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Technology has allowed us to go wireless and avoid the hassle of cables. We can now remotely turn the TVs on, start a coffee machine, and monitor babies using wireless technology. At the same time, we are exposed to unprecedented levels of electromagnetic radiation from wireless signals 24/7.
Have you wondered “Is WiFi Safe?” at these levels?
Is WiFi Safe?
Hang on tight… this may get controversial. There seem to be two rather extreme opinions when it comes to WiFi. One side says that it is completely safe and likes the idea of “smart” houses with everything run off Wifi. The other side is ready to build a Faraday Cage around themselves at all time.
The truth is likely somewhere in the middle.
Understand the Effects of WiFi
WiFi does not immediately cause diagnosable illness. For this reason, many of us choose to ignore that it can have any affect at all. However, it can interfere with our bodily functions which may eventually progresses into diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative diseases after long term exposure.
Because these are complex diseases that develop over decades, it is difficult to conclusively show that the increase in wireless signal exposures directly cause the diseases. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considers wireless radiation as a class 2B possible carcinogen due to limited evidence. These small number of studies are leaning towards showing that electromagnetic radiations, including WiFi, are not safe.
In the Lancet article outlining their considerations, that IARC states that epidemiological studies that follow humans who use WiFi and cell phones for a few years are not conclusive. However, rodent studies that follow the animals throughout their lifetime find that wireless radiation does cause cancer or worsen cancer prognosis. The same animal studies also observed other changes in the brain and blood brain barrier in animals that are exposed to the radiation.
The limited evidences in humans may be why regulators are claiming that this type of radiation is safe. However, some anecdotal evidences, such as how Canadian families in Ontario are noticing headaches and brain fogs in their children, suggest that WiFi may not be healthy, so it is probably better to err on the side of caution.
It is even more important to protect children and developing fetuses from radiation as their small and growing bodies are more vulnerable to radiation than adults. Many products on the market aim to help protect babies in utero from WiFi radiation (like this belly armor blanket and even this belly-shielding band for pregnant moms).
How to Reduce WiFi Exposure
First, it is important to reduce use as much as possible, especially until we know more about the long-term effects of WiFi. The pro-WiFi crowd may scoff at the idea that anything could be potentially harmful about it, but we once thought smoking was perfectly fine too!
While it may not be possible to get the entire family on board, there are many options to reduce exposure while keeping everyone happy, including:
Turn off WiFi Before Going to Bed (Good)
Everyone should be sleeping at bed time, and WiFi signal may interferes with the brain during sleep, so it is a good idea to turn it off before going to bed. This allows the body to rest more deeply. By turning it off at night, you are effectively cutting down exposure by 33%. (Aside from the WiFi reduction, many security experts also recommend turning off your internet when not using it).
In addition, because many people browse the internet mindlessly at night, some may also find that having a WiFi curfew improves their marriage because they become more present with their spouse.
Many router models will have features that make it possible to automatically shut off WiFi connection and turn it back on at the same time every day, which will be useful for this purpose. You can also use an inexpensive timer to do this for you.
Turn On WiFi Router Only When in Use (Better)
If you and your family members are up for giving up WiFi for the most part, but still insist on connecting some devices from time to time, then having an option to switch on the router when in use is a better option as this reduces WiFi exposure only to a few hours a day.
Give Up Wireless and Hardwire All Your Connections (Best)
Giving up WiFi altogether is the healthiest option. It may sound daunting but it is possible and may mitigate several health issues down the line. In addition, you will enjoy more consistent and faster internet when directly hardwired in. It is certainly more work and not doable for everyone, but something we are (slowly) attempting.
You’ll need to pick up some affordable tools, including:
- Ethernet hub – if the one you have doesn’t have enough ports for every device and everyone to use. They can be plugged into an existing hub that you already have in order to expand the number of ports.
- Long ethernet cables – to allow everyone to connect from anywhere in your home.
- Ethernet adaptors – makes it possible to connect devices that don’t have ethernet ports, including tablets, smart phones, and some computers.
It is also a good idea to use wired peripherals like keyboards, mice, and headphones instead of wireless ones to reduce exposures to electromagnetic radiation.
If that all seems complicated to set up, I’d recommend asking someone to help. My tech-savvy brother was the lucky recipient of my questions.
Hold Up on Adding Gadgets or Upgrading to Smart Homes, Offices, and Cars
With new wireless technology, wireless-enabled devices with bells and whistles are on sale every single day. Smart home thermostats, bluetooth-controlled cookers, wireless baby monitoring system, and smart beds might make life easier, but they may not be as safe as we think.
Such technologies are still very new. These devices use many forms of wireless technologies, for which we don’t fully understand the long term health consequences. For these, less is more.
Turn Devices on Airplane Mode
Cell phones and tablets emit electromagnetic frequency when the receivers are turned on. Because we typically use these devices very close to our bodies for extended periods of time, exposure levels can be very high. Therefore, important to keep them on airplane mode, especially when they are around children.
Remember to also teach children and caregivers to turn these devices on airplane mode to reduce WiFi and electromagnetic exposures.
How to Mitigate the Harmful Effects of WiFi Exposure
It may be difficult to completely eliminate exposure, especially if you live or work in an urban area. In addition to taking the steps above to reduce WiFi exposures, there are many ways to mitigate the harmful effects of WiFi signals, including:
Use a Dirty Electricity Filter to Reduce Electromagnetic Radiation
Dirty electricity occurs when electronic devices need to manipulate the electric currents into the format and voltage that the devices need. This can create electrical surges throughout the wiring system.
Electronic devices, including WiFi Routers, phone chargers, and computers all produce dirty electricity, which can be a significant source of harmful electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) in the building.
In order to mitigate this effect, consider installing dirty electricity filters on outlets throughout the home and work environment.
Earthing
Wireless devices emit unhealthy positive ions and also interfere with the waves in our own bodies, such as our brain waves and the electrical system that runs our cells. By earthing, the positive ions in our bodies can be equalized with negative ions from earth, which can mitigate the harmful effects of EMFs.
In addition, earthing allows our bodies to synch with the Schumann resonance (7.83 Hz), which is earth’s own electromagnetic frequency that we are naturally built to be exposed to. A Japanese study in 2005 showed that the Schumann resonance can reduce blood pressure and produce some positive health outcomes. By synching with earth’s natural frequency, we reduce the risks of WiFi waves interfering with our bodily functions.
You can earth simply by standing barefoot on the ground for 20 minutes daily. Alternatively, you can also use a grounding shoes with an earthing metal piece, or bed sheets that connects to the grounding port of your home electrical outlets.
Adding Negative Ions
Exposure to WiFi can result in a buildup of positive ions in your body, which can promote inflammation. Therefore, if you are regularly exposed to WiFi and EMFs, it is even more important to regularly expose yourself to negative ions to to neutralize the positive ions.
You can find naturally occurring negative ions near moving water, such as at the beach or moving streams of water.
In addition, you can use a Himalayan salt lamp or negative ion generator in your home to increase your exposure to healthful negative ions and mitigate the negative effects from WiFi exposure.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Are you concerned about WiFi exposure and new wireless technologies? Weigh below!
Natural beeswax candles, but NOT parafin ones, produce negative ions as well.
More kids have headaches and brain fog because more kids have their own mobile phones, tablets, tv’s in their rooms and laptops or iPads. More kids are spending their time texting, on social media, playing games, taking selfies and NOT SLEEPING! They don’t spend enough time outside playing for real, not sitting outside and texting or liking someone’s FB picture. But actually playing. Running. Walking. Climbing. Swinging. You name it. THIS is why more kids have headaches and brain fog. Wake up parents. Stop giving devices to your children because all the other kids have them or because you want to look like a hero. And if you feel you must give them those devices, those devices come with rules such as a time limit (20 mins for my 8 year old and it will increase as she gets older if we feel it’s necessary), read a book, play outside, colour, do a puzzle, BEFORE electronic time, etc.
I was allowed however much computer time I wanted as a kid and now I’m studying to become a computer engineer. If I weren’t allowed to do what I was passionate about as a kid, I wouldn’t be as smart with computers as I am today. Would you give such an extreme time limit on playing basket ball or coloring if that is what your kid wanted to do? Promote technological interests in children, embrace it, especially in little girls.
I agree wholeheartedly with you Kate, but she raises a point about sleep. Kids need so much more sleep than adults so maybe taking their phones away at night and giving them back in the morning is a decent idea. But Lesley, your post is so inflammatory and not biased on any sort of evidence or study that I really have to condemn everything else that you have said.
All living things are bioelectric. Things work by transferring electrons. WiFi radiation is non-ionizing but it works at a high frequency pulse or on and off. The antennae that pick up those signals in all devices are called fractal otherwise devices would all have big antennae. A fractal antenna is a coiled coil. DNA is also a coiled coil ionic transfer system. Living creates cellular damage that is constantly being repaired. The on and off of WiFi cause vibrations in DNA that interfere, in all likelihood, with the natural repair mechanisms of life. So the damage is created by metabolism and WiFi puts a roadblock on the repair crew. None of what I wrote is absolute science probably because the research has not been funded. Surprise.
You have evidently done a lot of research into this topic, (as have I) but you have come to a completely different conclusion to myself. I concluded that WiFi poses no danger to any part of body whilst you think it does. The only criticism I have of your comment is the bit where you linked from a fractal antenna being coiled to DNA being coiled. WiFi antenna can be any shape, the fact that some are coiled and that DNA is coiled does have a strong link as it would seem.
I thank you so much for this info too. Yes, we all thought smoking was OK too and it wasn’t that long ago. Of course there will always be those of the flat earth society who will call it nonsense but another ten years or so will prove there is a connection between cancer/ poor health and wireless devices.
We are doing our best to reduce positive ions but it is very difficult…my husband works from home on a computer all day and the rest of the world hasn’t caught on to the dangers yet so we are all exposed every day.
Keep up the good work, though…..in twenty years they will be quoting you and saying “see, even back then, people knew about the dangers”.
You can buy an earthing mat that sits under his keyboard and plugs into a grounding outlet. Very nice looking black mat. I have them in our home office and my husband’s office.
I actually bought him one last Christmas, Deanna but he won’t use it. Hate to say this and it is , of course a generalisation but women seem to be more open to new healthful thinking than men.
Once again…. I’m not saying all men but a lower percentage it seems.
Thank you so much for all of the great info! I have just recently heard of people turning off their WiFi at night, and such. I think it’s definitely something we should at least be aware of, and know the risks of.
The use of wifi has been an ongoing concern for us especially with our children wanting to use screens more and more as they get older. I have control of the situation at home somewhat, and we are saving for hardwiring the home. However, the use of devices for education is now in classrooms. I feel completely out of control on this matter as opting out of this learning environment could also result in my child being behind in technological advances that will inevitably be part of their future.
We can have 21st century learning, but we can do it safely, and we can do it WIRED. Wireless will damage their future more than any benefits it has to offer. You need to make sure your children are not using any wireless devices.
I think Sue K was asking how, though. You just reiterated what she said.
Sue K said she feels out of control on the school matter, you told her she needs to make sure her children don’t use wireless devices.
But we’d like to know how. My sister has major problems with the school giving her four-year-old sugar snacks when the school specifically said they only provide healthy snacks. The definition of “healthy” seems to be…ridiculous to some people. Carrots are healthy. Apples are healthy. (Don’t get me started on unwashed, conventional.) Rice Krispy treats? Seriously? Who could state that’s healthy?
My sister specifically told them, in writing, not to give her kid any juice. Only water. The second day of school, they gave her apple juice. It’s like no one cares. My sister cares, is specific and crystal clear and is careful not to ostracize her child from the other kids – but she has no control at the schools.
How on earth do we protect our children when they’re not at home but still so young they need protection?
Thanks for your reply Albert. As Jenny said, I am extremely aware about not using wireless devices which is easy when they are home, but my question is about what we can do when our children are at school. All classrooms have wifi. Well, wifi is everywhere really, isn’t it? Shopping centres, public places, trains etc. But getting back to the point, aside from home, children spend most time in a classroom environment (homeschooling isn’t an option for most) therefore constantly exposed to the wifi. I have read that our brains are more susceptible to wifi interference when we are sleeping so that’s something I guess.
Jenny, I believe the awareness around eating whole foods is becoming more prevalent, thankfully. And it is so true that not everyone shares the same definition of healthy. We all have our own standards. My child has allergies so in a school environment, they are very cautious. Sometimes, it’s also the trickery by snack companies in stretching the truth in their food labelling to get away with calling an obviously unhealthy food healthy and “ideal for lunch boxes”. We just have to take comfort in the fact we do our best when our children are home with us, and then also teach them to make good choices and decisions themselves for when they aren’t home.
I have been really concerned about this for a while already and do my best to reduce exposure in our home, especially since we have a 3 month old baby. Unfortunately, my husband doesn’t share my worry about EMF exposure. He doesn’t think it’s real. Do smart TVs and game systems like PlayStation emit harmful radiation also since they use wifi? Do they emit even when turned off?
I will agree with your husband here, I don’t believe that EMF exposure is a problem. However, since you are concerned, I will answer your questions. Smart TVs tend to be wired in my experience, however, WiFi enabled smart TVs exist. These TVs will only use WiFi or internet if the screen is on. With PlayStation and such like they may use wifi in standby mode (if there is a light on the front but the screen is turned off) I do not know for certain. With phones and tablets, it’s safe to say that they will use WiFi in standby mode, but they won’t if aeroplane mode is enabled. (If you want to cut down on EMF exposure, try putting your devices in aeroplane mode, but only if you don’t need the internet, they will not emit anything and it will also increase battery life).
As I said before, I am with your husband here, I have done loads and loads of research into this topic and I don’t think that any exposure to EM waves is a problem at all, but I am always happy to answer questions regardless of differences in opinion. (Personly, I think this is something that a lot of people don’t do, they only answer the question if the answer agrees with their opinion which is sad and means that they don’t experience other people’s way of life/beliefs.)
I’m moderately concerned. I live in an extremely rural area and all i-net and satt connections are few and far between but if I lived in an urban area, my precautions would increase. I believe in grounding and, weather permitting, walk around in bare feet as much as possible. Or rather, sit in a chair, in the yard, with my feet on the ground while I read. My i-net connection is on first floor and bedrooms on second floor so a distance separates the them; they aren’t disconnected at night. I don’t have satt television but do have XM Radio.
Several times a year, I go to the beach and spend time on the beach, on the balcony soaking up goodness. Further,… I believe all the interference caused by i-net, satt connections, etc. are killing bees and am especially worried about honey bees. As the bees go, so go our food source…if not totally then made so expensive, we’ll not be able to afford things we now take for granted.
This is a great article and appreciate the effort and information. Thank you.
Yo, most of this is complete rubbish, just sayin’ even with only GCSE level understanding, I can tell you that the EM waves emitted from WiFi routers are completely non-ionsing. (meaning it does not have to energy to ionise DNA thus meaning it cannot cause cancer) there are also many other problems with facts and logic in this article.
The studies that are cited in the article specifically studied the harm of non-ionizing EMF radiation. These includes one by the IARC in Lancet https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(11)70147-4/fulltext and the recent one released by NTP involve studies of non-ionizing radiation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/055699v1. Simply because there’s no ionizing radiation does not mean it doesn’t cause cancer, and also doesn’t mean we need to be guinea pigs until there are more definite proof.
The Lancet study focuses on the exposure that people experience and not actually what happens as a result of this exposure. So yeah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU5XkhUGzBs
(Credit to Veritasium)
Video explains the inaccuracies with measuring this kind of thing. At about 5 mins into the video, it explains why the method used to measure this stuff is kinda not very good. The methodology in mentioned is exactly the same as the method used in the Lancet source so I’m inclined not to trust it. The video is based on this article: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/cellphones-do-not-give-you-brain-cancer/ if you wish to read something instead of watch a video.
With regards to the Biorxiv article, it is a legitimate study with legitimate results, although it is specified throughout the study that the correlation between the exposure to RFR radiation is “possible” or “likely” not certain. Also, why were only the male rats affected and not the females? Surely if it were a legitimate problem then both sexes would have been affected?
Hey Thomas,
Wondering if you would be willing to watch my TEDx talk on this topic?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0NEaPTu9oI
As for the evolution of EMF science the past few years, read this article published in the magazine for the national engineering honor society. Katie’s warning above is aligned with what our best science now shows.
https://www.emfanalysis.com/new-paradigm-emf-science/
Jeromy
Yo Bro,
You sound like my kid brother. I have a close friend who is extremely sensitive to it. She can feel it whenever she gets around WiFi. I know it causes brain fog. When the Curie’s discovered Radium, people were selling radium water. Was that safe to drink? Everyone dies at some point. Committing suicide is ultimately just shortening your life. So why would you want to do something that has the cumulative effect of shortening your life?
I’m sound like a kid because technically I am. Whilst I do not want to imply anything about your friend in this next statement, but these effects can most probably be attributed to the Nocebo effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2hO4_UEe-4 (Credit to CGPGrey)
And in case you want some less anecdotal evidence: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01382218/document.
With regards to your point about radium water. You didn’t really say much other than it happened, (This would cause some people to completely discredit all of your argument and everything, which is stupid.) However, since you didn’t elaborate, I am going to presume that you meant it in a “We thought it was good but it turned out to be bad” kinda way (Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong) Yes, we didn’t know that radiation was bad for us at that point and even went so far as to believe that it was, in fact, good for us, but in the advent of new knowledge, we now know that it is bad for us. The period in which radium was used as a treatment was from about 1895 to 1935, This means that it took 40 years to discover the dangers of ionising radiation. The first wireless transmission was made by Marconi back in 1901, 110 years ago! This means that we have had plenty of time and opportunity to spot any negative effects. The fact that we haven’t seen them suggests to me that we are in the clear.
Yes, I quite agree. The evidence is that since radio waves have been transmitted around the world over a hundred years ago now, and. With the inclusion of cell phone radiation and Wi-Fi; cancer has in humans subject to this radiation has increased at an alarming rate. No one from the medical or scientific communities seem to have an explanation for this…
The world population as a whole is living longer and there’s increasing pollution and obesity, which are risk factors for cancer. A hundred years ago there was no concept of cancer because you would be dead from sepsis or pneumonia before you got it.
Thanks for the great info! Will definitely be looking into these options for home and office