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.
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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.
Elaine says
Fascinating article , thank you Elana! I’m going to make steps to try to clear house of EMF’s. Question for you what do you recommend as a corded phone or what resources do you recommend to purchase a corded new phone. I have already noticed how my head reacts to talking on the cell phone so I’ve been using my corded phone which apparently is not much better . I’d like to find a good corded phone.
Thanks again for all the inspiration!
Elana says
Hi Elaine, thanks for your comment! I link to the corded phone that I use in this post, in the section titled “Eliminate Cordless Phones”
https://elanaspantry.com/simple-steps-to-reduce-emfs/
Enjoy!
Elana
M. French says
Elena, You are very brave and thank you for your post. You are not alone I am suffering from EM radiation also and I live in Colorado. You might find this of interest Anderson Cooper of 60 minutes did a show on cell phone addiction. This is why it’s so hard for people to let go of. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hooked-on-phones/
Elana says
Thanks!
Jacey says
I have been following your recipes and food ideas for years and had no idea that we were living a parallel EMF nightmare. This is a revelation to me!! I’ve been living in a ‘smart home’ for 2 years and have developed debilitating MCS. My room was next to ‘command central’ and we had Control4 as well. I’ve left and am going to work with a consultant to ensure I’m EMF safe here. THANK YOU for sharing, it all makes sense now.
Elana says
Jacey, what an awesome comment. I love it! Yes, we’ve been living parallel EMF nightmares caused by over exposure to the electromagnetic radiation that the Control4 system generates. So glad you too are taking steps to make your living space a safe environment :-)
JAN LEVINE says
Hello, you may already be familiar with Dr Jack Kruse, he has interesting info about EMFs. (Just In Health – Podcast – Dr. Jack Kruse – Functional medicine mistakes, EMF, sunlight and your mitochondria) Esp good
Thank you for your great recipes, best wishes for you and your family. Jan
Elana says
Thanks Jan!
Stephanie Kerst says
I love this post. Did you also check for dirty electricity and ELF-EMF from appliances, in addition to RF-EMF from wireless devices?
When rebuilding our home, I discovered that many appliances (like ranges and ovens) include RF power transmitters, which create another source of wireless RF radiation in a home. After doing some research, I found that KitchenAid appliances are free from power transmitters.
Elana says
Stephanie, yes we had a good deal of DE that is now resolved thankfully :-)
Sheila says
How do you resolve the dirty electricity? I have in my home. I bought a gauss meter and our fridge , stove and a particular room with the electric meter on outside are all high in reading.
Also, we have four or five wi-fi routers downstairs. I want to change to cables but my husband works from home and thinks I am being paranoid.
Elana says
Sheila, I had a building biologist along with a master electrician fix our dirty electricity issues :-)
Selma says
One of the largest sources of EMF are the new wireless digital electric/utility meters ( smart and AMR meters that only transmit one direction broadcast almost continuously /every 30 seconds and are 10X stronger than wireless router). I am very sensitive to EMF and suffer with chronic lyme/uknown neurological condition with some symptoms similar to MS. After purchasing a device to measure EMF we sucessfully reduced EMF exposure in our home. The cordless phones were some of the worst offenders and we went to wired phones. We also programmed our router to shut off at night while sleeping. My sleep improved from just this one change. We fought with our electric utility and refused the wireless electric meter. After two years of resistence (NH has no opt out laws), they are allowing us to self report.
Elana says
Selma, thanks for sharing your EMF journey with me! Smart meters use something called a zigbee chip to transmit information wirelessly. We had 300 zigbee chips in our home before I removed all of the wireless technology.
Gloria says
Dear Elana,
Hi! I will keep you in prayer. You mentioned that you used no-voc matierials in your home. Would you be willing to Recommend some of them to me (and send them in an email to me, please?) My Husband and I are in the process of purchasing our first home. It will need some new drywall, floor sealants on old wood flooring, new flooring laid in the kitchen, dining room, master bedroom, and hallway. We may also need to replace the flooring in the bathrooms, and will definitely be painting all the walls. We have been trying to find products with no or low VOC, but are having difficulty doing so. As someone who also has severe health issues, having a healthy and safe environment is crucial to my being able to participate in activities of daily living. Thank you so much! Gloria
Elana says
Gloria, great questions! I will be writing more on that in the future! In the meantime for you, during your renovation ask your contractor to purchase only no-VOC items. If they have to use low-VOC you will want to let those items off gas for about a month before they go in your home. I wouldn’t hire a contractor unless they have experience with this and agree to do it in your contract with them so you have it in writing upfront :-)
Michelle Crosby says
Elana,
What an eye opening article!! I am definitely going to make some changes in my home. I had no idea the electronics in our house could be what is making me sick.
Elana says
Thanks Michelle!
K says
Hi Elana, I have been dealing with wifi sensitivity for about 5 years. I had a high exposure to radiation at a school i was working at and started feeling really unusual sensations. Luckily, a person I know found out I was working at this school and warned me about the room I was assigned to. I could not concentrate in that room then came the upset stomach and inability to eat while there. I became very sensitive to wifi and had to actually use dial up for internet access for a while. Not sure if that is even available now! I could tell people if their house is unhealthy with wifi (because I can’t be there for long) but they never listen to me! Some are worse than others. I can’t stay in those places lone. When I visit my sister on vacation, she has to turn off wifi while I stay there.. Some places seem to be worse than others… The Gia wellness pendant has helped me quite a bit and Ihave their protective diodes on my devices… I talked with an internationally recognized emf expert here in Hawaii and she told me we all are affected by emf but only 3% can feel it.. If so, I guess we are fortunate to be so sensitive. It has been a forced education, believe me! I also use the bed sheet from earthing.com. which releases built up radiation. Really helps me to be able to sleep. Some pets seem to be really affected by wifi, too. Thanks for getting this unrecognized danger out to the public!
Elana says
K, you’re welcome :-)
Mary Ann Coons says
I also get fantastic, deep sleep from an earthing sheet. I am now a distributer for them because I believe so strongly in their benefits. They have other products besides the sheet. A matt for the floor and one for the desk to go under your computer. Might help with the EMF’s when at the computer. If you go too earthing.com and to earthing institute.org there is a wealth of information and research about the benefits of earthing.
Elana says
Thanks so much Mary Ann! Just a quick word of caution about these products, if you do not remove EMF’s from your home prior to installing earthing products you will literally be grounding the EMR and EMF’s through these products and when you are in contact with them, through your body.
Tara Edwards says
I don’t own one, so can’t attest to its effectiveness, but I heard about it through “The Truth about Cancer” and though I should share it with you. waverider.sg/store/c1/Featured_Products
Elana says
Tara, I have tested quite a few of these types of devices and have not ever found one that works as advertised. The best solution for EMF’s is as another reader stated: to reduce exposure through shielding (which can be very difficult), distance from the source, or outright removal of the source.
trina says
Elana, do you use a computer? I can access Instagram on my laptop (hard-wired, with wired mouse and keyboard). We moved from my home town when we became surrounded by smart meters and wireless water meters (not to mention other wireless devices.) We moved to a more remote area with no cell service, left the microwave oven behind and donated the new remote phones to a recycler. Unfortunately we have had to buy a new wall oven and freezer; I don’t know if they have zigbee chips. Also, more unfortunately, our analog meter was confiscated “due to expiry of its seal” and we now have imposed upon us a smart meter, for which we pay $20 extra a month for ‘signal off’. I developed tinnitus a short while after the smart meter was installed on a pole outside our house, so I don’t know whether it’s related or not. When we moved, I got rid of our tv and bought the smallest I could, making sure there were no zigbee chips in it. I have two friends who developed EHS (one is since deceased, due to heart complications) and the unpredictability of it has caused me to be as “precautionary” as I can.
Elana says
Trina, yes I do use a computer, and I can view Instagram that way, but cannot post photos to it unless using a phone. Thanks so much for sharing your story as well as all of the inspiring steps you’ve taken to combat EMF’s!
Deb says
I use Gramblr to post for my web clients to Instagram from my computer.
Elana says
Thanks Deb!