In last week’s issue, you learned about an unexpected source of pollution that can contribute to many chronic illnesses. That pollution is the electromagnetic frequencies emitted from appliances like cell phones, TVs, and hair dryers.
The problem is so big, you may not be able to avoid heavy exposure to electrical pollutants. Fortunately, there are solutions – and some of them are quite easy.
Some people insist these electromagnetic frequencies are benign. But we looked at a number of scientific studies last week that proved that electronic frequencies bombard us every day and harm our health. And as companies develop new electronic devices to make our lives easier or more fun, this problem will increase.
What’s more, they’re almost impossible to avoid. You may live near cell towers and power lines and can’t move. Perhaps you make your living using a computer for hours every day. Or perhaps you use a cordless phone or cell phone frequently. Or maybe you just have a houseful of electronics. Whatever your situation, there’s good news and bad news about solving the problem.
The bad news is that most of the suggested solutions for dealing with this problem are impractical. Let’s face it. How many of you are going to move if you live near a cell tower? Or spend thousands of dollars with an electrician who specializes in reducing emissions in homes and offices? Even protective pendants and discs with little science behind them cost hundreds of dollars. The problem is vast and widespread. But don’t be discouraged. There is good news: There are solutions that work. And one solution in particular is very easy and quite affordable.
EMF Protectors
Electromagnetic fields are invisible force fields that surround all electrical devices. Because they’re invisible, many people believe they’re harmless. They’re wrong.
EMFs turn on your stress hormones, and since you’re being exposed to these pollutants in one form or another constantly, they cause chronic stress. As you may remember from prior articles, stress uses up essential nutrients that your body needs to produce antioxidants. For instance, low levels of EMFs can suppress your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that naturally boosts the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione.
Lower melatonin means lower levels of other antioxidants vital to your health.
In fact, low melatonin causes a myriad of diseases from breast cancer and melanoma to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Bottom line: EMFs reduce major antioxidants causing free radical DNA damage to your cells. They suppress your immune system and stimulate the root cause of most major illnesses: inflammation. The good news is all you have to do is boost your intake of these nutrients. Doing so will help protect you from some of the harmful effects of electromagnetic pollutants. When you add them to your diet, you reduce your body’s exposure to these harmful toxins.
Protective Foods
Although glutathione is poorly absorbed orally, foods high in this and other antioxidants are still beneficial and worth incorporating into your diet. One reason is that they contain co-factors, which enhance their antioxidant activity and absorption.
Asparagus is the food highest in glutathione. Five spears contain as much glutathione as two pounds of avocado — the next highest. Asparagus is also high in selenium and zinc, which are protective against EMFs.
Sulfur boosts your body’s production of glutathione, so try to include cruciferous vegetables daily in your diet. They include kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. They’re available year-round. And they also contain zinc, selenium, and sulforaphane – a cancer-fighting nutrient.
Berries are particularly high in antioxidant activity, so include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, and acai berries in your daily smoothie or as a healthful dessert. They help fight inflammation.
Add olive oil to your list of glutathione boosters. If you use extra virgin olive oil, it will contain higher amounts of oleic acid – and you’ll get the added benefit of increased anti-inflammatory effects. Buy it in tinted or dark bottles to keep it from going rancid, and store it in a dark closet.
Tart cherries are high in melatonin – higher than sweet fresh cherries. Sound scientific studies have found melatonin to be protective against the harmful effects of radiation by preventing free-radical damage. Drink some diluted tart cherry juice each day, add it to a smoothie, or snack on dried tart cherries. If you can’t find them in your supermarket, look for them in all health food stores.
Protective Supplements
Glutathione — Your body needs antioxidants to neutralize the free radicals produced by EMFs and RFs, and to cleanse your cells. This is why boosting your glutathione level may be the most important step you can take to protect yourself from electronic pollutants. You see, glutathione is the body’s “master” antioxidant. It is actually thousands of times more powerful than other antioxidants in your body.
The biggest problem with glutathione is that your body doesn’t absorb it well when you take it orally. The majority of supplements on the market will not give you the results you’re looking for. But there are several ways to increase your glutathione levels. You can take its precursors, get regular IV pushes in a doctor’s office, or take one of the very few forms of glutathione with high absorption.
Melatonin — If you have trouble sleeping, you may be low in melatonin. The older we get, the more our melatonin levels drop. In addition, electropollution can reduce your body’s production of this hormone. This results in lower levels of SOD (superoxide dismutase), which is a powerful antioxidant, and glutathione. You can find melatonin supplements in health food stores. I use Melatonin SR (2 mg sustained release) from ProThera (888-488-2488). But you may want a higher or lower dose. If you feel groggy the next morning, reduce your dose.
Minerals help make the precursors to glutathione. Make sure you’re taking a hefty multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement. Oxi-Key from Uni-Key Health (800-888-4353) contains the highest doses of SOD and Catalase – antioxidants destroyed by EMFs. In addition, their sulfur-rich amino acids help detoxify toxins and pollutants.
Alpha Lipoic Acid has several important properties. It increases glutathione and reduces blood sugar. Some free radical scavengers actually become free radicals, but ALA prevents some of this from occurring.
SOD (Superoxide Dismutase) is an antioxidant that repairs damage to cells from free radicals. This supplement reduces tissue injury caused by radiation treatments. I highly recommend taking high amounts of SOD daily (5,000 IU or more per day) if you are sensitive to EMFs or have reason to believe they’re affecting you negatively.
There are other foods and supplements that are protective against electropullution. You can find them in Gittleman’s valuable book. Consider buying an extra copy of Zapped for your health care provider and together you can create an optimum protocol for your condition and exposure.
Your first step is to acknowledge the problems caused by electropollution. Your second step — one that many people miss — is to look for solutions. Traditional methods of protection may be expensive, but you can reduce damage from EMFs just by modifying your diet and supplements. For more detailed information, references, and resources, be sure to get a copy of Zapped.