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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 11:18:06
Hey there I know there was some discussion a while back and you had concerns. I get this newsletter fom 'Patrick Holford' a kinda health guru here in the UK. I would think he was a complete quack, except he bases everything on real published data, so he's not really. The only problems I have is that everything he writes links to his products, so that he might be talking about vitamin C and it just so happens to link to *his* range of vitamins...but I mean, his supplements are good. I guess he has to make a living somehow!
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HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
One of the big unseen health hazards of the 21st century is electromagnetic radiation. I wrote an extensive report on this back in 2004 but since then, I've been learning some practical steps you can take to protect yourself.
Before explaining these to you, I'd like to give you some of the background so you don't think this is just another unfounded health scare. Exposure to electromagnetic fields, or EMFs for short, is something none of us can avoid, but all of us can limit. Overexposure is now undeniably linked to increased risk of childood leukaemia, brain tumours and breast cancer, possibly because breast tissue absorbs radiation very easily. So too do the testes, and there is an association between male infertility, low sperm count and frequent use of mobile phones, especially if carried on the trouser belt. We also know from animal studies that EMF exposure can kill off brain cells and damage DNA, hence it is likely that overexposure can contribute to worsening memory, concentration and possibly behaviour and mood changes. Children are particularly susceptible to mobile phone EMFs because their skulls are thinner.
Your potential for over-exposure to EMFs is most likely to come from your mobile phone, cordless phone base station, wireless network system (if you have one), or exposure to powerlines or mobile phone masts, if you happen to live or work close to one. Mobile phones and masts deliver a higher 'microwave' frequency than TV and radio, which operate at lower 'radio' frequencies. It's overexposure to these microwave frequencies that are particularly concerning.
Reading this you might think, if these really are dangers why aren't the authorities doing something about it? The strange thing is that they absolutely are in some countries, but not in the UK. Let me give you an example. In Switzerland and Luxembourg, the guideline for limiting exposure is 95 watts per square meter (W/m2). In Russia, China and Italy, it's 100. In the UK, it's 900! Your mobile phone could actually operate at 0.002 if legislation required it.
At this point in time, however, there is no legislation to protect you from potential over-exposure to EMFs. This may be partly because the science is unclear - we don't yet really understand the mechanism for causing the associated symptoms, and there's a lot more research that needs to be done. In a similar way to the time it took for the long-term dangers of smoking to emerge, we don't yet know what the long-term effects of exposure to EMFs will be. We are only really looking at 8-10 years of widespread exposure to microwave EMFs from mobile phones. Most cancers take 10 years or more to develop. A clearer picture will undoubtedly emerge over time.
What's surprising is that there's very little research being done to find out more, possibly because the incentive to do this might be hampered by the billions of dollars earned from this industry, not least the government's licensing fees for transmitting on frequencies and installing masts. However, the existing evidence certainly suggests a level of risk many times higher than passive smoking. If you avoid places full of smoke you might do well to avoid your over-exposure to EMFs. So, the question is how?
Are you practising safe mobile phone use?
Your mobile phone transmits at maximum power when you turn it on and off, when you dial out, when it is ringing, and when it connects or disconnects. So, holding it away from your body when you turn it on or off, or dial out, reduces your exposure. Don't put it to your ear until you see that the person has answered.Keeping it away from your body by using a hands-free kit can make a big difference, especially the sort with air tubes. But there's not much point using a hands-free kit and having your phone in your pocket.
When your phone is on but not in use, keep it away from you - perhaps in your bag if you're moving around, or not right under your nose at work. Ideally, turn it off. I pay £7 a month for a phone service that re-routes my calls automatically to a sequence of numbers so, when I arrive at home or at my office, I turn off my mobile phone.
Your phone will transmit a much stronger signal if the reception is weak - in other words if you are a long way away from a mobile tower. Hence, you are better making calls when the reception signal on your phone is at its maximum.
In any event, it's best to keep calls on your mobile phone short and have long conversations from your regular landline phone. Texting also exposes you to far fewer EMFs, especially if you hold the phone away from you when you send or receive a text.
Beware of Cordless Phones and Wireless Internet
The next biggest source of exposure are newer cordless digital phones that use DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephone) technology. The problem with these is that the base station transmits EMFs 24 hours a day, regardless of whether you are using the phone or not. The handsets also transit when in use. At the very least, make sure the base station is not by your bed, or next to where you sit during the day.If you simply can't live without a cordless phone, the older analogue ones will expose you to far fewer EMFs. I no longer have cordless phones in my house.
Computer wireless local area network (wLAN) broadband systems that allow anyone in the house to access broadband are becoming increasingly popular. The trouble is these mean that the entire household is filled with microwave radiation even when the computers are not in use. It is much better to have a direct broadband link to your computer and, if you wish to use your computer in other rooms, get an ADSL router and run network cables. This is not expensive
Give your house and workplace an EMF check
If you are close to a major power cable, or might possibly have underground cables running under your house, you can easily check whether these are generating significant amount of EMFs. More insidious are mobile phone towers. Some of these are hidden in what look like lampposts. Others are hidden in signs, for example at petrol stations. Wherever mobile phone use is high, there are likely to be more mobile towers. Due to the heavy use in secondary schools, mobile towers are often erected on or near the school grounds. I think this is a very bad idea. In Russia there is a 2000 metre safety zone around mobile towers. In New Zealand it's 500 metres. In the UK, it's only 20 metres.
Other possible sources of hidden EMFs are transformers or junction boxes, for example, in an apartment block or office. If your bedroom or office is right next to one of these again, this can be a source of exposure.Not only will it affect your health it is also likely to affect your house price as people become more aware of these issues. Personally, I wouldn't buy a house without checking this out with a simple EMF meter. The one I like is called the ElectroSmog Detector (click here for more details).It's terribly simple - and revealing. You just turn it on and it turns the unseen electromagnetic radiation into a sound that increases in intensity the stronger the signal. It made me and my family much more aware of EMF emissions. At the time we had a microwave oven and you had to be about 10 feet away to avoid the radiation. A wall in between made no difference. Since then, the microwave oven has gone.
All these steps are especially important if you are experiencing unexplained tiredness, concentration or memory problems, or are pregnant or have children. Some people are especially sensitive to electromagnetic radiation and, for them, even these steps are not enough.
If you'd like to find out more about how to protect yourself from electromagnetic radiation the best, and most practical book that I've read on the subject is The Powerwatch Handbook by Alasdair and Jean Phillips. Click here to order.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 11:19:15
In reply to Electromagnetic raditation (Link, for you!), posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 11:18:06
Posted by Declan on November 15, 2006, at 14:47:31
In reply to Electromagnetic raditation (Link, for you!), posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 11:18:06
One of our doctors here sleeps in an EMR blanket thingo that keeps the rays out.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 15:36:44
In reply to Re: Electromagnetic raditation (Link, for you!) » Meri-Tuuli, posted by Declan on November 15, 2006, at 14:47:31
> One of our doctors here sleeps in an EMR blanket thingo that keeps the rays out.
Sounds like something from a sketchy 50s sci-fi show.....!
Oh well.
How are you Mister Declan?? I wish I were in the S Hemisphere!
Posted by linkadge on November 15, 2006, at 19:36:42
In reply to Re: Electromagnetic raditation (Link, for you!), posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 15:36:44
Its a source of neverending paranoia with me. Its the only think that I feel I have no control over. A good portion of me believes that such fields can and do impact human psysiological function. This is something that I think the "authorities" try to downplay for our general piece of mind, but OTOH, there are a kazillion different abstracts discussing the potential influcene that these waves may have on the brain.
Think of it this way, we use rTMS which is an electromagnet to alter brain function in depression, and mood disorders, so if the canadian government can approve this device how can they denouce that EMF impact the human body.
What I fear most, is that while there may be significant research to suggest that such fields are harmful, we would never abolish of them because of their convienience.
It is a heated debate. For instance, a Canadian university has refused to use WI-FI in the school based on the notion that it could negativly affect the health of its students.
This society is do first, ask questions later, but that is the wrong approach.
Stay away from the hotspots, thats all I can say.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on November 15, 2006, at 19:39:08
In reply to Re: Electromagnetic raditation (Link, for you!), posted by linkadge on November 15, 2006, at 19:36:42
People who don't know what they're talking about always use the arguement that EMF is below a certain signal strength is reqired to "cook" a brain cell. This does not even begin to take into acount the way that such fields may alter, influence, or otherwise peturb normal cellular function. You don't need to cook a brain cell in order to create havoc.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on November 15, 2006, at 19:53:21
In reply to Re: Electromagnetic raditation (Link, for you!), posted by linkadge on November 15, 2006, at 19:39:08
Although, one thing that makes me consider the passage you gave me is the following.
He says that "children are more susceptable to EMF because their skulls are thinner". I would think that this is B.S. EMF can pass through walls, contrete, wood, brick, etc, and travel long distances, why would an extra centimetre of skull make any difference to the level of exposure??
Linkadge
This is the end of the thread.
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