Electromagnetic Fields - Building Biology
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Electromagnetic Fields

Electromagnetic Fields

Electromagnetic fields emitted from cell phones and wireless devices were classified as a possible human carcinogen by the World Health Organisation in May 2011.

Electromagnetic Fields Part 1

Electromagnetic Fields Part 2

I love my technology and rely on my cell phone to run my business, however I am also conscious of the fact that there are hundreds of schools across Europe removing Wi-Fi, and countries like Germany actively encouraging its citizens to use hard wired connections instead.  So can we live in a modern society without suffering from the adverse health effects of the radiation?YES, I believe we can, once we are aware of how electromagnetic fields work.

Sources of EMFs in your Home

The EMFs of greatest concern are those used in wireless technologies and telecommunications (cordless phone, cell phone), because these radiofrequencies were classified by the World Health Organisation on the 31st May 2011 as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’.

Health concerns

Occasional exposure to high electromagnetic fields is not likely to pose a health risk to most people; however exposure to high electric and/or magnetic fields over a long period of time (such as when sleeping) are when problems are likely to arise. Diseases associated with electromagnetic field exposure that consistently appear in the scientific literature include childhood leukaemia, brain tumours, some forms of breast cancer, macular degeneration, infertility and miscarriages, neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Motor Neuron disease and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. I have discussed this in detail in my book Healthy Home Healthy Family.

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

EHS is characterised by a range of non-specific symptoms which vary widely amongst sufferers. In 2012, the Austrian Medical Association, and 2016, the European Academy for Environmental Medicine published guidelines for doctors and health practitioners on how to diagnose and treat EHS. Pressure is mounting on the World Health Organisation to recognise EHS as a medical condition. 

Sufferers are likely to experience several of the following symptoms:

  • general: insomnia, fatigue, nausea and headaches (often described as vice like or gripping)
  • skin: burning, prickling and biting sensation on the skin like ‘electric shocks’. This intensifies the closer they get to an appliance or the walls (building wiring)
  • nerve: restlessness, irritability, poor short term memory, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, dyslexia, forgetfulness and learning difficulties
  • heart: palpitations, chest pain, increased heart rate and blood pressure changes
  • musculoskeletal: body aches and joint pains, jaw and teeth pain, numbness or tingling sensations, muscle tremors
  • hearing: ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, impaired balance
  • immune: impending flu like symptoms that dont eventuate
  • eye: impaired vision

Testing Your Home

Electromagnetic field testing is a complicated procedure that requires a good understanding of electrical principles, the ability to identify and quantify using technical equipment the various fields that impact the built environment, an understanding of how the building materials in a home may affect exposure to radiofrequencies, as well as a good understanding of shielding solutions.  Avoid consultants with no formal nationally accredited qualification, and those who sell shielding materials. For an accredited Building Biologist, click here.

Simple Tips to Reduce Your Exposure

As more consumers become concerned about the impact of wireless technologies on human health, a growing number of ‘pop up’ business’ appear to sell devices that claim to stop your exposure to electromagnetic fields. If it’s too good to be true, than it probably is! Most of the products available from plug-ins like geocleanse and blushield, to energy discs, salt lamps and crystals do not make any difference to AC electric, AC magnetic or radiofrequency fields when tested. When you talk to the manufacturers of these devices, they admit it does nothing to any field(!), however it works by ‘enhancing your body’s ability to deal with EMFs’ which of course cannot be tested or validated. This provides consumers with a false sense of security, continues to expose them to harmful EMFs, which means you have just donated your hard earned money to another unethical company. Believe me, over the past two decades, I have seen it all! However there’s alot you can do, to reduce your exposure, most of which is knowledge and the occasional shielding material. For simple steps on how to reduce your exposure to EMFs, click HERE.

Want to learn more?