Today, a growing number of experts believe that all of this technology is bathing us in an invisible toxic EMF soup that is dangerous to our health. EMFs from outside the body disrupt our body's natural balance and can play havoc with the millions of electrical impulses that the body uses to regulate all cellular activity. EMFs can interfere with our body's natural processes including sleep, which is imperative for good long-term health. Many studies have shown that EMFs suppress the important production of the hormone melatonin, which is produced by the penal gland in the brain during deep sleep.

Read more about sleep deprivation

Melatonin is produced by the brain during periods of darkness and is a vital part of many of the body's biochemical systems required for both sleep and learning. It is free radical scavenging in all cells and hence is a potent antioxidant with anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. It also assists in maintaining immune system health and protecting the body from viruses.

Electric fields (V/M) are always present on charged electrical wires and devices plugged into live outlets. Even when a lamp is turned off but still plugged in it emits an electric field. Sleeping in a high electric field environment keeps you from having deep, restful stage four and five sleep. This happens because the polarity of alternating current (AC) electricity in the wires in your bedroom walls, floor, and power cords changes from positive to negative 60 times a second (60 Hz). This causes a rapid, powerful alternating attraction and repulsion of each one of our body’s trillions of cells, all night long. Lately, more evidence has accumulated that indicates that the “dirty” electricity (radiation in the kHz) riding on the electric field is having more of an impact on our health than originally thought.

Read more about the immune system

Suggestions For Reducing Exposure

• Even a simple clock radio can produce a powerful EMF so opt for a battery-operated version to reduce exposure at night.
• Lamps are notorious EMF emitters so remove all lamps (especially if they are made of metal) and electric cords from all sleeping areas.
• Remove all extension cords, power lines, and electronic technology from the sleeping area.
• Install Graham-Stetzer filters on your home's electric circuits to reduce your exposure to “dirty” electricity riding on the electric field.
• Use a landline, buy a cordless phone that does not use DECT technology, or remove the cordless phone base station from your bedroom.
• Unplug your wi-fi router at night as the wireless RF signal can travel hundreds of feet.
• Turn off your cell phone at night. Your cell phone will send out a blast of radiation each time you receive a message and some phones pulse RF on a continuous basis.

The post Turn Off The Technology in Your Bedroom, It's Destroying Your Sleep appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

EMF Exposure in the Office and Computing Area

#1 Laptops and Secondary Devices

Whenever possible, avoid working directly on a laptop computer with a secondary keyboard and mouse to help lessen your exposure (this is especially helpful if you are working on it for extended periods of time). I highly recommend avoiding working with a laptop on your lap, especially when it’s plugged in. Many laptop computers produce strong EMF, especially when plugged into an electrical outlet.

#2 Opt for LCD

When replacing (or updating) your computer monitor or TV, opt for a liquid crystal display (LCD). LCDs emit much less radiation than the old CRT style monitors that use a cathode ray gun to excite the phosphors on the screen.

#3 Move Power Cords

Clean up the electrical power cords and transformers around your computer and desk and reroute them away from your feet and seating area. Transformers and power bars around your feet while you work can be a huge EMF exposure point, especially if you spend a lot of time on your computer.

EMF Exposure and Wireless Technology

#4 WIFI EMF

Avoid installing a wireless network (wi-fi) in your home. In October of 2007, the German government advised its public to avoid using wi-fi because of the possible health risks they pose. Wireless routers emit electromagnetic radiation even when they aren't in use.

#5 Avoid DECT

When purchasing a cordless phone, try to avoid one that uses DECT technology. In 2005 the German government also banned this type of wireless technology. The base station of these phones constantly transmits a strong radio frequency signal, even when the handset is just sitting idle in the cradle. If you have one, keep it turned off as much as possible. DECT technology is also used in some baby monitors, so be sure to phone the manufacturer prior to purchasing one to see this type of technology was used in its production.

#6 Limit Wireless Phone Use

Limit the time you spend talking on cellular and cordless phones and only let children under 14 use them for short periods of time (when absolutely necessary). Lately, we’ve been hearing about the possible health risks associated with cell phone radiation. It is important to understand that cordless phones use electromagnetic radiation to communicate – just like cell phones – and radiation exposure is cumulative no matter what the source.

Electrical Wiring and Devices

#7 Unplug

Unplug all electrical power cords and devices that are not in use and limit the use of electrical devices in the bedroom. All devices plugged into live electrical outlets including innocuous lamps and clock radios emit an electric field. However, if an electrical device is unplugged, it will not produce an electric or a magnetic field. EMFs can suppress the function of melatonin, a chemical essential for proper sleep, so it is important to clean up the electrical cords and devices around your bed. One recommendation is to switch your plug-in clock radio for a battery-operated one instead.

EMF Exposure and Lighting

#8 Choose Better Lights

Avoid installing low-voltage (12 volts) halogen, florescent tube, and energy-efficient compact fluorescent lighting (CFL). Virtually all of these energy-efficient technologies can throw a nasty EMF from their ballast or transformer. But that’s not all: they can also create “dirty electricity” (high-frequency radiation that emanates from your home’s wiring). The good news is that cleaner LCD lighting technology is just around the corner so wait for it to develop and come down in price before you do major lighting upgrades.

#9 Avoid Dimmers

Replace all the dimmer switches in your house with regular "on/off" switches. Even when turned completely on to full power, a dimmer chops-off part of the electrical current, then it discards in the form of a strong electromagnetic field – in addition to polluting the rest of your home’s grid with dirty electricity.

Dirty Electricity

#10 Install Graham-Stetzer Filters

The most important thing you can do to avoid ongoing exposure to EMF is to install Graham-Stetzer filters in your home and office to reduce the amount of dirty electricity in your electrical wiring and devices. In a number of recent scientific tests, many subjects’ health and alertness benefitted greatly when the filters were installed in their homes and schools. If you or someone in your family is demonstrating symptoms of “Electrical Hypersensitivity” you may want to consider having your home inspected for dirty electricity and other EMF sources.

Protect Yourself

We have talked about ways to protect yourself from EMF and there are many ways to do so. You may wish to buy protective items for yourself and your family.

Read next:

EMF Pollution: An Invisible Cause of Health Issues

15 Ways To Protect Yourself From Your Cell Phone

Turn Off The Technology in Your Bedroom, It's Destroying Your Sleep

References

The Independent, Germany warns citizens to avoid using Wi-Fi, September 9, 2007.

German Federal Agency for Radiation Protection, Press Release, DECT – The Radiation

Source at Home: Cordless Phones radiate unnecessarily, January 3, 2006

The post 10 Ways to Protect Yourself from EMF Exposure appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

You can’t see or smell them, but they are all around us. EMFs are invisible lines of force that emit from power wires and electrical devices. EMFs are also emitted by all the wireless technology we have welcomed into our homes. Now, a growing number of doctors and scientists believe that all of this technology is bathing us in an invisible toxic EMF soup that is dangerous to our health.

Electrical Hypersensitivity: A Host of Unexplainable Health Symptoms

New to the medical vocabulary is the condition of Electrical Hypersensitivity (EHS), an allergic-like reaction to electric and magnetic fields. A fact sheet released in December 2005 by the World Health Organization states: "EHS is a growing worldwide health concern and is characterized by a variety of non-specific symptoms including neurasthenic and vegetative symptoms (fatigue, concentration difficulties, dizziness, nausea, heart palpitation and digestive disturbances).”

In February 2009, Dr. Thomas Rau, Medical Director of the world renowned Paracelsus Clinic in Lustmühle, Switzerland said he is convinced ‘electromagnetic loads’ lead to concentration problems, ADD, tinnitus, migraines, insomnia, arrhythmia, Parkinson’s and even back pain. By potentially encouraging the growth of pathological bacteria, EMFs can also cause a greater strain on the immune system and exacerbate more serious conditions. It is estimated that 3-8% of populations in developed countries experience serious EHS symptoms, while 35% experience mild symptoms.

EHS can present itself in a host of unexplainable health symptoms including anxiety, depression, agitation and difficulty sleeping. In some cases it may be the cause of headaches, memory loss or a “foggy-brain” feeling, for some it might be dizziness, numbness and tingling or mimic other symptoms that are often associated with diseases of the central nervous system such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or Multiple Sclerosis.

Many of us in North America are not informed about the dangers of EMF, so we unwittingly expose ourselves to strong EMF sources everyday. Electrical power lines, computers & laptops, power bars, cordless phones and WI-FI (wireless) routers are all major sources of daily EMF exposure. With continued exposure to dirty electricity and high frequency EMFs, symptoms get progressively worse. It is important to minimize one’s exposure to energy efficient compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) and to other appliances that generate high frequencies.

Dirty Electricity – A New, More Powerful EMF

Dirty electricity has become a steadily growing problem due to our increased use of electronic devices such as computers, video games, big screen TVs, along with dimmer switches, energy efficient CFL and other low-voltage lighting.

All electronic devices run on low-voltage power and to achieve this they “chop-up” our 120-volt power supply creating this dangerous high frequency energy.

For instance, many CFL bulbs operate at a frequency of 50 to 100 kHz, which falls into the radio frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum. These radio frequency pulses continue down the wire, and this high frequency energy "radiates" from wires and any electrical and electronic devices plugged into dirty circuits.

Filters to remove Dirty Electricity?

Dr. Magda Havas is one of the world’s leading research scientists studying the biological effects of EMF. Professor Havas has conducted blind studies using special Graham-Stetzer filters (capacitors) designed to remove dirty electricity from the electrical circuits of homes and schools.

The Graham-Stetzer filters (GS) are electrical capacitors that remove the “dirty” electromagnetic frequencies between 4 to 100 kHz completely from electrical circuits. The filters smooth out high frequency noise on electrical wires, thus reduce the amplitude of microsurges on indoor wiring and thus reduce the radio frequencies most likely to be biologically active.

In pilot projects, Professor Havas said the results from the installation of the GS filters were remarkable. "We've put them into three schools, and in all three schools the teachers improved dramatically, the student behavior improved."

Based on her research, Professor Havas believes women and children may be particularly vulnerable. Fortunately, Havas has found the use of GS filters in homes has yielded promising results, especially for diabetics and those with multiple sclerosis.

Protect Yourself with Radiation-Protective Devices

Aires Tech, experts in electromagnetic radiation, recommend that you wear an Aires Defender Infinity around your neck, attach an Aires Shield Extreme to your phone and use the Aires Black Crystal for your laptop, computer, TV and gaming devices. Go to Airestech.com for more information about the best radiation protection devices available and how to use them. Use coupon code: savvy10 for a 10% discount at checkout.

References:World Health Organisation Fact sheet #296, December 2005 Electromagnetic Health. “Medical Director of Switzerland’sParacelsus Clinic Takes Stand on Hazards of Electromagnetic Pollution.”;(Mar 26 2009)Havas, Magda. “Dirty Electricity in Schools.” Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, Nov. 20, 2007Havas, Magda. “Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: Biological Effects of Dirty Electricity withEmphasis on Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis.”Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 2006.Havas_2006_Electromagnetic%20hypersensitivity_EBM.pdf (Mar 26 2009)Havas, Magda. Canada AM interview. March 29, 2006Trent University press release. “Trent University researcher identifies potential to ‘clean up dirty electricity’.” Nov. 29, 2004>

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Sweden is the only country to recognize electromagnetic hypersensitivity as a disability, but the evidence that man-made EMFs are having harmful biological effects is mounting.

Olle Johansson, associate professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, has been investigating the effects of electromagnetic fields on humans for almost 30 years. Johansson believes the existing EMF safety standards – based solely on heat generated by electromagnetic fields – do not adequately protect public health. His research suggests EMFs act like an allergen, disturbing the immune system and eliciting various allergic and inflammatory responses.

In a February 2009 speech, Dr. Thomas M. Rau, medical director at the Paracelsus Clinic in Switzerland, said he estimates 3 to 8 percent of populations in developed countries experience serious electrohypersensitivity symptoms, while 35 percent suffer from mild symptoms. Rau said the current "Electromagnetic load" is a hidden factor in many illnesses and disabilities, including attention deficit disorder, migraines, Parkinson's, arrhythmia, cancer and several other health issues – and he's not alone in this thinking.

Dr. Martin Blank, a researcher in the department of physiology and cellular biophysics at Columbia University for more than 40 years, believes EMFs could lead to Alzheimer's disease, dementia and breast cancer. Blank was part of a global consortium of scientists who produced a report that reviewed the body of scientific research related to the biological, health and environmental effects of electromagnetic emissions. The BioInitiative Report, a groundbreaking 600-page paper released in August 2007, called for major reductions in what are considered safe levels of electromagnetic emissions.

Blank's research focuses on how the body's cells react to EMFs. He has discovered EMFs are causing cells to make new proteins that they haven't made before, a sure sigh of stress. "The cells themselves are telling us that they're in trouble," Blank said in a recent interview. "These stress proteins are made with all these different electromagnetic fields. They're made with power line EMFs, they're made with cellphone EMFs and there a clear indication that the cell senses this stuff as potentially harmful."

In response to the BioInitiative Report, national and international bodies are pushing for significant changes to their regulatory frameworks for levels of radio frequency radiation and other electromagnetic emissions.

In April 2009, the European Union approved a comprehensive, 29-point resolution to, among other things, study the "adequacy" of EMF limits, citing several countries – China, Switzerland, Russia and nine EU countries – that have already reduced maximum exposure limits as a preventative measure. The resolution also calls for member states to recognize electrohypersensitivity as a disability.

Stateside, politicians are also weighing in on the debate with their concerns. In November 2008, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, chairman of the Domestic Policy Committee, sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin detailing his concern with the approval of "White Spaces" devices for wireless communications in the home. Kucinich wrote that use of these devices "will lead to the repeated, chronic, long-term exposure of individuals, at all age levels, and to more frequencies and quantities of radiofrequency (RF) radiation at very close range than is currently the case."

Kucinich also cited a National Academy of Sciences report that mirror's the National Toxicology program's conclusion that "the research record upon which FCC's RF Safety Guidelines are based does not adequately safeguard the public from non-thermal chronic exposures."

With research backing up long-held suspicions, it seems it's only a matter of time until worldwide EMF standards see an overhaul.

Photo Credit: midnightglory

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EMFs are emitted from power lines, electrical wires and from the vast collection of electrical, electronic and wireless devices that fill our modern homes. Some of these include laptop computers, energy-efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) lighting, cordless phones, Wi-Fi routers and other wireless technology.

Our electromagnetic environment is an important but often-overlooked component of environmental health. Our daily exposure to EMF in the home continues to rise at an alarming rate and this dramatic increase relates proportionally to the increase in many of today's modern ailments.

EMFs interfere with our body's natural processes

EMFs can interfere with our body's natural processes including sleep, hormone production, our immune system and our ability to heal. EMFs from outside the body disrupt our body's natural balance and can play havoc with the millions of electrical impulses that the body uses to regulate all cellular activity.

The huge increase in EMF exposure we have witnessed over the last two decades can be seen to coincide with the increase in ailments such as chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain, tinnitus, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety and Alzheimer's disease. Recent and ongoing experiments are working to uncover the links between these ailments and EMFs.

Allergic to Electricity?

In 2001 the Swedish government recognized the condition of Electrical Hypersensitivity (EHS) as a physical impairment and calculated that 250,000- 290,000 people (3.1 per cent of its population) suffer from a severe form of the condition [1]. In 2005 The World Health Organization issued a statement saying EMF exposure is a "growing worldwide health concern" and recognized Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) as a “real physical condition.” [2]

An individual’s reactions to today's wide array of electrical pollutants can vary widely. The steady increase in EMF exposure has also been scientifically linked to many of today's new-age health problems including chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia as well as immune system dysfunction and neurological problems.

Many doctors and health professionals are not yet aware of the recent scientific evidence surrounding EMFs and their detrimental effect on human health.

Dirty Electricity — EMF on Steroids

In the last number of years our electrical power supply has become increasingly contaminated with dangerous microsurges of radio-frequency radiation called “dirty” electricity.

Professor Magda Havas, one of the world’s leading research scientists studying the biological effects of EMF believes that 35% to 50% of the population may be electrically “hypersensitive” and suffer from a variety of symptoms brought on by exposure to dirty electricity. [3]

Professor Havas has conducted blind studies using Graham-Stetzer filters to remove the dangerous low-level radio frequency radiation (4 kHz to 100kHz) from the circuits of homes and schools. Through her studies she’s linked dirty electricity in homes and schools to adverse health including increased incidents of headaches, diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis in adults and asthma and ADD/ADHD in children [4] [5]. Havas believes that “dirty electricity has biological effects.” [6]

The Health Risks Associated with Wireless Technology

Over the last decade we’ve seen an explosion in the proliferation of wireless technologies in our homes and workplaces. We’ve witnessed a massive public acceptance of untested EMF-producing wi-fi networks, cell phones and cordless phones and other wireless technology.

Emerging research is indicating that wireless technology may be more dangerous than previously thought. We are now starting to hear about the dangers posed by the radiation from cellular phones, but this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the hidden dangers of exposure to radio frequency radiation.

The German government issued a warning in 2007 recommending its citizens to avoid installing wi-fi networks due to concerns of the possible health effects of radio frequency radiation produced by these devices [7]. Earlier, they warned about the radiation emissions from DECT cordless portables phones [8] – these are the very same phones found in many homes today.

Protect Yourself and your Family

You spend most of your time in your home, and can experience the majority of your EMF exposure there. To protect the health of you and your family from harmful EMFs, it is a good idea to have your home inspected for dirty electricity, electric and magnetic fields and radio frequency radiation and install Graham-Stetzer filters to remove dirty electricity. At the same time you can learn how to reduce your EMF exposure using measurable, scientifically proven techniques.

References:

[1] "Electrohypersensitivity: State-of-the-art of a functional impairment",

Dr. Olie Johansson, Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 25: 245–258, 2006

[2] World Health Organisation Fact sheet #296, December 2005

[3] Trent University press release, Trent University researcher identifies potential to “clean up dirty electricity”, Nov. 29, 2004

[4] Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity: Biological Effects of Dirty Electricity with Emphasis on Diabetes and Multiple Sclerosis, Dr. Magda Havas, Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 2006

[5] Dirty Electricity in Schools, Professor Magda Havas, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, Nov. 2006.

[6] Trent University press release, Trent University researcher identifies potential to “clean up dirty electricity”, Nov. 29, 2004

[7] The Independent, “Germany warns citizens to avoid using Wi-Fi,” September 9, 2007.

[8] German Federal Agency For Radiation Protection, Press Release, DECT – The Radiation Source at Home: Cordless Phones radiate unnecessarily, January 3 2006

The post Electromagnetic Fields & Your Health appeared first on NaturallySavvy.com.

It's difficult to have an intelligent conversation about electromagnetic fields (EMFs)-also called Electric and Magnetic Fields-without getting into a technical discussion, but a simplified understanding of the physics behind this ever-increasing environmental toxin can help you protect your family from these dangerous invisible waves.

EMFs are invisible lines of force that surround any electrical device. A "field" is the area in which charges interact with other charges-and with humans and animals. Electromagnetic fields consist of electric and magnetic components traveling together. These electrically charged waves travel at the speed of light and are characterized by both a frequency and a wavelength.

All "man-made" EMFs are measurable-the frequency is simply the number of oscillations in the wave per unit of time. They are measured in units of hertz; 1 Hz = 1 cycle per second. The wavelength is the distance traveled by the wave in one oscillation (or cycle).

If a current flowing through a conductor (wire) is made to oscillate at a very rapid rate, 3 KHz or greater, it is considered to be a radio frequency. At the speed of light, these waves radiate outward from the source in a pulsating pattern, much like the waves in the pond; this phenomenon is known as electromagnetic radiation.

We measure EMFs in four ways: Electric fields, magnetic fields, dirty electricity, and radio frequency fields.

Electric Fields

Electric fields are measured in Volts per meter (V/M). They are always present on charged electrical wires and devices plugged into live outlets, and they are created by differences in voltage. The higher the voltage, the stronger the resultant field will be.

AC electric fields are present any time an electric device or power cord is plugged in to an electric outlet. An electric field will exist even when there is no current flowing. For example, when you plug in a lamp or clock radio it will emit an electric field even when not turned on. To measure electric fields we use an electric field strength meter.

Common electric fields exposure points: Energy-efficient CFL bulbs, laptop computers and peripherals, poorly grounded electrical wiring, metal lamps and clock radios.

Magnetic Fields

Magnetic fields are measured in milligauss (or microtesla) and are created when electric current flows. When current flows, the strength of the magnetic field will vary depending upon the amount of current (amps) drawn through the conductor, but the electric field strength will be constant. To measure magnetic fields we use a gauss meter.

Magnetic fields exposure points include: Power lines and electrical wiring and cords, faulty electrical wiring, knob and tube wiring, computers, CRT (cathode ray tube) TVs and monitors.

Dirty Electricity

Today, for a number of reasons, our AC power is becoming increasingly contaminated with invisible microsurges of dangerous high frequency energy called "dirty" electricity.

Dirty electricity has become a steadily growing problem in recent years due to our increased use of energy efficient CFL bulbs, dimmer switches, modern low-voltage lighting and electronic devices such as gaming systems and computers. All of these electrical devices contain power supplies that operate at a high frequency. They essentially "chop-up" our conventional AC power, using it in short bursts as opposed to a smooth continuous flow of current. This constant stopping and starting of the electrical current causes a combination of what engineers call "electrical transients and harmonics." In layman's term's it's referred to as "electrical feedback" or "electrical noise." Dirty Electricity is measured in Graham-Stetzer units (GS) using a Microsurge meter.

Dirty Electricity exposure points include: Power lines, cords, electrical appliances and electronic devices plugged into circuits reading greater than 25-50GS units.

Radio Frequency Fields

Radio Frequency fields are measured in microwatts per square centimetre and can be measured using an RF meter.

Cell phones, cordless phones and wireless networks produce radio waves and operate in the millions to billions of hertz (megahertz and gigahertz, respectively). These waves are often referred to as microwaves because of their small wavelengths, and because they are radio waves, they can travel long distances. Humans have harnessed much of the radio spectrum for communication purposes such as Wi-Fi, cell phone, radio, satellite TV and radar.

Radio frequency exposure points include: Devices such as PDAs, cell phones, microwave transmitters, BlueTooth technology, DECT cordless phones and baby monitors, Wi-Fi routers; and dirty electricity, much of it measured in the RF range.

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Recently the Center for Disease Control (CDC) revised the rates of autism for the United States and reported that the rates of Autism Spectrum Disorder have skyrocketed to 1 in 100. According to the latest figures the odds that your baby developing some form of are now one in 63. If you have a boy, the chances are one in 38. That's 2.6% of all male children in the United States.

More and more researchers are looking at environmental causes as possible triggers for the huge up-tick in new autism cases. One area that has been overlooked in the past that is now garnering more attention is our increasingly polluted electromagnetic environment.

Although we can’t see, smell or taste them electromagnetic fields (EMFs) constantly surround us. They are emitted from the plethora of electrical and electronic devices we have in our homes, from wireless devices, from our home’s electrical wiring and outside power lines. They emanate from our lamps, computers and electronics. If it uses electricity it emits some kind of EMF.

Over the last 20 years we’ve significantly increased our exposure to a variety of man-made electromagnetic fields. Our electrical supply has become contaminated with dangerous, high frequency noise called “dirty” electricity. We’re now exposed to high-powered radio frequency transmitters such those used in as wi-fi routers and DECT cordless phones and baby monitors. We expose ourselves to EMF when we use laptops and cell phones.

Today you’ll find the majority of homes in North American now contain a computer or two, a DECT cordless phone, a wi-fi router, a handful of CFL lights as well as other EMF polluters. It’s now coming to light that many of these “cool” technologies may be working in concert with other environmental contaminates to slowly poison our children.

According to natural health expert Dr Joe Mercola, “Many researchers are now advocating for a shift in autism research to focus on environmental factors rather than genetics. Although genetics play a role in an estimated one percent of cases, the other 99 percent are still a mystery to conventional scientists. Likewise, to suggest this massive increase could be due to relaxed diagnosis criteria seems to be grasping at straws.” Mercola added.

In an interview with Dr Joe Mercola (www.mercola.com) in the Fall of 2008 Dr Dietrich Klinghartd, a pioneer in natural medicine, discussed the toxic origins of autism. He says his research has led him to what he believes are the three interconnected and fundamental causes of autism.

One topic discussed in the interview is the fact that in most people with autism, their pathways of detoxification have become overwhelmed by both man-made and microbial toxins.

The toxins that are at the top of this list are:

• Mercury and other metals, such as aluminum.
• Viruses and microbes, such as mold.
• Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)

Dr. Klinghardt considers EMF “synergistically causal," partly because it potentiates the production of toxic microbes and endotoxins. EMF exposure increases the toxicity of many already hazardous substances.

For example, in a small study performed by Dr. Klinghardt, he showed that autism can actually be predicted based on the EMF levels of your sleeping quarters while you are pregnant. As part of the program, Dr. Klinghardt recommends you lower EMF burden in your child’s home and bedroom.

Top 10 ways to lower your EMF exposure in your bedroom:

• Use a battery operated clock radio as opposed to an AC version. Although AC powered clocks don’t draw a lot of current these little devices can emit a significant EMF.
• Remove all AC powered devices and electrical cords away from the bed.
• Avoid using an AC heating pad or electric blanket. These devices expose both baby and mom to high EMF — both magnetic (mG.) and electric ( V/m) levels — even when the blanket to turned off.
• Remove your DECT portable phone from your bedroom or consider swaping it for a landline phone. A recent study found DECT phones cause heart irregularities.
• Check to see if your baby monitor uses DECT technology — if it does get rid of it immediately. If the product does not state that it is DECT technology, consider contacting the manufacturer to confirm.
• Don't install a wireless network. In 2007 the German Gov’t issued a warning on the potential health dangers wi-fi. If you choose to use one locate it away from bedrooms and turn it off at night.
• Move baby cribs and beds a few feet away from walls containing electrical wires and don’t locate cribs or beds on walls opposite electronic equipment like computers, wi-fi networks, DECT phones, clothes dryers and microwaves. Walls do not block the magnetic (mG.) field or the radio frequency fields (W/cm2) emitted by electrical and wireless devices.
• If you are pregnant or have small children limit the time you spend talking on a cordless phone and cell phone, and only let children under 14 use cell phones for short periods of time when absolutely necessary. The EMF emitted by wireless devices can travel great distances but is most powerful closest to the source or transmission.
• Minimize the use of your microwave oven* or discard of it completely. The metal case only blocks a fraction of the radiation a microwaveoven uses to cook your food.
• Install Graham/Stetzer filters in your home to reduce the harmful, high frequency radiation being emitted by your home’s electrical wiring.

References

1) Dr. Mercola & Dr. Klinghartd

2) Wireless Radiation in the Etiology and Treatment of Autism: Clinical Observations and Mechanisms. J. Aust. Coll. Nutr. & Env. Med. Vol 26 No. 2 (August 2007) pages 3-7.

*At Naturally Savvy, we discarded of our microwave oven a long time ago and now use a toaster oven instead. Although this may sound tedious, you get used to it and you feel better knowing it is benefiting the health of your family. To warm up heat bags (for aches and pains) use a slow cooker.

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Here's how it works: A magneto spinning inside the oven creates small waves that carry powerful electrical energy. These small waves, known as "microwaves" are radio waves at a very high frequency, typically 2.45 Gigahertz (2.45 billion cycles per second). Radio waves in the microwave frequency range are absorbed by water, fats, and sugars in our foods. When the microwaves are absorbed, they are converted directly into heat.

In microwave cooking, the radio waves penetrate the food and excite water and fat molecules throughout the food, causing them to vibrate, which creates heat. A plate inside the microwave spins so the food is heated evenly. Heat is created evenly, in most cases, because the molecules are all being excited together by these powerful electrical waves.

What many of us don't realize is that much of the electromagnetic field (EMF) energy created by the microwave is not blocked completely by the oven's metal case. This dangerous energy escapes into our home environment and can, over time, affect the health of people who spend time in the vicintiy of the device while it is in operation. This powerful electromagnetic field can travel great distances and can be measured several meters from the oven itself, according to scientist, Dr. Neal Cherry. Cherry believes the safe level of exposure to microwave radiation is "Zero."

The case against using microwave ovens has considerable scientific backing. Since World War II, the Russians have experimented with microwave ovens, and according to U.S. researcher William Kopp, who gathered much of the results of Russian and German research, the following effects were observed:

• Microwaved meats contain d-nitrosodiethanolamine, a well-known carcinogen.
• Cancer-causing agents are created in the protein-hydrolysate compounds in milk and grains.
• The molecular composition of proteins and natural sugars is unnaturally altered.
• Even brief exposures of raw, cooked, or frozen vegetables to microwaves enhance the production of alkaloids (such as caffeine, morphine and strychnine) that are harmful to the human body.
• The availability of vitamin complexes A, B, C and E, and essential minerals is vastly reduced.
• The microwaves in the food bind with atmospheric radioactivity, creating additional harmful radiation.

As a result microwave ovens were banned in Russia in 1976; the ban was lifted in the mid-'80s, when Mikhail Gorbachev introduced Perestroika, a program of economic and political policy reform.

How to Avoid Microwave Oven Radiation

• Try to use other methods of cooking including slow-roasters, barbeques and toaster ovens.
• Proximity is key, as micowave energy disapates with distance. So never stand near a microwave oven while it's in operation, better still leave the room
• Have your microwave checked for leaks (you can buy an inexpesive micorwave leak checker at www.lessemf.com) as a leaky microwave is even more dangerous.

More on General Health from Naturally Savvy

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Havas is a world-renowned expert in electromagnetic fields. Her current research is concerned with the biological effects of electromagnetic pollution including radio frequency radiation, electromagnetic fields, dirty electricity, and ground current. Her new study will add to the growing interest in the health effects of cell phones, broadening the focus beyond cell phones' association with brain tumors to their effect on other systems, including the heart.

Havas's 25-person study, which took place in Boulder and Golden, Colorado, in October 2009, is part of a 100-person study examining the heart's reactivity to microwave radiation emitted by common DECT cordless phones. "DECT" is short for Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication, a European standard for wireless communication. DECT technology is used in most of the new cordless phones available today.

Havas co-authored this latest study with heart specialist Dr. Jeff Marrongelle of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. The study was blinded, which means that the volunteers did not know when the cordless phone was on or off. Most of the volunteers did not respond to the exposure, but those who did respond experienced arrhythmia (irregular beats of the heart) and/or tachycardia (rapid heart rate). These symptoms were often accompanied by feelings of anxiety. The study showed that 40 percent of the subjects exposed to the EMF from the DECT phone experienced heart rate irregularities and 20 percent experienced a significant increase in heart rate.

The levels of radiation to which the subjects were exposed during this test was only 3 percent of the level of exposure deemed safe under the US Federal Communication Commission's and Health Canada's Safety Code 6 guidelines.

Radiation emitted from DECT cordless portable phones is the same type of microwave radiation emitted by cell phones, microwave ovens, wi-fi routers and some baby monitors.

The major concern around DECT phones is that it doesn't matter if you are actually using the phone or not—the phone's base-station emits radiation full-time. The radio frequency EMF created by the phone's base station travels hundreds of feet penetrating walls and people. In my EMF Home inspections I now find DECT phones in more than 95 percent of the homes I survey. DECT technology is also being used in many of the new baby monitors currently on the market.

Electrohypersensitivity (EHS), a condition recognized by the World Health Organization and is best explained as an allergic-like reaction to exposure to EMF, when you remove, replace or fix the offending EMF source symptoms disappear or are lessened. Although the health authorities in North America do not recognize EHS, Havas and other experts say 3 percent to 8 percent of the population is severely affected.

Symptoms of electrical sensitivities include headaches, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, chronic pain, heart irregularities, and much more. Additional symptoms include headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, difficulty sleeping, skin problems, tinnitus, nausea, and dizziness. Many of these symptoms are subjective and difficult to measure.

Do You Have a DECT Cordless Phone?

• Many new DECT phones will say DECT 6.0 right on the base station.
• If your phone has multiple handsets it is a DECT phone.
• DECT phones operate in the frequency ranges of 2.4 GHz and at 5.8 GHz; if it says 900 MHz on the base station it's NOT a DECT phone.

Suggestions for Reducing EMF Exposure:

• Unplug your cordless phone and use a landline.
• Buy a phone that does not use DECT technology.
• Distance yourself from the phones base station and keep these phones out of your bedroom.
• Buy an electrosmog detector ($114) and check to see if your phone or baby monitor emits radiation.

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The IARC working group consists of 31 scientists from 14 countries and is part of the World Health Organization, its mission is to coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and to develop scientific strategies for cancer control. The official classification of wireless EMF as Group 2B puts wireless radiation in with 260 other substances already classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” this includes substances such as lead, styrene and the pesticide DDT.

This classification by the WHO was based on an increased risk for a specific type of malignant brain tumour called a glioma, a malignant type of brain tumor, which has been associated with use of wireless phones.The classification followed the Working Group’s evaluation of a large number of studies on radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposures to radar and microwaves in the workplace, environmental exposure to the transmissions of radio, TV and wireless telecommunication signals and exposure to wireless telephones.

Dr Jonathan Samet (University of Southern California, USA), overall Chairman of the Working Group, indicated that "the evidence, while still accumulating, is strong enough to support a conclusion and the 2B classification. The conclusion means that there could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for a link between cell phones and cancer risk."

The Working Group said that a concise report containing its main conclusions will be published in medical journal The Lancet Oncology on July 1st, 2011.

10 Ways To Avoid Cell Phone Radiation

• If you must use a cell phone use it on speaker to put distance between your brain and the “near-field plume” put out by the phone’s antenna.
• Texting is always better than talking because you don’t have to put the phone next to your head.
• All cell phones are not the same; check the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of a phone before you buy check on-line.
• Never use a cell phone with children anywhere in sight; and don’t carry cell phones in your breast pocket near the heart as wireless radiation has been proven to cause heart disruptions.
• Even when in standby mode some cell phones are not passive and occasionally send a location-tracking signal to the nearest cell tower.
• When placing a call, the phone makes the connection at high power, so count to five before putting it to your ear, and don’t press it against your head.
• Limit cell phone use in your car, since the metal cage of the passenger compartment makes the cell phone boost its power output to stay connected. Also, the radiation put out by the phone bounces around the inside of the car similar to the way a microwave oven works.
• Limit the time you spend talking on a cell phone, and don't let children under 14 use cell phones unless it’s an emergency.
• Forward your cell phone to a land-line whenever possible.
• Be aware PDAs, Blackberry and other wireless devices all work similar to cell phones and many produce a very powerful EMF.

References: http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf

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