health hazards of too much wifi

Discussions about Internet service providers (ISPs), the Meetinghouse Firewall, wired and wireless networking, usage, management, and support of Meetinghouse Internet
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jo.leach
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health hazards of too much wifi

#1

Post by jo.leach »

This subject came to my attention through ministering to several sisters who suffer from multiple illnesses. There seems to be increasing acceptance, by the medical profession, that increased exposure to wireless technology can have negative effects on the human body. Some countries have enacted laws to minimize children's exposure in schools. There are safe ways to use technology daily, including at church; like setting devices on airplane mode. I am not anywhere close to an expert. This is just a plea for someone smarter than I to consider the medical studies on health (or biological) impacts of wireless technologies on humans. All I know is that I've got sisters who get physically ill for days to weeks after coming to church where there's a concentration of people with cell phones on. How do I invite my sisters to come into the fold when the fold is what they are allergic to?
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aebrown
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#2

Post by aebrown »

jo.leach wrote:This subject came to my attention through ministering to several sisters who suffer from multiple illnesses. There seems to be increasing acceptance, by the medical profession, that increased exposure to wireless technology can have negative effects on the human body. Some countries have enacted laws to minimize children's exposure in schools. There are safe ways to use technology daily, including at church; like setting devices on airplane mode. I am not anywhere close to an expert. This is just a plea for someone smarter than I to consider the medical studies on health (or biological) impacts of wireless technologies on humans. All I know is that I've got sisters who get physically ill for days to weeks after coming to church where there's a concentration of people with cell phones on. How do I invite my sisters to come into the fold when the fold is what they are allergic to?
I would love to see links to actual studies that show this "increasing acceptance, by the medical profession, that increased exposure to wireless technology can have negative effects on the human body." I've seen blog posts and various social media posts that claim that there are such risks, but I haven't found any that cite reputable medical studies.

There are a couple of Wikipedia articles on this topic, both of which have links to many articles and studies, and both conclude that there is no proven health risk:
lajackson
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#3

Post by lajackson »

jo.leach wrote:I've got sisters who get physically ill for days to weeks after coming to church where there's a concentration of people with cell phones on. How do I invite my sisters to come into the fold when the fold is what they are allergic to?
Allergies usually are not related to WiFi and cell phones. After all, my entire life I have been living in a world bombarded with radio waves from radio stations and other electronic devices. And I do not need to go to Church to come in contact with WiFi signals. My entire neighborhood is so loaded with WiFi access points that I hardly need one of my own to connect to the Internet.

We have several sisters who are sensitive to the meetinghouse in a truly allergic way. They can tell when the meetinghouse has been cleaned. They are sensitive to the dust and other particles in the air, and they have difficulty with the perfumes and other makeup that come with some who attend. These are the kinds of allergies we work to control in our congregation.

Some sisters who are sensitive to these things are able to be in one part of the building but not another. It is a very difficult situation. But we do the best we can to make the meetinghouse a place where all can safely worship.
jo.leach
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#4

Post by jo.leach »

I too know several sisters who have chemical/fragrance allergies. Church is a huge struggle for them as well. I'm just starting to read/study about EMF safety hazards to try to understand it better. It is not easy to discern truth from near-truths on the internet. I try to use the Holy Spirit to guide me. Thanks for the comments. I can't site specific studies so I went looking. It will take me a while to work my way through this list but if any are interested in this topic, here's what the CDC has on the topic: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emf/default.html
russellhltn
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#5

Post by russellhltn »

jo.leach wrote:here's what the CDC has on the topic: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/emf/default.html
There's certainly issues at high enough power levels or high enough frequencies. Both light and radio waves are electromanetic waves. The difference is frequency. Until the frequency gets up to Ultraviolet wavelengths, the only known effect is heating of tissue (like in a microwave oven.) Microwave ovens start at 500 watts in a tiny enclosed space while WiFi is 0.1 watt in a fairly open area. The primary concern is when tissue is heated that doesn't have an effective cooling system (such as the eyes). I believe that's what sets the government regulations for safe levels of exposure.

Bottom line, if you wade though all those cdc documents, WiFi is well within the boundries of what the Federal Government belives is safe.

That's not to say that those who claim sensitivity to radio waves are not suffering from something, but there's no evidence that the cause is what they claim.
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mnmpeterson
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#6

Post by mnmpeterson »

Before members blame WiFi for feeling ill after attending church meetings, they should consider that it might be the concentration of perfumes that’s making them ill. My Wife has asthma and felt ill and had a hard time breathing during the week after attending church meetings. We finally figured out it was all the perfumes people wear at church that was causing the problem. Now she is unable to attend Sacrament meeting in the chapel and has to listen to it in another room via wireless hearing aid device. She also can’t attend Sunday school or Relief Society for the same reason.
jo.leach
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#7

Post by jo.leach »

Journalists seem to gloss over the actual findings in the recently published study which shows there is actually evidence of biological damage from wireless signals. The wireless industry is increasing strengths over the last 10 years (2g to 3g to 4g and now experimenting with 5g in some areas). This study was done using 2g (GSM and CDMA) over 2 years. It used radiation levels that would not induce significant heating so effects would be due to non-thermal causes.
https://www.saferemr.com/2018/11/NTP-fi ... 6SYYDVVoRk
I'm not suggesting we abandon technology. I'm just wondering if there is a safer way to use it.
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Mikerowaved
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#8

Post by Mikerowaved »

jo.leach wrote:Journalists seem to gloss over the actual findings in the recently published study which shows there is actually evidence of biological damage from wireless signals. The wireless industry is increasing strengths over the last 10 years (2g to 3g to 4g and now experimenting with 5g in some areas). This study was done using 2g (GSM and CDMA) over 2 years. It used radiation levels that would not induce significant heating so effects would be due to non-thermal causes.
https://www.saferemr.com/2018/11/NTP-fi ... 6SYYDVVoRk
I'm not suggesting we abandon technology. I'm just wondering if there is a safer way to use it.
Folks, we're wading into a lot of technical speculation and debate that's gone on for decades and is not really beneficial to this forum. If you would like more information, there are TONS of studies on the Internet that Google will gladly point you to. This topic is now locked.

BTW, the study in the link above was for exposure to radio signals emitted from a cell phone in close proximity to your body and not to WiFi energy, which is many times weaker.
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russellhltn
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Re: health hazards of too much wifi

#9

Post by russellhltn »

The church is a consumer of technology. It follows established practices. It's not going to be an agent of change. That's not its mission.

Should new guidelines come out and start getting traction, then I'm sure the church will likely follow.
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