What is EMF?

Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) occur naturally on earth as well as being artificially produced. It is one of the four fundamental forces of the universe (gravity is another). Sound impressive? It is because life here on earth and we humans could not exist without it. From earth’s magnetic field that makes a compass move, to sunlight, to the electrical signals that make our heartbeat and the synapsis in our brain fire, you guessed it - EMF!

We have existed and thrived with the natural levels of EMF on earth since the dawn of our existence. Static discharge, sunlight, lightning, and the earth’s magnetic field (north and south poles detected by a compass) are all naturally occurring EMF. The problem we now face is we have surrounded ourselves in a sea of artificially produced EMF that thousands of peer reviewed studies are saying pose a threat to our wellbeing. Many of our modern devices like our cell phone, microwave oven and Wi-Fi produce EMF. Electricity in transmission and distribution lines and also in our home produce EMF especially if there is a wiring or grounding error. The technologies that produce “artificial” EMFs are now so prevalent that we live in an environment that is estimated in places to be one sextillion (that’s a one followed by 21 zeros) times stronger than what the natural background of EMF is on earth. 

Let’s pause for a moment and using nothing more than our common sense…. Did we really think we could change our natural environment by a factor of 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000x and it would not have a negative biological impact on us?

So back to EMF and how artificial EMF is created. The star of our show is the electron. Let’s go back to middle school science where you might remember every atom has electrons, protons and neutrons. The proton and neutron are located in the nucleus while the electron orbits outside the nucleus. An electron can be knocked out of its orbit and removed from the atom where it becomes a charged particle known as an ion. An Electromagnetic Field is created when these charged particles move and this field contains energy, the type of energy we call electromagnetic radiation (EMF). Sometimes we have current (electrons) flowing through a wire and this movement of electrons creates the EMF. Sometimes the EMF is created to carry information wirelessly from a cell phone mast to cell phones or from our Wi-Fi to a computer or smart TV.

EMF Characteristics – Frequency, Wavelength and Ions (oh my)

EMF predominantly travels in waves and is categorized by its wavelike characteristics - Wavelength and Frequency. To get a feel for wavelength and frequency think ocean waves: wavelength is the distance from crest to crest of incoming waves and frequency is how many waves are crashing on the shore per unit of time. Ocean waves with little distance between them (short wavelength), and crashing one right after another (high frequency) are pounding the shore with lots of energy. It’s the same with EMF. High frequency, short wavelength EMF contain a lot of energy and are known as ionizing. This simply means they contain enough energy to knock an electron out of its orbit thus creating an ion. EMF with low frequency and long wavelength does not have enough energy to create an ion so it is called non-ionizing radiation.

EMF are categorized as ionizing or non-ionizing and for many years the prevailing thought was only ionizing EMF (X-rays, Gamma-rays, etc.) caused biological harm. We now know this is not true!  Thousands of studies have shown non-ionizing radiation has a biological effect and the mechanisms for this effect has also been recently discovered (see appendix for articles by Dr.s Pall and Blank). Dr. Martin Pall has discovered EMF activate the Voltage Gated Calcium Channel (VGCC) in many cell types resulting in the cell being flooded with calcium. Dr. Martin Blank has discovered cells react defensively and start to synthesize stress proteins when exposed to EMF.

Frequency and Wavelength are the defining characteristic of EMF (and if you know frequency you can calculate wavelength). The unit for frequency is Hertz, abbreviated Hz and it means cycles per second. Going back to our wave analogy, if three ocean waves hit the shore in one second, that would be 3 Hz. It’s how many times the wave repeat itself in one second. Our electrical system in the U.S. is 60 Hz or 60 cycles per second.

EMF Behavior and Shielding

You can neither see nor feel most EMF except for a very small portion of the EMF spectrum that we see as visible light and feel as heat from ultraviolet radiation. It is our inability to sense most EMF and the ever increasing evidence that the EMF levels we are exposed to cause biological harm that make our understanding of how EMF behaves necessary.

Let’s start with an EMF you are familiar with: visible light. When you stand outside during daylight under an umbrella you are shaded but you are not in the dark. That’s because EMF, like the name states is a field and you can visualize a fields behavior acting almost like a gas spreading out from the source but able to wrap around corners and enter through cracks. Curtains can keep out daylight but a little light can seep in around the edges. EMF also behaves like this and is a consideration when shielding is an option and also neEMF are categorized as ionizing or non-ionizing and for many years the prevailing thought was only ionizing EMF (X-rays, Gamma-rays, etc.) caused biological harm. We now know this is not true!  Thousands of studies have shown non-ionizing radiation has a biological effect and the mechanisms for this effect has also been recently discovered (see appendix for articles by Dr.s Pall and Blank ). Dr. Martin Pall has discovered EMF activate the Voltage Gated Calcium Channel (VGCC) in many cell types resulting in the cell being flooded with calcium. Dr. Martin Blank has discovered cells react defensively and start to synthesize stress proteins when exposed to EMF.

EMF at different frequencies behaves differently, some can be shielded, and some cannot. EMF at different frequencies also reacts differently on the human body. Some EMF can go through walls and travel great distances while some field intensities diminish to zero in a short distance. 

Contact me at EMFtrustedPro@gmail.com to schedule your home inspection and start reducing your exposure today.

Disclaimer: Dammit Jim, I am an engineer, not a doctor! The information shared on this website is the result of peer reviewed, scientific literature I have read. This is in no way medical advice. Should you need medical advice, please seek the help of a medical professional.