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Could Your Hairdryer Be Hurting You?
How to Use Everyday Appliances Safely
You may have been hearing a lot about EMFs in the news lately and wondered what all the fuss is about. Well they aren't an Internet stock about to go public but they are a potential health risk. Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) are electric and magnetic fields created by flowing electrical currents. These currents are produced by everything from lightening bolts to hairdryers. While there is no proof that EMFs are a cause of cancer, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has labeled EMFs a possible carcinogen. With so many uncertainties regarding EMFs it's a good time to take a look around your house and relearn how to use your everyday appliances.
Hairdryers use a lot of power to generate heat, creating magnetic fields about seven times stronger than a dishwasher. Use dryers with ground fault circuit interrupters, hold your dryer at least eight inches from your head and never use them on a baby. Your best bet is to use the dryer sparingly, letting your hair dry naturally on days when your appearance is less imperative.
Over 80 million people in the United States use cell phones. They emit high frequency EMFs that can penetrate tissue and have a heating effect due to energy absorption. They are also held close to the head, which may cause unknown brain injury. While there is no direct link to brain cancer, cell phones have been linked to headaches and elevated blood pressure. Use a hands-free earpiece to keep the transmitter a few feet away from the head.
Computers are welcome invaders of our home and office (even our schools) and many of us spend hours a day in front of them. A computer monitor radiates many different fields, from visible light to low-level EMFs. Be sure to sit an arm's length away from your computer and use a low radiation screen to prevent excessive exposure. Use large type font and glare screens to limit eyestrain and headaches.
Metal bed frames and mattress springs are capable of conducting electric and magnetic fields. The current from a local power line would have to be pretty strong to reach you safely tucked into your bed, but there are things you can do to limit possible exposure from inside your home. Move your bed away from a wall that has any major appliances behind it or any power lines going through it and keep televisions and computer monitors 6 feet away from your bed.
Microwave ovens cook by creating high frequency fields or radiation. They are by far one of the most used appliances in the kitchen and their frequent use makes them most able to harm. Don't ever use a microwave that has a broken door or appears to have leakage. Never stand directly in front of a microwave in use; the best thing to do is leave the kitchen until the microwave has finished cooking.
Clock radios sleep right next to our heads all night long. Use a battery operated clock or place your digital or traditional motor clock at least two feet away from your head while you are sleeping. EMFs emit from motored analog as well as digital clocks.
Electric blankets should only be turned on to warm up the bed. Sleeping 8 hours every night for the duration of winter can leave you vulnerable to EMFs. If you are pregnant you shouldn't expose your developing child to them -- instead try a down comforter or layers of blankets.
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