EMFWISE

Suppose you live with an iFanatic and are in pursuit of safer wireless.  Are there any safer options for that die-hard wireless fan?

Signal Strength

While distance from the wireless router is helpful, a 3+ meter setback for the stronger routers is not always easy to achieve.  The best Wi-Fi routers, in my opinion, are those which are configurable to allow for reduced radiation strength and duration. One inexpensive Wi-Fi access point from Zyxel has 10 levels of radiation, the lowest of which was relatively tolerable and yet still had a good range.  The intended purpose is probably to prevent interference between different Wi-Fi networks, but it came also with a health benefit… that of wireless radiation reduction.  Meanwhile, many wireless devices still register a good signal level one or two rooms away, and really do not need that much radiation to get 4 bars of reception.

Unfortunately, I believe most Wi-Fi router manufacturers default at the highest radiation level.  Many wireless routers or access points do not allow you to adjust the signal strength or even turn  off the signal… after all, according to the manufacturers, the radiation is supposedly safe …  A few high-end models do have 3 options for signal strength– High, Medium, or Low, and as mentioned earlier, one Zyxel access point model offers 10 levels of radiation.

If you are lucky enough to have a cable/DSL provider who uses a weak wireless cable/DSL modem, the weak signal level may actually be considered a positive feature (although it would be better if the wireless radiation could be disabled altogether, or blocked with a shield).  I saw one cable modem from xfinity that had a relatively weak signal.  The installer said people had complained about its limited range!  The user may want to be mindful in case his or her device transmits higher signal to reach the wireless router, but oftentimes, there is still adequate signal at quite a distance.

The Other Half of the Radiation

Don’t forget, however, that the wireless router is only half of the issue.  The other half is the device which connects to it, whether an iPad, iPhone, or laptop.  Distance from the body helps, as well as turning on airplane mode or disabling the wireless adapter when not in use.   Although I can handle a short cell phone call at arm’s distance, with a “dumb” cell phone,  I find the standby radiation of my acquaintance’s iPad irritating to my brain even one room away, even though the high bursts of radiation (despite the standby mode) are quite a duration apart.  With airplane mode, however, I was fine.

When possible, I try not to use Wi-FI or cell phones, but when I have no choice, I attach a Wi-Fi USB stick on a 10 foot long USB cable to my laptop, and I keep a distance from the Wi-Fi router.  This is like having a headset for a cell phone.  For the cell phone, when I need to use it, I like using speaker mode.  Otherwise, I usually turn it off.

Constancy of the Signal

While there has been an international patent application for Wi-Fi safety that shuts off the wireless router when there are no active users, most wireless routers are continuously radiating.   (I am not sure if such an obvious feature could be patented, but a patent owned by one vendor, if accepted, might discourage other vendors from making safer Wi-Fi.) Fortunately, as an alternative, some wireless access points, like some Zyxel access points, have a scheduling feature to set specific blocks of time during which the radiation will be present or absent.  That way one can at least get a good night’s rest without added radiation.  For wireless routers without the scheduling feature, a timer on the wireless router’s power plug might accomplish the same thing, if it does not cause other issues with one’s wireless router performance.

Beyond safety, this would also be good for data security and power conservation.   However, like the mobile phone companies who had patents on cell phone safety technology, there is a hidden danger to developing safer products while so many unsafe products are on the market.  Besides the risk of recalls, the danger is to actually admit one’s suspicions of the dangers, although an obvious workaround is to rationalize it as a power conservation and data security feature.

Electrosensitivity Prevention

It appears that several cases of electrosensitivity occurred with wireless routers right on the other side of the wall, or perhaps on the same table.  Imagine getting sick from this radiation at night from the unseen neighbor’s wireless router behind the wall, even when no one is using the router!  What an unnecessary risk people are taking…  If only someone would develop a safer solution, with lower strength, and a standby mode, like what has been done in some European countries with the Blue Angel certification in Germany or the Eco-Dect and Orchid Low EMF cordless phones.

Better Safe than Sorry

With so many people holding cell phones or other wireless devices near their brains, you may have wondered why there aren’t more people with obvious neurological diseases.  Certainly, degenerative diseases are increasing in incidence, and occurring at younger ages, but we meet so many exceptions to the rule.  Perhaps it is because our brains offer so much redundancy, that it takes a massive amount of damage to become noticeable.  Neurosurgeon and health practitioner Dr. Russell Blaylock explains,

“Most neurological diseases do not become obvious until about 75 percent of brain cells in the affected area have died; the surviving 25 percent are extremely sick and cannot function normally, which is why treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) is so difficult.” – from Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life

Is it possible that some heavy cell phone users are running around with only 50 percent of their brain cell reserves in certain, affected areas of their brain, a stage at which the signs have still not shown through?  Maybe or maybe not, but perhaps we had better be safe than sorry, and employ some precautionary principles with wireless technologies a decade in advance of disease.  On the other hand, wireless technologies are not the only causal factor for neurological disease, so it will be important to also reduce levels of other toxins, and improve our diet/nutrition, as we will discuss later.

The Mechanism of Free Radical Damage

Dr. Blaylock explains one of the key mechanisms behind neurological diseases is the action of free radicals, highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons.  These free radicals can slowly chip away at our bodies’ cell factories, impairing vital functions over time.  This prolonged free-radical injury to neurons, he says, can precede neurodegenerative diseases by decades.  The body’s defense against oxidative stress from such free radicals may result in the decline of an important antioxidant, glutathione.  This decline, according to Dr. Blaylock, may be predictive of our risk for future degenerative diseases.  Furthermore, the resulting lipid peroxidation, or oxidative injury to fatty membranes, can have a negative effect on organs with high fat content, such as the brain.

Microwaves, which are used in wireless technologies,  although not the only culprit, have been found precisely to do all of these 3 things:  (a) increase free radicals, (b) increase lipid peroxidation, and (c) deplete levels of protective glutathione or other parts of the antioxidant network.   Additionally, microwaves (d) open the blood-brain barrier, allowing other dangerous substances in, which may also increase free radical damage.   Microwaves may also increase calcium efflux in brain tissue, affect hormone levels, and cause many other biological changes.  For our purposes, though, we will focus primarily on the free radical effect.  Henry Lai, a scientist at the University of Washington, once compiled a list of at least 23 studies showing that microwaves could increase the generation of free radicals.

Free Radical Overload

Even without microwaves, we already live with free radicals from our day-to-day activities, such as exercise, food metabolism, mental stresses, and even our immune system, which uses free radicals to attack intruders.  Certain foods, like sugars, in excess, may result in increased levels of free radicals.  The impact on each individual of added free radical stress from microwaves and other toxins will depend upon a combination of various factors such as his or her nutritional state, genetics, biochemical differences, and the presence or absence of toxins.  Some people are better equipped to fight the impact of free radicals than others.

Besides the typical sources of free radicals, we are increasingly barraged with more and more free radicals from environmental stresses.  Aluminum, fluoride, mercury, and iron, which may accumulate in the brain, may all increase levels of free radicals, and consequent brain lipid peroxidation, sometimes in a synergistic way.  For example, the combination of either aluminum or mercury with iron can significantly increase free radical production.  Furthermore, there may even be synergistic effects of these elements with EMF.  For example, certain forms of EMF were found to increase the release of mercury from silver dental fillings, so that it could enter the brain more easily.  In an earlier article, we discussed how iron combined with EMF could enhance free-radical damage.  The opening of the brain barrier by microwaves could also potentially increase the absorption of dangerous substances into the brain, which might also enhance free radical generation.

Additional neurological risk factors include excitotoxic food additives like MSG and aspartame, and even excessive levels of serotonin from antidepressant SSRI medications, because in large doses, they may excite neurons to death.  The blood-brain barrier may be partly protective against high levels of glutamate entering the brain, but if it is compromised by microwaves, that is another story.  On top of this are dental x-rays and other diagnostic x-rays.  It was shown by a recent Yale study that the older dental x-rays, which used more radiation,  presented increased risk for brain tumors.

Some indviduals who became electrosensitive noted that their risk factors for electrosensitivity included dental appointments, e.g., involving mercury amalgams (see the Swedish book, Black on White), hospital x-rays (A. Firstenberg), or chemical exposures (MCS).  Perhaps the exposures to dangerous toxins or x-rays, among others, put them at a more advanced stage of brain damage at which point it was more difficult for their brains to handle free radical overload from microwaves and other EMF’s.  Thus, in addition to reducing our EMF levels, we may want to also reduce other risk factors.

Hope For Slowing Down Free Radical Damage With Nutrition

Disclaimer:  This article is based on the recommendations of others and not necessarily the author’s personal experience.  It is the reader’s responsibility to check with a physician before making any significant changes to one’s diet or nutrition.

Fortunately, there are some clues about how we can reduce the damage of free radical overload in a 2-step process which involves both:

• (1) Reducing exposures to risk factors and
• (2) Increasing intake of certain vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and healthy omega-3 (N-3) oils and fats.

Special risk factors include extended mental stress, vigorous exercise (as opposed to gentle exercises), microwaves and other EMF’s, pesticides, fluoride, metals such as mercury, aluminum, and free iron, food excitotoxins like MSG and aspartame, an overabundance of sugar, foods with high-glycemic index, or N-6 oils.  In some case toxins can be reduced via nutritional measures.

A few of the key vitamins, minerals, and flavonoids, mentioned by Dr. Blaylock, that may help include the following:

• Vitamin E, e.g., d-alpha tocopheral succinate, may help neutralize free radicals, inhibit lipid peroxidation, protect against mercury toxicity in neurons, and excitotoxic destruction of neurons.
• Magnesium, e.g., magnesium malate/citrate, may be protective against aluminum toxicity and excitotoxicity, and perhaps help to control or counterbalance microwave-induced calcium efflux in brain tissue.  This magnesium can be taken with calcium or magnesium ascorbate (buffered vitamin C).
• Flavonoids, from fruits and vegetables, can also help to neutralize free radicals, inhibit lipid peroxidation, and bind iron.  Some flavonoids include curcumin from turmeric (which can be taken with olive oil and black pepper for better absorption) and quercetin.

There are many additional nutrients that may help, like vitamin D3, vitamin B-complex, and DHA,  as can be found in Russell Blaylock’s book Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life and The Blaylock Wellness Letter.

Additionally, one needs to be on an anti-inflammatory diet, with low sugar and low-glycemic index, and with the right kind of fats.  Whole grains are to be preferred over refined flours, albeit taken in moderation, and omega-3 fat intake should be increased in many instances (e.g., from fish oil).

More Detailed Guidelines For Reducing Free Radical Damage

The following are some more specific recommendations, mostly from Dr. Blaylock, that have been offered for reducing fluoride, mercury, aluminum, and iron levels, which can be dangerous in the brain:

Aluminum

• Avoid vaccines or flu shots containing aluminum, where unnecessary.
• Avoid combining citrus fruits like lemon with tea, which can greatly increase aluminum absorption.
• Avoid or reduce the intake of soda from aluminum cans, which can increase levels of toxic aluminum fluoride, if the water is fluoridated.
• Avoid or reduce stomach antacid medicines that use aluminum.
• Consider magnesium malate, magnesium citrate, buffered vitamin C (calcium or magnesium ascorbate), and other nutrients which Dr. Blaylock recommends to reduce brain aluminum levels.

Fluoride

• Consider filtering your water of fluoride, aluminum, and other toxins (Check your water quality via Environmental Working Group’s water testing database.)
• Consider using fluoride-free toothpaste, if possible also avoiding sodium lauryl sulfate, carrageenan, and other potentially dangerous substances

Mercury

• Consider getting a dentist to remove mercury amalgams, following safe practices such as IAOMT or a comparable protocol, to prevent an even greater exposure to mercury during the removal, -or- consider removing only a few at a time.  Other associated precautions may be wise during this process, to prepare for the removal.
• Avoid vaccines and flu shots containing mercury, where unnecessary
• Prefer fish containing lower amounts of mercury
• Consider mercury chelation methods such as use of garlic supplementation long-term, or increasing glutathione levels to aid chelation via various nutrients like alpha lipoic acid and NAC (Note that the latter process must be done with great care to prevent redistribution of mercury.  Dr. Russell Blaylock has some recommendations in his book, but you may also want to get a second opinion.)

Iron

• Except in case of severe deficiency, avoid or reduce consumption of iron vitamins or iron-fortified cereals, grains, and pastas in favor of un-fortified whole-grains.   Alternatively, eat enough vegetables/flavonoids with it to help reduce how much is absorbed.  Although this fortification was done to prevent anemia, Dr. Blaylock explains that it resulted in other problems.  It is best to avoid iron in this form.
• Cut back on red meat, or eat vegetables/flavonoids with it to reduce excessive iron absorption.
• Be mindful that vitamin C can increase absorption of iron and may be better taken on an empty stomach, rather than with a meal containing iron.
• Consider taking iron-chelating flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, hesperidin, curcumin, catechins from green tea, or grape seed extract).
• Consider reducing levels of iron with (a) flavonoids, or (b) vitamins such as Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid, but again with precautions due to their potential effects on mercury redistribution.  (c) IP6+inositol may also be taken for a brief period such as 2 weeks, however, noting that IP6 may be too effective at reducing minerals to be taken in the long run, according to Dr. Blaylock.

For a more complete list of suggestions on supplements such as magnesium malate, buffered vitamin C  (calcium or magnesium ascorbate), vitamin E (d-alpha tocopheral succinate), carotenoids,  flavonoids like turmeric, vitamin D3, the B-complex vitamins, and wild blueberry extract, see Russell Blaylock’s book Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life and The Blaylock Wellness Letter.  His other book, Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients, also contains a detailed guide of the preferable forms of vitamins, and those to avoid.  See also the EMFWise page on nutrition.

Disclaimer:  This article is based on the recommendations of others and not necessarily the author’s personal experience.  It is the reader’s responsibility to check with a physician before making any significant changes to one’s diet or nutrition.

Anti-cancer nutrition books provide a lot of  guidance that may be helpful for those dealing with EMF-induced health issues.  After all, EMF exposures not only increase cancer risk, but may also result in increased numbers of free radicals, which can promote the development of cancer.  Not everyone with cancer cells develops cancer, according to David Servan-Schreiber, author of Anticancer: A New Way of Life.  We can influence the “terrain” through our diet and lifestyle so that it is not favorable to cancer growth.

Authors on anti-cancer nutrition stress that nutritional supplements do not completely make up for an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.  They work best on top of a healthy diet and lifestyle, in which case they are not completely swamped with damage-control.  Thus, for optimal health, the following need to be curbed or taken in moderation:

• EMF exposures
• Chemical exposures in certain plastics, cosmetics, pesticides, mattresses, cleaning products, VOC paints, and so on.
• Nutritional sources of inflammation, such as omega-6 oils, sugar & refined flours, fast food, grain-fed rather than grass-fed cows with high omega-6, non-omega3 eggs, various food additives, and so on

Anti-cancer books also provide useful information on foods and supplements to reduce inflammation and/or counter cancer, many of which may also be useful to protect the brain from EMF exposures.  For example, some supplements which may be of interest include the following:

• Omega-3 from fish oil, tested for purity and combined with protective Vitamin E,
• Vitamins C and E in combination in their natural forms, or an iron-free multivitamin containing C, E, selenium and zinc
• Vitamin D3,
• Resveratrol, and so on.

Meanwhile, some foods that have been mentioned for nutritional protection include the following:

• Turmeric (taken with olive oil and black pepper, as recommended by David Servan-Schreiber),
• Garlic, onions, leeks, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussel sprouts,
• Organic orange peel (or organic kumquats),
• Green Tea,
• Various Herbs and Spices,
• Various fruits like strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries, and so on.

The list of anti-cancer foods is much more extensive.  Many of these foods and supplements are also beneficial for protecting the brain.  Of course, much care must be taken to choose a reputable brand that is free of dangerous additives or artificial vitamins, and to decide when, at what dose, and in what combination, to take supplements, due to synergistic effects or interference with other nutrition.  Sometimes, combinations of nutrients provide an even more positive response than the nutrients alone, and provide a multi-targeted approach.  It’s all part of the challenge that each individual must sort through the data for himself because the medical establishment sometimes minimizes the role of nutrition in the prevention of disease in favor of drugs.  Fortunately, there are many experts who have led the way by sharing their knowledge.  Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock writes,

“… I have provided examples of the importance of utilizing what we know about the biochemistry of disease and the enormous importance of nutritional treatment in conjunction with conventional treatment modalities.  Until doctors acknowledge these truths, it will be your responsibility to learn and practice good nutrition so that you can prevent disease and protect your own life if you do become ill.  This will require discipline.  ” –Russell Blaylock, Health and Nutrition Secrets that Can Save Your Life

Indeed, when our regulatory bodies do not sufficiently protect us, a lot of self-initiative is required.  For more information on a helpful cancer prevention plan, see Michael Murray’s How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine and David Servan-Schreiber’s Anti-cancer book.  For more information on protecting your brain and staying clear of dangerous food additives and chemical toxins, see Russell Blaylock, Health and Nutrition Secrets that Can Save Your Life and Beth Greer’s Super Natural Home.

Déjà vu Facing Controversies in Natural Health

Suppose you have overcome one hurdle, which is to understand the dangers of EMF, despite denial by certain reputable organizations.  You have braved one ocean of controversy, thanks to EMF activists who debunk report after report after report.  Perhaps that experience will help you brave other oceans of controversy, also based on corporations’ corruption of science at the public’s expense.

Similar tactics appear to be used in multiple industries.  For example, let us consider the natural health field.  Dr. Michael Murray, author of How to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Natural Medicine,writes,

“Over the years many of us in the natural health field have seen the media continue to disseminate questionable results from research studies in major medical journals and to hold these up as “proof” that the public is being duped into spending money on worthless natural products. … Of course, those of us who are knowledgeable about the merits of natural products try to mobilize our resources to counteract the negative statements, but this is often difficult when we are up against a research article published in a respected journal like the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, British Medical Journal, or Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Such journals are seemingly more credible than even the most reputable organizations, companies, and experts in the natural product industry. — Michael T. Murray, What the Drug Companies Won’t Tell You and Your Doctor Doesn’t Know

Are you experiencing deja vu?  The use of respectable journals to cast doubt on important information appears to be all too common.  Despite plenty of research articles to support the value of natural medicine, it is still very hard to undo the damage of a misleading statement coming from a reputable journal or reputable organization.  The same thing occurs for information regarding EMF dangers, e.g., when an article published in the British Medical Journal or The Economist makes light of the health risks of cell phones.  Even though a significant article on the potential dangers of EMF may  appear in a reputable journal such as JAMA, like the Volkow 2011 study, it is not enough.  Some people just throw their hands up in the face of controversy, and believe what they want to believe.

Because of these challenges, health secrets remain unknown to the public at large, even while a wealth of research and knowledge about EMF and nutrition has been amassed.  What a pity, then, that most people are unaware of the nutritional secrets that can heal them.  The same person who has been duped into accepting ‘possible’ carcinogens (like EMF) into his life, may later be duped into distrusting natural medicine when he becomes ill.  Perhaps, however, if you’ve braved one controversy, you’ll have insight into others, so that you can benefit from knowing the truth.

Controversy on the Use of Antioxidants in Cancer Treatment

Doctors like David Servan-Schreiber, Michael Murray, Russell Blaylock, and Keith Block, have carefully documented the research and underlying mechanisms behind the powerful role of nutrition and/or nutritional supplements in diseases like cancer.  Some of these doctors have successfully integrated natural medicine with conventional medicine in order to give their patients longer life with better quality of life than offered by conventional treatments alone.   Although their respective medical programs provided them little nutrition education, and their education was influenced by pharmaceutical industries, these doctors eventually went off the beaten path.  They uncovered a wealth of research on our bodies’ own capacity to heal, given the right “terrain.”   Later, they shared their information on how we can create the proper “terrain” for the prevention and treatment of diseases through less toxic nutrition and nutritional supplements.  These discoveries, however, are considered to be controversial — the medical establishment often claims that antioxidants will interfere with chemotherapy treatment, even when studies show otherwise.

Once you have  mastered one controversy, and understand how to discern the truth amidst a lot of contradictory information, you may have the potential to master many other controversies, such as the usefulness of nutrition and nutritional supplements against cancer and other diseases.  If you have a little insight, and diligently check both sides of the story, it might open the door to even greater insight, so that you can make a more informed decision on who to trust in controversies such as these.  American epidemiologist Dr. Devra Davis wrote about how she learned about the dangers of cell phones toward the end of the research for her book, The Secret History of the War on Cancer, which exposed the suppression of data by corporations on environmental dangers.  Perhaps, those who know about EMF, will also realize the same battles occur in other fields as well.

Just as researchers have wondered about the problem of iron overload in neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,  Multiple Sclerosis, and Electrosensitivity, there has also been research into the benefits of Vitamin D for the same diseases.

Vitamin D is the "Sunshine Vitamin"

In fact, American Epidemiologist Samuel Milham has a section in his book, Dirty Electricity, titled “Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin D.” (p.38)  Having found that multiple sclerosis was more common in indoor workers than outdoor workers, and further from the equator rather than near the equator, Dr. Samuel Milham hypothesized that Multiple Sclerosis was related to sunshine.  Besides fatty fish and fish oils, he explains that sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D.  Later studies verified the relationship between Multiple Sclerosis and vitamin D, which he had hypothesized based on epidemiological data.  Milham advised his cousin with MS to get an outdoor job for more sunshine, and apparently, that helped to minimize his MS.

Interestingly, the French professor of clinical oncology, Dr. Belpomme, explains that vitamin D deficiency was found in 70% of electrosensitve patients.  Thus, vitamin D is one part of the therapy that was recommended for treatment of people with electromagnetic field intolerance syndrome (EMFIS), which also includes omega-3 and anti-oxidants.  These nutrients are also beneficial for an anti-cancer diet.

Health Tips

Vitamin D production in the skin is stimulated by UV-B rays in sunlight.  The duration of exposure needed for adequate vitamin D production may depend upon latitude, altitude, season (e.g., summer or winter), cloudiness, and other factors.  For example, 10 minutes may be adequate on a clear, sunny, summer day, whereas 30 minutes may not be adequate on an overcast, winter day.  The more surface area exposed on your arms and legs, the more potential for vitamin D production.  While excess sun exposure can lead to skin cancer, the vitamin D attained from a short duration of exposure can be beneficial for cancer prevention.

The alternative is to get Vitamin-D from foods, such as fatty fish,  fish oil, or the like.  However, you might want to use fish oil with caution due to possible impacts on the liver if you take too much of it.  As regarding Vitamin D pills, experts recommend Vitamin-D3 as being much more effective than the artificial version Vitamin-D2.  Dr. Mercola advises that the body does not regulate Vitamin-D through food intake as it does with sunlight, so there is a potential danger of excess, for which Vitamin D testing may be helpful to determine proper levels of intake.

Have You Been Tested for Vitamin D Levels?

Incidentally, my physical examination revealed below normal levels of vitamin D and I was advised to take 1000 I.U. a day.   One time, on board a cruise ship heavily installed with Wi-Fi, I feared for my health.  However, I suspect the vitamin D from the huge sun dosage that I received, may have had a huge neuroprotective effect.  (It was also helpful to get off the ship for daily excursions.)  That’s not to say that wireless radiation exposure is safe, but that we can try to boost our defenses for the radiation we cannot avoid.

It would be interesting to study if the numbers of electrosensitive people were lower near the equator and for outdoor workers, as opposed to further from the equator and for indoor workers.

Disclaimer: The author is not a physician.  Please check with your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

Last week, we looked at the possible risk factor of high iron stores in the brain for electrosensitivity, and some dietary ways of avoiding unbound iron, which may result in increased production of free radicals, as opposed to bound iron.

A new article published today in the Wall Street Journal, “A New Target in Fighting Brain Disease: Metals”, sheds more light about the problem of excess metal in the brain.  (Thanks to MCS America for finding the article.)  This article reminds us that iron is an essential nutrient that we need, and important for good health.  It is the problem of iron overload, however, particularly in the brain, that some researchers are trying to solve, since it may be a risk factor in several neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Changing one’s dietary intake of iron will not necessarily help with the iron that is already in the brain.  In fact, the brain has a way of maintaining iron levels even when there is  “severe systemic iron deficiency on a low-iron diet.” Rather, researchers are trying to develop drugs to target metal specifically in the brain, and possibly specific regions within the brain.  Although we want to avoid iron overload in the brain, we need to be cautious of the other extreme of iron deficiency.  As for natural substances to protect against iron overload, last week’s article mentioned phytic acid (IP6), found naturally in some foods.  There is actually some evidence that it may have a neuroprotective effect, according to the following study: Neuroprotective effect of the natural iron chelator, phytic acid in a cell culture model of Parkinson’s disease.

Microwaves, Iron, and the Blood-Brain Barrier

Researchers are learning how iron can cross the blood-brain barrier and how the brain regulates iron uptake.  For example, some researchers suggest it may be related to a transferrin receptor in the blood-brain barrier.  Since microwaves can compromise the blood brain barrier, this presents a question of whether it could also be one of several risk factors of greater iron uptake in the brain– a question for further research.

Electronics, Iron Overload, and Oxidative Stress

In addition to microwaves, electronics with low frequencies in the kHz range may increase oxidative stress through an iron dependent pathway, as suggested in this 2011 article in Neuroscience, which studied the impact of EMF on rat brains with iron overload.  Perhaps the mechanism is similar to that of microwave-induced oxidative stress (Lai and Singh, 2004).  This study may help to explain why some electrosensitive people develop sensitivity even to computers, fluorescent lights, dimmer switches, and other sources of “dirty electricity.”

A Magnet’s Influence on Iron-Fortified Cereal

Long gone are the days that I snacked heavily on Cheerios at the office, leaving box after box to pile on the floor, and then cutting off the Cheerios “box tops for education” for a coworker.  I still eat Cheerios occasionally nowadays, but not in excess.  I wonder whether that was too much.  I once watched a kid’s science experiment on TV about how to grind up iron-fortified cereal and then attract the iron specks with a magnet.  If you have time to spare, watch this howstuffworks video demonstration, which may cause you to think twice before eating too much of iron-fortified cereal.  According to this video, some cereals include the additive “Reduced Iron.”  Would it be better to get iron naturally, rather than through additives, in a format in which the iron is bound, and less likely to contribute to free radical production?

Stay tuned as we prepare to look into what EMF experts say about another potential risk factor: low levels of vitamin D.

Disclaimer: The author is not a physician.  Please check with your physician before making any drastic changes to your diet.

Ever wonder why people advise avoidance of cell phones when the signal is poor?  Well, the other day, we had an informal test with two of my acquaintances’ phones — one was a Blackberry and the other was an iPhone.

Inside the house, the Blackberry registered relatively low power output on the Cornet 6GHz meter, say, less than 100 microWatts per square meter.  However, the iPhone registered the highest power output available on the Cornet meter, e.g., 1800 milliWatts per square meter.  They were both using the same carrier.  That’s a HUGE difference.  This is despite still having about 3 or 4 bars of signal.  Apparently, the windows, thermally insulated with a transparent silver oxide layer, appeared to have presented a problem especially for the iPhone, which then boosted its signal level.  When the iPhone was taken outside, however, the signal on the Cornet meter dropped tremendously.  

In conclusion, signal reception makes a HUGE difference for some phones.  This may help to explain the paradox of brain cancer among rural cell phone users.  If you use the cell phone in an area with low signal reception, some cell phones will increase the power level to compensate.

Now, don’t automatically assume that a Blackberry is better than an iPhone.  I’ve also seen another Blackberry which also registered at maximum signal level within the house.  I don’t know what accounts for the variation, but not all Blackberry’s and iPhone’s are created equally.

This presents also a question for the cell phone ratings, like SAR.  Under what level of signal reception is the phone tested?

Note: Personally, I rarely ever use a cell phone at all nowadays.

The new article “Electromagnetic intolerance elucidated” translated to English on the EMFacts website, provides interesting insights into electrosensitivity, based on the work of  Dr. Belpomme, an oncology professor at Paris-Descartes University.  Dr. Belpomme is also known for his previous research demonstrating that pesticides could be of greater concern than tobacco as a causal factor for cancer.  In 2011, Dr. Belpomme’s research on electrosensitivity, or “Electromagnetic Intolerance Syndrome,” was cited in a resolution by the Council of Europe, calling for greater precautions regarding EMF, as well as the protection of electrosensitive persons.  Dr. Belpomme has now seen over 450 patients for “Electromagnetic Intolerance Syndrome”.

What Physiological Symptoms are Seen in Electrosensitive Patients?

Dr. Belpomme and his team note some common symptoms in electrosensitive patients:

• “Vascular disorders in the brain”,
• “High levels of histamine” (30%).  This is consistent with Peter French’s research  showing that EMF may increase histamine production.
• “Too much stress proteins” (50%).  This is consistent with Martin Blank’s research on EMF and stress proteins.
• “Levels of antibodies and proteins that are tell-tale signs of thermal shock and brain damage” (30%).  See also the work of Adamantia Fragopoulou and Lukas Margaritis on how microwaves impacted 143 proteins in the brain, and research by Leif Salford on microwave-induced opening of the blood brain barrier, which has resulted in brain damage for rats.
• Vitamin D deficiency  (70%)

Why are Some People More Electrosensitive Than Others? 

Several possibilities are raised in this article to explain different levels of susceptibility, including the following:

• Polymorphism & Genetic susceptibility
• Environmental factors such as dental amalgams, which may act as antennas
• Phases of sensitivity (compare this to the previous work of Hecht and Balzer)
• Quantity of magnetosomes, iron oxides that behave like magnets, in the brain (Dr Irigaray)

Could High Iron Stores (and heavy metals) be a Risk Factor for Electrosensitivity?

It’s intriguing to see iron oxides mentioned in this article as a risk factor for electrosensitivity.  Henry Lai had reported that the iron-catalyzed Fenton cycle may be related to microwave-induced free radicals.  Similarly, several other diseases like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s also have iron as a risk factor.  Based on research showing excess iron as a possible factor behind MS, and his own research showing that iron buildup could damage blood vessels in the leg, an Italian doctor, Dr. Zamboni, hypothesized that iron buildup could damage blood vessels in the brain.  Surprisingly, he found that many MS patients had “malformation or blockage in the veins that drain blood from the brain.”  Once clearing such blockage in his wife, it is reported that her MS improved.

One interesting question to ask is whether the opening of the blood brain barrier by microwaves itself allows more iron to cross into the brain, where that iron might then result in the “vascular disorders in the brain” found by Dr. Belpomme’s team, and perhaps contribute to microwave-induced free radicals via iron-catalyzed Fenton cycle.  Perhaps, the longer we are exposed to microwaves, the higher the chances there are for iron to enter the brain.  This additional iron may in return make us more sensitive to microwaves.

Precautionary Measures Against High Iron Stores

What precautionary measures can we take to prevent high iron content?  Although our bodies have natural mechanisms to help bind iron, it might be useful to also watch our microwave exposure, our diets, and our exercise. According to another article, the following may contribute to high iron content, and we may want to watch our intake, if we have high iron stores.

Foods to be cautious about:

• Iron-fortified cereals,
• Alcohol which may increase absorption of iron,
• Foods with unbound iron that circulate in the blood.

According to this same article, the following may help protect against high iron content.  This is not for the anemic, however.

• Phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate or IP6) found in whole grains, seeds, and nuts.  Dr. Mercola also suggests that whole grains can decrease the risk of high iron stores, possibly by inhibiting non-heme iron absorption.  Check out the table at the bottom of this article on Parenchymal iron for more food sources of IP6.
• Green tea’s iron binder (catechin),
• Coffee’s iron-binding pigments,
• Iron loss through sweat from exercise
• Plant foods with poorly absorbed non-heme iron,
• Iron-binding pigments found in berries, pine bark, onions, and citrus fruit rinds.
• We should add to this list the avoidance of microwaves, so as to avoid opening the blood brain barrier, and allowing iron in that way.

Note that a distinction is made between bound and unbound iron, the latter being the risk factor.  For more nutrition suggestions, read about Nutrition for EMF Protection.

Disclaimer:  The author of this article is not a doctor, and following the advice on this page is not expected to cure electrosensitivity.  This article’s purpose is to provide ideas for further research toward the goal of improving life for electrosensitive people.  Please consult with your doctor before following any of the advice on this page.

Postscript (Jan.31):   We must also remember that iron does play a positive role, not just a negative role.   Here is an interesting article on the role of metals in brain disease, thanks to MCS America.  This article talks about both the good and bad sides to iron.  It also suggests that the challenge is “to target metals in specific parts of the brain”and that simply lowering overall levels may not be helpful.  We do need iron, don’t get me wrong, but it may be safer to get it naturally in bound form rather than by fortification, and some people may suffer from iron excess where others suffer from lack of it.  See the follow-up blog post on high iron content for more information.

Note: In addition to iron, we might also want to be careful about overdosing on  titanium dioxide, aluminum, mercury, and other metals.