Only a hundred years ago, our world was electrically silent. All the creatures living on the planet, including our great-grandparents, were subject to only one electromagnetic field: the gravity of the Earth itself. Today, the cities we live in are an electrical mess. There are hundreds of different kinds of electromagnetic fields (EMF) passing through our bodies all the time, and some of them are harmful to human health. This is a problem we urgently need to learn more about.

Radio came first. The more powerful form of it was sonar, which led to the first EMF-related health problem, called radio wave sickness. It affected military engineers and air traffic controllers. Early research into this problem was quickly taken over by the US government and we have not heard much about it since.

Today we live amid a few major EMF hot spots that you need to be aware of. Some of the most widely known are things you can avoid, such as power lines and stations, and cellular telephones and towers. Other less well-known sources of EMF pollution are digitally enhanced cordless telephone (DECT) units and wireless internet routers.

While the media reports the science behind this as ‘controversial’, it is not. It is like tobacco all over again; the controversy is created by negative studies that are funded by the telecommunications industry. A recent review of research into cell phone use found a clear association between prolonged use and brain cancer - more than double the risk if used for ten years or longer. Another study found that brain cancer risk was 5 times higher in those who started using cell phones before age 18. Living near power lines is known to increase the risk of childhood cancer, but some researchers insist that this is just because poorer people tend to live near them – and poverty increases cancer risk.

Another important, but less well-known problem is called ‘dirty electricity’. This comes the electrical outlets in your home. It is caused by the electronic circuits in most modern appliances. Once upon a time, the flow of electricity to appliances was either on or off. Not any more. Modern electronic components turn the current on and off hundreds of times per second to improve efficiency. This is seen on an oscilloscope (an instrument that detects electrical waves) as very sharp, jagged, saw-tooth pattern of high-frequency noise. It is perceived by the body as a stress, and it can cause a wide range of health problems.

Magda Havas is an environmental engineer at Trent University who is one of the world’s leading experts on dirty electricity. At her lectures, she discusses the studies she has done in primary schools and public buildings. In one double-blind study, half the classrooms had their dirty electricity fixed with wall units. The other half had dummy units installed. Teachers and students were not told which rooms were which, but in the treated rooms, students used fewer medications for asthma and ADHD, and teachers reported less fatigue and chronic pain.

People with chronic fatigue syndrome, chemical sensitivity, chronic pain and fibromyalgia often feel worse when they are exposed to these EMFs. This is called Electrohypersensitivity (EHS). Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, former head of the World Health Organization, suffers from EHS. In Sweden, it is a recognized illness and a leading cause of disability claims. In Canada, it is unknown. This is a shame – it can affect migraines, autism, ADHD, neuropathy, blood pressure, diabetes, insomnia and many other problems.

We cannot perceive electricity with our senses - but it affects the body. The electricity of the heart is measured by an ECG, and the brain generates electricity measured by an EEG. Every nerve transmits electrical impulses, and every cell in our body is electric. There is a difference between the electrical charge of the fluid inside a cell and outside it, and this difference affects how receptors and channels work.

EMF pollution disturbs the electrical fields of the body’s cellular machinery – and this contributes to poor health. This is because the cellular machinery forms the basis of our nervous system, which in turn controls the hormones and the immune system. It is a disturbing coincidence that many of the chronic diseases that are growing epidemics involve these very same systems. Many doctors and researchers attribute these illnesses to chemical toxins and pollutants, but very few are paying attention to the pollution that is all around us – electrical noise.

If you must use a cellular telephone, we suggest that you choose one that has a lower level of specific absorbed radiation (SAR). This leads to less radiofrequency (RF) radiation being absorbed by your body's cells. You can find out more about your phone here. Whatever phone you use, try not to keep it on your body. Put it in a purse or handbag nearby. When talking on the phone, use wired headphones. Bluetooth wireless headsets are often worse than the phones themselves and are not recommended.

We also recommend that our patients have their homes tested for EMF pollution. It may identify problems that are easy to fix and can have lifelong benefit. There are several experts in the field; Dr Andrew Michrowski is one of them. We work with a colleague who left a career at Nortel and now does in-home assessments. This can help you find the sources of EMF pollution in your home that can often be eliminated simply and cheaply. Many of our patients with a wide range of symptoms have had major improvements when they cleaned up their home environments.