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.
Free exclusive eBook, plus recipes and health tips, delivered to your inbox.
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.
Ginni Selle says
Hi Elana,
Greatly appreciate your experience and knowledge here. I am having a very hard time trying to find an electrician that is EMF aware and can mitigate some of our concerns. For example, we are looking into installing a demand switch to turn off rooms such as the bedroom at night. Our home is an older one that has been “tinkered with” and we do not have the confidence to address it ourselves. We live near Glen Ellyn, Il. Can you recommend anyone you have heard of that is an electrician that can help us out? Also, who might you recommend for additional EMF inspection services? Most are trying to sell the filters with the inspection service. Thank you very much, Ginni S
Elana says
Hi Ginni, thanks for your comment and for sharing what you and your family are going through with EMF’s. I think it’s great that you are not going to redo the electrical wiring in your home yourselves. I would recommend starting with a certified Building Biologist in your area. This type of professional will not try to sell you expensive filters, and they may know of a master electrician in your area that can remedy any wiring issues. Each time we have something done by our electrician I have our Building Biologist come back and remeasure to make sure it was done correctly. Another great place to start is simply eliminating WiFi and other devices that create electromagnetic radiation in your home environment. We plug our computers into the wall and no longer use a wireless router in our home, and this has been very helpful for me. I hope this is helpful and that you’ll keep me posted on your progress!
Walden says
Elana,
Thank you for this article. I stumbled upon your site via MBG site. As far as EMF goes I’m unable to avoid it because I work in a healthcare office and the hospital but I purchased a cellphone chip and pendant from GIA Wellness that supposed to neutralize the signal. I would like to know what you think about them? They use the MRET device and you can google them about their studies and results. I’m curious if you’ve tried these. I’ve been wearing the pendant and place the chip on my IPhone for about 3 wks now and didn’t really see any significant results. I’m ready to return it bc I paid good money for the 2 things. Do you have any better recommendations or suggestions? Thanks!
Walden
Elana says
Walden, thanks for your comment and so sorry to hear that you are in a work environment with high levels of EMF. I haven’t tested any shields that effectively block out EMF’s. The best way to test your environment at work as well as pendant’s that claim to neutralize electromagnetic radiation is to buy an acoustimeter. I will be writing a good deal more about this soon, but for now here’s the link to the one I use:
http://amzn.to/2rc3rWA
Good luck and please stop back by to let me know how you’re doing!
Elana
Walden says
Hey, thanks for the reply. I’ve looked at different types of EMF testers including the one you included the link to and they are all expensive especially for just one time use. If I could rent it, that would be better. The Cornet (ED-88T and newer models) brand seems reasonable but I don’t know which one is more accurate and reliable. I’ve also watched the Cornet tutorial in Youtube and seems pretty good. As far as how I’m feeling, I started taking more antioxidant supplements including Vit C, NAC, turmeric, Magnesium, & Chlorella, plus eating healthy organic foods. I do feel better than before. I kept the pendant and the phone sticker from GIA Wellness. However, I will test them someday once I get a hold of one of these EMF tester. Thanks for posting these helpful blogs!
Elana says
Thanks Walden!
Lisa C says
my husband was fired from a job (meter reading for the gas company) b/c he was finding out how awful smart meters are and was questioning them. I’m sad to say I haven’t been on board with all this but, I’ve been really sick lately and maybe I need to get rid of some stuff. Also, Have you ever tried a Reiki treatment? You probably already know all about it. I had one and intend to go for more. Our bodies absorb all the energy from everything around us. This treatment restores our bodies natural rhythm. It was so relaxing and I felt so peaceful afterward.
Elana says
Lisa, thanks for your comment. I’m so sorry to hear about what you and your husband have gone through. Yes, Reiki is great, but I also think it’s best to remove electromagnetic radiation from your environment since it is incredibly toxic to many individuals :-)
Greg Biggs says
Contact the Sofia clinic in Woodbridge Washingtonand spend the +-$25.00 dvd on emf’s and “smart meters” It is frightening yet very informative. The Gov. Uses a formula for to determine what level is harmful for people is equal to the amount of emf energy required to raise one gram of water by one degree celcius….crazy. I’m the radiation safety officer for an engineering company that uses nuclear density meters. If the same method was applied to that our employees would be exposed to nearly levels. The emf’s allowed are 10,000 times more than nuclear but radiation is radiation. My has EHS electro hyper sensitivity. We purchased emf readers had to get two to cover all the frequencies. We have kids in school that need Internet some put a timer on the wifi to turn it off at night. Note: Sofia clinic deals mostly with Lyme disease….they have thousands of tests and found every single person tested with MS has Lyme and coinfections. Another expert “Cowdan” has found Lyme which can imitate 386 different diseases was a multigenerational bio-warfare weapon developed on Plum Island and suggests reading the book “lab 257”. Do not typical Blood tests for Lyme, only two labs test properly and check Dina marker 57: either full blown AIDS or Lyme. Note: Lyme changes and presents itself as different things but is great for big Pharma. Good luck, God Bless and Be Your Own Health advocate. My spent 15 years and 20+ Doc’s who said she was fat, lazy or crazy!!!! She is none of those and neither are you. P.S: she was heavy but only because her body was getting the proper electrical signals and her internal organs didn’t know how to process the toxins so stored the toxins in fat cells as a survival tactic. Be well and do good.
Greg Biggs says
Sorry about all the gramatical errors darn auto correct
Gail Hoke says
Yes me, too. Greg. 80 year old Great grandma. Just can’t seem to outsmart “Auto” Darn. Darn. Darn. :-) Know I am off topic, but need a little humor.
Elana says
Thanks Greg!
Ramona C Angell says
We have a 2story house, so we use the cordless phones as intercoms for the kids. Is there a corded phone that works as intercom? Or, I’ve heard of cordless phones that do not emit EMFs when not in use. However, I can’t seem to find any in the US. Does anyone know where I can buy a cordless phone like this in US?
Elana says
Ramona, that is a great question! You might be able to find some type of business phone with an intercom on it that is corded. Be sure to stay away from cordless phones as their wireless technology can be harmful.
Maria Louise says
I’ve read a bit about reducing EMFs in our lives. I never thought about the circuits in the walls…
Another I read is that people need to take off their shoes and walk barefoot in the grass/on the ground so you can become more grounded (no pun intended) and help reduce the effects of EMFs on your body.
I love your blog and stumbled here looking for Keto recipes!!
Elana says
Thanks Maria! It’s so nice to meet you :-)
Marian says
Hi Elana, So sorry for your difficult journey for good health. I have experienced some difficult health challenges in the past but continue to educate myself. There is always more to learn in our ever changing world. A few things that have really helped me with EMF sensitivity are the Total Shield (4 coil) and Ener-G-Polari-T Products for whole house, cell phone, computers, etc. I have a friend that does muscle response testing test me to make sure my body was strong with there use. They made a world of difference for me.
Thank you for sharing your journey. Blessings to you and your family!
Elana says
Marian, thanks so much for your comment! A word of caution to readers living in a very high EMR such as the one we had in our house, it is critical to remove sources of electromagnetic radiation prior to installing things such shields. Also, I haven’t tested any shields that effectively block out EMF’s. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but also don’t want people to suffer through what we went through :-)
Amy says
Just wanted to share something in case it might help someone. Along the same lines of the detriment of EMFs, we can reverse this damage through the healing properties of “earthing”. I don’t ever post on sites but just had to share this. In our modern society our bodies are no longer in direct contact with the earth. The earth has its own electrical frequency that is in harmony with our bodies. This frequency balances and restores us to our optimum electrical state.
Elana says
Amy, thanks for your comment! Just a word of caution to my readers, while earthing is incredible (I do it myself) the damaging effects of electromagnetic radiation are numerous and in my experience cannot be completely healed by earthing. EMR destroys the cell wall, leads to an increase in inflammatory cytokines, and sucks magnesium and other minerals out of the body, among other damaging effects.
Starlet says
This post has made me aware of so many things I hadn’t thought of before. Thank you!!
My husband and I are planning on building a home in a few years. Do you know of a list of things to keep in mind for building non toxic. (Materials, electrical, appliances, etc) also, what about smart meters? I allowed them to install in my basement, now I’d love to have them remove it! I’m not sure of my rights in this issue.
Thanks again!
Elana says
Starlet, for our project we simply sat down with the contractor and told him that everything in our build had to be no-VOC and wrote that into our contract. When they could not find no-VOC we had to approved low-VOC and we let those types of things off gas prior to installing them. For the smart meters consumer rights will vary. Our utility companies would not allow us to remove ours so we shielded them :-)
Delores Liesner says
How do you shield the smart meter?
Elana says
Delores, my Building Biologist wrapped metal screen around it a number of times until the signal was cancelled out.
LIVIA says
Can you clarify what a metal screen is? Like a screen on a door but made of metal? I live in an area where smart meters are mandatory and we cannot remove it either. If we wrap it to cancel the signal, does this become illegal and we get in trouble if they can’t get the signal on it? Sorry to sound ignorant.
Elana says
Livia, no need to apologize, such a great question! We buy metal screen at the hardware store, wrap the smart meter several times and somehow the utility company still finds a way to bill us :-)
P. Adams says
Yikes! I sit at my computer for hours , right next to my cordless phone and the router and my cell phone and my wireless printer and my kids wireless video games and controllers and headsets! Time to make changes. Not diagnosed with MTHFR but I have all a full list of issues that make it likely. Thanks for sharing.
Elana says
You’re welcome!
Kristy says
Thank you for sharing! We live in a 100 year old house and I will keep this in mind as we start renovating. I have to tell you that I feel so relieved. I did not know this was a thing, however we plugged in a wireless speaker once and I was so bothered by a high pitch noise that no one else seemed to hear. I was really starting to doubt myself. I had the same problem with a tv and again, no one else in the house seemed bothered. I am so fascinated by this and am eager to learn more. Thank you, thank you!
Elana says
You’re welcome Kristy!