I can help you lead a healthy life in this increasingly electromagnetic world!

“I just purchased a wireless burglar alarm.  And now after reading about radiation from wireless devices, I’m not so sure it’s safe.  Could you please provide me some info about this?  I can’t seem to find info specific to wireless alarms.  I have no idea how much radiation, if any, is being released.  And, does the radiation come from the sensors or the panel?  Any specific info you could provide on this item would be much appreciated.  Thanks”

This is a question I recently received from, one of my readers.

I don’t know how you feel about this electrosmog/cell phone radiation/EMF issue but I just find the more time goes by, the more I interact with different people on this, the more I realize that electromagnetic radiation is a bigger problem for far more people than I ever could have realized.

If it wasn’t that sharp searing pain that overcame me that day back in February 2002 when I took my cell phone out of my pocket and answered it, as I had done so many other times, I wouldn’t be talking to you now. What I really try and impress on you and all the other people who follow my blog entries is that up to 2002 I was just an ordinary Joe going about my work with no health issues whatsoever. I was like 99.9% of the population I was totally ignorant to the dangers of cell phones and EMFs in our lives. And it’s not as if I live in cloud cuckoo land, I consider myself to be relatively well-informed on many subjects, I have a business degree and a professional qualification, I read a newspaper most days, I prefer radio to TV for the news, I have a broad circle of friends, and yet I had never heard of this thing.

Well this is exactly where we are on the subject of wireless burglar alarms; as Melanie has quite rightly identified, there is very little information, far less than there is on cell phone radiation. As much as I do firmly believe that most people remain ignorant to the dangers of cell phone radiation because the cell phone lobby is pulling the strings behind the curtain, I do not believe that this is the explanation for the lack of information and research on wireless burglar alarms.

What Are The Health Dangers Of Burglar Alarms?

The biggest danger is that your wireless burglar alarm is a wireless DECT burglar alarm. I guess for most of you when I say DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) you have already got the picture. If your burglar alarm uses DECT technology then this means that in terms of personal electrosmog pollution it is on a par with a DECT cordless phone. You’ll recall that I’ve talked about the radiation from DECT cordless phones in earlier posts – these things are just as bad if not worse than cell phones in terms of radiation exposure. The reason I consider them so potentially harmful is that unlike a cell phone your cordless phone gives out electromagnetic radiation 24/7 in your home, even when you are sleeping. If you have a wireless DECT burglar alarm it’s exactly the same scenario, your home becomes a microwave radiation hotspot.

What Can Be Done?

Well you could just rip it all out, and if you think there is the slightest chance that you would be suffering adverse health effects from your wireless burglar alarm then I personally would not hesitate to do so. Much depends on your personal situation; if it’s more that you do not seem to be affected by this issue but are concerned by it, then I would suggest hiring an EMF meter or get an EMF technician in to establish what your exposure is. Then you can contact your burglar alarm installer to see about turning off the microwave transmitters in the sensors when you are in your home.

What Are The Other Dangers From Wireless Burglar Alarms?

The biggest danger in Burglar alarms generally and not just the DECT variety come from the poor quality transformers which are used in them which can give off high electromagnetic fields. The second biggest threat comes stems from the fact that the circuit wires are not earthed.

Here I would cite the sad case of Ray and Denise Studholmes’ little boy Simon.  Simon was diagnosed with leukemia in November 1990, nearly two years after the family moved to their three-bedroom home near Bolton, Greater Manchester.  As Simon slept, his head was less than 3ft from an electricity meter and a burglar alarm in a hall cupboard. He died in September 1992, aged 13. Simon’s parents have disclosed that tests after their son’s death revealed that the two appliances gave off an EMF more than six times more powerful than the recommended safe limit. Mr and Mrs Studholme believe that their son Simon would still be alive if he had not been subjected to the strong electromagnetic fields in his bedroom from the burglar alarm and electric meter.

In the case of Simon it would appear to be not just the burglar alarm. But then in most people’s homes they will not be subjected to just the burglar alarm, many people are generating electrosmog in their homes from cordless phones, WiFi, CFL lights, dirty electricity from electric wiring. Additionally they might be subjected to exterior generated electrosmog from a neighbor’s WiFi, or a nearby cell phone tower.

Wireless Burglar Alarms Unbearable For Some Electrosensitives

There are people with heightened electrical sensitivity which can even feel when a wireless burglar alarm is switched on.  Thankfully this is not my case and I hope it is not yours.

So I hope I’m making my point on this. I’m really not trying to scare monger, because the vast majority of burglar alarms rely on infra-red sensors which give off no significant EMFs. Again it’s really the cumulative effects which are important. Maybe it’s better for your health to buy yourself a guard dog instead!

Yes this does seem like a shocking revelation? Is this a case of Lloyd using sensationalist tactics to get his point over? Well you make your own mind up, maybe that cell phone you walk round with in your trouser pocket, that you let your kids use, that you put on your bedside table so that you can stay “in the loop” is not so harmless.

In a recent live pod-cast interview, Barrie Trower, a retired British Military Intelligence scientist during the cold war of the 1950’s and 60’s, revealed that microwaves could be used as stealth weaponry. He ought to know about microwaves. Mr. Trower was engaged in military research involving stealth weaponry and extensively studied the effects of low level frequencies on human physiology. During the 1960’s, he worked with the Underwater Bomb Disposal Unit which employed the use of microwaves. In the 70’s he de-briefed spies involved in microwave warfare. I know this does sound like something out of a James Bond book, but Barrie Trower is no James Bond he really does exist.

Exploratory work during the cold-war period revealed that electromagnetic radio frequencies could cause severe illnesses when aimed at a particular target. The damaging power of radio frequencies was an accidental discovery when the Russians beamed them into the American Embassy. Massive cases of leukemia, cancers and illnesses of all kinds developed among those working within the embassy. It was then realized that low-level microwaves, the same kind of frequencies that are used in cell phones, had the potential to be used as stealth weapons. Because of their invisibility, those who were to be “neutralized” by radiation would be unaware of the source of the deadly frequencies. Armed with specific knowledge of the particular pulse frequencies that would cause psychological and/or physiological damage, microwave technology was developed to use against dissident groups.

Cell Phones: As Dangerous as Biological Warfare?

The electromagnetic radiation spectrum is a band of rays that ranges from the higher frequencies of gamma and x-rays, through to the rays of visible light, to low-level frequencies: infrared, microwaves, television and radio waves. The telecommunications industry uses a form of microwaves for its transmissions. Cellular towers, radio transmitters, television stations and wireless internet all use these low level frequencies, so they must be safe right? Wrong, cell phones for instance, as I just mentioned, use pulse frequencies making them as dangerous and potentially lethal as biological warfare. Do you still feel happy about walking round with a cell phone in your pocket?

Microwaves are the primary frequencies of concern because they have the ability to interfere with water: the technology that makes microwave ovens work. The telecommunications industry has picked the most dangerous slice of the electromagnetic spectrum to use as a communications medium–dangerous because of the way microwaves interfere with water. The human body is largely composed of water—nerves, organs and bodily systems– all function through water-based interconnections.

Children are especially vulnerable, because, as Barrie puts it: “The smaller the person the greater the influence of the microwaves.” Do you still feel happy about letting your child use your cell phone, or your cordless phone which uses the same technology?

Because of the recent disclosure of the hazards that EMF’s pose to human health, France has decided to take all Wi-Fi out of its schools. In his interview, Mr. Trower gives added testimony to the fact that people living beneath a transmitter have been shown to have decreased immunity, a higher percentage than normal of psychological problems, trouble concentrating and various grave illnesses including cancers.

Further, Mr. Trower possesses research revealing how low-level microwaves can interfere with the genetics in the ovarian follicles. The research shows how EMF’s can damage the genetic structure in the mitochondria causing deformities in the DNA. The cellular damage is irreversible and more alarming still is that the genetic mutation is carried forward to all future generations.

Does This British Military Scientists’ Revelations Show That Our Governments Are Being Dishonest With Us?

Yes, I think it does. I am no anarchist, I firmly believe in law and order. But given that I do find all the disclosures that Barrie Trower has made totally believable, then the only conclusion I can draw is that our governments are being dishonest with us. True I am somewhat uneasy with the idea of disclosing national secrets but then the aim is so obviously to promote the greater good. The disclosures made do not, to my knowledge, endanger national security and they are not motivated by personal gain.

So what does this change? What it changes for me, is that it just confirms what I already believed all along, EMFs and cell phone radiation is very, very dangerous. I’ve already made the changes in mine and my loved ones lives to protect them, have you done the same? Check out my cell phone radiation protection tips.

A few days ago I recieved this message from one of my readers, Craig, who is worried about his cell phone use:

Hi Lloyd,
I have a quick question, or maybe not such a quick question.
What’s the best way to reduce radiation when listening to streaming audio on a cell phone:
·       Bluetooth headset
o   Does BT drastically cut down on radiation as compared to having the cell phone near my ear?
·       Physical wired headphone
o   Does the radiation transmit up the headphone cable that’s physically plugged into the phone?
·       Those “thick protector stickers” that you apply to the outside of your cell phone.
Unfortunately, I depend on the internet, and consequently cell phone, for the majority of my news; and tune into my favourite radio stations while driving for work, at the gym, or doing chores around the house.
Do you have a chart or is there an article you can direct me to that contrasts/compares methods of getting the most sound to your ears with the least amount of radiation?
Thanks for a great site and newsletters!
Craig

Here is the answer I sent him :

Hi Craig

Thanks for your great question. Below is my not so quick answer :

What Is Bluetooth And Why Is It Important To Understand It

Bluetooth is the name of a wireless technology that uses pulsed radio frequency signals. Anybody that has been following my website will just have felt their ears prick up as I said the word “pulsed”. Not good, read on….

Bluetooth is now used extensively in today’s world, in cell phone headsets, computer accessories such as keyboards, printers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal media players, GPS, gaming equipement, and also various medical health and wellness devices.

This Bluetooth technology is used for more and more personal and commercial applications. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group now lists over 6000 products that utilize Bluetooth technology, all the more reason that we should be really clear as to what the potential dangers are on this.

Is All Bluetooth The Same?

No

Bluetooth transmits at frequency levels in the 2.4 GHz band. There are three power classes :

Class 1 transmitters — are the most powerful, have a range of 100 meters and peak transmission power of 100 mW (megawatt)

Class 2 transmitters — are usually found in mobile devices and they have a range of 10 meters and operate at 2.5 mW peak transmission power

Class 3 transmitters — these are the weakest and operate in a range of less than 10 meters and have a peak transmission power of 1 mW

So the first thing to look at is check what class of transmitter your Bluetooth headphone is, this you will find in the manufacturers specification.  Most headsets are class 2 but some are class 1, for instance the Callpod Dragon is a class 1 Bluetooth headset.

So you can stand right down the end of the street from your cell phone to be clear of its cell phone radiation But the radiation from your Bluetooth earpiece will get you just the same because Class 1 Bluetooth headsets can cause exposure to radiation at the same level as your cell phone if they are operated in close proximity to the body

What Does Science Say About Bluetooth

The science is a little bit all over the place on this, as it is on the cell phone issue, again because of the amount of money that the cellphone industry spends to protect its interests. Various studies support (American Cancer Society 2008, Martinez & Burdalow 2009) the view that Bluetooth headsets when used in conjunction with cellphones decrease the overall levels of SAR exposure to the head. Whereas other studies show a diversity of hazards from cell phone use, as well peripheral devices such as Bluetooth  headsets. Their high-frequency electromagnetic fields can lead to a significant increase in blood pressure and affect biological processes in the body just the same as cell phones. Just two hours of exposure to high-frequency EMFs from a cell phone or Bluetooth headset, can cause irreparable DNA damage.

So to answer your questions Craig:

Does Bluetooth drastically cut down on radiation as compared to having the cell phone near my ear?

Yes Bluetooth does drastically cut down radiation exposure compared to having the cell phone next to your ear, if you could be sure that you were only exposing yourself to Bluetooth radiation. The problem is that when you use a Bluetooth headset that the transmission strength from the cell phone itself is not decreased. If for instance you are putting the phone in your pocket or clipping it to your belt then you are at the same time exposing your internal organs to radiation. The Swiss Federal Office of public health recommends that cell phones should not be carried in a front trouser pocket when making calls and that it may be safest to hold the phone away from the body to reduce radiation. Studies (Whittow 2008) have also found that metallic objects situated near your waistline, such as coins, a belt buckle, rings, keys etc increased the SAR in the body at different frequencies. Interestingly, Bluetooth devices do not require measuring and reporting of the SAR (Specific Absorbtion Rates) values, so the consumer is completely in the dark as to radiation exposure levels.

Does the radiation transmit up the headphone cable that’s physically plugged into the phone?

Yes, it can. The headphone can act as a sort of antenna for your cell phone giving the radiation a fast route into your brain. The science is sketchy on this but in my view, having tried wired headphones, they are not the solution to reducing your radiation exposure. This is now widely accepted and yet wired headphones continue to be sold by the boatload to the population at large.

Do you have a chart or is there an article you can direct me to that contrasts/compares methods of getting the most sound to your ears with the least amount of radiation?

I do not know of any comparative resource on this topic but to answer your question “What’s the best way to reduce radiation when listening to streaming audio on a cell phone”  I believe that if you want to continue using your cell phone an airtube hands-free kit offers the best solution on the market. There is no wire connection between your cell phone and your head and you are able reduce your cell phone radiation without increasing your radiation from other sources, as is the case with Bluetooth.

What are the downsides to using airtube hands free kits?

The principal disadvantage of an air tube cell phone connection is that your cell phone is still in close proximity to your body! I can feel a cell phone in operation within a distance of 3 to 4 meters depending on the atmospheric conditions and my personal sensitivity on the day. Using my emf meter I get readings when a cell phone is in use from about 8 -10 meters away. So for the airtube to be really effective it would have to have a 10 meter tube on it.  Airtubes are a step in the right direction but while ever your cell phone is operating within a few meters of your body they are not giving you total protection from EMFs.  As a side note, airtubes are also reputedly quite fragile, if you are considering buying one you need to go through a reputable company.

Do cell chips offer protection from cell phone radiation

In my experience no. I have tried several of these devices from different suppliers I remain unconvinced as to the protection these devices offer.

Conclusion – Are Bluetooth Head Sets Dangerous?

Yes, they use pulsed radio frequencies. The frequency power of wireless headsets is the same as that of microwave ovens, which also operate at 2.4 GHz, though admittedly microwave ovens use much higher power levels. However Bluetooth headsets are dangerous because they are held within centimeters of the brain and they are used in conjunction with a cell phone. So you’re getting double exposure. If you use Bluetooth in a car the effects are multiplied due to the Faraday cage effect.

So Craig, the bottom line is avoid wired headsets, avoid Bluetooth, prefer an airtube hands free kit but be aware of its limitations.

Remember 9/11? Our firefighters paid a very heavy price, they put their lives on the line for us and they suffered heavy losses.   I don’t know about you but I cannot think of a finer body of men and women than those that make up the fire service. These people are putting their lives at risk every day. They are without doubt living breathing modern day heros. Do they deserve to have cell phone radiation beamed into their barracks from cell phone towers perched on their roofs? I don’t think so.

Fire Fighters Say No To Cell Phone Towers On Their Roofs

The International Association of Fire Fighters has passed a resolution to call for a moratorium on cell towers placed on fire station roofs. The position of the IAFF is that, until it is proven to their satisfaction that Radio Frequency/Microwave radiation from the towers is proven completely harmless, no cell phone masts should be placed on fire station property.

The resolution states that the IAFF will:  “oppose the use of fire stations as base stations for towers and/or antennas for the conduction of cell phone transmissions until a study with the highest scientific merit and integrity on health effects of exposure to low-intensity RF/MW radiation is conducted and it is proven that such sitings are not hazardous to the health of our members.”

Research Needed On Cell Phone Tower Radiation Effects On Firefighters

Concern for effects of RF and microwave exposure arose because of radiation-related health complaints from fire fighters who work and live part-time under cell phone masts. Since the media has increasingly been reporting new cases of cell-phone-caused brain cancer and other serious illnesses, fire fighters have come to realize that their worsening health may very well be related to their continuous exposure to RF/MW energy from the cellular telephone transmission towers under which they work and sleep.

The IAFF is trying to find funding for a study in the U.S. and Canada that would measure radiation levels in firehouses with and without antennae.  The findings would then be examined to see if there is a definitive correlation between the fire fighters’ relative health and whether or not a cell tower exists on the fire station property where they work.

The thing is, there is not only the cell phone tower emissions, firefighters also use powerful radios. They are exposed to the radiation from the use of these radios and also from radio antenna which usually, you guessed it, stood on the fire station roof.

Public Heroes Face Dire Health Risks from Cell Phone Tower Radiation

Our firemen are falling victim to cell phone tower radiation.  Gallant fire fighters already face great peril every day to protect us.  They are also exposed to toxic smoke fumes which put their well-being in jeopardy and may shorten their lives, even without the added threat of an untimely, fire-caused death in service to our communities. Why subject them to greater health risks so we can get better cell phone reception?

Cell phone towers are a serious health risk no matter where they are placed.  They don’t belong on my roof, they don’t belong on your roof and they certainly don’t belong on fire station roofs.

It’s unfortunate to think it or say it, but the high levels of radiation that our firefighters are exposed to, and the effects on their bodies which are starting to be observed, could be the breakthrough we need to get this issue regulated properly. God bless them.

Did it ever occur to you that pesticide poisoning  is similar to electromagnetic radiation exposure? Thats to say it’s like that produced by cell phone radiation and microwaves.  These two different environmental toxins, pesticides and EMFs, share a common factor that makes them equally dangerous…potentially as dangerous as military nerve gas.

EMF’s and Pesticides: the Body’s Essential Enzyme Balance is Disturbed

Here’s for the technicalities; organophosphate pesticides interfere with our bodies’ ability to produce the enzyme: cholinesterase.  This is an important nervous-system-balancing enzyme. Without it, our bodies produce too much acetylcholine.  This abundance of acetylcholine causes the nervous system to become over stimulated–even to the point of acute poisoning or death.

Symptoms of organophosphate poisoning include: fatigue, nausea, mental confusion, respiratory problems, headache, skin disorders, and blurred vision.

Interestingly, these symptoms are almost identical to those suffered by people like me who are sensitive to electromagnetic (or cell phone)  radiation.

In the 1960’s and 70’s, research into the impact of microwave radiation on living organisms was conducted by the Russians.  They found that EMF’s could inhibit cholinesterase, producing too much acetylcholine.

A 1994 study by the Russian Institute of Cell Biophysics produced results that demonstrated that electromagnetic frequency radiation, like microwaves or cell phone radiation, causes a decrease in concentrations in the blood of the enzyme cholinesterase, to less than 70% of the pre-exposure level, a level considered dangerously low because of the health risks associated with higher acetylcholine levels.

And, as I said before, too much acetylcholine can result in serious nervous system disorders.  Electromagnetic frequency radiation, in this regard, works like pesticide poisoning…and like nerve gas.

EMF Radiation, Pesticides & Nerve Gas: Different Shades of Deadly

This reaction of inhibited production of cholinesterase and an overabundance of acetylcholine is similar to the way military nerve gases operate.  These gases, such as the nerve gas: Sarin (classified as a Weapon of Mass Destruction), are used as bio-weaponry and kill by inhibiting cholinesterase.

In addition to the studies by the Soviets, a U.S. government study was conducted in an effort to replicate the 1994 Russian study mentioned above and found that microwave radiation exposure caused a significant drop in cholinesterase. These studies offer sound scientific evidence to verify that a physiological effect from EMF exposure takes place in the body that is similar to the effect caused by nerve gas poisoning.

Some who are chemically sensitive also become electrically sensitive and vice versa – I have a friend who started out electrically sensitive and then became chemically sensitive.  Although the agents are different–electrical radiation versus chemical exposure–the inhibition of cholinesterase is a factor in both.

Personally, I do not relish the idea of being exposed to poisonous pesticides, nor do I wish to be exposed to a biological weapon of mass destruction. Would you want you and your loved ones to be poisoned by exposure to either of these toxins in your environment?

Why on earth do we allow electromagnetic and cell phone radiation do go unchecked?