WHAT IS ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATON?

Our bodies are bio-electromagnetic beings and the earth carries its own unique electromagnetic field. From the beginning of time, all of life on earth has evolved to exist within a natural electromagnetic environment. It was only during the comparatively recent 20th century that man created electricity, introducing then an artificial electromagnetic field into our otherwise natural environment. And from the warm glow illuminated from the very first lightbulb, this unexpected by-product of modern electricity kicked off a rapid expansion of man-made electromagnetic fields never seen before in the history.

Today, we are witnessing a tremendous growth in wireless technology, with 5G wireless and the Internet of things poised to launch omnipresent, worldwide radio frequency radiation, further contributing to the earth’s soup of electromagnetic pollution.

Take a moment to familiarise yourself with the basic science of electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Your knowledge will help you take precaution with EMFs at home, at work, and in public; employ protective measures with your personal wireless and electrical devices; and learn what you need to safeguard your living environment.

This is what Wikipedia says about it:

“The risk of electromagnetic radiation coming from mobile phones, both the devices as the masts, is still unclear. On the one hand, there does not exist an article that unambiguously proves any health risks. But there is not yet a research about all the effects – in particular, because there has not been enough epidemiological research about prolonged exposure to low doses. [9] An overview of SAR-values [10] displays how much electromagnetic radiation penetrates the body per mobile phone. There is no unambiguously evidence that high SAR-values are harmful for the health and/or a lower SAR-value are less harmful for the health.”

According to the epidemiologist and publicist Devra Davis the mobile phone-industry features a fund of 250 million dollar to respond adequately to the industry’s negative research results (wargaming the science).

SO, WHAT IS EMF?

EMF stands for Electromagnetic Field. All EMF’s have an electric field component and a magnetic field component. The study of electromagnetism encompasses how electrically charged particles interact with each other and with magnetic fields. For the purposes of home EMF safety, we will predominantly be talking about man-made EMFs.

EMR stands for Electromagnetic Radiation.. This part of the overall EM spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, X-rays and gamma rays.

The four types of man-made EMFs are:

1. AC Electric Fields created by voltage within 60 Hz (50 Hz in Europe) unshielded electrical wiring, plastic AC electrical cords, and electrical devices. The higher the voltage, the higher the electrical field.

2. AC Magnetic Fields are present when there is electrical current running through a wire, metal, an appliance or the ground. Common sources include power lines, home appliances, home wiring, wiring errors (i.e. Neutral to Neutral, Neutral to Ground), and electrical current running on metal water pipes or the home’s grounding system.

3. Radio frequency radiation is technically pulse-modulated microwave radiation. RF radiation is emitted from Wi-Fi routers, wireless enabled devices, gaming consoles, cell towers, Bluetooth devices, smart gadgets, smart meters, and more.

4. Harmonics (commonly referred to as “dirty electricity”): These are frequencies other than the standard 50 Hz/60 Hz cycle generated by things like solar inverters, dimmer switches, florescent lighting, solar inverters, variable speed motors, new electronic systems with switch mode power supplies (SMPS), and other sources. These higher-frequency electrical fields conduct along the home’s wiring system and radiate into the living environment, causing a great deal of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in the home.

Here are some common terms when discussing EMFs:

Electrical field: A basic property of a charged particle, most commonly the electron. An electric field creates a force that causes other charges to move. The strength and direction of the forces that would be exerted on a charge within the electrical field is determined by voltage between charges a distance apart. An electrical field is measured in volts per meter (V/m).

Magnetic field: Created by a moving charged particle or current. A time-varying magnetic field creates a force that also causes charges to move. A magnetic field is measured in units called gauss (G) or tesla (T).

Frequency: The number of times per second that either the electrical or the magnetic field completes a full cycle. Measured in cycles-per-second (CPS) or hertz (Hz).

Hertz (Hz): The unit of measurement of frequency. Hertz is the number of cycles or vibrations completed in one second.

Current: Movement of flow of charge, measured in amperes (A).

Alternating Current (AC): An electrical current that reverses direction at a given frequency. AC is associated with an oscillating frequency or vibration. Utility companies provide electricity through AC at 60 Hz in North American (50 Hz in Europe).

Direct Current (DC): Electric current that moves in one direction only, such as current produced by a battery.

Wavelength: The length of one cycle of an electromagnetic wave. High frequencies have shorter wavelengths than low frequencies. Lower frequency (longer wavelength) EM waves penetrate materials better up to light frequencies. Measured in km, m, cm, mm, etc.

Radiation, in the simplest terms, is energy traveling through space or materials and comes in two main forms: non-ionizing and ionizing.

IONIZING VS NON-IONIZING RADIATION

Non-ionizing radiation: includes radio waves, microwaves (cell phones, laptops, tablets, computers, wi-fi and other wireless smart devices), infrared, visible and uv. Life-Maxx products are suitable against this type of radiation.

Ionizing radiation: includes high-energy radiation like x-rays and gamma rays. This type of radiation is commonly known to be very dangerous even in small doses. It is widely accepted that ionizing radiation can cause DNA damage. Life-Maxx products do not offer protection against this type of radiation.

MEASURING RADIATION LEVEL IN THE NETHERLANDS

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) measures the radiation level day and night. It is a process done in more than 150 locations in the Netherlands. If a measured value goes up, a warning is automatically issued at RIVM. The warning threshold is just above the values that occur naturally in the Netherlands. In the event of a warning, RIVM will investigate the cause. The current measurements of the monitoring stations are available on the RIVM website. There you can see whether the measured values are normal or increased.

See also: Radiation’s influence on health