Functional Nutritionist Nikki Burnett Investigates Electromagnetic Frequencies: Friend or Foe?
Nikki Burnett, MS CNTP MNT is a Functional Nutritionist and founder of Taste Life Nutrition. Nikki works with ambitious professionals to help them overcome hidden barriers to health and success. Challenges such as pain, brain fog, low energy, anxiety, and stubborn chronic conditions frequently have their roots in unhealthy foods, lifestyle factors, and unknown inflammatory conditions.
Functional Nutrition is based on the science of functional medicine - find the root cause through functional lab testing, history, and lifestyle then create and individualized program that brings balance to the body, so it can repair. Nikki is trained, in part, by The Institute for Functional Medicine. Throughout her career, she has been in the veterinary, nutrition, and medical fields in various capacities.
Nikki is a speaker, writer, and educator. She is the host of Taste Life Nutrition Radio, streaming live on KUHSDenver.com and host of Taste Life Nutrition Podcast. Nikki also co-hosts Real, Raw Health with Matt Rowe of Parsley Pet, a weekly Facebook Live about canine health and nutrition, as well as Functional Friday, a monthly Facebook Live with her Functional Health Coach, Gabrielle Grandell.
Editor’s Note: This article is for information purposes only. Please check with your medical provider before beginning any treatment.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ESTHER LEE LEACH
Electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) have been increasingly present in our everyday lives. We are constantly surrounded by them, and they are only continuing to increase as technology advances. They are emitted from our cell phones, laptops, televisions, microwaves, electrical in walls, earbuds, power lines, and more. Are EMFs really something we should be worried about?
In the last 100 years, EMF exposure has increased 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 (quintillion) times—that's a billion billion! Technology changes so rapidly, so it is difficult to put definitive rules in place about EMF exposure and health. The current precautionary limit for public exposure in the USA is 1000 µW/m2. This was set in 1992 and is due for review, but the review has been postponed indefinitely. In Europe, the limit is much lower at just 10-6 W/m2. We can see that there are large differences in the way different countries view EMF exposure.
The data shows 3-35% of the population suffers with electrohypersensitivity (EHS), a recognized disability. Interestingly, when I work with clients, it’s usually those with severe, chronic symptoms who are the most susceptible to EMF exposure, which is likely keeping them from getting better.
Why? Research shows there are specific causes and precursors, including CNS trauma, emotional trauma, high EMF exposure, toxic load, microbes, mold exposure, impaired immune system, medications, and prolonged illness. These causes and precursors are all related to lifestyle, which influences epigenetic expression. Data shows that certain people have specific genetic variants that play a role in whether someone is more or less susceptible to the effects of EMF exposure. For more information go to Nutrigenetic Research Institute.
This is not to say that the rest of the population is not susceptible to its negative side effects. Research from Dr. Marin Pall shows that EMF exposure causes oxidative stress on the cellular level, which has many negative effects on the body, including heightening the stress response. Evidence shows that it weakens the blood brain barrier and has negative impacts on the microbiome, which is 70% of our immune system. It can also have an impact on fertility, which has decreased significantly over the last several decades. Of course, there are potentially many factors here, but this is an important one to note and one that is often overlooked.
EMFs from wearable devices have been shown to disrupt blood sugar. Here are a few other things to consider: Bluetooth hearing aids and earbuds that go straight through the brain, Bluetooth tampons, Bluetooth posture devices that go straight through the spine and heart, Bluetooth booties on babies to track vital signs.
We have the ability to look at the specific epigenetic variants through testing as well as specific biomarkers that can help determine the possibility of EMF impact. There are four types of non-native EMFs that can have a negative impact on our health: Radiofrequency (wireless communication devices), electric fields (wiring in walls), magnetic fields (overhead power lines), and dirty electricity, which is often what affects people the most (TVs, computers, pool pumps, solar panels, utility meters, light dimmer switches, CFL bulbs, LED bulbs, chargers, variable speed devices, fluorescent lights, invertors, energy saving devices).
If you are concerned about the effects of EMFs on your health, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your exposure. For example, you can limit your use of cell phones and other wireless devices, and make sure that you keep them at a distance from your body when in use. Although many are unaware, the directions on cellphones state to keep the device from touching the body by .5”.
You can also reduce your exposure to Wi-Fi by turning off the router when it is not in use and avoiding using Wi-Fi in public places. Additionally, you can limit your exposure to microwaves by avoiding unnecessary microwave use, and unplugging appliances, lights etc. when they are not in use. Move your bed away from the wall and don’t have cords underneath beds, couches, or chairs.
In the world we live in, avoiding EMF exposure can be difficult and inconvenient…I get it! If you’re suffering from unexplained, chronic symptoms, consider taking a few days to a week totally away from all exposure – unplug, turn off, whatever it takes.
If your health is in good shape, and limiting exposure is not a high priority, I would still consider taking time away but more than anything, taking the steps to be as healthy as possible – move regularly, eat well, sleep well, reduce stress – all these things help mitigate oxidative stress.
I feel the need to say this again—just because we don’t feel the effects of EMFs (or the lack thereof) doesn’t mean it’s not affecting our body at the cellular level. If you decide to dig deeper into this, remember to search for who is funding the study. Industry-funded studies are likely to find EMFs less harmful while non-industry funded studies tend to show more harmful. If you need guidance, consult with a building biologist. You can also find information at Environmental Health Trust. https://ehtrust.org/
As always, food is life – Taste Life!
Nikki Burnett: @tastelifenutrition // info@tastelifenutrition