Robert O. Becker, M.D., author of Cross Currents and The Body Electric, states: “I have no doubt that at the present time that the greatest polluting element in the earth's environment is the proliferation of electromagnetic fields. I consider that to be far greater on a global scale than warming...”

We Americans are exposed to many electrical devices: computers and printers, television and VCR's, microwave ovens, and many other household appliances. Dishwashers, refrigerators, automatic coffee brewers, stoves with convected ovens – almost every kitchen appliance contain micro chips making them similar to computers in their capacity to emit electro-magnetic waves.

It is assumed that the electricity and associated electrical phenomenon are safely confined to the wires carrying the electricity to all these devices. But this is not the case.

Of particular concern is the high frequency current created by computers, televisions, and other electronic devices. This high frequency radiation is what we call dirty current or dirty electricity . Excess electricity is supposed to return to the power station through the neutral wire. But the neutral wires within the house were not designed to carry all this excess and are inadequate to carry this excess away from the house. Additionally, the neutral wire in the ground from the power station to houses are old and varying degrees of corrosion of these wires interfere with the neutral wire's capacity to return the excess electricity to the power station. This excess dirty electricity contaminates everything around, especially the human body. It eventually enters the ground to begin its journey back to the originating power station.

Innumerable studies have shown that there is no safe level of exposure to radio-frequency current which now routinely flows through the wiring of houses, schools, and offices. It is a deadly byproduct of our electronic age.

The increased prevalence of this contaminating radio-frequency current has coincided with an alarming increasing prevalence of such ailments as attention deficit syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, asthma, and diabetes. The harmful biological effects of exposure to electrical pollution have been established in numerous studies conducted over the past 50 years. Several countries have established standards limiting exposure to dirty electricity. In this country – the USA – little has been done not only in recognizing the deleterious effect of the problem but also in attempting to solve and control it.

Until recently, people had no way to measure the dirty electricity in their homes. Now we have a relatively inexpensive meter which can be plugged into a conventional electrical outlet to monitor levels of this current. Many individuals discovered that their health problems worsened during exposure to dirty electricity in a variety of locations. With the installation of a special filter which removes the radiation, their symptoms disappeared and their condition improved.

Table I : SYMPTOMS OF EXPOSURE TO RADIO FREQUENCY RADIATION

NEUROLOGICAL:    headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, irritability, depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, weakness, tremors, muscle spasm, numbness, tingling, altered reflexes, muscle and joint pain, leg and foot pain, ”Flu-like” symptoms, fever. More severe reactions can include seizures, paralysis, psychosis, and stroke.

CARDIAC:      palpitations, arrhythmias, pain or pressure in the chest, low or high blood pressure, slow or fast heart rate, shortness of breath.

RESPIRATORY:   sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma.

DERMATOLOGIC:    skin rash, itching, burning, facial flushing.

OPHTHALMOLOGIC:   pain or burning in the eyes, pressure in/behind the eyes, deteriorating vision, floaters, cataracts.

OTHERS:     digestive problems; abdominal pain; enlarged thyroid; testicular/ovarian pain; dryness of the lips, tongue, mouth, eyes; great thirst; dehydration; nosebleeds; internal bleeding; altered sugar metabolism; immune abnormalities; redistribution of metals within the body; hair loss; pain in the teeth; deteriorating fillings; impaired sense of smell; ringing in the ears.

(Excerpted from No Place To Hide by Arthur Firstenberg, April 2001)

As part of our role as environmental investigators, here at the Tauraso Medical Clinic we evaluate the possible role of dirty electricity as a cause of some of your ailments.

nicola michael c. Tauraso, M.D.

Director