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EMFs from computers, phones, smart meters and circuit breakers: insomnia, anxiety, depression, IBS, numb hands and skin issues

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EMFs from computers, phones, smart meters and circuit breakers can cause insomnia, anxiety, depression, IBS, numb hands and skin issues, and even play a role in the severity of autism and other chronic health conditions.

Investigative health journalist, Nick Pineault, also known as “The EMF Guy” is on a mission to create awareness and provide practical and research-based resources for practitioners via his ElectrosmogRX training. He kindly offered to answer questions from some of you in my community. Thank you if you submitted a question and if you didn’t hopefully you get to learn from these great questions that were submitted.

Sarah ask about smart meters, cell phone in the bedroom and a CPAP machine, and depression, IBS, insomnia, pain and sinus problems

PART 1: I’d like to know Nick’s thoughts on what to do about a smart meter outside a bedroom wall almost directly behind my husband’s side of the bed. He suffers from many things… depression IBS, diarrhea during stressful events, painful joints and muscles, fatigue, insomnia at times, sinus problems.

Here is Nick’s feedback for Sarah:

Smart utility meters have often been linked with an increase in a slew of symptoms. One 2013 survey conducted in Maine has shown that 98% of respondents were “fairly sure” or “very sure” that their meter had made them sicker.

Depression, digestive issues, joint pain, fatigue, insomnia are all possible EMF-related symptoms.

The best thing you can do is to call your utility company and have your smart meter replaced by an analog meter. In certain states they will charge you a monthly penalty for that, and in other states the utility company won’t let you do it.

If you can’t remove the smart meter, then your next best choice is to shield it. A cheap solution to dampen the signal is to install a Smart Meter Guard, but in the case of your husband there’s a chance this would not be enough.

You could install special shielding materials between your bedroom wall and the meter, with the help of a certified Building Biologist (find one in your state)

PART 2: I’ve just put our WiFi on a timer to turn off at night. He still charges his phone next to him at night and sleeps with a CPAP machine. My main question is, in the whole scheme of EMF exposure where does the smart meter stand? And how serious is this compared to having the phone charging at night and the CPAP machine?  Thanks very much for all that you do!

Here is Nick’s additional feedback for Sarah H:

Turning off the wifi at night is an extremely important step. In the case of your husband, again I’m not sure that will be sufficient.

I would try the following for 3 nights:

  • Make sure the CPAP machine is 3 or more feet away.
  • Charge the phones in another room
  • No wireless device in the room whatsoever
  • Unplug everything from the walls — lamps, alarm clocks, etc. Phones in Airplane Mode can act as an alarm clock, but don’t charge it on the bed stand.

See how his symptoms change. If there are improvements in his sleep and reduction in symptoms, it’ll be easier for him to get on board too.

I’d like to add to this and suggest also getting a meter to get your husband on board – seeing is often believing.

Nicole is concerned about numb hands, hypersensitivity to smells and skin issues

Can EMFs cause numb hands, hypersensitivity to smells, skin issues?

Here is Nick’s feedback for Nicole:

Numb hands is a very common symptom. A lot of people feel itchy, tingling or other weird sensations when they hold a cell phone.

Hypersensitivity to smells might be linked with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), which often comes with his cousin electro hypersensitivity (EHS).

EMFs can definitely be linked with skin issues as well. For starters, EMF cause oxidative stress in cells, which will lead to premature aging of the skin.

Many EHS sufferers have reported skin-related symptoms. The work of Dr. Dominique Belpomme from France has shown that 40% of EHS people have high histamine levels in their blood, and the work of Olle Johansson has shown that exposure to screens and TV monitors (sources of magnetic and electrical fields) causes mast cells to migrate to the top dermis and release more histamine.

Basically, this means that a lot of us could be having a type of low-level allergic reaction on the skin when exposed to various types of EMFs.

Dilia is concerned about the circuit breaker and EMFs

How can I deal with EMF? I live in a small apartment where the breaker of the house is located. Is there something I can do about this?

Here is Nick’s feedback for Dilia:

Make sure that this circuit breaker panel is at least several feet away from an area where you spend a lot of time. It is unfortunately very hard to shield against the magnetic fields emitted by a breaker panel — I would suggest hiring a Building Biologist if the breaker panel was right next to your bed, for example.

That being said, generally speaking, you can deal with EMFs by turning off your wireless devices when not in use.

This includes:

  • Hitting Airplane Mode on your phone unless you need it
  • Turning off the wifi at night when not in use and at night, or using wired ethernet (best)
  • “Unsmarting” the home by getting rid of cordless phones and other wireless gadgets if you can

Sarah J asks about EMF mitigating devices and harmonizers for anxiety, sleep issues and more

My family is experiencing a plethora of serious health issues including anxiety, major sleep issues, autism, multiple brain injuries, etc.

There are many EMF mitigating devices and harmonizers on the market.  Which products really make a difference? How can one know? Are there any specific brands you can recommend that really work?

How does one cut through the pretenders and find the products that really help? Thank you for the opportunity ask Nick!! I’ve struggling with these questions for a long time

Here is Nick’s feedback for Sarah J:

A lot of devices (chips you’d out on your cell phone or computer, pendants, etc.) claim to “harmonize” EMFs, but there is very little scientific validation to back up these claims.

I cannot deny that some of these devices have been shown to alleviate some symptoms: less frequent headaches, less blood clumping and better blood circulation, better HRV (a sign of lowered stress), etc.

That being said, there are a few problems with these devices:

a) They are often marketed as “protective” (prevents harm), but the manufacturers offer tests which demonstrate that they are “supportive” (reduces symptoms).

In other words, I have no seen a single manufacturer of these devices who could show me the scientific proof that if I installed one of these devices on my phone, my body would experience ZERO biological effects from it. No DNA damage, no oxidative stress.

b) As these devices reduce symptoms related to EMF exposure, some people use them as an excuse to increase their EMF exposure now that they don’t feel as sensitive to EMFs anymore.

If you keep all of the above in mind, using these pendant or “chips” isn’t a bad idea to reduce symptoms and support the body during times of inevitable exposure outside the home.

May I add that considering the plethora of symptoms that your family is experiencing — all of which have been linked in medical literature with EMF exposure — I suggest hiring a Building Biologist and having them do a thorough home survey in order to identify how you could minimize EMFs inside the home, and shield against outside exposures (cell phone towers, smart meters, etc.), if the need be.

I’d like to add that I am convinced my Qlink helps me, especially with sleep, but I also follow Nick’s advice and have no WiFi and very seldom use my smart phone. I also recently had someone share this with me: “I shut off my WiFi at night and wear a Qlink. I have tested the Qlink with looking at blood cells under a dark field microscope and when it’s removed there is definitely clumping of red blood cells. They move fine with it on.”

This question about EMF mitigating devices and harmonizers is the most common question I get related to EMFs so I’d like to reiterate Nick’s advice and share how Dr. Klinghardt supports his patients who have chronic health conditions – notice he makes no mention of devices or harmonizers.

The above slide is shared with permission from Nick Pineault’s ElectrosmogRX training (more details below).

Adriana asks this question about EMFs and sleep

My boyfriend cannot sleep for years now. We are in the outskirts of [a big city], close to the international airport. We lived in the city and there we had a lot of EMF (3 GSM antennas on the neighboring block, WiFi with every neighbor in the block – 10 stories high and 4 apartments/floor + intelligent meters for heating on every heater in the house. That was a lot for him and after we moved outside the city, to a house and in a low-density housing area, then it was better for him. But he sits at the laptop for 6-8 hours every day. You think that may be affecting him that much?

Here is Nick’s feedback for Adriana:

Your boyfriend might be feeling symptoms related to EMF exposure, and sleep disturbance is one of the most common ones.

If he exposes himself to a laptop connected via WiFi, then his symptoms might persist.

In his case, especially if he works at the computer all day, every day — I’d recommend cutting off the WiFi anytime it’s not in use and using his computer via an ethernet cable instead of WiFi.

Turn off the WiFi at night, unplug everything from the walls and even turn off the circuit breaker to the bedroom at night for at least 3 days and sees if this helps him.

In order to alleviate EMF sensitivity, it’s critical that he takes extra step to reduce his exposure as much as possible.

If you’re a practitioner, are you looking at the impact EMFs have on the health of your clients/patients and do you feel comfortable answering questions like these ones? If not, Nick Pineault is on a mission to create awareness and provide practical and research-based resources for practitioners via his ElectrosmogRX training (it’s 33% off for a limited time).

Nick is also offering these non-cost resources so you can be as informed as possible:

This blog is strictly about EMFs – which cannot be ignored – but we must not forget how the amino acids like GABA and tryptophan can help with anxiety and depression, and even pain and IBS. They can both also help with insomnia as can melatonin which has been shown to be disrupted by EMF exposure. This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of nutritional support for EMF-related issues for both healing and resilience – Nick covers it all in the ElectrosmogRX training (which I’ve done and wholeheartedly endorse).

Are you seeing improvements in your health once you address EMFs? What changes have you made? Have nutritional changes helped too?

MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for Treating Chronic PTSD: Why I feel we can do better and the role of nutrition and amino acids like GABA

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You may be familiar with MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), also known as “ecstasy”, because of its reputation as a party drug. And you have likely seen some of the media reports on the new research and growing support for MDMA-Assisted psychotherapy for treating chronic PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Due to adverse effects I’d like to share my concerns about this research and treatment and why I feel we can do better – by addressing nutrition and using amino acids like GABA and others.

In a recent press release, Colorado Study Shows Lasting Benefits of MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for Treating Chronic PTSD, the non-profit organization, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) reports these study results:

28 participants found that one month after their second day-long experimental session, 42.9% in the active-dose (100 mg and 125 mg) MDMA groups did not qualify for a diagnosis of PTSD, compared to 33.3% in the low-dose MDMA (40 mg active placebo) control group.

The results were even more notable 12 months after the third active-dose experimental session, which found that one year following treatment with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, 76% of participants no longer had PTSD.

It is the largest U.S. FDA-regulated double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of chronic PTSD and the results are impressive: 76% of the study participants no longer had PTSD after a year and 3 treatment sessions. I’m really happy for the participants BUT I believe we can do better because there are adverse reactions to this treatment and there are other safer approaches for recovery.

This comment about an acceptable risk profile and adverse reactions concerns me (and I suspect it concerns you too):

The study replicated previous research showing an acceptable risk profile for MDMA, with the most frequently reported adverse reactions during experimental sessions being anxiety, jaw clenching, headache, muscle tension, dizziness, fatigue, and low mood.

Adverse reactions one week following treatment included insomnia, low mood, irritability, and ruminations. Temporary elevations in pulse, blood pressure, and temperature were also recorded during MDMA sessions, and did not require medical intervention.

A common theme we see in the research on psychedelics is how effective it is for PTSD that doesn’t respond to therapy or medications. This paper states:

There is an immense need for innovative treatment options that improve outcomes, especially for PTSD refractory to psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapies

I agree there is an immense need for successful treatment approaches, but jumping to MDMA from psychotherapy and/or psychiatric medications is skipping out the entire nutritional and biochemical step which is SO powerful and doesn’t have the above adverse effects. I’m concerned too many who have not seen benefits from therapy or medications are seeing MDMA as THE solution and are going to be harmed even further.

This paper, The Potential Dangers of Using MDMA for Psychotherapy, the author is concerned about the fact that “acute MDMA can stimulate the release of difficult feelings and memories, which may be distressing” and also the negative moods that occur after MDMA treatment:

This period of negative cognitions may be counter-productive, especially in psychiatrically vulnerable clients, for instance those with predispositions to anxiety, depression, or psychosis. For example, it could increase the likelihood of suicide in those individuals with strong post-recovery feelings of depression.

Because of this, I wholeheartedly agree with the author’s position:

it will always be far safer to undertake psychotherapy without using co-drugs. In selected cases MDMA might provide an initial boost, but it also has far too many potentially damaging effects for safe general usage.

In addition to psychotherapy, there are also so many nutritional and biochemical factors we can consider when it comes to PTSD. These don’t have any of the above damaging effects seen with MDMA. Here are a few to consider:

I feel it is these above approaches and others like this that we need to be using to address PTSD, rather than subjecting individuals who are already suffering to treatments that have adverse reactions AND are not addressing underlying nutritional deficiencies of low GABA, low serotonin, out of balance endocannabinoid system and overall health, to name a few of many possible underlying biochemical factors.

If this treatment approach is approved, I would hope that all the adverse effects and dangers are clearly explained and I’d also like there to be informed consent before it is used – so individuals know exactly what they are getting into. Hopefully, by the time it is approved, nutritional psychiatry will be more accepted.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this research and treatment approach. Is it something you have considered or would possibly consider in the future – you personally or with patients?

Or do you have similar concerns that I have?

Have you already tried MDMA recreationally (possibly for therapeutic reasons) and what were your experiences like?

CBD oil resolves anxiety and insomnia in young girl with PTSD caused by sexual abuse

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There is growing evidence that cannabidiol (also called CBD) is effective for many individuals suffering from anxiety and sleep issues.

A case study published in 2016, Effectiveness of Cannabidiol Oil for Pediatric Anxiety and Insomnia as Part of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, reports that cannabidiol oil was effective for reducing the anxiety and improving the sleep of a young girl who was experiencing these problems due to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

She had been sexually abused at the age of three and the medication (Clonidine) had not helped and had caused side major effects (hallucinations).

In the discussion the authors state the following:

Cannabidiol oil, an increasingly popular treatment of anxiety and sleep issues, has been documented as being an effective alternative to pharmaceutical medications.

This case study provides clinical data that support the use of cannabidiol oil as a safe treatment for reducing anxiety and improving sleep in a young girl with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Prior to the prescribing of the CBD a functional medicine workup included ruling out thyroid dysfunction and low levels of iron and vitamin D deficiency. The following helped initially but were not sufficient to reduce all her symptoms: 1 -5mg/night of melatonin, 3g inositol 3 times a day, 500 mg/day of fish oil/EPA, 300mg magnesium/day. She also had psychotherapy sessions for 3 years.

Once it was decided to trial CBD she was given 25 mg at bedtime, and 6-12 mg of CBD sublingual spray during the day as needed for her anxiety: A gradual increase in sleep quality and quantity and a decrease in her anxiety were noted. After 5 months, the patient was sleeping in her own room most nights and handling the new school year with no difficulties. No side effects were observed from taking the CBD oil.

In this case study, the CBD was from industrial hemp, providing the medicinal benefits of CBD without the “high” of the THC.

I am very much in favor of CBD rather than THC because of the high risk of psychosis, schizophrenia and increased anxiety with THC. Dr. Hyla Cass and I share our concerns in this Anxiety Summit interview: Marijuana and anxiety: Panacea or Pandora’s Box?

The authors of this case report provide a very thorough overview of the mechanism of action of CBD via the two cannabinoid receptors in the body, CB1 and CB2:

  • CBD has an indirect effect on the CB1 receptors by stopping the enzymatic breakdown of anandamide, allowing it to stay in the system longer and provide medical benefits. The CB1 receptors are located mainly in the brain and modulate neurotransmitter release in a manner that prevents excessive neuronal activity (thus calming and decreasing anxiety), as well as reduces pain, reduces inflammation, regulates movement and posture control, and regulates sensory perception, memory, and cognitive function.
  • CBD has a mild effect on the CB2 receptors, which are located in the periphery in lymphoid tissue. CBD helps to mediate the release of cytokines from the immune cells in a manner that helps to reduce inflammation and pain

They explain other mechanisms that include “stimulation of vanilloid pain receptors (TRPV-1 receptor)”, “activating adenosine receptors” to reduce anxiety, “a potentially new third cannabinoid receptor GPR55”, and “directly activating the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor.”

I find the latter mechanism very interesting – activation of the serotonin receptor – given the work I do with supporting my clients who have low serotonin and do well with targeted supplementation with tryptophan and 5-HTP. As well as anxiety and insomnia, this young girl was also impulsive and disobedient, had aggressive outbursts at school and was self-destructive, and had low self-esteem and suicidal ideation. These symptoms are all classic signs of low serotonin.

I’d have loved to see how she would have done on a trial of tryptophan instead of 25mg of diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which acts in a similar way to SSRI antidepressants. Interestingly, diphenhydramine was the medication that led to the development of fluoxetine (Prozac) and high doses can mimic serotonin syndrome. Diphenhydramine also has side-effects that include “drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, stomach upset, blurred vision, or dry mouth/nose/throat.”

Based on my experience with tryptophan and 5-HTP – and all her low serotonin symptoms, I’d definitely consider this a better choice for a young girl like this, especially because we see results so quickly, often within a week and sometimes up to 2 or 3 weeks rather than the 5 months it took to completely resolve her sleep issues and anxiety.

Since low GABA can also lead to physical anxiety and insomnia, and with new research suggesting CBD also acts on GABAA receptors a trial of GABA may also have led to quicker results.

Aimée Gould Shunney, ND, summarizes this perfectly in the module on “Stress, Adrenal Health, and Cannabidiol: The ECS-HPA Connection” in the Integrative Cannabis course

CBD impacts the serotonin receptors, in particular the 5-HT1A receptors which has a lot to do with depression [and anxiety]. It impacts the GABA receptors, the dopamine receptors, the glutamine receptors. It also impacts different receptors that effect the inflammatory environment in the body like TRPV-1 and PPAR. There are so many different ways both within the ECS [endocannabinoid system] at the cannabinoid receptors and outside at these other receptors that CBD can help create balance and calm within the HPA axis. In short, CBD balances the system that keeps you balanced.

In summary, doing trials of tryptophan (or 5-HTP) and GABA, together with CBD oil, seems like an ideal approach to consider. I recommend doing this together with dietary changes that support serotonin production, like real whole quality food, quality protein, healthy fats, fermented foods, foods high in zinc, exercise, time in nature etc. so long-term use isn’t needed – for the CBD oil and the amino acids.

I’m excited about this emerging use of CBD oil, all the recent research, and using it in conjunction with dietary and lifestyle changes, and the amino acids and other nutritional approaches.

You can read more about the GABA and tryptophan products I use with clients here.

The two CBD products I’ve had the best results with are Elixinol (read here on using Elixinol for benzodiazepine tapers) and CV Sciences +CBD Oil.

Please share if you’ve used CBD oil or CBD supplements with good results.

We’d also love to hear if using CBD in conjunction with tryptophan (or 5-HTP) and GABA has improved your symptoms even more than just using the amino acids alone, or if the amino acids alone provided relief.

Integrative Cannabis: Therapeutic Value of CBD/Cannabinoids

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The Integrative Cannabis 6-week course, Therapeutic Value of CBD/Cannabinoids is just starting this week and it’s not too late to register and participate.

Razi Berry, founder of NDNR/Naturopathic Doctor News and Review, shares this about cannabis and this new training on the topic of CBD:

Since the legalization of medical cannabis, and more recently its recreational use, it has become more and more important that practitioners are aware, educated and fluent in this popular botanical medicine. Cannabis has an incredible and varied use profile and can also be a drug of addiction; it has the ability to serve as a highly beneficial opioid alternative, while at the same time causing social and psychological problems. It is a drug/botanical that is not going away anytime soon, and practitioners need more education in its therapeutic use. This multi-week course is sure to give you a solid foundation in understanding cannabis and cannabinoids and their interaction with physiological systems as well as their implications for clinical practice.”

Cannabis is a controversial subject! But, no matter where you stand on the political, moral, or ethical spectrum, in support or against this botanical medicine, cannabis is here to stay. The increase in legislative efforts allowing for its medical use, along with its growing recreational legalization is mandating that medical practitioners are aware and knowledgeable of the effects, interactions, benefits, and complications of its use. This multi-week course is intended to give a solid foundation of understanding for the clinical use and therapeutic understanding of cannabis, as well as the legal implications of its use in clinical practice. We hope you find it beneficial to your practice.

Love it or hate it, you’re going to have to learn about the use of cannabis in both a medical and non-medical context sooner or later. Currently, cannabis is not included in botanical medicine courses at most of the naturopathic or allopathic medical schools, however its use is rapidly increasing and a need for knowledge of its effects and therapeutic use are also increasing. This multi-week course includes the foundational elements necessary to understand the major and minor constituents of cannabis sativa/indica, as well as its therapeutic indications, physiological indications, dosing and complications. It will serve any practitioner needing or desiring a more in depth understanding of the plant.

Who is this Cannabis/CBD Training for?

  • Practitioners who are interested in the therapeutic use of cannabis.
  • Practitioners who want more information about the systemic effects of cannabis.
  • Practitioners who want more pharmacological knowledge of cannabis as a botanical medicine.
  • NDs in states where marijuana is legal – both medically and recreationally – regardless of whether it is in ND scope.
  • NDs who would like to gain Pharmacology CEU for a relevant botanical medicine that is used pharmacologically.
  • Individuals needing foundational knowledge about the physiological effects of cannabis.
  • Individuals who are looking for alternatives to opioids and pain medication.
  • Individuals who are interested in non-psychoactive uses of cannabis.

Someone asked this when I posted about it on Facebook:

Is it just for practitioners? What about parent who has a child who uses it therapeutically?

Razi responded as follows:

It is designed for practitioners, but as a parent it would answer all your questions and help you to navigate the journey. You might end up knowing more than your doctor/practitioner!

Here are the details of the first module – Stress, Adrenal Health, and Cannabidiol: The ECS-HPA Connection with Aimee Shunney, ND

  • Knowledge of the difference between hemp and marijuana.
  • Understand how the ECS/endocannabinoid system can support healthy HPA axis function.
  • Understand CBD as a regulatory or balancing agent of the ECS.
  • Evaluation of how baseline endocannabinoid levels can affect the stress response and anxiety.
  • Application of CBD as it relates to HPA axis function in clinical practice.
  • Understand quality, sourcing, safety, and legal issues surrounding medical cannabis.

Here are 2 slides from Aimee’s Adrenal/HPA presentation:

…Science has linked the ECS [endocannabinoid system] with complex processes from anxiety to immunity…This research bonanza is revealing more and more about the ECS master control system and it’s shining star, cannabidiol [CBD].

Preliminary human studies show baseline endocannabinoid tone regulates HPA axis reactivity to stress; low baseline AEA [anandamide] leads to greater increase in cortisol after stress AND high baseline AEA seem to be protective against anxiety.

And here is a short video snippet from “The Role of CBD Targeted Clinical Strategies on the Microbiome and Gut-Brain Axis” presented by Dr. Chris Meletis.

  • Understand the role of CBD receptors in the GI tract.
  • Understand how CBD receptor activation can alter microbiome microenvironment.
  • Appreciation of the clinical utility of HEMP derived CBD on Brain and Gut Health.

I’m enjoying it already and I’ve only done one module so far. I hope to get some additional clarification on the following: how the endocannabinoid system interacts with and supports neurotransmitters like serotonin, GABA and endorphins; safety aspects and cautions about THC and worsening mental health; understanding how best to assess for an out of balance endocannabinoid system; how to assess quality; a better understanding of the different strains – how they work and what symptoms they help; and how we talk about cannabis in terms of CBD percentages.

Click here for information and registration details about the Integrative Cannabis 6-week course, Therapeutic Value of CBD/Cannabinoids or share this link with your practitioner.

It started on Monday Oct 8th and runs for 5 weeks. As soon as you register you’ll get access to the first module on stress and adrenal health (see below) with delivery of the other modules each Monday thereafter. Registration closes on Friday and will reopen in 2019 sometime. Apologies for the late notice – I just found out about it late last week!

If you have feedback on how you’ve benefited from hemp-based CBD products please post below in the comments. If you have questions please post them too and I’ll try and get answers from the presenters if I don’t have an answer.

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.

WiFi modem with a public hotspot causes seizures, vertigo, headaches, insomnia and heart palpitations in a woman with a history of West Nile virus

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This recent research illustrates the harmful effects of a new type of wireless modem, enabled for both personal use and functioning as a public hotspot: Exacerbation of demyelinating syndrome after exposure to wireless modem with public hotspot. The public hotspot feature was designed to reach up to 100 meters (or 328 feet which is close to the length of a football field).

Here is the entire abstract since it explains the situation so well:

In August 2003, 48-year-old JS of Colorado, USA, a fitness therapist and sports nutritionist, contracted neuroinvasive [i.e infecting the nervous system] West Nile virus which left her with disabilities due to spinal axonal damage.

In August 2014, she suddenly developed symptoms very much like her acute West Nile infection 11 years ago, including focal seizures, ataxia, vertigo and headaches. Her blood count looked normal so there was no obvious infection. What struck her as odd was that when she left her apartment for any length of time, the symptoms stopped.

She found out that a new type of wireless modem, enabled for both personal use and functioning as a public hotspot designed to reach up to 100 m, had been installed in the flat under hers. Her neighbor replaced the modem with a router without the hotspot feature. After that, the seizures stopped immediately, and the other symptoms faded gradually, after which she was fine and again could sleep well.

Later, when another activated hotspot was installed in an adjacent flat, JS once again noticed symptoms.

A possible association between electrohypersensitivity, myelin integrity and exposure to low-intensity radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) typical in the modern world has recently been proposed.

Since the West Nile virus attacks both the nerve cells and the glial ones, one explanation to the above observed case effects is that the initial virus attack and the wireless modem’s RF-EMF affect the nervous system through the very same, or similar, avenues, and maybe both via the oligodendrocytes [i.e. the myelinating cells of the central nervous system].

Here are a few of the other symptoms she reported before discovering that it was the public hotspot that was causing her symptoms:

  • losing sensation in her face, neck and torso
  • tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • allergy symptoms like those of severe hayfever
  • difficulty concentrating
  • poor fine motor control
  • impaired short-term memory
  • pain in the facial bones, especially the cheeks, jaw bones and the roots of her teeth
  • numbness and tingling
  • difficulty breathing and swallowing (more pronounced after exertion)
  • dizziness
  • elevated morning fasting blood sugar levels (up 25% from usual to 100 mg/dL) and then back to normal 2 weeks after the hotspot was disabled
  • fight or flight reaction for the first 2–3 weeks, which then turned into fatigue and apathy with little accomplished during the day

These symptoms all dissipated when she wasn’t home. Once home in the evenings, her desire for sweets increased and her sleep was also impacted:

In the evening, her appetite was much increased and she craved sweet food, which was not usual for her. She became sleepy at the usual time, settling down between 10.30 pm and 11 pm and could fall asleep, all as normal.

However, within 1–2 hours, she routinely woke suddenly having had very vivid, disturbing dreams and with a pounding heartbeat. This was usually followed by a seizure, sometimes focal, where one part of her body (primarily right arm) would be shaking. Other times, her whole body was shaking.

She also noticed more severe symptoms when the modem with the activated public hotspot was closer to where she slept i.e. distance was a factor. On bad nights, after waking, she would sometimes go and sleep in her living room which was further away from the modem.

After a seizure, she slept fitfully, unless she moved to sleep on the couch in another room. There, JS found she could fall asleep quite quickly and sleep through the rest of the night.

When in her bedroom the modem was just 20–30 feet away and when in the living room it was about 50–60 feet from her (plus an additional wall), both of which weakened the signal.

It should also be noted that JS used a cell phone, a wireless router and a computer and had no problems from any of these – it was only the modem with the public hotspot that was problematic.The study authors shared that

The hotspot antenna almost certainly has a considerably higher transmit power as this would be needed to increase the effective transmit range for users in the area.

Other possible causes/mechanisms are reported as follows:

  • the pulse width of the beacon signal
  • an additional pattern or stroboscopic effect, or double intensity set up by the simultaneous transmission of the private and public hotspots

However, do keep in mind that for some people with electrohypersensitivity, simply using a cell phone and WiFi can cause symptoms.

Do you know if your router has this public Wi-Fi hotspot feature turned on?

Do you know if your router has this public Wi-Fi hotspot feature turned on? Many people do not and are fuming when they find out – I know I was!

JS discovered this as a result of a pop-upon her mobile phone:

From before the episodes occurred, JS kept her mobile phone WiFi disabled while at home. The day after she began having symptoms in August, she had temporarily enabled the WiFi feature while out shopping and when she came home that day, a pop-up appeared informing her she was in a free Xfinity WiFi zone.

In this article two Comcast customers sued the company for turning their Xfinity Internet routers into public WiFi hotspots saying “Comcast’s actions pose risks to subscribers and are taken without seeking their authorization.” They objected to the increase in customers’ electricity costs, the impacts on network performance and network security concerns.

However, they don’t even raise the issue of potential harm from a public WiFi hotspot that is activated on a modem in your home or one nearby.

In fact this site that offers instructions for disabling this public WiFi hotspot on your Comcast Xfinity router states that “We don’t necessarily think you have to disable this feature, as it seems to work fine — we haven’t heard any horror stories or reports of problems yet.”  

I would consider this case study to be a horror story that is not common knowledge and needs to be. JS was seriously harmed on two occasions by modems with public WiFi hotspots. In both instances the home-owners with these modems were not even aware they had these public hotspots activated and very quickly had them disabled once they found out what was happening to JS.

The study authors conclude that this case study strongly indicates that:

emissions from these new wireless modems could cause physical harm for those susceptible to that type of radiation.

My questions are this:

  • How many people are not even aware that their modem has this public WiFi hotspot feature enabled?
  • How many other people like JS are being seriously harmed by modems with public WiFi hotspots?
  • How many people have chronic issues like problems falling asleep, waking in the early hours, agitation, anxiety and heart palpitations – all possibly caused by a public WiFi hotspot on their modem or on a modem next door or even down the street?

I consider JS to be the canary in the coal-mine and her story is a good lesson for all us to wake up and get serious about WiFi and EMFs.

Here are some other blogs posts I’ve written about WiFi and EMFs:

Do share what you’ve experienced with modems that have public WiFi hotspots activated and if you can relate to any of the symptoms JS experienced?