How to Protect Yourself From Radiation?

Many of our digital devices - including cell phones - emit electromagnetic radiation that can be harmful to our health. In this article, we will discuss the impact of electromagnetic radiation on living organisms and propose several solutions that allow you to reduce radiation exposure.

We have written about EMF (electromagnetic fields) many times and discussed their influence on living organisms. Many publications also describe the problem of ubiquitous radiation. Scientists have divided them into two camps which claim that either:

• EMFs are harmful OR

• The electromagnetic fields are completely harmless, and these hippies are just trying to scare you.

Like most health problems, the truth is a bit more complicated. The introduction of new technological solutions is associated with the emergence of more and more questions regarding human safety and health. According to the World Bank, 87 percent^[1] of the world's population today has access to electricity and uses electrical appliances, which translates to a lot of electricity and electromagnetic fields produced all over the world every day. We encourage you to read on to find out how the electromagnetic field might affect the human body and how we can consciously minimize our exposure.

What are electromagnetic fields?

Every human body is designed to handle a large number of electromagnetic fields. Even if we try to keep the use of devices to a minimum, the planet on which you are living also exposes you to electromagnetic fields. It's important to understand that humans also emit electromagnetic energy.

The concept of EMF refers to an invisible cloud of electricity surrounding electrically charged particles. When charged particles move around, they create magnetic fields. Every living and inanimate thing that we all come across has its own electromagnetic field.

According to information published by the World Health Organization, there are small electric currents in the human body that arise as a result of chemical reactions taking place as part of normal body functions, even in the absence of induction of external electric fields. For example, nerves transmit signals through excited electrical impulses. Even the heart is electrically active - activity that a doctor can track with an electrocardiogram.^[2].

Thus, low-frequency external electric fields affect the human body in the same way as any other charged particle material. EMFs acting on conductive materials influence the distribution of electric charges on their surfaces. They cause the current to flow through the body to the ground.

So are electromagnetic fields safe?

To answer this question, we need to emphasize that electromagnetic fields are only safe up to a point, which is best illustrated by the sun. The sun's rays are also EMFs. It is not difficult to guess that in the right doses there are health benefits(production of vitamin D3), and in excess it can lead to burns and skin cancer. The same applies when we take other electromagnetic waves into consideration. Up to a certain point electromagnetic waves are not harmful. 

At sufficiently high flux levels, various bands of electromagnetic radiation have been found to cause deleterious health effects in people.^[3][4][5][6]Electromagnetic radiation can be classified into two types: ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation, based on the capability of a single photon with more than 10 eV energy to ionize atoms or break chemical bonds^[7]. Extreme ultraviolet and higher frequencies, such as X-rays or gamma rays are ionizing, and these pose their own specific hazards.

In addition to the fields of natural origin that surround us, people are still creating new sources of radiation (PEM). The number of devices emitting radiation has increased significantly in recent years. Once mobile phones hit the consumer pockets, people discovered the benefits of so-called "wireless living".

This change took place in a relatively short time. With full awareness, we can state that we are surrounded by much more electromagnetic fields in the atmosphere than 10 years ago. This means that we have to deal with the surge of radiation.

Scientists are increasingly publishing research which clearly states that living organisms did not have time to adapt, and there is evidence that this "flood" of electromagnetic fields at different frequencies can damage living cells.^[8][9]. Due to the progressive development of technology, there is very little chance of getting rid of all unnatural sources of electromagnetic radiation. In the current situation, there are a couple of proactive ways to avoid overexposure, rather than waiting to see what the long-term consequences of radiation exposure could be.

First and foremost, it is important to understand what is the most common source of unnatural radiation. In an increasingly wireless world, electromagnetic fields are everywhere. The large influx of electromagnetic fields comes primarily from new technologies.

The sources of EMF includes:

• Mobile phones,

• Wi-Fi routers,

• All kinds of wireless devices, including baby monitors, security cameras, laptops,

• Microwave ovens,

• Household light bulbs,

• Power lines,

• Power tools,

• Heaters,

• Freezers,

• TV sets,

• Electric cars.

The above list is not exhaustive of all radiation sources. It only showcases how overloaded our surroundings are with electromagnetic fields. This, in turn, leads to a clear assumption that the overlapping of electromagnetic fields has an impact on living organisms.

There are many publications, and more each year make it clear that EMF directly affects the DNA of organisms.^[10][11]The main effects of this influence are mutations and the formation of cancer. Electromagnetic fields also have a huge impact on the growing problems of the brain. The effect of electromagnetic fields on the nervous system is of utmost importance. The main cause of these problems are cell phones, which are more frequently used and are being held closer to our heads for longer periods of time. Scientists observed measurable changes in brain cells after exposure to an electromagnetic field. To make matters worse, scientists are getting consistent results from research on laboratory animals, particularly rats which show that electromagnetic fields damage the brain's protective layer called the blood-brain barrier.^[12]

It should also be mentioned how incredibly large the effect radiation has on children.^[13] The acceptable level of electromagnetic radiation in Europe is known as the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) and is 2 W/kg (measured over 10 grams of tissue). Studies have been conducted on adults only.^[14] The guidelines do not take into account the particular radiation sensitivity of pregnant women and children and do not take into account their specific characteristics. In each of these cases, the risk to children is much greater because the greater the amount of water and the higher concentration of ions in the developing brains are characterized by higher electrical conductivity and higher absorption of electromagnetic radiation. Tissue neurophysiological parameters change with age. Children's brains absorb more energy, also due to their thinner skull, and the energy of cordless phones is mainly accumulated near the head. Overall exposure will be much greater because children are exposed to electromagnetic radiation from the very beginning of their lives. ^[15]

In conclusion, electromagnetic fields disrupt processes throughout the body. Relatively much attention is paid to the effects on the brain and nervous system, however these fields can affect the entire body in many ways.

The health consequences of long exposure to radiation are best recognized and described by scientists:

• Disrupted sleep cycle,

• Disruption of the immune system,^[16]

• Presence of behavioral problems (especially in young children),

• Damage to cells,^[17]

• Effect on changes in blood pressure and heart rate,^[18]

• A significant reduction in the quality and mobility of the semen.^[19][20]

What can protect you from radiation?

Being aware of the dangers of radiation exposure, we often ask ourselves if there is a way to reduce radiation. Just as we are unable to get rid of all electrical devices in our lives, we can limit their use. Cell phones are one of such devices that are in our close environment, and thus strongly affect our body.

How can then we reduce the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by our body and protect ourselves? Below are the six simplest solutions which will allow anyone to limit exposure to mobile phone radiation:

• Try to reduce the amount and length of your phone calls. Frequent long calls put you at a higher risk of exposure to mobile radiation.

• Set your mobile phone to airplane mode when it is time to go to sleep. Blue light, notifications, mobile phone radiation, and other electromagnetic field exposures at night can interrupt sleep cycles.

• Consider using a headset instead of holding your phone to your ear while making voice calls. Holding a phone to your ear increases radiation exposure and is against the terms of service information that comes with a phone. Usually mobile phone producers add a user manual to their products that actually requests users to hold their phones at least 1,5 cm (5/8 inch) away from the body or use a hands-free option, such as the built-in speakerphone, headphones or other similar accessories to ensure exposure levels remain at or below the maximum levels.

• Avoid using your mobile phone in basements, underground stations, elevators, etc. Check the conditions of optimum signal reception, usually outdoors or near a window while inside.

• Put your phone away if you don’t need it close to you all the time. This is useful not only due to radiation but also to avoid general distractions. Also, do not carry your mobile phone close to your body, e.g. in a pocket.

• Ideally, we should keep the phone away from the body. However, we know that it is not easy, often due to the nature of our work, where the telephone is an indispensable tool. An alternative for such situations is to select the phone with the lowest possible SAR such as Mudita Pure. Alternatively, you can use it as a secondary phone for making longer calls and to reduce your radiation exposure while on vacation.

Our mission is also to educate you, to let you know that there are ways we can protect ourselves from overdoses of EMF radiation. So, if you have any other questions or comments, feel free to visit our community page. We will be more happy to be able to dispel your doubts!

Is there anything you’d like to add, have we missed anything? If you’re interested in sharing your experiences with us or writing a guest post for us, send us an email via hello@mudita.com!

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