Facts don’t cease to exist just because they’re ignored – Aldous Huxley

The above quote introduces nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman’s book Zapped, about the invisible pollution that is increasing exponentially all around us — electromagnetic fields (EMFs).

Nutrition — what we eat and the supplements we take — can play an important role in protecting ourselves from EMFs’ potentially damaging effects.

But first, what are EMFs? Anything that produces energy, including the cells in our own bodies, radiates that energy outwards, creating a field of energy, an EMF, that diminishes exponentially as you move away from its source. Some EMFs are healing and some are harmful.

The earth radiates healing energy, which is why “earthing” — standing or sitting barefoot, with the soles of your feet in direct contact with the earth — is a scientifically authenticated healing therapy.

Other EMFs can be harmful, depending on their intensity and proximity. These include the radio frequency (RF) waves and microwaves emitted by man-made EMFs: lighting and various appliances, which have been around for years, as well as the more recent microwave ovens, cell phones, cell phone towers, Wi-Fi routers and wireless devices, smart meters, smart home devices, solar inverters, newer vehicles, bluetooth (including hands-free connected devices) and now 5G and the Internet of Things.

It is these potentially harmful EMFs that are primarily responsible for our rising levels of EMF exposure. According to Dr. Frank Shallenberger in his newsletter 2^nd Opinion, even before the introduction of 5G, our exposure to EMFs had risen one quintillion times in the past 100 years. A quintillion is one million to the 5^th power, or a million X a million X a million X a million X a million!

Scientists have proved that RF and microwaves damage living systems at intensities lower than current standards, which is why authorities like the Physician’s Health Initiative for Radiation and the Environment (PHIRE) issued a plea in 2020 signed by international groups of doctors with over 3,500 members asking for a moratorium on the introduction of 5G until its potential health risks could be studied adequately. This plea went unheeded.

It’s been estimated that about 2% of our population is “electromagnetically hypersensitive.” That is, they experience symptoms like sleep problems, headaches, nausea, exhaustion, tinnitus, “burning” skin, dizziness, inability to concentrate, agitation, anxiety, heart palpitations, eye problems, swelling of face and neck, joint and muscle aches, and rashes in response to EMFs.

Since electromagnetic radiation (EMR) has cumulative effects, it can be expected that more and more of us will fall into this category.

But the rest of us aren’t immune to the effects of these invisible energy fields.

The body is an electrical system. All of our internal communications regulating every body system — gastrointestinal, immune, endocrine, cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive, etc. — are electronic. No one knows how much these messages get scrambled by the intrusion of foreign EMFs. It is known that problems and diseases in all of the above systems have been linked to EMFs.

One harm that has been proven is that the body perceives the onslaught of EMFs as a low-grade threat to survival and responds by pumping out stress hormones like cortisol. Gittleman calls this ongoing state of low-level alarm “stealth stress” that robs us of vitality and can lead to sleep problems.

Excessive EMF exposure:

• Increases oxidation, a damaging process in which an electron is stolen from one molecule and then that molecule becomes a predator (a free radical) on the prowl to steal an electron from another unsuspecting molecule, so that a cascade of inflammatory damage is created. This greatly increases our need for antioxidants, like vitamin C and vitamin E, electron donors that can stop these damaging cascades by giving the free radical the electron it seeks.
• Damages DNA.
• Reduces melatonin, an antioxidant hormone produced by the pineal gland that induces sleepiness as day becomes night.
• Impairs the regulation of chemical processes having to do with calcium in our cells.
• Disrupts the gut microbiome.
• Reduces the effectiveness of the Blood Brain Barrier, which normally keeps toxins from getting into the brain and things the brain needs, like nutrients and neurotransmitters, from “leaking out.”

Unfair as it may be, it’s up to us to protect ourselves from EMF pollution until authorities catch up to the science.

First and foremost, we can reduce our exposures. This ranges from simple things like turning off WiFi routers when they aren’t being used and sitting 3 feet away from TVs, computers, and other electrical appliances to more complex undertakings, like installing special filters. It’s worthwhile to start educating yourself and beginning to take steps to gradually improve your home environment. (See Mary Cordaro and other references below for more reading.)

But good nutrition also can play a role.

Excessive oxidation, as mentioned above, is the primary way in which EMFs cause negative health effects. So we need more antioxidants than ever. Antioxidants in the diet come from our old friends, the fresh fruits and vegetables. For even more benefit, add herbs and spices, especially, clove, turmeric, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary and saffron.

But today’s onslaught of oxidative environmental toxins, including excessive EMFS, requires supplementation as well. Beyond Health offers an array of antioxidant supplements described in this article. We recommend covering the basics first with our Multivitamin along with extra vitamin C and D, and then adding on a few of our other antioxidant products — the more, the merrier, since the body needs an array of different antioxidants acting synergistically with each other.

One great addition would be our Cell Defender the most potent antioxidant product on the market today. You can read more about it here.

And last but not least, look for our two new whey products, Beyond Health Natural Muscle Builder, in two delectable flavors—Caramel Salt and Chocolate Milkshake! Although whey protein is known primarily as a muscle builder, it’s begun to establish a reputation as well for its ability to help the body produce its main and most potent antioxidant, glutathione, as well as its two primary antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Quite an added bonus!

In addition to antioxidant support:

• A good multivitamin and extra minerals will help replenish the extra need created by the harm EMFs do to many essential biological functions in our cells.
• Vitamin D helps to restore EMF-damaged communication between cells.
• Melatonin before bedtime can help those with sleep problems, one of the first symptoms of electromagnetic sensitivity.
• Famed physician Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt recommends folate, in its methylated form, to reduce electromagnetic hypersensitivity.
• EMF pollution can cause too much calcium to enter our cells, which is disruptive to a great deal of body chemistry. Having adequate amounts of magnesium helps to prevent this.
• EMFs also harm enzymes, substances that facilitate chemical reactions in the body. Magnesium is needed for enabling over 400 body enzymes and is one of the most common mineral deficiencies. Maintaining good magnesium stores helps to strengthen your enzymes.
• Essential fatty acids are needed now more than ever for healthy cell membranes (EMFs damage membranes with oxidation) and to subdue inflammation.
• Feeling burned out from stress? Try Beyond Health’s Adrenal Support to address adrenal fatigue.

Many people have found that minimizing the stress of EMF pollution along with nutritional support has given them a whole new lease on life, with more energy, better spirits, and freedom from a host of minor symptoms like headaches, aches and pains, etc.

Dealing with EMF pollution calls for an investment of time and energy, but the rewards may be more than worth it!

References:

1. Gittleman AL. Zapped. (New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2011).
2. Wright JW. Warning: Your shoes are sabotaging your health! How going barefoot . . . and getting grounded . . . can lead to a happier and healthier you. Nutrition & Healing. November 2013;20(8):1-2, 6-8.
3. Shallenberger F. Is 5G really as damaging as they say?^2nd Opinion. April 2021. (available by subscription)
4. Malier-Blythe R. 2020 Consensus Statement of United Kingdom and International Medical and Scientific Experts and Practitioners on Health Effects of Non-Ionising Radiation (NIR) on behalf of Physician’s Health Initiative for Radiation and the Environment (PHIRE), British Society for Ecological Medicine (BSEM). Released October 11, 2020.
5. Cordaro M. Reducing Electromagnetic Radiation from Wireless Sources. Wise Traditions, January 19, 2015. Also see Gittleman above and Cutter K. Reducing our family’s exposure to man-made radiation in your home: steps you can take today. Wise Traditions, Summer 2022, pp. 35-39; Liers F. Seven ways to mitigate effects of EMF exposure. U-tube Video. June 13, 2021.
6. Falkowski M. Whey protein concentrate WPC-80 improves antioxidant defense systems in the salivary glands of 14-month Wistar rats. Nutrients. June 2018;10(6):782.