How did you sleep last night? We all understand the importance of a good night’s sleep. Did you know that exposure to EMF can significantly disturb your sleep and lower its quality? 

Let’s quickly recap what happens to our bodies when we sleep – and why getting good quality sleep is so important. When we sleep, we enter an altered state of consciousness where our bodies and minds are able to reset and recharge. Sleep is vital for both our mental and physical health, and is in fact one of the most important contributors to overall health. 

Sleep does the following: 

– improves productivity and concentration

– helps brain function

– reduces risk of disease, especially heart disease

– decreases risk of obesity

– improves social and emotional intelligence

– lowers inflammation

– lowers risk of depression

– boosts immune functioning

If our bedrooms are polluted by EMF radiation, our quality of sleep is drastically affected.  EMF exposure in the bedroom can manifest in the following: 

– allergy irritation

– feeling tired when waking up

– heart palpitations

– weak and painful muscles

– decrease in immune system strength

So how do we prevent these symptoms? We need to take some steps to lower EMFs in our bedrooms. Try out the following: 

1. Keep cellphones out of the bedroom. In addition to being mini cellphone towers, your phone’s blue light when viewed before bed can result in lowered sleep quality, or difficulty falling asleep.
2. Remove all wireless devices from your bedroom – including baby monitors, landlines, or speakers.
3. Unplug all electrical devices in your bedroom when it’s time to sleep. Even if turned off, these devices can emit harmful EMFs.
4. If you are able to, switch to wired internet instead of Wi-Fi. If this is not an option for you, opt for turning your Wi-Fi router off before bed.
5. Is your mattress coiled? Scientific studies suggest that mattresses with metal coils inside can act as a (gigantic!) antenna would. Switch to a metal free mattress. 

Read More Here: 

Fletcher, J. 2019. Why sleep is essential for health. Available: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325353

Jansen, E. 2020. Sleep 101: Why Sleep Is So Important to Your Health. Available: https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/why-sleep-is-so-important-to-your-health

Ruan, S. 2017. 8 Tips to Prevent EMF Sleep Disturbance. Available: https://www.ruanliving.com/blog/8-tips-to-prevent-emf-sleep-disturbance

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Offices can be places of heightened EMF exposure with all of the technology we rely on to do our jobs. This can include wireless phones, other wireless devices such as mouses and keyboards, as well as Wi-Fi. A large majority of us spend most of our times at our workstations, so it is vital to reduce as much EMF in the workplace as possible – so that we may work effectively and healthily. 

We have collated some tips and tricks for reducing EMF at work: 

1. If you use a landline in your office – opt for corded rather than cordless. Cordless phone base stations are very high in radiation.
2. Swap out your wireless mouse and keyboard for their wired alternatives.
3. If you are able to, look in to hardwiring your space with ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.
4. If you do need to make use of Wi-Fi, make sure that the router is at least 6 metres from your desk.
5. Disable Bluetooth on your phone and only use when necessary. Even better – put your phone onto airplane mode and hunker down with whatever you need to focus on.

We have spoken before about the benefits of spending time in nature. For additional health benefits at work, consider taking a break from screens and technology and spend some time outside – take a quick walk break or just sit in the sunshine, or even better – get your feet muddy! Or – add a Blushield device to your office desk.

Read More Here: 

Bexelius, M. 2020. Top 5 ways to boost your health and reduce your exposure to EMFs at work. Available: https://workinmind.org/2020/03/19/top-5-ways-to-boost-your-health-and-reduce-your-exposure-to-emfs-at-work/

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To recap, expert nutritionists maintain that eating the right food can elevate your mood in the short and long term. This is both physiological and psychological. In the short term, making sure that your blood sugars stay at a healthy level and do not skyrocket and plummet on a sugar roller-coaster will make you feel good and have high energy. In the longer term – good food contributes to a disease free and healthy body, which more often than not leads to better mood. Some foods can also increase levels of hormones such as serotonin in your body – which contribute to emotional wellbeing.

Today we’d like to share some recipe ideas that incorporate high vibrational foods:

Go ahead and plan your week of meals! Let us know how it goes, and how you feel.

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Planetary health as a concept was coined in 2015 by a collaborative document by The Rockefeller Foundation (one of the largest charity organisations in the world) and The Lancet (one of the world’s leading medical journals) entitled “Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch: report of The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on planetary health.” Quite a mouthful! But you can chew on that article here. 

John Drake from the University of Georgia says that “The premise of planetary health is that human well-being over the long-term depends on the well-being of the earth, including both its living and nonliving systems.” Human health at the time of the commission (before the emergence of Covid-19) was at an all time high – with life expectancy rates better than they’ve ever been. But the commission warned that this has come at the cost of the planet’s health – through exploiting the earth’s resources. 

We might think of our own personal health as the most important. Public health, however, zooms out one step to that of our community, while global health is cognisant of the fact that different communities experience different barriers to health. The idea of one health includes the earth’s animals and natural systems. Planetary health “takes this delocalisation of health one step further.” The UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change borrows from ideas on planetary health, recognising that: 

“human health and the health of our planet are inextricably linked, and that our civilisation depends on human health, flourishing natural systems, and the wise stewardship of natural resources.”

The Lancet has also written extensively on the impact of planetary electromagnetic pollution on planetary health. Just like our natural resources can be polluted on a community level, so too can the planet as a whole experience pollution. The Lancet states that we should consider “the blanket of radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation, largely microwave radiation generated for wireless communication and surveillance technologies, as mounting scientific evidence suggests that prolonged exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation has serious biological and health effects.”

The report continues: 

“At a time when environmental health scientists tackle serious global issues such as climate change and chemical toxicants in public health, there is an urgent need to address so-called electrosmog. A genuine evidence-based approach to the risk assessment and regulation of anthropogenic electromagnetic fields will help the health of us all, as well as that of our planetary home. Some government health authorities have recently taken steps to reduce public exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation by regulating use of wireless devices by children and recommending preferential use of wired communication devices in general, but this ought to be a coordinated international effort.”

We recently celebrated World Environment Day. As we continue to observe World Environment Month, we should protect our environment by standing up against EMF pollution. It may be invisible but it is unnatural manmade pollution that is affecting all biological organisms on the planet.

Read More Here: 

Bandara, P and Carpenter, D. 2018. Planetary electromagnetic pollution: it is time to assess its impact. Available: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(18)30221-3/fulltext

Drake, J. 2021. What is Planetary Health? Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johndrake/2021/04/22/what-is-planetary-health/?sh=7ded75db2998

UNCC. 2022. Planetary Health. Available: https://unfccc.int/climate-action/un-global-climate-action-awards/planetary-health

Aliouche, H. 2022. What is Planetary Health? Available: https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Planetary-Health.aspx

Uptmor, A. 2016. 10 Things You Can Do For Planetary Health. Available: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/10-things-you-can-do-planetary-health

Panorama Perspectives. 2017. Conversations on Planetary Health. Available: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Planetary-Health-101-Information-and-Resources.pdf

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Your skin and your brain are more alike than you may think. Did you know that your environment has an effect on the healing of your cells? This Frequency Friday we are looking at how our outer environments affect our inner wellbeing and healing. 

“After an egg is fertilised and embryo development begins, the first tissue to form is the ectoderm. The word comes from the Greek ektos, which means “outside” and derma, meaning “skin.” The ectoderm, or outermost layer of the embryo, gives rise to both the epidermis (your outermost layer of skin) and the brain.”

Dr. Sadeghi asks us to think about the connection between the brain and the skin, as they are made from the same core material, suggesting that they may act in similar ways. 

Your skin and its receptors are able to pick up on your reaction to your environment, and send these messages to your cells. 

“Interestingly, the word perception is defined as “awareness of elements of the environment through physical sensation.” It’s our perception of the environments we inhabit that are driving our cells in a positive or negative direction.”

When our perception of our environment is a negative one, the message sent to our cells is that of fight or flight. In this state, activities elevating nourishment and rebuilding stop. 

On the other hand, if we perceive our environment in a positive light, messages are sent to our cells that we are safe and secure, and healing can resume. 

Continue reading here: 

Dr. Sadeghi, H. 2019. The Environment’s Effects on Cells and Healing. Available: https://medium.com/@drsadeghi/the-environments-effects-on-cells-and-healing-a3bbc05f2782

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Most of us rely on our cellphones often during our days: at work, communicating with friends and family, and navigating around. These are incredibly useful functions, but with cellphone use comes exposure to a range of EMFs, which can be harmful to your health and wellbeing. Our phones often make use of 4G and 5G connections, which also come with their health dangers. While cellphone use is often unavoidable, there are practical steps to take to limit your exposure to EMFs from your cellphone: 

– Limit the amount of time your cellphone is in proximity to your body / head. Choose to text over making calls, and use an earphone or your phone’s speaker for longer conversations. This can decrease your cellphone radiation exposure by up to 98%.

– Try not to make calls in low network areas. Your cellphone emits a lot more radiation when it is working harder to reach out to signals.

– Use airplane mode whenever possible. If you are able to use your phone for tasks that don’t require connection on airplane mode, you can significantly decrease your radiation exposure.

– Do not sleep with your phone next to you. EMF exposure can disrupt your sleep.

– Limit cellphone use while in cars or trains. As these forms of transport are made with metal, cellphone radiation on your body is intensified while inside. Traveling between networks also increases radiation.

– Switch off your Wi-Fi when not in use (like overnight). A constantly on Wi-Fi network is like having a small cellphone tower in your home!

– Turn off Bluetooth or Wi-Fi settings on your phone when possible. These functions are radio-based, and cause increased exposure to radiation.

Read More Here: 

Ganguly, M. 2017. Ways to reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation. Available: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/mobiles-and-tabs/241017/ways-to-reduce-your-exposure-to-cell-phone-radiation.html

Gibson, B. 2019. 9 Simple Ways to Reduce Your EMF Exposure. Available: https://breannegibson.com/blog/2017/9/20/9-simple-ways-to-reduce-emf-exposure

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In electrical engineering, earthing is defined as “the process in which the…discharge of electrical energy takes place by transferring charges directly to the earth…” Electrical systems are earthed so that charges from devices and appliances are shared with the earth; protecting us through grounding them.

Earthing, also known as grounding, is also a well-being trend, which has caught the attention of the scientific and medical community. Earthing involves walking barefoot on any natural surface (soil, grass, sand, etc). When our feet are able to directly touch the earth, we come into contact with the Earth’s own natural charge and our body is able to pick up free ions from the earth’s surface that act as antioxidants in our systems, this partly explains why we feel so good when we are barefoot. 

We know that our bodies are electrical systems too. Dr. Carrasco of Nourish Medicine explains that “the earth is also electrical in nature and provides us with an unlimited supply of health-promoting and grounding negatively-charged electrons. These electrons act as antioxidants.” The connection between ourselves and the planet’s electrons can reap many health benefits through the transfer from electrons from the ground into the body.

The Earthing Institute, a study and endeavour spearheaded in the 1960s by Dr Karol Pawel Solak (Poland) and Dr Clint Ober (USA) has produced “fascinating evidence of a powerful and positive shift in the electrical state of the body and the electrodynamics of blood, and a boost to self-healing and self-regulating mechanisms.”

Wellbeing benefits of walking barefoot include: 

– Reduction in inflammation

– Decreased insomnia (helps stabilise circadian rhythms)

– Controls blood pressure (reduces stress levels)

– Boosts energy levels

– Assists in reducing chronic pain (the electrons in the earth enrich our own immune system)

– Improves posture (which decreases other aches and pains)

– Moderates heart rate variability

– Supports immune function

– Regulates endocrine and nervous systems

– Increases surface charge of red blood cells – which in turn decreases blood viscosity

Dr. Carrasco recommends at least 20 minutes a day of earthing to reap these benefits. So kick off your shoes and get your feet in the dirt! Lie on the grass or do some gardening, or take a walk on the beach. As well as the benefits of walking barefoot – walking itself and spending time in nature comes with its own array of health benefits that we have previously explored.

Read More Here: 

Dr. Eliaz, I. 2020. Kick Off Your Shoes: The Surprising MD-Approved Benefits of Walking Barefoot. Available: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9099/the-surprising-health-benefits-of-going-barefoot.html

Dr. Carrasco, A. 2016. Meet Vitamin G…The Ultimate Antioxidant. Available: https://nourishmedicine.com/meet-vitamin-g-the-ultimate-antioxidant/

Ibe, O. 2022. What Is Earthing? Available: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-earthing-5220089

Chevalier, G et al. 2012. Earthing: health implications of reconnecting the human body to the Earth’s surface electrons. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22291721/

Pulse. 2021. The health benefits of walking barefoot are incredible. Available: https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/beauty-health/the-health-benefits-of-walking-barefoot-are-incredible/zkee63s

Oschman, J. 2007. Can electrons act as antioxidants? A review and commentary. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18047442/

Groenewegen, P et al. 2006. Vitamin G: effects of green space on health, well-being, and social safety. Available: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-6-149

Byjus. 2022. Earthing. Available: https://byjus.com/physics/earthing/

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