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Metal-on-metal hip replacement and cobalt toxicity: anxious, tearful, lowered self-esteem, social withdrawal and poor sleep

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I’m always on the look-out for out-of-the-box root causes for anxiety, insomnia and low mood and the role of targeted amino acids like GABA, tryptophan and tyrosine in easing symptoms clients and boy was I surprised to learn about the connection between metal-on-metal hip replacements and mental health symptoms.

I first learned about this in the new Netflix documentary called The Bleeding Edge which is an “eye-opening look at the fast-growing medical device industry” and “reveals how the rush to innovate can lead to devastating consequences for patients.”

With metal-on-metal hip replacements it’s the cobalt and chromium in the metal-on-metal hip replacements that are causing toxicity in many individuals. In the Guardian article The Bleeding Edge: behind the terrifying new Netflix documentary we hear about Stephen Tower, an orthopedic doctor who shared his story in the documentary:

He had developed a tremor and was having a hard time thinking when he decided to scrawl all over the walls and ceiling of a hotel room during a medical conference, eventually using soap as ink.

Tower, his friends and family knew he was in the throes of mental health crisis, but no one was sure why. So, Tower studied himself until he found the answer in a blood and urine sample: his levels of cobalt, a metal used in rechargeable batteries, were more than a hundred times higher than normal.

Tower thought it might be related to his metal-on-metal hip replacement and had it redone. On the operating table, his surgeon found metal sludge seeping from the device before it was removed.

Dr. Tower shares that within a month of having his hip replacement redone his recovery was remarkable – he could think again, and his psychiatric symptoms resolved.

The sad thing is that he actually admits that he would never have believed this could be possible without having had experienced it himself. We see this all too often in the medical profession.

But he is now enlightened and of course he’s passionate about sharing what he experienced and has started documenting similar adverse experiences in his patients. He says the EPA and FDA should be studying this and reporting it and so they should be.

I was curious to find out how serious an issue this was and how long it’s been an issue because surely we’d be hearing more about it.

A paper published in 2017: Neuropsychiatric symptoms following metal-on-metal implant failure with cobalt and chromium toxicity reports depression and short term memory problems, as well as “disorientation in place, problems with tests of concentration and word finding difficulties.”

The paper includes feedback from some of the study participants. This is what two of them shared about their mood, sleep and anxiety post-hip replacement:

Ms. X … persistent anxieties about the need for future surgery and a feeling she must always be cautious about protecting her hip, tearfulness, lability of mood, lowered self-esteem – “I used to be very active and now I feel a mess”, guilt about being a burden on her husband, a fear about the effects of ions on her body and poor concentration.

Mrs. Z … complained of poor sleep with early morning wakening, low mood and emotional lability, social withdrawal, poor appetite, forgetfulness and a tendency to repeat herself reported by relatives, her frustration at being unable to do day to day activities such as cleaning, she felt she was a burden to relatives, and complained of anhedonia [or an inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities]. She was disorientated in person, was unable to perform serial sevens and was able to register, but not able to retain any elements of a new name and address on cognitive testing.

The study authors state that “in order preserve neurocognitive function implant removal conceivably should be as soon as possible after toxicity is detected.”

They admit it’s a small sample and that some of the depression and anxiety may be typical after a surgery HOWEVER once I looked at how long metal-on-metal cobalt toxicity has been an issue I feel we really need to take this very very seriously. Here are just a few of the studies from 2017 going back to 2011:

Cobalt can be responsible for local toxicity (including metallosis, hypersensitivity reaction, and benign tumor) or systemic toxicity (including cardiomyopathy, polycythemia, hypothyroidism, and neurological disorders).

  • Systemic toxicity related to metal hip prostheses (published 2014) This systematic review states toxicity is rare but reported cases of cardiotoxicity, thyroid toxicity, peripheral neuropathy, hearing loss, cognitive decline and visual impairment.

Prosthetic hip-associated cobalt toxicity (PHACT) is gaining recognition due to the use of metal-on-metal total hip replacements

And then we have this study reporting toxicity issues as far back as 1999:

Our findings suggest that in total hip replacements using metal-metal pairings, metal ions of the alloys are released. This release may lead to significantly elevated metal concentrations in biological fluids. Long-term studies are needed to determine the risk of metal-metal implants as a potential cause of cobalt and chromium toxicity.

You may wonder how this toxicity problem has been ignored and swept under the rug for so long. If you watch the documentary, you’ll soon see that the medical devices industry is far more powerful than the pharmaceutical industry and has its own set of rules for medical device approval. It’s basically the wild west and the FDA is doing nothing about it (even though it is acknowledged to be a problem)!

I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t be doing hip replacements – they are amazing surgical innovations that give many people their mobility and lives back – but instead I suggest we consider the following:

  • Know what you’re getting into before you embark on a major medical procedure
  • Understand that the testing for medical devices is very inadequate
  • Ask questions and get detailed information about the medical device: what materials are being used, how long it’s been around, any known adverse effects etc.
  • Search for information using terms like “horror stories metal-on metal hip replacement” and “law suits metal-on metal replacement”
  • Have a plan in place should you start to notice adverse symptoms after a hip replacement (or other major procedure). You may even want a medical directive in case you become cognitively incapacitated

I have no expertise on what the safest type of hip replacement is and will find an expert for a part 2 of the blog. If you know of someone please do share in the comments.

How do we address the cobalt and chromium toxicity?

  • Tower, the orthopedic doctor in The Bleeding Edge documentary found his symptoms resolved once the metal-on-metal hip replacement was removed. The research seems to support this approach too
  • A 2-person case study supports the use of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) for reducing blood levels
  • An in vivo (test tube) study found astaxanthin “mitigated cobalt cytotoxicity … by modulating oxidative stress”

How do we address the anxiety, insomnia and associated mood issues?

I recommend using the above amino acids short-term to ease symptoms before the hip revision surgery is done and for as long afterwards as they are needed. And, as always, base the use of the amino acids on trials per the amino acid questionnaire.

Also, work with a thyroid expert for thyroid support which will also help the mood and cognitive issues. And work with a heart specialist to rule out any damage to the heart.

If you’ve had a metal-on-metal hip replacement in the past and have chronic anxiety or cognitive issues (that started or got worse after the surgery), then I encourage you to look into cobalt toxicity as a possible root cause or contributory root cause.

Please feel free to share your experiences with this surgery – both good and bad – so we can all learn. And if the amino acids have helped ease anxiety and mood symptoms and helped you sleep while going through this.

And do let us know what you think about the Netflix documentary The Bleeding Edge.

Fipronil insecticide: GABA/glutamate and anxiety, aggressive behavior, memory and Alzheimer’s disease in humans?

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The insecticide called fipronil has me concerned because there is increasing evidence that it can be toxic to humans and, much to my surprise, I’ve just discovered that the main mechanism of action is by targeting the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor and recent research points to increased anxiety, aggressive behavior, memory problems and even Alzheimer’s disease in animal studies.

Based on a rather surprising conversation I had with someone a few weeks ago (let’s call her Sue), I felt compelled to get more information on fipronil. Before that I was not aware about the specific effects I mention above.

We were in Sue’s front yard and the dog kept sniffing these small white plastic squares in the flower beds. Sue kept pulling the dog away and I asked “why? what are those?” It turns out they were ant-bait devices. Yes, I’m this clueless simply because I’ve never purchased anything like this. I expressed my concerns about toxicity and possible endocrine/hormone effects but didn’t have enough concrete facts, so I went digging through the research. Needless to say I am very concerned with what I found.

What was equally concerning is that Sue had not even considered that it could be harmful. Looking into possible harms was not even on her radar. When pressed, Sue said “it’s only a small amount in each container so I’m sure it’ll be fine” and “the poison is inside the container so none of it will come out – so it’ll be fine.”

This is what went through my mind (which is pretty typical for me – I’m always in questioning mode): What is it and how toxic is it? Does it have impacts on humans and by what mechanism? Could it cause anxiety or increase existing anxiety symptoms? Are there additional concerns about it being in a flower-bed near the front door where you could possibly walk some into the house or breathe it in as you come and go?

Organophosphates and psychological effects

Organophosphates are a commonly used pesticide used on fruits and vegetables and research going as far back as 1994 reports that acute exposure can cause psychological effects because they

act directly on the nervous system by inhibiting the neurotransmitter acetylcholine … [contributing to] … acute psychological and behavioral effects, such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments.

The researchers also suggest that long-term psychological effects of low-level exposure have not been determined satisfactorily.

We hear less about insecticides such as fipronil

We hear less about insecticides such as fipronil and how they work.

According to the National Pesticide Information Center Fipronil is a broad use insecticide that

belongs to the phenylpyrazole chemical family. Fipronil is used to control ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, termites, mole crickets, thrips, rootworms, weevils, and other insects.

Fipronil is used in a wide variety of pesticide products, including granular products for grass, gel baits, spot-on pet care products, liquid termite control products, and products for agriculture.

It can be found in ant-bait and anti-cockroach products as well as Frontline Plus for cats and dogs. You can find a partial list of products here and a fact sheet here.

GABA & glutamate: anxiety, aggressive behavior and neurotoxic effects

Fipronil works to kill insects via the inhibition of glutamate- and GABA-activated chloride channels resulting in uncontrolled neural excitation. It also blocks GABAA receptor function and is typically considered toxic to insects but not humans.

As soon as I read the GABA-glutamate mechanism I started searching for anxiety and neurotoxic connections.

There are no human studies on increased anxiety due to fipronil exposure but research on zebrafish larvae exposed to fipronil at typical environmental levels, finds anxiety-like behavior.   In the paper, A metabolomic study of fipronil for the anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish larvae at environmentally relevant levels, the authors report decreased levels of glycine and serine with higher levels of glutamate saying fipronil may be a potential neurotransmitter disruptor. Here are some of the possible mechanisms they discuss related to this:

  • The decreased metabolite glycine caused by fipronil may contribute to the excitatory swimming performance. Whether the glycinergic reciprocal receptor (GlyR)…inhibitory mechanism is also involved in low level of fipronil [exposure] requires further investigation.
  • Additionally, as one of the most abundant amino acids in microenvironment stress, proline is biosynthetically derived from the amino acid L-glutamine. Low levels of L-proline detected in fipronil-treated group may indicate the accumulation of glutamine. As an excitatory neurotransmitter, high level of glutamine would associate with the excitatory behavior of the fish.

In another study, Prenatal exposure to fipronil disturbs maternal aggressive behavior in rats, the authors suggest fipronil impacts the central nervous system areas that control aggression and increases in maternal aggressive behavior are via impacts on GABA(A) receptors.

This 2016 paper lists a variety of toxic effects to both animals and humans: Fipronil insecticide toxicology: oxidative stress and metabolism:

because of accidental exposure, incorrect use of fipronil or widespread fipronil use leading to the contamination of water and soil, there is increasing evidence that fipronil could cause a variety of toxic effects on animals and humans, such as neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, reproductive, and cytotoxic effects

They explore oxidative stress as a possible mechanism as to how fipronil causes these toxic effects.

Does concrete make fipronil more toxic?

One of the questions I asked myself was this: Are there additional concerns about it being in a flower-bed near the front door where you could possibly walk some into the house?

It turns out that this may be a valid concern. In this 2016 paper, Conversion of pesticides to biologically active products on urban hard surfaces, the researchers report that urban landscapes that include concrete can actually convert pesticides to other biologically active and more toxic intermediates, likely caused by the alkalinity and metal oxides in concrete. They report that fipronil:

was quickly transformed to desulfinyl and sulfone derivatives, with the desulfinyl level exceeding that of parent in the runoff water only 1week after treatment. Fipronil derivatives have aquatic toxicity similar or even greater than the parent fipronil.

Impacts on memory and a possible factor in Alzheimer’s disease

This 2016 animal study, Memory impairment due to fipronil pesticide exposure occurs at the GABAA receptor level, in rats concludes that fipronil can

have toxic interactions with the CNS [central nervous system] of mammals and lead to memory impairment by modulating the GABAergic system.

We also have to ask how big a role this insecticide could be playing in Alzheimer’s disease? In a paper published earlier in 2018, Induction of Amyloid-β42 Production by Fipronil and Other Pyrazole Insecticides, they use the term “Alzheimerogens” when writing about insecticides such as fipronil and the metabolite fipronil sulfone:

Focusing on fipronil, we showed that some of its metabolites, in particular the persistent fipronil sulfone, also favor the production of Aβ42/Aβ43 in both cell-based and cell-free systems.

Fipronil administered orally to mice and rats is known to be metabolized rapidly, mostly to fipronil sulfone, which stably accumulates in adipose tissue and brain.

In conclusion several widely used pyrazole insecticides [such as fipronil] enhance the production of toxic, aggregation prone Aβ42/Aβ43 peptides, suggesting the possible existence of environmental “Alzheimerogens” which may contribute to the initiation and propagation of the amyloidogenic process in sporadic AD.

The paper shares that amyloid-β peptides (Aβs), especially increased production of Aβ42/Aβ43 over Aβ40, represent a characteristic feature of Alzheimer’s disease.

Why wait for long-term human studies?

Hopefully you’re like me and don’t buy ant-bait or roach-bait products.

My bigger concern is the wide-spread use of spot-on pet-care products which contain fipronil, exposing our beloved pets to this toxin and all the humans they come into contact with. Pet-groomers are especially cautioned. And I’d also add a caution for children playing with pets where these flea and tick products are used since “the developing brain is particularly vulnerable to the action of insecticides.”

We don’t know for sure how harmful this insecticide is for humans and it’s not clear what the mechanisms are – GABA-glutamate and/or glycine and/or oxidative stress – but why wait for long-term human studies, especially given that chronic and long-term effects are difficult to investigate and based on what we already know about their effects on Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and depression.

I have found enough information to be very concerned and to feel justified in continuing to avoid fipronil. I encourage you to avoid fipronil as well.

This is especially the case if you already suffer from long-term anxiety, insomnia or another chronic health condition as it may be one more possible contributory factor.

Given that fipronil blocks GABAA receptor function, I have to wonder if chronic long-term exposure could play a role in difficulties with benzodiazepine tapering.

If this is old news to you feel free to share with family and friends who may not be as informed as you.

If this is news to you, I hoping this gets you thinking and questioning. I’d love to hear your thoughts, concerns and questions.

Pharma-GABA: study participants with an irrational fear of heights are relaxed and less anxious when crossing a swaying suspension bridge

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Based on clinical evidence, we know that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a calming amino supplement, reduces anxiety. There isn’t as much research on GABA or Pharma-GABA as we’d like to see, so we’ll take small studies that are done on humans.

In a 2006 study, Relaxation and immunity enhancement effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) administration in humans, Pharma-GABA was used to determine if it would increase relaxation and reduce anxiety during the stressful event of crossing a suspension bridge:

Eight healthy volunteers, with no clinical evidence of any illness, (5 males and 3 females) aged 25 to 30 years who had a history of acrophobia [extreme or irrational fear of heights], were recruited.

Subjects crossed … a pedestrian suspended bridge at Nara Prefecture, Japan (Totsu River Bridge) with 54 m height, 300 m length, and 2 m width.

I believe it’s also called the Tanize Suspension bridge and is one of the longest suspension bridges in Japan. You can see pictures of the bridge here and here. They say this: “though quite safe, the swaying motion can be disconcerting, or fun, depending on your perspective.”

If we convert that to feet, it’s 177 feet high, almost 1000 feet long (about 3 times the length of a football field) and 6 feet wide.

There were 2 groups: placebo and Pharma-GABA. Salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels (also known as secretary IgA or sIgA) was measured in both groups and used as a marker of relaxation and stress, as well as immunity. Saliva was collected before crossing the bridge, half way across and at the end. The study found that the

placebo group showed marked decrease of their IgA levels, while GABA group showed significantly higher levels.

And concludes as follows:

GABA could work effectively as a natural relaxant and its effects could be seen within 1 hour of its administration to induce relaxation and diminish anxiety. Moreover, GABA administration could enhance immunity under stress conditions.

The paper is reporting about 2 studies and it’s not clear how much Pharma-GABA was used in this bridge study – it was either 100mg or 200mg. Results were observed within 60-90 minutes. Also, this study was conducted by the company who makes the Pharma-GABA product, and they do say that this bridge study includes unpublished data.  Notice that they use the term GABA in the paper – I prefer to differentiate since Pharma-GABA and GABA are actually different.

Other than this and the very small number of participants, I’m always encouraged by any research we have. Clinically, we see very similar results with GABA or Pharma-GABA when someone has a fear of something – heights, flying, spiders etc. – and it typically addresses the physical fear and anxiety symptoms.

Here are some of my thoughts as to why results were only observed after 60 minutes:

  • Pharma-GABA was used in the study and for some folks this is not as effective as using GABA. I typically start my clients on GABA.
  • Using GABA sublingually often has calming results in under 10 minutes, so a chewable Pharma-GABA may have been a better option and would be something I’d recommend
  • Low serotonin is commonly a factor with fears and phobias and I’d recommend a trial of tryptophan

The resources in this blog and my other articles are intended to be used in conjunction with my book: The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings (Amazon link). If you do not have my book I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and trialing/taking amino acid supplements: There is a complete chapter on the amino acids and one for pyroluria, plus information on real whole food, sugar and blood sugar, gluten, digestion and much more.

You can find the GABA and tryptophan products I recommend on this blog: The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements

How would you feel walking across a swaying suspension bridge like this?

Have you used Pharma-GABA, GABA and/or tryptophan to help you with the stress and anxiety caused by a phobia like this or another phobia?

How do I taper tryptophan without withdrawal symptoms: a tight band around my head, brain zaps and agitated free-floating anxiety?

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I have not had any clients experience the need to taper or slowly wean their tryptophan dose or report tapering side-effects similar to those they experienced when tapering off an antidepressant. However, I recently had someone ask this question on the blog (and then had someone else ask a similar question) so I’m sharing these questions and my responses in the hope of gleaning some additional information (and educating you if this applies to you). I never say never and am always learning. I’m also very interested to know how common this is and what some of the underlying factors could be.

Here is the question that was asked by Lara (we’ll call her Lara) and slightly paraphrased for clarity:

I’ve been taking 1500 mg of tryptophan for 3 months, and it has helped a lot with sleep and depression. I dropped to 1000 mg about a week ago then 500mg just to see how I’d do without it. I didn’t think it was numbing my feelings, but I am experiencing a return of feeling good.

I’ve been on antidepressants before and I am feeling the same withdrawal effects as when I weaned off meds. This is exactly why I chose to not go back to pharmaceuticals. It was difficult to wean off. How do I taper tryptophan without experiencing withdrawal symptoms? Thank you for your valuable knowledge.

These are the kinds of questions I’d ask a client in this situation:

  • Was the 1500mg helping and which low serotonin symptoms were eased?
  • How did this change when you reduced to 1000mg and then reduced to 500mg? i.e. did the low serotonin symptoms come back?
  • Which antidepressant are you comparing these affects to? And how long ago did you wean off the antidepressant?
  • Which brand of tryptophan you are using? (I find Lidtke is the best quality)

Keep in mind that we always want to be sure it’s not a one-off situation. In order to be sure someone is observing mild adverse effects from a supplement I’ll often have my client stop it and then add it back to make sure. And sometimes more than once.

In this instance repeating the process may be a good idea i.e. going back to 1000mg and then 1500mg and then reducing again, carefully documenting in a food mood supplement log.

It turns out that Lara was using the Lidtke tryptophan and she was seeing wonderful benefits for her low serotonin symptoms with none of the typical SSRI side-effects:

the 1500mg before bed with a small carb helped me get to sleep and stay asleep. It also helped with anxiety and depression during day. I tend to be a worrier, have social anxiety, and get stuck with negative thoughts about myself and others. And have very little interest in life.

I was on Zoloft from 2005 – 2009. Got off of that and did Lexapro for only 6 months in 2012. The Zoloft was life changing for me but I did not like the side effects and being on an antidepressant for the rest of my life.

The tryptophan is superior to these SSRIs [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors] – no sexual side effects, no weight gain, or anhedonia [inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities].

She describes how she reduced the tryptophan and how her withdrawal symptoms were similar to those she experienced when tapering off her SSRIs in the past:

The withdrawal effects were felt when dropping from 1500mg to 1000mg, to 500mg, then zero over 2 days and they lasted about 3 days. By the 4th day I was no longer feeling bad.

The symptoms are hard to explain – it felt like a tight band around my head, also brain zaps (this is a common SSRI withdrawal symptom many describe feeling in their head).

The worst of it was a deep agitated free-floating anxiety like you’re walking along the edge of a cliff and there’s a physical pain in your gut. Fortunately, it was only present from waking up till around 2pm.

These are questions I’d ask or wonder about

As I mentioned in the introduction, I have not had any clients experience the need to taper or slowly wean their tryptophan dose or report tapering side-effects similar to those they experienced when tapering off an antidepressant. But if this is an issue some individuals experience I’d like to know about it

I’d also like to know how long the tapering side-effects of tryptophan last and how severe the symptoms are. In Lara’s case the symptoms were pretty severe but fortunately they only lasted 3 days which is very much shorter than SSRI tapers.

There could be confounding factors and here are additional questions I’d ask or wonder about if a client experienced similar adverse tapering effects. These are questions you could ask yourself if you have experienced this when stopping tryptophan abruptly:

  • Could the prior use of SSRI prescriptions be a factor? (but I have worked with many clients with prior use of SSRIs and not have tryptophan tapering issues)
  • What else has changed in terms of stress, diet, hidden gluten exposure, or even the something like a recent introduction of collagen (which may deplete serotonin levels in susceptible folks)?
  • Are there hormonal changes that could affect serotonin levels – like in a woman with PMS or perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms? (again, I’ve worked with many women of all ages and haven’t observed this to be an issue)
  • If you are prone to the winter blues and reduced winter serotonin, could stopping the tryptophan in the winter play a role? (I have had clients have SSRI tapering issues in winter because of being prone to the winter blues and choose to work with their doctors on their SSRI taper in the spring and summer for this reason)
  • Could this also be an issue with summer blues in hot states like Arizona?
  • Could any of these play a role: a recent medical procedure, a course of antibiotics (especially fluoroquinolones) or antifungals, poor gut health, a new infection, decreased immunity or increased inflammation?
  • Could low levels of these nutrients play a role: vitamin B6, ferritin, magnesium and zinc?
  • Would using high doses of vitamin C during the “taper” help reduce some of the symptoms? (this works well as an antidote when you take tryptophan and don’t need it and want to negate some of the negative effects, so may help in this situation)

Stopped tryptophan and felt very angry and down

The other question I had about tryptophan weaning is this one from someone who shared that she had suggested tryptophan for a friend. This friend was

experiencing a lot of ruminating and anxiety. She responded beautifully and felt great. About a year later, she tried to stop taking it, and said she felt very angry and down. Is there a weaning process for the tryptophan?

This could possibly be related to the above and you could pose similar questions but based on on what I see with clients I feel this is more of a matter of stopping the tryptophan too soon while she still had low serotonin – especially if the ruminating and anxiety came back. Feeling angry and down are classic signs of low serotonin.

The questions asked were specifically about tryptophan but they could also possibly apply to some individuals who stop 5-HTP abruptly.

I’d love to hear if you’ve experienced anything like this with either tryptophan or 5-HTP and if yes please share your answers to some of the above questions.

Right now, I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you on how to taper tryptophan without these withdrawal symptoms: a tight band around the head, brain zaps and agitated free-floating anxiety. Right now, I’m not sure how big an issue this is. If it is common, I’m hoping some of the feedback I receive may provide some answers.

My iPhone was zapping me with EMFs even when on airplane mode – affecting my sleep, and making me agitated and fatigued

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I recently got a new iPhone 6 and after having it for a good few weeks I discovered it had been zapping me with EMFs (electromagnetic fields) even when it was on airplane mode.

It was affecting my sleep, making me twitchy and agitated, leaving me feeling exhausted and more jet-lagged than usual (I had just travelled to the USA and then back to Australia) and making my right arm/mouse arm “thick” and slow when working on my PC. I have a feeling it played a role in my worsening lower back pain too!

I was NOT happy! I was actually fuming!

I have my phone on airplane mode most of time because in the last 6 months I’ve discovered I have some degree of EHS or electromagnetic hypersensitivity. This is a very real condition and many people are not even aware that EMFs may be playing a role in their symptoms.

This abstract summarizes EHS well: Characteristics of perceived electromagnetic hypersensitivity in the general population

Health problems evoked in the presence of electrical equipment is a concern, calling for better understanding for characteristics of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) in the general population.

The present study investigated demographics, lifestyle factors, frequency and duration, coping strategies, proportion meeting clinical criteria for intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (EMF) and comorbidity. Using data from a large-scale population-based questionnaire study, we investigated persons with self-reported (n = 91) EHS in comparison to referents (n = 3,250).

Middle age, female sex and poor perceived health was found to be associated with EHS. More than 50% in the EHS group reported having EMF-related symptoms more often than once a week, and the mean number of years experiencing EHS was 10.5. More than half of the EHS group reported that their symptoms started after a high-dose or long-term EMF exposure, that they actively tried to avoid EMF sources and that they mostly could affect the EMF environment. A minority of the EHS group had sought medical attention, been diagnosed by a physician or received treatment.

Exhaustion syndrome, anxiety disorder, back/joint/muscle disorder, depression, functional somatic syndrome and migraine were comorbid with EHS.

The results provide ground for future study of these characteristic features being risk factors for development of EHS and or consequences of EHS.

Fortunately, I used my Cornet meter and figured out something was up. Unfortunately, it took me some time to connect the dots. I figured I wasn’t feeling that great because of my recent trip and spending time sitting in planes and being exposed to so much WiFi in airports, planes, hotels, and conference rooms. I also drive a keyless car for 4 hours! Also, when you’re in the midst of this type of thing you’re kind of slow in figuring things out!

I’m going to share the lessons I learned so they can help you prevent something similar.

Lesson #1: When you toggle airplane mode off it via the swipe up feature it also activates Bluetooth and WiFi. BUT when you turn on airplane mode when using the swipe up feature, both Bluetooth and Wifi stay on unless you turn them off first in settings! This must be the default for new iPhones (and may even reset back to this with a software upgrade).

A: as expected
B: not good
C: make sure it’s like this

A: Airplane mode off (blue color plane) and Wifi is on and Bluetooth is on

B: Airplane mode on (orange color plane) and yet Bluetooth and WiFi is still on – this is not good if you’re using your phone next to your bed or in a car or close to your body

C: Airplane mode on (orange color plane) and Bluetooth and WiFi is off (they have a line through them) – make sure it’s like this when it’s next to your bed or in a car or close to your body

Lesson #2: Watch to see if 3G goes back to 4G when you toggle airplane mode on and off. I have changed my phone from 4G to 3G in settings in order to reduce EMF exposure when my phone is on. If you don’t know how to do this: settings/cellular/cellular data options – enable 4G toggle. Some folks are saying the airplane mode toggle reactivates 4G. I’m guessing it’s specific to the phone version as it’s not an issue on my phone.

Lesson #3: When you get a new phone or any new device, check everything and even if it’s not new, upgrades to software may change things.

Lesson #4: Distance is your friend when it comes to EMFs. I believe this impacted me more because I thought the iPhone was safely in airplane mode and not emitting EMFs. I had it close to me: in my handbag during the day when out and about, on my side-table next to my head at night, on my desk near me during the day, and in my money-belt right over my belly on the plane for 15 hours flying back!

Lesson #5: Trust your gut if you feel something is off and keep searching for a solution. I knew something was off and was prowling around trying to find what WiFi had been turned on in our home and looking for new hotspots in the area (I recently blogged about how a WiFi modem with a public hotspot caused seizures, vertigo, headaches, insomnia and heart palpitations in a woman with a history of West Nile virus)

Lesson #6: Get a meter so you can be proactive and actually measure this stuff. My Cornet meter is awesome! I’m still a newbie at this but when I see red flashing lights I know I’m onto something.

I owe much appreciation to Nick Pineault, author of The Non-Tinfoil Guide to EMFs (my Amazon link) for his amazing ElectrosmogRx practitioner training. I’ve learned so much about how EMFs are impacting our health and want to share this with you because I truly believe it’s a big player when you have ongoing anxiety, insomnia, pain, brain fog and with more serious health concerns too.

I even got to see Nick at the event I attended in the USA and got a signed copy of his excellent book!

When I shared this story on Facebook it was received with much interest and two people shared similar issues. One person said this:

Since I’ve moved I’ve been using my iPhone 6 as an alarm and getting disrupted sleep every night! Time for change!

And then shared this a few days later:

I want to report that I definitely slept better without my iPhone in the room last night!.

Someone else shared this:

Since getting the iPhone 6 I have been experiencing an overactive brain when trying to sleep plus heart palpitations. I usually sleep so well and turn off my thoughts and relax with no problems. I just thought it was a culmination of work, stress deadlines and hormones.

Too often I hear comments like this: “it’s all around us – what are we supposed to do?!” There is so much we can do!

Once I made the simple change of making sure the Bluetooth and WiFi stayed off when I toggled airplane mode on, my sleep improved, the twitchiness and agitation abated, my exhaustion ramped down and my slow mouse arm started to work normally again. My back pain is slowly but surely easing too.

As a nutritionist I always use everything at my disposal and so I’ve also used GABA for my back pain and tryptophan for the agitation and sleep issues and plenty of rosemary essential oil, together with grounding/earthing on a daily basis.

Thank goodness for my Qlink too! I’d probably have been feeling much worse had I not been wearing it 24 hours a day.

My wish now is for more folks to take this seriously!

Do you use your iPhone (or other smart phone) as an alarm without switching to airplane mode? Have you checked if Bluetooth and WiFi is off when you do switch to airplane mode?

And has disrupted sleep or other issues like anxiety, agitation, heart palpitations, pain issues, brain fog or fatigue resolved when making these very simple changes?

I’d love some feedback if you have a smart phone other than an iPhone – to share what happens on your phone and how you addressed it.

The Truth about *PET* Cancer docu-series – save the lives of your precious pets

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Cancer is ruthless and this disease is stealing the lives our beloved animals. It’s sad but true. Each year, over 6 million dogs and 6 million cats are diagnosed with cancer. And millions die as a devastating result.

The experts at The Truth about *PET* Cancer share this:

The rate of cancer in pets is exploding! Just 50 years ago, 1 in 100 dogs got cancer. Today it is a staggering 1 in 1.65 dogs. Dogs have the highest rate of cancer of any mammal on the planet, and cats aren’t far behind, with 1 in every 3 receiving a cancer diagnosis.

I was shocked by these rates so I reached out to the hosts and they kindly sent me an article by Carol Beuchat PhD, Scientific Director of the Institute of Canine Biology: Do dogs have more cancer than other mammals?:

We can truthfully say that cancer in pets is at the epidemic stage right now, and just like most oncologists, the vast majority of vets don’t know about the countless natural therapies and protocols available to heal and prevent pet cancer.

Cancer is a problem not just in a few dog breeds but in many. Cancer rates of 20% or 30% are taken as “normal” because they are so much lower than the levels in breeds that are notorious for cancer – the ones up at 50% and 60%. Clearly, however, what is considered normal for dogs is much higher than what we see in mammals in general, and cancer rates that are “abnormally high” in dogs are actually off the charts.

She also compares cancer in dogs with other mammals and the Tasmanian Devil:

rates of cancer in dogs are higher- spectacularly so, in fact – compared to those for mammals in general. Cancer rates in other mammals are largely less than 20%, while in dogs there are only a handful of breeds in that range, and there are none at all lower than about 15%, where most of the mammals are. In fact, the Tasmanian Devil with its contagious cancer [and 50% rate] is matched by the Flatcoated Retriever and even outdone by the Irish Water Spaniel, with a half dozen more breeds almost as high.

What if your dogs and cats are tragically dying from cancer, simply because you haven’t heard about treatments that can truly heal them? In this groundbreaking 7-episode docu-series, 30 world-renowned pet health experts will reveal better, safer and more affordable cancer healing treatment. And you’ll discover simple prevention therapies (your vet probably doesn’t even know about) that can save the lives of your precious pets.

Here is one cancer prevention topic that will be covered by one of the experts Rodney Habib: Are there potatoes in your bag of pet food or in your pet’s diet?

Alas, the conventional potato tests positive for 35 different pesticides — more pesticides by weight than any other vegetable, according to EWG [Environmental Working Group] 2014 Dirty Dozen List

Unless you are feeding organic potatoes to your family and pets, you may want to give this information some serious consideration seeing that today’s cancer and disease rates are soaring at an all-time high! It is estimated that 5% of cancer is genetic and 95% is a result of lifestyle and environmental factors. The fewer toxins we have in our systems, the fewer problems we have. Period.

The experts will talk about topics from the pet food industry, diets and specific treatment protocols to reverse cancer, water intake, vaccinations (needed vs. those that are likely to cause cancer), essential oil recipes in place of flea/tick collars and overall homeopathy for pets.

I’ve seen natural health work wonders with anxious pets – such as theanine, a gluten-free diet and Thunder shirts – so let’s use natural approaches for cancer prevention and treatment too! You’ll find out everything you need to know in this cutting-edge series that starts in a few weeks.  

You’ll also discover that many of these natural approaches help with both pet cancer and pet anxiety too – such as a gluten-free diet, organic food, essential oils, nutrients like curcumin, vitamin D and much more.

If you want to protect your family pet from cancer… or heal your pet’s cancer when the vet says there’s nothing more to be done… or you want to give your pet the healthiest food and environment possible so they will live a long and happy life, then I encourage you to register for The Truth About PET Cancer docu-series now.

CLICK HERE to watch the video trailer and then register to watch this special event.

And check out this quiz: Do you know your pet’s risk for cancer?

 

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