Fred Liers, PhD
We are constantly bombarded by different forms of EMF radiation. From cell phones and towers to Wi-Fi networks and wireless devices, EMF exposure is greater than ever—and increasing by the day. Modern technologies give us amazing connectivity and radically change how we live. Yet, little attention is paid to protecting ourselves from the downsides of EMF exposure.
Sources of EMF not only include cell phones, cell phone towers, Wi-Fi routers and and wireless devices, but also smart meters, smart home devices, solar inverters, newer vehicles, and bluetooth (including hands free connected devices). Now 5G and The Internet of Things (IoT) are only increasing our EMF exposures.
While relatively scant attention is given by most governments and regulatory agencies to potentially adverse effects of EMF, the scientific evidence increasingly points to significant adverse effects on biological systems. That is, EMF harms people and living things.
There is a growing body of scientific evidence and research data on the adverse effects of EMF. The evidence points to multiple ways that EMF produces negative effects. These include oxidative effects, changes in blood flow and behavior, interference in calcium channels in cells, weakened immunity, and creating conditions that can lead to cardiovascular events and other significant health issues. The research also explains the subjective effects reported by people—such as memory problems, tinnitus, inability to concentrate, poor sleep, fatigue, irritability and mood effects, pain, etc. Finally, the research points to the longer-term effects of EMF exposure, including cumulative effects of oxidative damage and inflammation, and higher incidence of major health issues.
MITIGATING EFFECTS OF EMF EXPOSURE
A vast amount of scientific information is available explaining just how EMF harms people and how to mitigate EMF. My purpose here is not to review all the data or provide a comprehensive guide to EMF mitigation—for that purpose you can see my reference list below—or simply search trusted sites online.
Today, I provide just seven recommendations you can apply in your life to reduce EMF exposure.
DISTANCE
Give distance between yourself and EMF emitting devices. This is the easiest of all EMF reducing strategies. It is based on the inverse-square law which shows there is an exponential decline in the intensity of exposure with increasing distance. That means just a few inches can make a difference when it comes to exposure. Here are some examples to apply it:
• Don’t hold a cell phone to your head. Instead use the speakerphone, ear buds, or at least hold the phone an inch or two from your head.
• Don’t sleep with your phone under your pillow or near you. Turn it off at night, or at least put it in Airplane mode.
• Keep your router in a room away from where you work, play, or sleep.
• Don’t sleep near smart meters, solar inverters, broadband devices (like network extenders), or even plug-in transformers (like phone chargers).
• Find the nearest cell phone towers to your home (www.antennasearch.com). Cell phone towers 1/3 of a mile or closer are known hazards. Longer distances are better.
TIME
Reduce the amount of time spent exposed to EMF fields. While this may seem tricky in a connected, always-on world, the time rule is similar to the distance rule. Reducing the amount of time spent exposed to EMF fields significantly reduces the overall adverse effects. This is is critical when you realize that in nature, EMF levels are orders of magnitude lower than typical levels of EMF in daily life. Giving body periods of rest and recovery away from EMF–or at lowers levels of EMF–reduces its overall effects.
Here are ways to apply the time rule:
• Reduce time spent on cell phone. Turn it off or put it on Airplane mode when not in use.
• Reduce total time spent using wireless devices of any kind. Turn them off when not in use.
• Turn off your router at night, or at least disable Wi-Fi. This can be done manually or automatically using a plug-in timer.
WIRED CONNECTIONS
Distance and time are the easiest ways to reduce EMF exposure. Using a wired connection is not always easy, but can vastly reduce EMF exposure. Most routers allow for wired (Ethernet) connections, and many routers allow you to turn off Wi-Fi component while using a wired connection.
• Use wired connections (Ethernet) whenever possible
• Adaptors are available to connect Ethernet cables to cell phones, tablets, and other devices
• Shielded Ethernet cables (Cat 7 or higher) are better for EMF protection
• Wired connections significantly reduce EMF exposure. This is especially beneficial for children, who are still developing and more vulnerable to EMF.
SHIELDING AGAINST EMF EXPOSURE
Shielding is the practice of placing layers of EMF blocking material between you and your devices. A wide variety of products are available for this purpose. These include fabrics, paints, hats, clothing, device bags, blankets, router covers, and cases for laptops, tablets, and cell phones.
• Use an anti-radiation case for your cell phone. This can be a phone case like Safesleeve or Defendershield. These types of cases allow you to use your cell phone by using an EMF-blocking material on the front of phone, but allows signal to the back of the phone facing away from you.
• EMF blocking laptop cases allow you to use Wi-Fi on laptops while blocking a lot of signal. Most experts, however, say that you should never use a laptop on your lap (and that the term “laptop” should be replaced).
• EMF blocking hats protect the part of your body (your brain) most sensitive to EMF. They are widely available from many companies, such as Lambs.
• Use EMF blocking fabrics for curtains to blocks EMF coming through windows.
• Use Reflectix insulation in a picture frame to cover the wall opposite your smart meter. This will block EMF from your smart meter from coming into your home.
FILTER DIRTY ELECTRICITY
• Dirty electricity (DE) is comprised of frequencies that deviate from a clean, 60 Hertz sine wave characteristic of ideal AC power (in the US). It is also known as “electromagnetic interference” (EMI)
• Dirty electricity flows through house wiring (AC), but also can flow through the ground and travel on power transmission lines. Electricity used to be required to return to substations via wire, but utilities now routinely send electricity back via the ground, which floods the earth with dirty electricity.
• Dirty electricity is produced by transformers (cell phone towers), inverters (e.g., solar PV systems), and household electronics
• Dirty electricity can be filtered using simple plug-in filters. A typical home requires 3–5 filters per room.
Dirty electricity is a lesser known form of EMF. However, it is pervasive, insidious, and highly impactful for health. Dirty electricity (DE) travels via AC outlets in the home. DE is known as electromagnetic interference (EMI). AC power in the US is 60 Hertz (cycles per second). Dirty electricity is able to contaminate the AC wiring in your home because modern plug-in electronics, cell phone towers, solar systems (PV), inverters, transformers, generators, and smart meters tend to distort the clean 60 Hertz signal.
Dirty electricity was not so much of a problem in the recent past. It was mostly due to high-voltage power lines and electricity returning to a power station via the ground rather than on return power lines. However, whenever AC power is converted to DC power (like on a cell phone tower) the surrounding ground can be flooded with dirty electricity. This electricity can travel miles and find AC wiring. This means, for example, that if your neighbor has a solar system (PV) or a smart meter, your electricity can be dirty, because it can jump onto your wiring. Chances are good your AC electricity is contaminated.
Dirty electricity has many adverse health effects. These are best described by Samuel Milham, MD, MPH in his book Dirty Electricity. It is short and easy reading. A key takeaway is that dirty electricity enters the body (whereas a clean 60 Hz signal does not). After dirty electricity enters the body, it takes the path least resistance which explains why different people develop different health issues. For example, dirty electricity might contribute to diabetes in one person and cardiovascular disease in another person. A second takeaway is that adverse health effects are significantly increased after certain threshold levels of dirty electricity are reached, and the higher the DE levels the greater the risk.
Dirty electricity can be filtered by using low cost plug-in filters in AC outlets. It can be measured using a special plug-in meter. Filters and meters are available from Greenwave and Stetzer. In most cases, relatively high levels of dirty electricity can be filtered using a few filters per room. In cases where levels of DE are extremely high (e.g., living next to a cell phone tower), there are companies that offer specific solutions (such as Satic and ccc) that can be used in combination with basic plug-in dirty electricity filters.
A typical home has DE readings in the 300–2000+ millivolts (mv) as measured by a plug-in EMI meter (like Greenwave). The goal would be to reduce these readings to 30–50 mv or lower. In my home, I have reduced DE readings from about 2,000 mv down to 15–30 mv.
What is notable about dirty electricity is how common and pervasive.
NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENTS
It is no secret diet and nutrient intake (like vitamins and minerals) are important for health. What is rarely considered is how EMF impacts the body in ways that deplete nutrients, blocks their uptake, or creates a greater need for certain nutrients. These are proven effects suggesting that nutrient intake in critically important for mitigating the effects of EMF.
Facts: 1) EMF adds another of layer of stress on the body (including oxidative stress), 2) We are all exposed at higher levels today (compared even to the recent past), 3) Exposures (acute and chronic) over long time periods tend to compound adverse effects of EMF, 4) Different people are differently affected by EMF, 5) Generally healthy people are better able to combat the effects of EMF, but EMF levels are going up every year, 6) an increasing number of people are classified as electrically hypersensitive (EHS).
Given these facts, it makes the most sense to eat a diet and take supplements that support optimal antioxidant function, reduce inflammation, provide key nutrients (like B vitamins and magnesium) known to support bodily and cellular processes affected by EMF.
I recommend taking a series of foundational supplements to support good general health to help mitigate the effects of EMF. I also recommend taking additional antioxidant supplements. Supplements I suggest
• High potency multivitamin that includes coenzyme B vitamins like Multi Two Caps or Mighty Multi-Vite!
• Antioxidant/Vitamin C formula likes PRO-C™ and Ultimate Protector+ which bring the power of Nrf2 activation to EMF protection
• Essential Fatty Acids (like Essential Fats Plus E)
• Superfood (like Rejuvenate! PLUS) supports nutrition, detoxification, and cellular health via a combination of greens (chlorella, spirulina), dietary nucleic acids, and supporting nutrients
• Magnesium (like Myo-Mag) critically important for brain, muscle, and mitochondrial function, and combats the effects of EMF on calcium channels
• Vitamin D3 supplement like Vitamin D3 Plus. Vitamin D3 is essential for immunity and overall health.
Beyond these essential nutrients, I also consider these specific supplements to be helpful:
• Carbon60 (like Thrive Whole Body Health) which is a super-antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties
• pH Adjust alkalinizing formula which helps keep the body in a slightly alkaline state and buffers acids
• Mushroom extract formula like Immune-Assist™ Critical Care Formula
These are a few suggestions for improving your nutrient intake with an eye toward helping the body mitigate the effects of EMF. There are many other possible dietary and supplements that can help. However, just being consistent with a multivitamin, antioxidant/vitamin C formula, and essential fats can go a long way toward protecting your body from EMF.
You can find many of these recommended supplements from Health Products Distributors, Inc. at IntegratedHealth.com
ACTIVE MEASURES TO COUNTERACT EMF EXPOSURE
The EMF reducing strategies above are all considered “passive” measures. Another category of protection is known as “active” measures. Active measures for EMF mitigation include devices that emit beneficial frequencies that can counteract adverse effects of EMF. Devices that use active measures are evolving rapidly. They hold out great hope for protection, especially because some can confer protection on large areas. This means they can have the potential to protect homes, schools, neighborhoods, and public spaces, as well as protect individuals.
One category of active devices are Schumann resonance generators. Schumann resonances are earth frequencies, which are about 7.8s Hz (fundamental) and their harmonic frequencies. Schumann resonances are the natural frequencies of the earth. They are created by the interaction of lighting strikes that hit the surface of the earth hundreds of times per second.
Why are Schumann resonances important? Humans (and all life on earth) evolved with the frequency of the earth. It is beneficial for us. It is so important that NASA includes Schumann resonance generators on space vehicles and on the International Space Station.
Increased EMF in our environment disrupts our connection to the earth frequencies. One solution is “grounding” which has proven to be helpful for people. The simplest way to ground is to remove your shoes and stand on natural surfaces like grass, dirt, or sand. However, if you attempt to ground in an area filled with dirty electricity (see above) which is now commonplace, instead of grounding you become a receiver of dirty electricity. That will have the opposite effect of grounding—and be harmful.
There are various types of Schumann resonance generators. Some generate a single frequency (7.83 Hz). Others generate multiple earth frequencies (harmonics). One well recommended brand of resonance generator is Blushield. Blushield makes devices for your home, car, and portable units that many people find to be effective in mitigating EMF exposure. Blushield posts the results of several of its scientific studies showing improved markers of health. Many users (including me) report beneficial effects, such as improved sleep, increased energy, better mental function, and an overall sense of well-being.
Schumann resonance generators are just one form of active device counteracting the effects of EMF. There are many active devices available for EMF mitigation, including PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) devices. Many others will be available in coming years. Do your own research and try out different products to see if they suit your needs. An overall strategy for an EMF-resistant lifestyle should not preclude using active measures.
REDUCING YOUR EMF EXPOSURE ONE STEP AT A TIME
I have touched on seven ways to mitigate EMF exposure. There is no single best way to mitigate EMF for all people. However, using a combination of increased distance, reduced time, wired connectivity, shielding, nutrition & supplements, and active measures can go a long way towards mitigating the effects of the EMF to which we are all exposed. At the least, these seven methods can help you lessen adverse effects, feel better, and support a healthy life. At best, they can be part of a long term strategy for maintaining good health by reducing EMF exposure and helping mitigate the very real adverse effects of EMF exposure.
RESOURCES
Blog Articles
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS (EMF) AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
HYDROGEN SUPPLEMENTS – ACTIVE H2 ULTRA AND MEGAHYDRATE
HYDROGEN SUPPLEMENTS – MAKE HYDROGEN DRINKS
RESTORE GUT HEALTH FORMULA + VIDEO
THE TRUTH ABOUT ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
Products
Antioxidant & Vitamin C formulas
Ultimate Protector+ Antioxidant & Nrf2 Activator formula
Immune Assist™ Critical Care Formula
EMF Mitigation Tools
Greenwave dirty electricity filters & EMI meters
(reduce electromagnetic interference on AC home wiring)
Scientific Articles, Books, and Video
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>www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/10/001016073704.htm>
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Fred Liers, PhD
Hank Liers, PhD
Hank Liers, PhD and Fred Liers, PhD