I was diagnosed with MS in 2006 and my symptoms were fairly manageable until 2014. Strangely, that was a few months after we moved into our new house. I tried every alternative treatment I could think of and did not find much relief. Finally, I started wondering, could it be something in this new living space that was making me sick?
When I ran out of alternative treatments I started thinking about Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs). I had a hunch that the EMFs in our new house might have played a part in the decline of my health. I reached out to fans on my Facebook page. The thousands of comments I received were incredible, and your helpful input would become a key step in my new quest for healing, leading me to write about The Green House that Almost Killed Me.
I had thought the beautiful house we built was green through and through. I worked diligently with our contractor to use no-VOC products during the construction process from start to finish. Additionally although our house was not visibly impacted by the historic flood that hit Boulder shortly after we moved in, I had tested it for mold. I thought our house was well constructed and ecologically sound. I was wrong.
I made a huge mistake in the design of our new home. I had not researched the ecological impact of the electrical systems installed. But something changed that day on Facebook. With your help I did a deep dive into EMF research. Your responses to my questions about EMFs were disturbing, and they may have saved my life.
I started to realize it wasn’t all in my head, especially after digging in to the book Zapped, which is an easy read and incredibly informative. In the course of one week, I turned my life upside down to reduce my exposure to EMFs. Here are the simple steps I took to reduce EMFs in our home and in my life overall!
Unplug Smart Appliances
The first thing to go was the printer in my tiny office. It is a wireless printer. I unplugged it from the wall. Now, when we need to print, we plug it in with the ethernet cable and the electric cord, plus we use another cable to connect our computers to it for printing.
Turn off WiFi
We unplugged the routers in our house and instead began using ethernet cables that plug into the wall. It doesn’t look pretty because we have cords all over the place, but being sick isn’t that pretty either. For more information on how I hardwired our computers into the Ethernet you’ll want to read my post called Avoiding EMFs at the Computer! If you are unable to turn off WiFi completely I recommend turning off your WiFi at night.
Turn off Breaker to Bedroom
Yes, this sounds crazy, and for most people it may not be necessary. However, for my system to get a rest from EMFs we decided we would turn off the circuit breaker to our bedroom. We are now using flashlights in the master bedroom and battery operated analog alarm clocks.
We also turned off the circuit breaker to the laundry room that is on the other side of our bedroom wall. This breaker is only turned on during the days that we use the washer/dryer so that the electric current is not active while I’m in the bedroom at night. Finally, my husband parked his cell phone outside of our bedroom so that I am now sleeping in a cell phone free environment.
Eliminate Cordless Phones
Cordless phones use a technology called DECT which stands for digital enhanced cordless telecommunication. This type of phone continuously emits electromagnetic radiation from the base, even when you are not speaking on it.
Although I thought that I was doing a good thing by using a landline, I was wrong since I was using cordless phones for our landline. I eliminated all of the cordless phones from our house, which were a significant source of EMFs, and instead replaced them with these corded landlines.
Reduce Cell Phone Use
Over the past couple of years I became accustomed to using my cell phone often. Last week I changed that habit. I now leave it at home when I exercise, and when I take it with me it is in airplane mode with the data switched off. When the cell phone is in airplane mode it does not emit electromagnetic radiation.
I take the phone with me in the car in case I need it for an emergency, but again, it is in airplane mode with data switched off. I don’t use the phone in the car. If I need to I will make sure the windows are rolled down. Using the phone in the car with the windows up is like using a phone in a Faraday cage. The EMFs are somewhat trapped in the space bouncing off the walls, literally, having no where to exit. The same thing that makes your car safe during a lightening storm, makes it a sealed space that can trap EMFs when your cell phone is in use.
I’ve written a great post with links to scientific research for those of you who are wondering Are Cell Phones Dangerous?
Dismantling the Control4 System
Unfortunately, since I entirely neglected the electronic components in the building process, we have a long way to go. The house is on a system called Control4. That means that every light switch and thermostat in the house may be on WiFi, not to mention the televisions, and much more. We plan to eliminate this system and unraveling it is going to be a complex process. We are only at the beginning.
Changing Habits Takes Time
So far I’ve been spending a great deal of time and energy to reduce the EMFs in our home. Since I really enjoy creating new habits it has been very easy for me. My family is making changes to their habits too, and these changes in behavior were not their idea, so it is less pleasant for them. I have turned their world upside down. Thankfully they have been really good sports about it. I am very lucky and show them my gratitude at every opportunity!
You’re Crazy EMFs are in Your Head
When I’ve spoken with friends about reducing the EMFs in our home the response has been interesting. One friend said she was very proud of me, that she was glad I had not given up on my health, and that I was still searching for an answer and working to get well.
Another friend had a different response. This friend said there was no proof that EMFs are harmful and that people would think I was crazy in my efforts to reduce EMFs in my own home. Thankfully I haven’t really ever cared much anyway what people thought of me so that’s not an issue! Many people have told me that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a total scam, and still, I get my HBOT treatments for MS, finding them particularly helpful.
It’s been less than one week since I made all of the changes outlined above! Since it took around 10 months of living in the house for all of my strange symptoms to arise, I expect it will take at least that long to heal. Remember, healing is a process that takes time.
Next, I’m bringing in an EMF specialist to measure the different areas of our home to help me to get the EMF situation here further under control. I’ll be sure to keep you posted! I’m so glad that I went on Facebook to chat with you all last week about EMFs. I learned so much from you! Now I hope you can learn something from me and that together we can spread awareness of this important issue!
If you want to make a difference, share this post on Facebook, or leave a comment about your own experience with EMFs below.
Jane says
Hi, Elana! Thanks for this post. I have been receiving a lot of info lately about EMFs. I think that is Life’s way of saying “Pay attention.” I drove 4000 miles round trip last year on my vacation and I was so tired. I think it was from the electronics in my car. If I can find a way to turn off Bluetooth in it, I will do it.
You might find the information in the book, “Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival,” by T. S. Wiley and Bent Formby to be of interest. It tells how humankind is encouraging its own extinction with technological progress . It discusses the rhythms of Nature and how we have gotten out of sync with them, and how that has been detrimental to our health.
Best wishes to you and all of your readers in our search for health.
Jane
Elana says
Thanks Jane, I really enjoy T.S. Wiley’s writing and philosophies!
K.L. says
Hi Jane, did you ever find a way to turn off the bluetooth in your car? I have the same issue.
Elana says
KL, thanks for pointing this out. I bought my car around 1996 so thankfully no Bluetooth or WiFi in it :-)
Heidi says
Dear Elana,
I am from Austria an I like your Homepage – it is incredibly good.
I am suffering from rheumatic disease since the birth of my 2nd child. Since I was changi.g to Paleo, I am feeling much more better.
I am sure, that we underestimate the impact of EMF. At home, we use specially mats with basalt to harmonize the electromagnetic field. It is astonishing, how it works an my sleep was getting much more better. Even at work, for my children…
Best greetings from Austria an thanks for your wonderfull hp!
Elana says
You’re welcome Heidi :-)
Rebecca of www.twentyonewordsblog.com says
Hi Elana, I don’t have any autoimmune issues, but I have always tried to avoid using wi-fi and wireless gadgets, and smartphones, and microwaves, for the simple reason that I think that modern (Western) society has lost the ability to ‘disconnect’ and to relax. I was a teenager in Australia in the 1980s, and my friends and I spent our free time playing outside in the garden, cycling and walking to the shops (usually to buy sweets, I must admit), and reading books. We went to the movies and watched videos and TV, too, I guess, but even those were things we actively had to choose to sit down to watch, rather than carrying them around with us and checking them every two minutes as today’s kids and adults so often do with their smartphones.
I suppose what I’m trying to say is that I agree that EMFs are a medical issue, but I think this is so much more than just a medical thing. Social media and wi-fi technology have changed not only our susceptibility to health issues but also our susceptibility to stress, poor sleep, fatigue and general ill-being, don’t you think? Even something simple like going for a walk or a run has become an activity that people feel obliged to monitor and measure with their smartphones and fitbits. Do we really need to know how many steps we’ve taken or what our heart rate is? Can’t we just go outside and enjoy the activity for itself and for the way it makes us feel?
My motto, if I had to sum it up, is ‘go gadget-free’ (as far as possible). It certainly applies to an EMF-free lifestyle.
Elana says
Rebecca, I grew up in California in the 1970’s living a very similar lifestyle to the one you describe above (sweets included). I concur that in addition to EMF’s all of this technology has created a culture of hyper-connectivity where we don’t allow ourselves the space and time to let our minds wander aimlessly. This type of aimless emptiness is a beautiful thing, and I believe that our creativity and healing spring from it. Thanks for bringing up this aspect of modern culture, I really appreciate, and wholeheartedly agree with you :-)
Rebecca says
That’s great, Elana. I’m so glad you got what I was trying to say. I like the phrase ‘aimless emptiness’. I’ll remember that and continue to aspire to it :)
Mrs.B says
We use one of these at the recommendation of my electrician father in law.
https://www.amazon.com/Total-EMF-Shield-Business-Protection/dp/B00BQJ7BJC
Elana says
Thanks Mrs. B!
Barbara says
You can post on Instagram without using your phone via Hopper. It’s terrific – just Google Hopper Instagram to check it out.
Elana says
Thanks Barbara :-)
Hannah says
I began noticing my EMF sensitivity in the last couple of years. I had a major infection and major surgery about 3 years ago and I wonder how the trauma of that plays into it. I also have an autoimmune disease, Type 1 Diabetes. My symptoms started after purchasing a new cell phone. I couldn’t talk more than a 10 minutes without getting a headache. I switched back to my old iPhone but that also gave me issues eventually. I began noticing a vibration in my left foot and through the left side of my body if I even touched my phone. My chiropractor does muscle testing/nutritional response testing and discovered the phone was triggering a virus in the nerve in my foot. Sounds crazy but it’s true
Like you, I dove into research and began removing all EMFs from my home. We turned off wi-fi, opted out of a smart meter, etc. I do still have a smart phone, but I use a RF Safe cover. It seems to be helping. I’ve only had a couple incidents of vibration in the last few months. Best of luck in your healing!
Elana says
Thanks Hannah!
Sara Gordon says
HI Elena, you and i have been on very similar paths the last week months! I live in MA and worked with Phyllis Traver of http://www.yoursafeandsoundhome.com/
I see that you are having someone come to your house who likely does what Phyllis does but it might be worth chatting to her. Do you have a remote switch in your bedroom to turn off the circuits? Unfortunately it isn’t as simple as just turning off the ones in your room. There could be other circuits affected your room that don’t even neighbor it!
Also Swiss Harmony is a company Phyllis works with and recommends. You must look into them.
https://swissharmony.com/ They have units for your house, water, car and even things to wear on your body.
The rabbit hole is deep my friend!
Good luck to you.
Elana says
Thanks Sara!
Fio says
Hello Elana, thank you for your post.
Have you tried Himalayan salt lamps and if so what is your opinion regarding their capability to deal with EMF?
Thank you
Fio
Elana says
You’re welcome Fio! I haven’t tried the Himalayan salt lamps so not sure if they would be a good choice for me. I would worry though, that by pugging the lamp into the wall more EMF’s are generated. Also, I wouldn’t use a lamp as a substitute for getting rid of bad wiring that creates dirty electricity.
Kenitra Price says
I use the salt lamps that you have to use tea lights. It has helped my anxiety and aches. I’m still getting tested for MS.
Elana says
Kenitra, those are the kind that I plan to buy :-)
Kathleen Johnston says
HI Elana:
I came to your site looking for a carrott cake recipe! However after reading some of your other posts about your health I wanted to pass on a suggestion that you may find the following book well worth reading. The author is Anthony Williiams, Medical Medium Secrets Behind Chronic and Mystery Illnesses.
Thank you for all the work you do for your wonderful website.
Elana says
Thanks!
Barb Blythe says
Hi Elana! You sure did shake up my world this morning with the revelation of your knowledge of EMFs! I received my MS “official” dx late in life when I was 71 after experiencing a “flare-up” from a minor car accident. An unofficial dx was made when I was 35 but at the time there were no treatments or meds. When I asked what could be done for this condition, I was told “Nothing. Go home and live your life as best you can”. Needless to say, I would not allow the invasive procedure of a Lumbar Puncture as there was too much of a chance of infection. The first thing that came to my mind as you were explaining EMF’s was, I frequently
experience a high level of electricity in my body. No one wants to touch me in the winter! I cannot wear a watch as they just stop, even Timex. I have blown three hard drives for no apparent reason on various computers. Some days, I literally feel that my entire body is vibrating! Has anyone else had this feeling? My Neurologist has taken note but seems puzzled…not sure this has anything to do with MS. Now I’m sure and everything makes sense! Thank you, thank you….I will start precautions and see if I can’t get some relief…after all, what would it hurt!! Much affection and Light to you, Barb
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Elana says
Hi Barb, thanks for your comment. I have a similar issue in the winter with tons of static, and last month my iphone blew out when I was on it, prior to my mostly giving it up due to all of this EMF research. I’m looking into all of this and will keep y’all posted :-)
Kay says
Elana, I am glad you came across this information and I hope it heals you. I don’t pay as much attention to wifi (I likely will be thinking about it now though – thanks to you), but when I purchased our beds and mattresses I opted to not get springs and limit the metal. There are screws in our bed and the kids, but the rest is wood and we sleep on organic rubber foam mattresses. If you haven’t checked this out yet, I would, since we (hopefully) spend 1/3 of our lives in bed. All the best to you on your quest for health.
Elana says
Thanks for bringing this up Kay! We sleep on organic cotton mattresses, thank goodness :-)