Friday, April 15, 2016
Sperm DNA damage—the effect of stress and everyday life factors
Sperm DNA damage—the effect of stress and everyday life factors
M Radwan, J Jurewicz, D Merecz-Kot, W Sobala, P Radwan, M Bochenek, W Hanke. Sperm DNA damage—the effect of stress and everyday life factors. International Journal of Impotence Research. Advance online publication 14 April 2016; doi: 10.1038/ijir.2016.15.
Abstract
The clinical significance of sperm DNA damage lies in its association with natural conception rates and also might have a serious consequence on developmental outcome of the newborn.
The aim of the present study is to determine whether stress and everyday life factors are associated with sperm DNA damage in adult men. The study population consisted of 286 men who attended the infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had normal semen concentration of 20–300 m ml−1 or with slight oligozoospermia (semen concentration of 15–20 m ml−1) (WHO, 1999). Participants were interviewed and provided a semen sample. The sperm chromatin structure assay was assessed using flow cytometry.
In the present study, we found evidence for a relationship between sperm DNA damage parameters and everyday life factors. High and medium level of occupational stress and age increase DNA fragmentation index (P=0.03, P=0.004 and P=0.03, respectively). Other lifestyle factors that were positively associated with percentage of immature sperms (high DNA stainability index) included: obesity and cell phone use for more than 10 years (P=0.02 and P=0.04, respectively).
Our findings indicate that stress and lifestyle factor may affect sperm DNA damage. Data from the present study showed a significant effect of age, obesity, mobile phone radiation and occupational stress on sperm DNA damage. As DNA fragmentation represents an extremely important parameter indicative of infertility and potential outcome of assisted reproduction treatment, and most of the lifestyle factors are easily modifiable, the information about factors that may affect DNA damage are important.
http://bit.ly/1W0igXiExcerpts
... male sperm DNA damage measures: the percentages of DNA fragmentation index (DFI), medium DNA fragmentation index (M DFI), high DNA fragmentation index (H DFI) and high DNA stainability index (HDS—percentage of immature sperms).
Cell phone use was based on the years of usage of this equipment (0–5 years, 6–10 years, 11–25 years).
52.1% of study population used cell phone from 6 to 10 years.
Age category >40 years increased the H DFI (P=0.03). Obesity (BMI 30–40 kg m−2) and using cell phone more than 10 years was positively related to HDS (P=0.02 and P=0.04, respectively) (Table 2). Other examined lifestyle factors: smoking, alcohol consumption, coffee drinking were not related with any of the examined parameters of sperm DNA damage and high DNA stainability. The result were adjusted for potential confounders.
In our study, using a cell phone for more than 10 years increases HDS. A recent study showed that DNA fragmentation was the only parameter altered in mobile phone users, in a group of high usage (>4 h daily) that stored their phone in the trouser pocket.36 In addition, in the study performed in Poland using cell phone more than 10 years was negatively associated with the percentage of motile sperm cell.17
Although few studies have explored the association between exposure to stress and life factors, and male reproductive function, none have carefully assessed the percentage of medium DFI and the percentage of immature sperms. A detailed questionnaire information on demographics, medical, lifestyle risk factors performed among study participants allowed for control of confounding in the statistical models. The relative homogeneity of study participants (educated, white) helped reduce the chance that our findings resulted from unmeasured health, behavioral or exposure factors. This homogenicity increases the internal validity of our study, but limits the generalization of study findings to more diverse population. Additional strength arise from the fact that smoking status was verified using the level of cotinine in saliva.
In conclusion, our findings indicate that stress and lifestyle factor may affect sperm DNA damage. Data from the present study showed a significant effect of age, obesity, mobile phone radiation and occupational stress on sperm DNA damage. As DNA fragmentation represents an extremely important parameter indicative of infertility and potential outcome of assisted reproduction treatment and most of the lifestyle factors are easily modifiable, information about factors that may affect DNA damage are important.
Adams JA, Galloway TS, Mondal D, Esteves SC, Mathews F. Effect of mobile telephones on sperm quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Environment International. 70:106-112. September 2014. http://bit.ly/
For references regarding effects of exposure to cell phone radiation on male fertility see http://bit.ly/saferemrsperm
and on female fertility see http://bit.ly/femalefertility.
--
Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D., Director
Center for Family and Community Health
School of Public Health
University of California, Berkeley
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety
Website: http://www.saferemr.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
News Releases: http://pressroom.prlog.org/
Twitter: @berkeleyprc
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Stories From Parents About Their Children
Stories From Parents About Their Children
"Headaches, insomnia, memory and concentration problems, anxiety, allergies, rashes are commonly reported.
Read these stories from parents. (Keep scrolling down for more)
Effect the Cell Towers Have Had on My Son
From A California Mother in the USA received July 2015
My son developed anxiety, OCD, insomnia, irrational fears, various neurological problems, personality changes immediately after the upgrade of an AT&T cell tower next to his school to 4G LTE technology, which was completed in June 2013. I didn’t even know there were cell towers next to his school until March 2015 because these cell towers were camouflaged as ball field light poles. (One was 300 ft away from the school, the other was 600 ft away)
His symptoms suddenly began when he started 4th grade in August 2013. He suddenly became fearful of fire drills, and they gave him anxiety attacks to the point where he had to be called out of class and into the principal’s office prior to the drills. He developed severe anxiety and a low threshold for stress. He couldn’t concentrate on his homework. He would stare at the instructions and not understand what he was supposed to do – I had to explain instructions to him and I had to help him. He could only work on homework for 20 minutes at a time before he became extremely frustrated and stressed. He became extremely forgetful, often forgetting his books and other materials needed for homework. He suddenly developed OCD and became paranoid about germs. He developed insomnia and could only sleep for 7-8 hours a night, whereas before he used to sleep at least 10. He cried daily over trivial matters, daily life became overwhelming for him, he often asked why he became sick suddenly and why he felt so stressed all the time, and he even began to say life would be better in Heaven because then he would no longer feel so stressed and sick. I was devastated to hear my son say these things.
He suddenly had behavioral problems, which his teachers never said he had before the 4th grade. When I had him undergo a psychological evaluation, it determined he had OCD, Anxiety, and ADD – he did not have any of these problems prior to the cell tower upgrade, except possibly for mild ADD that did not present as a problem. He also suddenly developed constipation, where he used to be regular. He developed unexplained rashes on the backs of his hands. His allergies went from mild to severe. His personality changed. He changed from being a sweet and thoughtful child to being angry and stressed most of the time who had a hard time functioning in school. Simple tasks took him twice as long to do – getting ready in the morning took him 1.5 hrs where it used to take him 45 min. He became a different person and I was terrified I was losing him to some mysterious illness. Fourth grade was a terrible year for him and for us as a family – it took a tremendous amount of effort just to get through each day one day at a time.
His pediatrician ran extensive tests on him and could not find anything wrong physiologically and ruled out any diseases. We began all kinds of treatments to try to get him back to normal, including neurofeedback, acupuncture, nutritional supplements, herbal medicine. He began to see many new medical practitioners that he didn’t have before, including pediatric GI specialists, psychologists, psychiatrists, acupuncturists, allergists, and a neurofeedback specialist. He had at least 2 medical appointments a week! In March 2014, after 6 months of hard work and thousands of dollars spent on these various therapies, he began to return to normal and he was able to function normally again. It was also during this time that we instituted a 504 (special ed) for him for the first time. No one knew what was wrong, and I didn’t make the connection that it was due to the cell towers next to the school until I discovered them in March 2015.
By June 2014 (after 10 months of therapy) he was almost back to himself, and he was functioning normally throughout the 5th grade until April 2015. His OCD was gone, his anxiety levels were down to a manageable level, and his ADD was mild and manageable. He became a happy, normal child again, and I was grateful to have him back to himself, even though he still needed to continue with his various therapies to keep his symptoms under control.
Then in March 2015 I saw workers working on the ball field light poles – the covers were off, and I saw cell antennas - that’s when I discovered there were cell towers next to the school. I asked them what they were doing, and they said they were upgrading the T-Mobile tower to 4G LTE. I was shocked there was a cell tower so close to school (300ft). So I went to City Hall to investigate, and that’s when I discovered the presence of a second cell tower (AT&T) next to the school at 600 ft, and that it had been upgraded to LTE in June 2013! That’s when I realized what triggered my son’s sudden anxiety and severe allergy problems in August 2013.
So I bought an RF meter to measure the RF power densities around the school, and I found that they were at a maximum of 0.3uW/cm2 outside. So I researched to see what kinds of symptoms could be expected at these levels. That’s when I found the 2012 Bioinitiative Report. At the RF levels measured, it was high enough to increase the risk of leukemia by a factor of 2, increase headaches, insomnia, memory and concentration problems, stress hormones and anxiety, behavioral issues, and rashes according to the 2012 Bioinitiative Report. When I saw that the symptoms my son had matched what was in the 2012 Bioinitiative Report for the RF power densities measured at his school, that was further confirmation of what triggered my son’s anxiety and severe allergy problems. That’s when I started taking action.
Within a few days that the second cell tower (T-Mobile) was upgraded to 4G LTE in April 2015, he began showing the same signs again – extreme allergies to he point that he’s developed asthma now (1st time), OCD reappearing, anxiety escalating. His younger brother who is 6 years old has started to show some similar symptoms that he had not before. His younger brother has been having GI problems, allergies (never had allergies before), and changes in mood (emotions). As a parent, having seen him go through these changes twice immediately after the cell tower upgrades, I have to do something. This could not have been a coincidence. These are just the effects I am seeing on the outside. What is going on inside of him? This must be affecting other kids too. That’s when I started working on setting safer cell tower setbacks from schools – 1500ft, which is the usual recommended standard based on scientific studies.
That’s my story. Like most people, I had no idea that cell towers could have such a profound effect on one’s health and well-being. I have a B.S. degree in Chemical and Bio Engineering, and it was hard for me to accept initially that RF radiation could have been the cause of my son’s illness. However after doing much research on the subject (including Andrew Goldsworthy’s papers) and experiencing what I did firsthand, it was the only rational conclusion.
I hope you will share your stories too if you or a family member has been affected by cell tower radiation. By publicizing our stories we will bring awareness to this issue and force our government (FCC) to change its outdated regulations on safe levels of RF exposure from 1996.
Read more at
http://www.parentsforsafetechnology.org/our-stories-and-our-children.html
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Hawaiian Electric’s smart grid bad idea
Hawaiian Electric’s smart grid bad idea
Updated:
April 8, 2016 - 5:58pm
Hawaiian Electric wants to install a smart grid in Hawaii. Their reasons might sound appealing at first glance, but when you do the research you will find it’s a really stupid idea.
Smart grids and smart meters only benefit utility companies, at the expense of their customers.
Does a company that sells electricity really want you to use less? No, they want you to pay extra for the privilege of using electricity when you need to use it. This is what is called time of use (TOU) pricing which only works with a smart meter, a 45 percent price increase from 4 p.m. to midnight when you need it most. The term “give customers more control over their electric usage” simply means forcing you to alter your behavior by shifting how and when you use electricity. In other words, to save electricity, do your laundry in the middle of the night when rates are cheaper or maybe sit in the dark. Play by the utilities rules or pay more!
Smart meters are much more accurate than analog meters so you will pay more.
Smart meters are data recorders, too, profiling and recording your household activities 24/7. Data that can be sold to third parties or shared with police or government without your consent.
Smart meters emit dangerous pulsed microwave radiation 24/7. This is an involuntary exposure that cannot be turned off. Utilities claim smart meters are safe because they comply with FCC regulations. Unfortunately, the FCC regulations do not protect you from the biological effects (cellular damage) due to the pulsed microwave radiation from a smart meter.
Smart meters operating in a smart grid mesh network have never been tested for safety. Smart meters have also caused electrical fires in many states across America. Just say no to smart meters!
Ron Becker
Hawi
Pidgin’ column inflammatory
I have been reading Wally Camp’s column, “Pidgin’ on da Loose,” since its start. I have enjoyed its content until today, April 6. Wally’s translation of the word pake might be correct in many instances, however, his definition in relationship to certain ethnicities and religions was flat out racist.
Do you want your children brought up to understand that being frugal is directly related to one’s ethnic background or religion? I certainly hope not. If you grew up on the mainland, as I did, you hear these kinds of comments and they were directly related to the ignorance of the people saying them.
Adults should never pretend that these kinds of definitions are OK to teach our children. West Hawaii Today should have never published this kind of trash.
Rob Nathan
Waikoloa
AT&T Wants to Decommission Landlines in California
AT&T Wants to Decommission Landlines in California
Photo by Alan Levine / FlickrCC
BY SAMANTHA YOUNG | APRIL 07, 2016
Seeking to capitalize upon Californians' growing use of Internet-based phone service, telephone giant AT&T is asking state lawmakers to allow it to decommission its costly landlines.
The telco says wireless and Internet-based voice services are giving Californians enhanced phone services at a better price than traditional copper wire landlines, and it’s time for the state to move into the 21st century.
But consumer advocates argue legislation before the Assembly would force many seniors and rural Californians to give up the reliable landlines they want to keep.
The dispute illustrates the challenges of how to regulate a changing telecom industry under federal and state laws and regulations written for what many consider to be an outdated and inefficient network of copper landlines.
“It’s a decision that the state needs to make about the future of infrastructure in California,” said Mike Montgomery, executive director of CALinnovates. “Whether we’re talking about roads, bridges, tunnels, schools or copper telephone networks, we really need to figure out how to take this step toward the 21st century.”
But consumer advocates argue legislation before the Assembly would force many seniors and rural Californians to give up the reliable landlines they want to keep.
The dispute illustrates the challenges of how to regulate a changing telecom industry under federal and state laws and regulations written for what many consider to be an outdated and inefficient network of copper landlines.
“It’s a decision that the state needs to make about the future of infrastructure in California,” said Mike Montgomery, executive director of CALinnovates. “Whether we’re talking about roads, bridges, tunnels, schools or copper telephone networks, we really need to figure out how to take this step toward the 21st century.”
According to AT&T, 85 percent of households in California no longer have a conventional landline phone from a traditional provider. But AT&T is required by state law to maintain and operate its 600 central switching offices across California as if the lines were being used at 100 percent capacity.
However, some of those offices are running at just 2 percent, wasting massive amounts of energy and water to cool equipment and human resources to run them, said Ken McNeely, president of AT&T California.
That is money that could be spent on the more efficient, virtual and software-controlled Internet services that the majority of Californians use, he added.
“Every dollar a company spends on old technology is a dollar it can’t spend on new technology,” McNeely toldTechWire in an interview. “Consumers want new technologies.”
McNeely declined to provide a dollar amount for how much AT&T spends on its landlines, citing proprietary confidentiality. Instead, AT&T is hoping to persuade lawmakers of the environmental benefits that could come from retiring its landlines. The company estimates the greenhouse gases emitted to run its landlines are equivalent to the emissions from 19,000 vehicles driven for a year. And some 3 billion gallons of water is used by the company each year.
Under AB 2395 by Assemblyman Evan Low, D-Campbell, telephone companies would have three years to educate the public about alternative phone services. Starting in 2020, a phone company could discontinue landline service so long as an alternative service is available in the area.
“If you don’t have an advanced service available to you, you will continue to have your landline without interruption,” McNeely said.
Low, who is co-chair of the California Legislative Technology and Innovation Caucus, described his bill as “critical to ensuring that California maintains its role as a global innovator.”
“This bill will allow us to update and modernize our IT infrastructure and ultimately provide, faster, cheaper, more reliable and more environmentally friendly service to millions of Californians,” he said in a statement to TechWire.
Consumer groups aren’t convinced and say AT&T wants to abandon its legal obligation to maintain landlines at the expense of small businesses, rural customers and public safety. For example, many businesses rely on landlines for alarm monitoring and to run credit card transactions.
“There are over 10 million copper landlines in California. That’s a lot of people who have chosen to use that,” said Mark Toney, executive director of the Utility Reform Network. “It is not right to tell them they can’t have it anymore.”
Smaller telephone companies say the transition from legacy phone systems to new digital services should be left to the FCC, which has an active and open proceeding to address these issues.
The California bill is vague, confusing and could force smaller companies that rely on landlines out of the market, said Sarah DeYoung, executive director of the California Association of Competitive Telecommunications Companies.
“If this bill passed, we’d have one set of criteria for the state and one set for the FCC. It just doesn’t make sense,” DeYoung said. “AT&T doesn’t like what the FCC is doing. So it’s an end run.”
The bill is scheduled for an April 13 hearing before the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee.
That is money that could be spent on the more efficient, virtual and software-controlled Internet services that the majority of Californians use, he added.
“Every dollar a company spends on old technology is a dollar it can’t spend on new technology,” McNeely toldTechWire in an interview. “Consumers want new technologies.”
McNeely declined to provide a dollar amount for how much AT&T spends on its landlines, citing proprietary confidentiality. Instead, AT&T is hoping to persuade lawmakers of the environmental benefits that could come from retiring its landlines. The company estimates the greenhouse gases emitted to run its landlines are equivalent to the emissions from 19,000 vehicles driven for a year. And some 3 billion gallons of water is used by the company each year.
Under AB 2395 by Assemblyman Evan Low, D-Campbell, telephone companies would have three years to educate the public about alternative phone services. Starting in 2020, a phone company could discontinue landline service so long as an alternative service is available in the area.
“If you don’t have an advanced service available to you, you will continue to have your landline without interruption,” McNeely said.
Low, who is co-chair of the California Legislative Technology and Innovation Caucus, described his bill as “critical to ensuring that California maintains its role as a global innovator.”
“This bill will allow us to update and modernize our IT infrastructure and ultimately provide, faster, cheaper, more reliable and more environmentally friendly service to millions of Californians,” he said in a statement to TechWire.
Consumer groups aren’t convinced and say AT&T wants to abandon its legal obligation to maintain landlines at the expense of small businesses, rural customers and public safety. For example, many businesses rely on landlines for alarm monitoring and to run credit card transactions.
“There are over 10 million copper landlines in California. That’s a lot of people who have chosen to use that,” said Mark Toney, executive director of the Utility Reform Network. “It is not right to tell them they can’t have it anymore.”
Smaller telephone companies say the transition from legacy phone systems to new digital services should be left to the FCC, which has an active and open proceeding to address these issues.
The California bill is vague, confusing and could force smaller companies that rely on landlines out of the market, said Sarah DeYoung, executive director of the California Association of Competitive Telecommunications Companies.
“If this bill passed, we’d have one set of criteria for the state and one set for the FCC. It just doesn’t make sense,” DeYoung said. “AT&T doesn’t like what the FCC is doing. So it’s an end run.”
The bill is scheduled for an April 13 hearing before the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee.
Monday, April 11, 2016
How to reduce your everyday exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields
How to reduce your everyday exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields
Simple tips and solutions to easily reduce your daily exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields from cell phone masts, cordless phones, Wi-Fi modem-routers, electrical appliances, cables and power lines, transformers etc.
Mobile phones
- Remove the cell phone from your head during calls using speakerphone or cable hands-free.
- Do not carry the phone in your pocket when you talk, as the genitals are particularly sensitive to wireless radiation.
- Limit your talk time from using it when it is really necessary - better contact by sending SMS.
- Prefer fixed telephone lines, especially when making long calls.
- Prefer to make calls when you have 3G signal as the emitted radiation is much less than when you have 2G signal.
- Avoid using the phone in areas with bad signal, because the phone will be transmitting at full power in order to connect (best signal is usually next to the windows).
- Avoid using your mobile phone inside the car, in trains, boats, buses etc. because the radiation will be recycled internally reflected on metal surfaces, but also, as you move the mobile phone transmits at full power trying to connect to the nearest antenna.
- Using bluetooth headset is not recommended since it is a weak but permanent radiation source (exception: when you talk too much on the cell phone, especially in areas with poor signal, it is preferable to keep your phone and bluetooth headset away and peak up your bluetooth headset when you have a call).
- Divide your talktime holding the cell phone on both sides of the head.
- If you use a smartphone, turn on the downloadable data via Wi-Fi or the mobile network, only when you want to browse the Internet. Most applications, download data whenever then can significantly increasing the radiation emitted by your cell phone.
Cell phone masts
- Mobile phone antennas (base stations) radiate continuously.
- They are usually installed on rooftops in the residential and commercial buildings or on hills (especially next to busy roads)
- There are everywhere - the most densely populated area, the more cell phone masts.
- They affect most the areas that have visual contact with the antennas.
- Cell phone masts are often camouflaged as heaters, billboards, chimneys etc.
If your phone has low signal in your house, it means that your provider does not have an antenna near you or their signal does not reach you. However there may a cell phone mast near you from other providers.
- You can see if you exceed the recommended safety limits due to the cell phone masts in your area (visible or not) by using a High Frequency Radiation Meter.
- Identifying the radiation hotspots will help you move your bed, your sofa and your desk away.
- Electromagnetic shielding materials that reflect more than 99% of wireless radiation offer simple solutions for protection from wireless radiation.
- Since windows are the most vulnerable points of penetration from external wireless radiation, the largest decrease in radiation due to cell phone masts can be achieved by placing adhesive film or curtain shield in the windows of the building (especially those facing the antenna).
- The walls of the building reflect/absorb a portion of the external wireless radiation depending on the thickness and type of structural materials. Shielding the walls and ceilings internally or externally with electromagnetic shielding paint or stainless steel mesh can achieve an even greater reduction of radiation in the areas.
- Practical solution, at least for the sleeping areas, offer the electromagnetic shielding canopies which do not allow the penetration of radiation from most directions, ensuring minimal disturbance of your sleep by current and future wireless radiation sources.
Wireless Internet (WI-FI or WLAN)
The wireless modem-router you use to connect to the Internet constantly radiates, whether you are using it to surf the internet or not.
- Turn off the wireless function of your wireless router modem (usually by pressing a button - or through its online setting - ask the manufacturer if you do not know how) and use a network cable (ethernet) to connect your computer or laptop.
- If you do not want to disable the wireless function of the modem, move it as far away from places where you spend much of your time and shut down the modem when you are nto using it or at least during the evenings.
- Alternatively you can use Power Line adaptors (insert an adapter Powerline into an outlet and connect it to the modem and other adapters in sockets of remote rooms. where you want to have internet connection).
Cordless phones
- The handset of the cordless telephone only radiates when you speak while the base of the cordless phone radiates constantly, even on stand by.
- Replace your cordless telephone with a wired one or at least a wireless phone with zero radiation on stand by mode, the base of which emits radiation only when you make calls.
- If you do not want to replace the cordless phone, place it as far away from places where most of your time (especially the bedroom).
- During calls switch on the speakerphone, and place the headset as far away as possible from your body.
What to do about the wireless devices (cordless phones, routers, etc.) of your neighbors
- Since most houses now have cordless telephones, Wi-Fi modems or other wireless antennas such as baby monitors, cell phone signal repeaters, wireless game consoles, smart TVs etc you are likely to be exposed to high levels of wireless radiation because of your neighbors.
You might not use wireless devices and speak very little on your cell phone and still be exposed to cumulative higher radiation levels than heavy users of cell phones, due to your exposure to radiation from antennas of neighboring apartments.
- You can see how much wireless radiation is coming from neighboring apartments by using a High Frequency Radiation Meter.
- In case of high radiation values because of your neighbors, you can move your bed, desk or sofa away from wireless hotspots.
- Fabrics reflecting wireless radiation can be placed in the living room or your bed when the radiation source is located below.
- With special electromagnetic shielding paint you can paint the walls from which the wireless radiation comes from.
- Practical solution, at least for bedrooms, offer the electromagnetic shielding canopies, which are especially useful in buildings with dozens of wireless phones and Wi-Fi networks.
Electrical devices
- Distance the high usage areas of your house (eg bed, sofa, desk) from:
- high consumption appliances such as kitchen, electric heaters, floor heating, boilers, etc.
- low voltage devices such as chargers, transformers, electric clocks, laptop, printers, lamps 12V etc.
- appliances with electric motors, such as the refrigerator
- electricity meter and electric panel
- photovoltaic system charger, generator, inverter
- boiler and other electromechanical installations
Electrical appliances such as shavers, the hair dryers, blenders, vacuum cleaners etc. usually produce high magnetic fields. However, because their use is usually of short duration, we do not think that they can cause residual biological effects (with the possible exception of people with electrohypersensitivity).
Limit the use of nonlinear load electronic devices which distort the mains signal: fluorescent and enrgy saving lamps, AC adapters, dimmer switches with electronic volume control etc.- Avoid using fluorescent lamps and energy saving lamps in areas where you spend most of your time. Use them only in corridors and outdoors.
- LED bulbs emit lower radiation, though there are concerns for their safety due to their brighter light.
- Safer choices are incandescent lamps (if you can still find them on the market) and many types of halogen lamps (regular voltage - not low voltage).
- Keep electrical appliances as far away from the bed of your bedroom, especially if they are not grounded (their plug does not connect to the earthing pin of the power outlet).
- Avoid using electric blankets or water beds or at least disconnect them from the electrical outlet before going to bed.
- New technology flat screens (LCD) emit lower levels of radiation than the older type (CRT etc.). In any case, avoid sitting in their immediate vicinity.
- Measure the radiation emitted by all your electrical appliances and avoid the radiation hotspots by using a Low Frequency Radiation Meter.
Laptops - tablets
- Using a laptop / tablet is an important source of electromagnetic fields exposure for a large portion of the population.
- Due to their close contact with our body they expose us to elevated low frequency electric and magnetic fields due to their battery, cables and electrical circuits and high frequency fields due to their WLAN or WIFI antennas which connect wirelessly to the internet.
- There is research linking using laptop with DNA damage and degradation of reproductive capacity.
- You can distance the laptop from your body with the help of an external wired keypad.
- By placing the laptop to a laptop stand, the screen is lifted to an ergonomically correct height which helps you avoid future problems in the neck.
- Turn off the wireless function of the laptop / tablet when you are not wirelessly surfing the internet.
- Better use a wired internet connection using an ethernet network cable to connect your laptop to the modem
- Alternatively use powerline adaptors which pass the internet signal through your homes electrical circuits. This technology, however, is not the ideal substitute to networking with ethernet cable because adding a high frequency signal to the electric network of the house is distorting the mains electricity signal (maybe a problem in homes with elevated low frequency electric fields).
- Ethernet cables or powerline adapters can also be used with some tablets by using Ethernet to USB or mini USB adapters.
- Laptops may emit elevated low frequency electric fields depending on their grounded or not plug, network cable connection etc. - only a measurement of electric fields can tell us the safest way to use the laptop.
- Reduction of the electromagnetic fields exposing your genitals when you have your laptop or tablet WiFi antennas enabled is feasible by using electromagnetic shielding materials that reflect more than 99% of wireless radiation: Defenderpad (www.defenderpad.com), Belly Armour (www.bellyarmor.com), Naturell fabric etc.
Electrical cables
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The electrical cables that are build in your walls produce low frequency electric fields 24 hours a day low freqeuncy magnetic fields when there is current flow (when you turn on the lights, operate electrical appliances, etc.).- The exact location of the cables is usually not obvious but can be detecting by using a low frequency field meter.
- Missing earth connection or faults in cable insulation often give high measurements of low frequency electric fields.
- High magnetic fields are often created due to incorrect electrical connections (eg connecting the neutral conductors from different circuits) which are also a risk to fire or electric shock.
- High values of radiation due to your home's wiring, can be detected easily using a Low Frequency Radiation Meter.
Power lines, transformers, substations etc
High voltage transmission lines (100-500 kVolt) go through many populated areas and are connected to the more dense medium and low voltage power distribution lines (110/230/400 Volt - 50 kVolt)- To reduce the voltage from high to medium voltage lines and medium to low voltage lines we use voltage transformers (substations)
- The electric fields emitted by cables and substations usually affect only outdoors areas since they are blocked by most building materials. In underground distribution lines, electric fields are always grounded.
- However, magnetic fields emitted by cables penetrate almost all building materials. According to statistics the most common causes of elevated magnetic fields are low voltage power lines which are everywhere and not the high voltage lines!
- The values of the magnetic fields that power lines emit are not easy to predict since they depend on many factors such as power consumption, the provision of electricity conductors, the connections of the local distribution network etc.
- The flickering TV or computer screen is a possible indication of the presence of very high values of magnetic fields.
- You can find out whether your house is exposed to high electric or magnetic fields by using a Low Frequency Radiation Meter.
Shielding solutions for wireless radiation
Electromagnetic shielding solutions minimize the penetration of artificial high frequency radiation and is recommended especially for bedrooms, because electromagnetic interference is considered more aggravating during the critical hours of sleep.
Shielding solutions also protect against any future presence of new radiation sources (eg new cell towers, new neighbors wireless devices, new radio stations and amateur radio antennas, WI-MAX networks, private security, transport companies and taxi networks, smart meters, radars and a variety of other wireless applications).
The all-round shielding of an area, that protects against the penetration of wireless radiation from all directions, is achieved by painting the walls and ceilings internally or externally with electromagnetic shielding paint and placing shielding film or curtain on windows.
Practical solution for the bedrooms offer the electromagnetic shielding canopies. The do not allow radiation penetration from all directions (except from the bottom of the bed - but there are shielding fabrics or gauges for positioning under the mattress or on your bed).
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