8 Ways to Reduce EMF Exposure
Have you seen Better Call Saul? If not, it’s a spin off of Breaking Bad following the life of Walter White’s lawyer, Saul Goodman.
There’s a character named Chuck who lives in a house with no electricity, and he makes you leave your cell phone and anything battery-powered or electric in the mailbox before you enter. He’s often depicted wearing a foil overcoat, and he’s got blackout shades and lanterns all over the house.
He does this because he believes he suffers from Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity.
He also does this because he’s totally nuts.
So while we make it our mission to educate and keep you informed of overall wellness deterrents, we never want to make you panic to Chuck’s state, so please consider the following information as a gentle nudge vs. a full-on shove.
What are EMFs?
Closely akin to the electromagnetic waves haunting Chuck’s dreams are EMFs. Le Google describes them as such:
“Electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are invisible areas of energy, often referred to as Radiation, that are associated with the use of electrical power and various forms of natural and man-made lighting.”
How are we exposed to EMFs?
Earbuds
Anything bluetooth
Cell phones
Microwaves
Powerlines
Cell phone towers
Wi-Fi routers
Baby monitors
Why should we be mindful of EMF exposure?
Research shows EMF influences cellular metabolism. When we start messing with our bodies at a cellular level, it’s never good. Several studies now show the detrimental health effects of EMFs due to this influence at the cellular level with one of the most shocking being the connection between the location of cancerous tumors to where an individual routinely carries their cell phone.
Other studies have shown noteworthy links to the following:
Increased brain cancers
Altered brain metabolism
Sleep disturbance
Diminished sperm count and sperm damage
Headaches
Fatigue
Anxiety
Depression
Memory + concentration difficulties
How do we reduce our exposure?
1. Ditch the microwave.
Yes, we just said that. Think about what you’re making in the microwave… could it be made on the stovetop? Probably. If it cannot, then it’s likely made of preservatives and gunk anyway.
Heating food in any way will diminish the nutritional value, but microwaves win the prize for nuking the nutrition. According to Medical Daily, “The water molecules rotate rapidly in the microwave and in the food in high frequencies which creates molecular friction and heats up your food. This causes the molecular structure in your food to change, and as a result diminishes the nutrient content in the food.” This is especially true when it comes to breast milk - please for the love, do not ever, ever heat your liquid gold in the microwave.
2. Designate a docking station.
Find a place in your house you don’t frequent as much, and leave the phones there throughout the day, or at the very least, from 5pm onward. This way you know where it is and can check it if needed, but you don’t have to carry it around in your hand or your pocket.
3. Sleep with your phone in another room or put it on airplane mode.
This is a super easy switch! We also recommend doing the same to a tablet if you have one in your room. Take it a step further and enforce no screen time 2 hours before bedtime. This not only diminishes EMF exposure, but it has also been proven to help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
4. Consider a WI-Fi cage.
These allegedly don’t interfere with signal strength, but they do lessen the radiation.
5. Use speakerphone.
Whenever you can, use the speakerphone so the phone isn’t glued to your head everytime you talk.
6. Skip the earbuds.
We know they look cool, but the bluetooth feature makes the EMF factor significantly higher than regular ol’ wire earphones.
7. Get grounding!
Make this practice part of your morning routine! The Earth carries a negative charge. Grounding, aka Earthing, directly counteracts the effects of EMFs.
8. Up your magnesium.
Studies show magnesium’s calcium channel blocking properties protect our cells from damage from EMFs. We’ve got high-quality magnesium supplements in store, or you can create and account and shop here.
Doing all the other daily detox supporters like eating well, exercising, prioritizing sleep and keeping stress in check all help your body fend off the effects of EMFs. At the end of the day, we do the best we can to avoid unnecessary exposure while not falling off the deep end like ol’ Chuck.
For more on EMFs and great products to help you reduce your exposure to them, check out our friends at Tech Wellness.