You’re eating multiple servings of veggies per day, drinking your water, meditating, exercising, and practicing gratitude.  Awesome!  You’ve got many of the bases covered, and before technological connectedness threw our bodies for a loop, you would have nothing else to worry about, health-wise.

But today, we’re surrounded by devices … cell phones, computers, cell towers, WiFi signals, Bluetooth, smart monitors, and more.  And these devices all emit something called electromagnetic radiation. All electric and magnetic fields together are called electromagnetic fields, or EMFs, which the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences define as “invisible areas of energy, often referred to as radiation, that are associated with the use of electrical power.”  If you’re like me, you didn’t worry about these at all until recently, but the more and more I learn, the more and more I’m excited to spread this message.  So, are EMFs dangerous?  How can we mitigate exposure from electromagnetic radiation?  Read on for everything you need to know!

Are EMFs dangerous?

The ones we’re talking about, almost surely yes.  There are non-harmful EMFs in sunlight and near-infrared sauna lights, but most other EMFs cause excessive free radicals and oxidative stress when you are exposed to them (which is constantly).  Our bodies are great at cleaning up free radicals when they occur in small quantities, but today, we’re getting them in droves… from technology, from processed food, from stress, and more.  The abundance of free radicals causes a lot of cellular damage, which accelerates aging, decreases energy, and may lead to chronic disease over time.

I’m the first to admit that the science here is new (because the abundance of technology is relatively new).  There have been big studies like this one by the NIH that show that high levels of EMFs were associated with heart, brain, and adrenal tumors in rats, but most large, government-funded health organizations still claim no link between health conditions and EMF exposure.  I’m not trying to be a pessimist here, but do you know how long the government took to officially decry cigarettes as unhealthy?  And how we’re still, 60 years later, dealing with the repercussions of this delay?  (If not, this article shares a view of the story).

One set of data that is incredibly interesting to me is how the increase of several chronic diseases coorrlelates with the increase in cell phone usage.  Since 1990, around the time that cell phones became publicly available, autism has increased by 2,094%, chronic fatigue syndrome by 11,027%, fibromyalgia by 7,727%, ADHD by 819%, and hypothyroidism by 702% (here’s the study).  Of course, there are other factors at play here (everything from increased diagnosis to decline in the quality of our food supply), but it’s a great indication that something about our modern lifestyle is not helping us with our chronic disease risk.

How do I limit my EMF exposure?

So, if you’re convinced, like me, that limiting EMF exposure is a helpful idea, but you’re not quite willing to go live in a cave in the middle of Wyoming, here are a few steps you can take to limit your EMF exposure:

1. Use wired internet instead of WiFi whenever possible. Plugging in to your router limits EMFs significantly.
2. If you still use WiFi (I do, too), turn it off at night. A simple timer like this can help you do this automatically (and might help you get to bed at your desired time, too, if your connectivity shuts off!)
   
3. Consider any wireless or “smart” devices in your home (everything from wireless mouses to Alexa to baby monitors), and assess what is truly necessary, and what can be replaced by wired options.
4. Use wired headphones or use speakerphone and hold the phone as far away from you as possible, to limit direct exposure to your brain.
5. Buy a device protector to stick on your devices that automatically limits electromagnetic radiation.

What EMF protector do you recommend?

The kind folks at Aires Tech sent me their Aires Shield Pro, which is a button smaller than a penny that adheres directly to your phone and reduces the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation from your cell phone.  It is unnoticeable (it’s stuck on the back of my phone and under the case, so I literally don’t even see it), but the impact is proven and noticeable (see the “Technology page” on the Aires Tech website for visuals of brains and how the Aires Shield Pro limits asymmetry resulting from a phone conversation!  So interesting!).

I also received an Aires Defender Pro, which is meant to be placed in your pocket or wallet and kept on your physical body for protection against cell towers and other communication devices.  To be honest, I don’t carry a wallet and often don’t have pockets, so this one is less useful for me directly, but I carry it every time I remember.

Aires Tech has a third option, the Aires Guardian, which I did not receive but am strongly considering buying.  This card offers 500 square feet of protection, and placing it on my desk at home seems like a prudent move, since I’m constantly bombarded by WiFi and other EMF sources.

There is a 10% sale on all Aires Tech products going on through June 19^th, 2020 only, so I highly recommend you purchase now if you are interested!  Using this link will get you the discount.

Just like anything, I hope you don’t use this information to beat yourself up.  We’re all doing everything we can, and this is just one more step on your health journey.  If you’re ready to take it, I think it is a worthy step, and if not, this blog post will be here for you when you’re ready!

Now it’s your turn … Do you do anything to mitigate electromagnetic radiation?  Did you know about EMFs before reading this article?