our home and it works very well.
When taking calls, use speaker phone vs holding the phone up to your ear and head, or use wired air tube headphones. Air tube headphones have a much lower EMF impact than traditional apple earbuds. The brand I like most is here: https://amzn.to/2DutqRg
Avoid “smart” appliances at all costs; do not buy wifi enabled fridges, washers, speakers, coffee makers, security cameras, baby monitors, instant pots, etc. Often these appliances do not have a way to turn off the wifi feature and will continue to search for a signal, even if there isn’t one available. Skip these, period.
Try choosing a place to live in a rural area or somewhere that has very few cell towers and wifi signals from neighbors. Country living has its perks from less light pollution to less electrosmog (a term used to describe high EMF areas).
Try to avoid living very close to power lines. The highest voltage lines on large metal towers are the most powerful and homes should be at least a few hundred feet away. Homes near power lines on wooden poles would do well anywhere from 10 feet to a few hundred feet away and should get tested on a case-by-case basis to determine a safe distance from the dwelling.