Why do you think electromagnetic fields matter?

When I was in college, I lived in an old apartment building where touching the walls could give you an electric shock. It was dangerous, but we thought it was funny. In addition to fire and electrical hazards, frayed wires can create high magnetic fields, and damp walls can encourage mold growth. The combination of high magnetic fields and mold is very unhealthy. My health quickly deteriorated. I had to move out.

Using a computer with a CRT monitor gave me stomach cramps. Many Swedish office workers had similar experiences and developed skin rashes and headaches. In response, Sweden created the first certification for low-EMF computer monitors (MPR/TCO). Why build high-emission monitors when you can build low-emission ones? I was glad to find a laptop with an LCD screen that did not upset my stomach.

Then there was my son, who was only two years old. No matter how nutritious the food was, how nice the day was, or how comfortable the bed was, he would not sleep through the night. I would always find him pressed against the opposite corner of the bed with his forehead, as if he had tried to crawl away from something. In situations like this, I could see how people would come to believe in haunted places. Though my options were limited, I followed my instincts and moved the bed to the middle of the room. At that time, I did not realize it, but I had moved him out of the magnetic field created by the refrigerator on the other side of the wall. After that, he always slept through the night. A low-EMF sleep environment can work wonders.

Researchers measure the electrical activity inside the brain to diagnose sleep and mental health disorders. I started to wonder how much the ever-increasing levels of electromagnetic fields from outside affect the inner workings of our minds and bodies.

What kind of training do you have?

I couldn’t find an EMF consultant on the West Coast of Canada, so I looked in Germany instead. In 1992, a group of environmental experts there published the first comprehensive precautionary guidelines on electromagnetic fields for sleeping areas. I traveled back to Germany to take courses with Wolfgang Maes at the Institute of Building Biology + Sustainability (IBN), the co-initiator of the Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas. It was an eye-opening learning experience. They placed testing equipment in bedrooms to determine the optimal exposure level for healthy sleep. In addition to well-known indoor air pollutants, such as radon, formaldehyde, and mold, the holistic approach of building biology also addresses a broad range of electromagnetic fields (EMFs).

I later translated the original Building Biology Course IBN into English, and it has been available online since 2016. As a professional translator, I specialize in EMF research, environmental and occupational health, as well as medical sciences and nutrition. Translating the book Building Biology – Criteria and Architectural Design took me on a journey through Europe, where I explored unique buildings that were aesthetically appealing and head exceptionally high indoor environmental quality. I also translated the EUROPAEM EMF Guideline for the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of EMF-related Health Problems and Illnesses. The guideline includes a major section on EMF testing and precautionary levels. Developed by the European Academy for Environmental Medicine (EUROPAEM), the guideline is based on the premise that exposure to electromagnetic fields can result in health problems, even at low levels of exposure. The authors, who are EMF researchers and environmental physicians, recommend reducing exposure to electromagnetic fields.

While studying environmental and occupational health at the University of Victoria, I had the opportunity to learn from deeply knowledgeable and inspiring instructors. They taught me a great deal about the complexities of environmental health hazards. Although there are stories of horrible accidents, it is encouraging to know that cleaning up the environment and making workplaces safer can improve people’s health.

I also studied the non-ionizing portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is a topic on which scientists have very different opinions. In my final paper on low-EMF office environments, I demonstrated that individuals who use smartphones, computers, and other office equipment are commonly exposed to various types of electromagnetic fields, not just the most widely studied ones, such as extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields or microwave radiation. Even low-level exposure can cause health problems, especially if it occurs frequently over a long period of time. As I explain in my paper, much of this exposure is unnecessary and avoidable.