The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized our daily lives and its impact will continue to grow quite significantly over the next few years. Today, you can use your smartphone to operate your DVR, adjust your thermostat, turn the lights on (and dim them), and even unlock your front door (and you don’t even need to be home to do this). As our appliances and devices also connect to the internet wirelessly, it creates huge opportunities to make smarter decisions. But at what cost do we embrace the new frontier of technology?
Incorporating all this technology into our lives makes things easier, but it has the potential to considerably increase our exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR). Scientists from across the world have been campaigning for governments to update their guidelines when it comes to human exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMF). According to Dr. Martin Blank, PhD. (Columbia University), “international exposure guidelines for electromagnetic fields must be strengthened to reflect the reality of their impact on our bodies, especially on our DNA. The time to deal with the harmful biological and health effects is long overdue. We must reduce exposure by establishing more protective guidelines.”
There are many EMR hotspots in the home and it’s important for families to take the necessary steps to reduce their exposure to EMR. So what are the appliances creating an EMF?
- Microwave ovens (not a healthy option to heating food)
- Wi-Fi
- TVs
- Mobile devices
- Refrigerator
- Computers
- Miscellaneous electronic devices
A lot of these gadgets enhance our lives, so instead of getting rid all your electronic devices and appliances, we have to instead come up with safe ways to live with them. IoT will make regular household appliances “smart” (via a wireless connection) which will essentially increase our exposure to the electromagnetic spectrum.
If you take an ordinary family home, the potential EMR hotspots will be located in the following areas:
- Living room (TV, DVR, gaming consoles, tablets, cellphones, and electric heaters)
- Kitchen (microwave, oven, and refrigerator)
- Bedrooms (TV, tablets, smartphones, and other electronic devices)
- Kids’ bedrooms (baby monitor and wireless equipment)
- Utility cupboard (electrical/fuse box and electric meter)
The Living Room
Spaces where we spend most of our family time are packed with electronic devices (let’s face it, we love to be entertained). Whenever possible, try to limit the number of devices in the vicinity at any one time.
If you’re watching TV, it’s a good idea to put away mobile devices and laptops to reduce your family’s exposure to EMFs. Further, it also makes it easier to divide your attention between say a great family movie and your family.
But for the multitaskers out there (this is a good idea in any situation), you can get protection by adding protective shields for smartphones, tablets, and laptops. By making this change to your optimized technological lifestyle, you can ensure that you’re getting the following:
- ELF magnetic field shielding
- RF cellular shielding
- Wi-Fi / microwave shielding
The Kitchen
Researchers have long known the dangers of EMR on food, yet we continue to engage in using this dangerous option daily. Microwave ovens are known to leak RF radiation (only) when they’re turned on. As a result, you can be in a safe environment when the appliance is turned off.
The convenience of using these appliances can’t be denied, so on the occasions that you have to use it, make sure that you’re at least ten feet away from the microwave oven while it’s on. Whenever possible, it’s best to heat your food the old fashion way over a stove.
The Bedroom
Bedrooms can also be a hotspot for EMR as we fill it up with gadgets. Sure we would like to be in contact, check the news on our tabs at will, and maybe even watch some TV. But if you want to protect yourself and your family, it is a good idea to turn off all wireless devices and keep them out of your bedroom.
Researchers have found that radiation released from mobile phones are already wiping out bee populations, so it’s a good idea to pay attention (not only to the human cost, but also to the long term impact on the environment).
Further, it also best to keep devices like the Wi-Fi router at a safe distance away from the bedroom and wherever the family spends most of their time together.
It’s also good practice to turn off wireless devices whenever they’re not in use. Incorporating these simple steps can have a huge impact on your health as we spend a good chunk of the day sleeping (approximately 8 hours).
The Kids Bedrooms
Get rid of any wireless equipment in the child’s room. Further, get your kids into the habit of putting away all their electronic devices (after switching them off) when they are not in use. If they’re in bed to sleep, there is no use for this equipment in the first place. By keeping these EMR emitters away from the kids’ bedrooms, you can significantly reduce the exposure to RF and EMR.
The Utility Cupboard
As rule of thumb, it is import to keep utility cupboards far away from areas where the family congregates. These days, smart digital meters are being installed into every building. According to Global Research, exposure to the radiation from these wireless meters can result in marked degradation of cells and develop corrugated formations where blood cells fold. Further, if you are in the market for a new house, make sure it’s far away from the local power grid.
As the internet of things quickly becomes a reality, we also need to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from the harmful effects of EMR. This phenomenon will continue to spread across every aspect of our lives (we might get an iCar in the near future), so it will be increasingly crucial to start following these simple steps now and continue to increase our knowledge about the dangers as more devices get online.
