Monday 31 March 2014

Is Exposure to Low-Level Radiation Harmful?




                            Is Exposure to Low-Level Radiation Harmful?

Due to the widespread use of mobile phones, Wi-Fi, Smart meters and other forms of wireless communication, public concerns have been raised about the possible health risks linked to close range radiation exposure.  Medical researchers are now becoming increasingly concerned about possible health risks of close range radiation exposure and much research is currently being done about the affect on public health, including investigating the link to cancer. 


Mobile phones are by far one of the most commonly used items that could be posing a significant health risk to the user.  Just reading the mobile phone manual the manufacturer will alert you to keep your phone 1cm to 1.5cm away from your body.  Mobile phones emit radiofrequency energy which is a form of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation.  The amount of radiofrequency energy a mobile phone user is exposed to depends on the technology of the phone, the duration of use, the distance between the user and the antenna in the mobile phone, and the distance the user is from the mobile phone towers.  Is there cause for concern that mobile phones may cause cancer or other health problems?  Many authorities fail to warn of the associated health risks as they claim the medical research is inconclusive.  It’s important to understand the possible risks of mobile phone use and draw your own conclusion.  Firstly here are some of the facts…


Fact One:  Mobile phones emit radiofrequency energy and bodily tissues nearest to where the phone is held can absorb this energy.

Fact Two:  The number of mobile phone users worldwide has increased rapidly.  Globally, the number of mobile phone users is estimated by the International Telecommunications Union to be 6 billion. 

Fact Three:  Mobile phone technology has undergone substantial changes which will continue over time.  With this is the increase in mobile phone calls per day, the length of each call, and the amount of time people use mobile phones.    
With these facts in mind it’s easy to see how exposure to radiofrequency in an individual user can accumulate.  Although there is concern that radiofrequency energy from mobile phones held closely to the head may affect the brain and other tissues, to date there is no conclusive evidence from research that this exposure can cause cancer.  Organizations such as the American Cancer Society or the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences state that there could be ‘some’ risk associated with cancer however the evidence is ‘not strong enough’ to conclusively link mobile phone use with any adverse problems.  Researchers have carried out several types of studies to investigate the possible cancer-causing effects of radiofrequency energy.  Here are some of the findings from specific research…

What do the experts say?
Neurosurgeon and researcher Dr. Leif Salford has conducted many studies on radio frequency radiation and its effects on the brain.  Some of the most concerning conclusions from his research result from the fact that the weakest exposure levels cause the blood brain barrier to leak.  Experiments at the Lund University Hospital in Sweden by Dr. Leif Salford and his colleagues exposed over 1,600 experimental animals to low levels of radiation, including that from mobile phones.  The consistent and worrisome results concluded that this exposure caused the blood brain barrier to leak.  They found a leakage of albumin into the brain via a permeated blood-brain barrier.  In further experiments Salfords team waited eight weeks before sacrificing the animals.  In those animals that had been exposed to a mobile phone, up to 2 percent of the neurons in all areas of the brain were shrunken and degenerated.  Researchers in 13 other laboratories in 6 different countries had reported the same effect, but no one had proven whether it would lead to any damage in the long term.
Dr. Devra Davis, author of ‘Disconnect’ explains the science of mobile phone radiation by comparing images of two cells.  One cell showed DNA that had been damaged by ‘gamma’ radiation like that emitted in Hiroshima.  The other cell had been exposed to low level radiation from a mobile phone.  Davis concludes that while both cells look very damaged compared to a normal cell, the DNA from the cell exposed to the mobile phone radiation looks worse.  A recent study on the effects of mobile phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism conducted by Volkow ND, Tomasi D, and Wang GJ showed that when people who used a mobile phone for 50 minutes, brain tissue on the same side of the head as the phone’s antenna metabolized more glucose then did the tissue on the other side of the brain.  The possible health outcomes from this increase in glucose metabolism are still unknown.  Other studies have drawn conclusions at interference with sleep and cognitive function disturbances. 

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has recently classified radiofrequency fields as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on an increased risk for glioma, a type of brain cancer’.  If we look further than the issue of radiation of mobile phones, there is a clear health hazard with technology emitting wireless radiation in the range that ‘smart meters’ do.  Tens of thousands of people have had ‘smart meters’ installed in apartment building and near homes.  Tens of thousands of people have exposed to these smart meters have reported illness, insomnia, rashes and headaches to name a few.

Do Children pose a higher risk of developing health issues due to exposure?
So far data from clinical studies in children do not support the theory that they are at greater risk of developing brain cancer than adults.  It should be considered thought that children have the potential of accumulating more years of mobile phone exposure than adults do.  Children have developing nervous systems and are therefore more vulnerable to factors that may cause cancer.  Due to the fact that children have smaller heads than adults they have a greater proportional exposure to the field of radio frequency radiation that is emitted by mobile phones.  Mobi-Kids is an international study being conducted by researchers from the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Spain which aims to evaluate the risks associated with new communications technologies.  This is expected to finish in late 2014 with results being available 2015/2016.
While this subject of recent interest may be inconclusive at linking mobile phone use to cancer, the research already highlights the possible health risks when exposed to low level non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation.  This form of radiation doesn’t just stop at mobile phones but includes such technologies as WI-FI and smart meters.  Further studies are needed but what we know for sure is that current research results are frightening and technologies will continue to develop at a rapid pace.  It’s up to you as the user to minimize your risk by minimizing your exposure.

How to Reduce your Mobile Phone Radiation Exposure…
-  Keep your Mobile Phone calls short
-  Use a hands free kit
-  Don’t sleep with your mobile next to the bed
-  Use a landline where one is available
-  Do not carry your mobile phone close to your body
-  Choose a mobile phone model that has a low specific absorption rate (SAR), which refers to the amount of RF radiation absorbed by body tissue

Be aware of these 15 commonly reported signs of wireless radiation sickness…
-  Fatigue
-  Headaches/Migraines
-  Nose Bleeds
-  Difficulty Concentrating
-  Dizziness - Nausea - Vertigo
-  Visual and Auditory Distortion
-  Racing Heart Rate (Tachycardia)
-  Anxiety
-  Depression
-  Memory Loss
-  Attention Deficit
-  Skin Rash
-  Hyperactivity, ADD, ADHD
-  Night Sweats
-  Insomnia

There are further measures you can take to protect you and your children from close range radiation exposure.  For more information visit:  EarthingOz.zom.au
This website stocks a wide range of ‘earthing’ products from bands and patches to sleep systems and everything in between.  There are educational books and DVDs as well as test meters and radiation protection devices.  Their products are developed based on years of research and experimentation based on a growing demand by individuals that have the need for practical methods of preventing electrical stress in the body and grounding their body with the natural and subtle surface energy of the Earth.  At The House of Healing we are always looking out for ways to improve health and well-being and will be proudly bringing products from EarthingOz.com.au available in Clinic.
 
For products now available at The House of Healing please consider WillauTronic Esmog Protective Devices.  These are highly effective devices for mobile phones and computers to reduce esmog-induced stress.  They offer safe and trusted protection solutions for the body, workplace, and home and are able to neutralise the negative information contained in esmog. 


Find WillauTronic Esmog Protective Devices available at The House of Healing
Mobile Phone Protection Chip - $42.10 and Computer Protection Chip - $42.10




Monday 3 March 2014

Coeliacs disease... The yes, the no's and the maybe's


Coeliac Disease

It is estimated that at least 1 in every 60 Australian women and 1 in every 80 men are affected by coeliac disease.  Around 80% of Australians affected remain undiagnosed.

So what is it?
Coeliac disease is when our immune system reacts to a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, oats etc.  It is not fully understood why someone develops coeliac disease however we do know that it is partly genetic in origin. Current research is aimed at establishing what triggers the immune to respond so severely to gluten and whether age or stress is a factor.
 

As diverse as the human race is, so are the symptoms of coeliac disease which can range from:

  • Gastrointestinal symptoms e.g. diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, cramping, bloating, abdominal pain

  • Fatigue, weakness and lethargy

  • Iron deficiency anaemia and/or other vitamin and mineral deficiencies

  • Failure to thrive or delayed puberty in children

  • Weight loss; although some people may gain weight

  • Bone and joint pains

  • Recurrent mouth ulcers and/or swelling of mouth or tongue

  • Altered mental alertness and irritability

  • Skin rashes such as dermatitis herpetiformis

  • Easy bruising of the skin

People with coeliac disease remain sensitive to gluten throughout their life, so understanding how to manage your nutrition may be a challenge.  However be assured a strict gluten free diet will ease the symptoms and have you feeling more energetic, mentally alert and sleeping better.
 

·          Unprocessed Meat/ Poultry/ Fish
·         Vegetables and salads provide great meal accompaniments
·         Barbecues are great for entertaining with gluten free friends/family. There are many gluten free sausages, rissoles and beef patties available. Salads can easily be made gluten free, along with gluten free salad dressings
·         Roasts are another great idea for a main course and gluten free gravy mixes are readily available. Just ensure that any glazes, coatings or stuffing  are also gluten free
·         Gluten Free dips can easily be found at the Supermarkets or consider using veggie sticks
·         For a treat buy gluten free biscuits

To support your lifestyle and reduce inflammations in your gut we suggest Metagenics InflamX which is a nutritional support especially created to decrease inflammation in the digestive tract.  It contains extracts of ginger, turmeric, rosemary and bioflavonoids and is in a base of easily digested, low reactive, rice protein.


Metagenics InflamX  is on special this month to coincide with our BLOG.  And just to make certain it is the best product for you, we are happy to offer a FREE 5 minute VEGA test.  Bookings are essential. Simply phone to make an appointment.