"Sudden aging" is how some have described the myriad of symptoms that can occur when one experiences sensitivity to the vast array of man-made electromagnetic fields permeating our modern world. And feeling like I had suddenly aged tremendously definitely describes my experience, shortly after new utility meters were installed where I live. I had deep, dark circles and huge bags under my eyes. A friend whom I hadn't seen in a while asked me what had happened to my eyes, and said she had never seen me look so bad. She was being honest and sincere and I knew she was deeply concerned about me. I don't think I had ever seen myself look that "bad" either. But a month of severe insomnia, waking up every few hours with heart palpitations, and feeling like I was being electrocuted throughout the night, is probably why I looked that way!
Our bodies rest, heal, and repair when we sleep. When our sleep is chronically disrupted, as can happen after a new (wireless/smart/advanced/electronic/AMR ERT/AMI/radio frequency) utility meter is installed, our bodies are not given the chance to heal, rest and repair, thus aging can become dramatic. Electromagnetic fields, or EMFs, are said to cause "subliminal stress" that puts the body into a fight-or-flight mode, even while sleeping, making restful and healing sleep less attainable.
In our modern world we are constantly being exposed to EMFs; from cell phones, to wireless laptops, WiFi networks, a myriad of wireless appliances and gadgets, and now the new utility meters. Which is why it is so very important we have a "safe" environment at night for healing sleep. However, when smart meters are installed on our homes, they are continuously sending millisecond bursts of radio frequency microwave radiation throughout our environment. Radio frequency radiation, whether from a cell phone, WiFi, new utility meter, or any other wireless device, does not stop at walls, doors, furniture, or flesh. We don't necessarily feel the millisecond pulses of radiation, but our biology does. That is why, for those of us more sensitive to the pulses of radiation, the new utility meters can severely disrupt our normal nighttime rest, healing and repair cycle.
Pulsed radio frequency radiation that the new utility meters emit explained the mystery of the pain returning in my "cell-phone ear," along with sudden and severe insomnia, heart palpitations, feeling like I was being electrocuted, and like I had suddenly developed severe arthritis in just about every joint in my body. I did not have any of these symptoms prior to new utility meters being installed.
Our natural gas company, SEMCO Energy, tells us that their new meters are "not smart meters," but that they do emit micro-pulses of microwave radiation.
Electromagnetic fields don't seem to be something we really want to fool around with. I've talked with representatives at the electric company, the natural gas company, and the water department, and none of them seem to have a thoroughly understanding of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and health risks associated with them. How can those who don't thoroughly understand something, tell you that it's safe?
Dr. Martin Blank, PhD, Dept. of Physiology, Columbia University, and spokesperson for the International Scientist Appeal on Electromagnetic Fields, explains that damage is occurring to DNA at "virtually all levels of exposure."
The following quotes are from an Abstract by J.L. Phillips, Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, N.P. Singh, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, and H. Lai, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA:
"A major concern of the adverse effects of exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic field is cancer induction. Since the majority of cancers are initiated by damage to a cell’s genome, studies have been carried out to investigate the effects of electromagnetic fields on DNA and chromosomal structure."
"RFR (radio frequency radiation) exposure does indeed appear to affect DNA damage and repair..."
Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is becoming more widely recognized, and the percentage of people who experience it ranges from about 1.5% of the population in Sweden, to as high as 13.3% in Taiwan, with the United States at about 3%. I would say that for about every 10 people I talk to about EHS, usually at least one of the people are either also sensitive to EMFs, or know someone else who is.
I've heard some call EHS a functional or environmental disability, because it's not something that would necessarily be treated by a doctor, though a doctor or health care practitioner versed in radiation poisoning could offer suggestions as far as detoxifying the body and building up the immune system. "Treatment" for EHS seems to primarily involve altering the environment where the person experiencing EHS spends their time, especially their sleep-time.
After the new utility meters were installed, and when I began to question whether or not this life was worth living, I knew I had to do something to reduce the EMFs in my environment. Here's a list of some of the steps taken:
- Wrapped new utility meters in lead sheeting (lead blocks radiation)
- Removed the grounding/earthing sheet from my bed (because the ground outside where the grounding rod was buried tested unusually high for electricity)
- Eliminated the wireless computer mouse and returned to a hard-wired mouse
- Turned off the wireless feature on the computer
- Turned off the WiFi feature on the modem
- Eliminated the iPad from my environment
- Keeping the cell phone off most of the time, and pulling the battery out at night and when not in use
- Using the landline phone instead of the cell phone
- Turning off all the electric breakers at night, except for the furnace
The measures have been successful because I've been sleeping much, much better, thank goodness!
Over 200 scientists have now signed The International Scientist Appeal to the United Nations and the World Health Organization, requesting greater levels of protection for humans and wildlife to electromagnetic fields and wireless technology. Allowable levels in the United States and Canada far exceed allowable levels in other countries, for some reason, and professionals who do understand electromagnetic fields, are calling for the U.N. to strengthen its advisories on EMF risks for humans.
Bottom line is that the new utility meters are not proven safe, and many professionals are now saying they could be extremely harmful. I know that they've been harmful to me. And I know that I'm not the only one.
If you live in Michigan, please call your State Representative right now, and ask them to support the Analog Choice Bill, HB4916, which will give us a choice to keep our 100% mechanical, 100% analog, time-tested for safety, utility meters, without having to pay exorbitant fees to do so. You can find more information about that on my blog here.
If you don't live in Michigan but are concerned about the new utility meters, please speak out! Talk to everyone you know, and some you don't know, about your concerns and why you feel that way. We can make a difference.
Thank you for reading ~ May We All Truly Be Blessed
Sources & more information:
- The Latest Form of Pollution: Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs), Hyla Cass, MD
- Electromagnetic Fields Stress Living Cells, Martin Blank, Ph.D., Dept. of Physiology, Columbia University, NY, NY; Reba Goodman, Ph.D., Dept. of Pathology, Columbia University, NY, NY
- Cell Phone Task Force - Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS)
- Electromagnetic Fields and DNA Damage, J.L. Phillips, Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO; N.P. Singh, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and H. Lai, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity - an increasing challenge to the medical profession, L. Hendendahl, M. Carlburg, L. Hardell
- Business Wire: International Scientist Appeal to U.N. to Protect Humans and Wildlife from Electromagnetic Fields and Wireless Technology
- EMFscientist.org
- BioInitiative Report: A Rational for Biologically-based Exposure Standards for Low-Intensity Electromagnetic Radiation
- Electromagnetic Radiation Safety - Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS), Joel M. Moskowitz, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
- Wireless Utility Meter Safety Impacts - Final Results Summary, Ed Halteman, Ph.D.
- Smart Meter Education Network in Michigan, USA
- Smart Grid Awareness
- Take Back Your Power
