Electromagnetic hypersensitivity

Definition
Electrosmog: includes low frequency, high frequency and static electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields and waves.

There is a difference:

- Electrical alternating fields (low frequency), electrical voltage that  lies in the power lines and equipment (even if no electricity is flowing).

- Magnetic alternating fields (low frequency), resulting from switched-on electricity consumers, wires, appliances, transformers, power suppliers ...

- Electromagnetic waves (RF), resulting from broadcasters such as television, radio, mobile communications, radar, military ... as well as some kitchen, play and office equipment.

- DC Electric Fields (electro-static) from screens, synthetic fibres such as in carpets or curtains and plastic surfaces such as varnish or veneer.

- Magnetic DC fields (magneto-static) through DC from trams or photovoltaic systems and magnetized metals, mostly steel in everyday life.

Cause
In recent decades, the influence of electric and magnetic fields in the industrialized countries has greatly increased. Besides the natural fields of the earth that result from earth radiation, there are man-made artificially generated electromagnetic fields that play a much larger role and have a much greater significance. These technical fields are almost always much higher than those natural fields prevailing on our planet.

Symptoms
These technical fields significantly affect the human nervous system and thus the bio-rhythm.
For example, various scientific studies found that electromagnetic fields greatly influence the nocturnal emissions of the hormone Melantonin in the pineal gland. It is formed out of the closed loop of the two enzymes HIOMT and NAT - Seratonin-Melantonin. NAT seems to have the form that can be supressed by  light, chemicals and electro smog. This diminished nocturnal Melantonin emission has been connected to depression (Shafii 1991, Moore-Ede 1992, Boikat 1993), sleep disturbances (SITTLER 1989), fatigue and lethargy (Arendt 1987), disruption of day - night rhythm, immune deficiency (Mani 1989) as well as other health disorders even increasing to the risk of cancer.

Further studies show that after elimination of the electromagnetic fields the natural emission of nocturnal Melantonin increases to a factor of 5-15 and the above symptoms and risks subside (Anderson 1990, Wilson 1986).

Prevention

Due to their weakened immune system people with allergies and environmental illnesses react to almost all unnatural disturbances. The person concerned should also do everything possible to reduce the burden caused by electromagnetic fields. This can be done by taking various measures:

In order to start reducing the electromagnetic pollution, we recommend you begin in your home. Since these fields are increasingly getting weaker, the necessary safety distance can be easily identified with an electric smog detector.

You can, for example set your alarm clock a few meters away and reduce the electrical smog to almost 0 nT.

Each electrically operated device generates different sized electromagnetic fields. Even electricity in wires or cables whether in the wall or as an exposed connecting cable generates an electrical field  load.

Further measures:
When not in use, unplug or ground appliances.
When buying electrical appliances pay attention to the possible electromagnetic pollution (for example, use only low-radiation DECT phones , no WLAN router).


DECT cordless phones for home - the next problem:

A typical case for Wolfgang Maes:

The expert in construction biology is repeatedly called on by people who suffer from undetermined disorders:
They sleep poorly, are restless and nervous. Of course, everyone has more or less stress. "It is obvious however,  that many affected people have recently bought a new cordless phone - sometimes, the neighbor." says Maes. After exchanging the phone the problems disappear. "I see this so often, that it cannot be a coincidence," says the electrosmog expert.

This concerns only cordeless phones that work according to the so-called DECT-standard.  This standard enables user-friendly features. So that it works, the radio waves are pulsed which basically means they are chopped up in little pieces. In addition the base station is constantly checking the DECT equipment whether someone is phoning, even then when the telephone receiver is in the base station. It sends pulsed radiation around the clock throughout the house even as far as the neighbors. But it is precisely this pulse, 100 times every second, that critical researchers are taking a look at. They found out that pulsed radiation, such as that from cordless phones and mobile phones change brain patterns and can hinder the communication between body cells.  Many see this as not only the cause of insomnia, but also fear damage to the immune system as far as perhaps cancer. In return, other studies announce again and again, there is no danger. Such studies are used mainly by manufacturers and their associations. The official limits are also based on these studies.

Wolfgang Maes inspected serveral phones for radiation:

We wanted to know how much radiation the new digital devices are actually emitting and asked Wolfgang Maes to test 16 DECT-Moelle devices. We chose simple phones without an answering machine and fax machines between 100 and 200 €, plus a more expensive one from Bang & Olufsen for 350€. The assessment of the handling and comfort of the DECT models comes from the magazine "Connect". The leading magazine for telecommunication regularly tests not only cordless phones, but also mobile phones, fax machines and modems. They test in their own laboratory where the devices are measured and then rated in the editorial department based on a point-rated grid.

The dilemma: Although all 16 DECT devices got good grades, we cannot recommend any of them because they are all permanently causing electrical smog.

This is the problem with cordless phones:
The base stations of all tested DECT phones send pulsed radiation like a cellular tower in a 20 meter distance. The absolute leader is the Panasonic KX-TCD 950. The value of 100 Nanowatt per square centimeter (nW/cm2) beats all others even at a distance of 3 meters. Medical physician Dr. Lebrecht von Klitzing has observed changes in brain waves at this amount of radiation.  For this, he has been strongly attacked, but will not be swayed in his opinion. Due to his work with sick children, he  recommends that the amount of 1 nW/cm2 not be exceeded. The radiation from the tested phones was above this value even at a distance of 10 meters.

PureNature offers alternatives to heavily radiating equipment.

Low Radiation Telephones>>>

Measuring electromagnetic pollution>>>


Imprint:
Author: Sylvia Kossligk
Created: January 2002 revised Nov. 2008
Literature / guidelines / EBM:
1st Stress by electricity and radiation. IBN 2000.
2nd Merk, H.F. : Electrosmog, electrical stress. Kiwi Verlag 1999
Copyright: PureNature