One of the most frightening visuals I recall growing up with as a child was seeing video footage of the aftermaths of nuclear bomb strikes specifically Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The remnants of that fear still remain today as the terror of nuclear radiation brought to you by Fukushima for example continue to haunt the current cultural climate. Few things strike fear into the hearts of men and women alike than the invisible terror of nuclear radiation.

Having said that we tend to ignore the more ubiquitous forms of man-made radiation we are exposed to on a constant basis. From cell phones to our computer screens to microwave ovens to television sets we are continually being bombarded by some form of electromagnetic radiation that more and more scientists and health professionals believe are physically harmful on some level and at the very least health-depleting.

A condition referred to as electromagnetic hypersensitivity is a new form of environmental allergy. This sort of multi-frequency barrage of a variety of radiation types is unprecedented in world history and appears to only be increasing.

Where does it come from?

Take for example the cell phone. The radiation emitted by cell phones is essentially microwave radiation (just let that thought settle in for a moment). The research appears to be very clear as two recent reviews of the literature conclude that there is a significant increase (a possible doubling) in head and neck cancers with longtime cell phone use while another study found that cell phone use may have disruptive effects on non-REM sleep.  

According to one study laptop use should be renamed as its close proximity to the abdomen when used on the lap in pregnant females can potentially have adverse effects to the growing fetus and may also prevent embryonic implantation in newly pregnant moms.  Another study has detailed the effects of laptop use when attached to Wi-Fi as its use in close proximity to the testes has a deleterious effect on male fertility including sperm motility. Long term exposure to EMF from electric power transmission lines have been a source of investigation for over 20 years. Depressive symptoms as well as headaches have been associated in individuals living in proximity to powerful transmission power lines. 

When radiation is used in modern medicine

Another possibly even more disturbing outcome associated with radiation regards the use of it as a therapeutic and diagnostic tool. For instance radiation therapy is a common treatment modality for those suffering with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Studies have found that women have a particularly high increased risk for developing breast cancer after receiving such therapy such that approximately 90% of the breast cancers in these patients can be attributed to their radiation treatment.

A higher acquired increased risk of developing breast cancer also may affect those females working as medical radiological technicians where low dose long term radiation exposure is obviously commonplace.

Children are exceptionally sensitive to the mutagenic properties of ionic radiation. According to an article printed in Pediatric Radiology Numerous epidemiologic cohort studies of childhood exposure to radiation for treatment of benign diseases have demonstrated radiation-related risks of cancer of the thyroid breast brain and skin as well as leukemia.

Tumor-initiating cells have been noted by some researchers as being partially responsible for triple-negative breast cancer reoccurrence. As this cell type is notorious for its resistance to conventional therapies including radiation such therapies may actually select for these cells increasing the odds of disease relapse.

Finally radiation treatment appears to also increase the risk of myocardial infarct in breast cancer patients receiving the therapy.

This article has only skimmed the surface of what along with environmental pollutants foodborne toxins preservatives pesticides and poor lifestyle choices may be another additional physical insult to the human body that long term may prove to be more than what our bodies can properly deal with.

by Michael Fuhrman D.C.