Considering EMFs (short for electromagnetic fields OR electric and magnetic fields) and your personal health is a very complex undertaking with many variables. Below we strive to increase your awareness of some of the key factors involved.

We are using a broad definition of EMF. Because a changing electric field creates a magnetic field, and a changing magnetic field creates an electric field, physicists usually refer to “electromagnetism” or “electromagnetic” forces together, rather than separately.

A sampling of sources of EMF would include items such as bluetooth devices, cell phones, computers, dimmer switches, electric powered vehicles, electrical wiring, gas powered vehicles, hair dryers, medical devices [x-ray imaging, CT scan, MRI], microwave ovens, power lines, radiant electrical heating, smart meters, television, washing machines, and wi-fi routers.

The impact of EMF on your health is a result of the amount of your exposure, influenced by the strength of the exposure and the length of time exposed. Normally we would expect a U.S. Federal government agency to research and set safe, maximum permissible levels for human exposure to EMF radiation. The last time this happened was in 1996. Since then, where research is available, it is done by groups within an industry, not a neutral source. So the recommended exposure levels are usually specific to only that one source of EMF and could be biased in favor of what benefits that industry.

There are articles both reporting how safe EMF is and how dangerous EMF is. You are left to see which arguments convince you one way or the other.

Healthcare professionals point out the most important statistic for your personal health is the total amount of EMF radiation you experience from ALL of the EMF sources to which you are exposed. But have not located any tips for how to do this.

If you are concerned about possible health risks from EMF, you will find recommendations that you:

• Increase the distance between yourself and the source.
• Limit the time spent around the source.

Realistically, there are many EMF sources that you have little or no control over. But you can focus on those sectors where you do have a choice. This could mean choosing whether or not you include an EMF source in your immediate vicinity, or how you limit the source. When you are researching the category for a specific source of EMF, be aware that different manufacturers of a product or different models of a product by the same manufacturer may emit different degrees of EMF.

Finding a published list of health symptoms of EMF exposure may not be helpful. This list usually includes conditions such as insomnia, headache, depression, fatigue, dizziness, irritability, weight loss, and nausea. You will often the list accompanied by a disclaimer, such as “possible human health effects from exposure to EMFs hasn’t yet been determined with precision and accuracy.” And the same listed health symptoms of EMF exposure can also be caused by a number of other things.

You will find it fairly easy to locate many articles listing suggestions for how to reduce the EMFs in your home. Look for those that make sense to you, those you feel offer documented support for how their suggestions can be beneficial, and those articles recently published or updated.

You are invited to use the above increased awareness of the complexities of EMF and consider which set of facts rings true for you and your family, and how involved you all wish to be in expanding your knowledge of this matter.

ISSUE: How informed do I want to be about how EMF may be impacting my personal health?

AHHA strives to maintain a neutral position and views knowledge as power. For those interested in this month’s issue, we are alerting you to a variety of aspects related to EMF exposure. Those interested are encouraged to delve deeper and expand your knowledge of this matter. The following is a sampling of the types of related articles available online.

FCC Policy on Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields  (updated 11/24/15)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

US Government Reports on Electromagnetic Radiation
Environmental Health Trust

ICNIRP Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (100kHz to 300 GHz) (2020)
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP)

Are there regulations concerning radiation emissions from power lines? (1/23/23)
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Are EMFs dangerous? (2/4/20)
by Zawn Villines
Medical News Today

Current EMF Standards: Are They Adequate for Public Protection? (updated 6/30/22)
by R Blank
Shield Your Body

Health effects of electromagnetic fields on children (5/26/20)
by Jin-Hwa Moon, MD, PhD
National Library of Medicine

Should You Be Worried About EMF Exposure? (updated 7/8/21)
by Erica Cirino and Karen Lamoreux
Healthline

10 Sources of EMF Radiation in Your Home & How to Protect Yourself Now (updated 1/26/23)
by R Blank
Shield Your Body

Here’s how to protect yourself from EMF in your home (2/16/21)
Building Harmony

You are also encouraged to go to our blog at https://ahha.org/blog and post your comments.