Health & Fitness

Electromagnetic fields are literally all around us. You can find electromagnetic fields in several forms including static electricity, UV rays, visible light, X-rays, microwaves and radio frequencies. Even the now nearly ubiquitous cell phone emits an electromagnetic field. The important question is are any of these fields potentially dangerous to humans?

Not all electromagnetic fields are created equal. They differ primarily in terms of frequency and wave length. The higher the frequency the shorter the wavelength. For example a power line might have a frequency of about 60 Hz or Hertz. A microwave oven, on the other hand, has a frequency of about 2.45 billion Hz. The power lines frequency has a wave length of about 5000 kilometers, while the microwave ovens wavelength is around 10 centimeters.

As frequencies get higher, they have a greater potential for disrupting chemical bonds. This is where the potential for health risk comes in. X-rays operate at a much higher frequency than power lines and thus can have a very detrimental effect on our bodies. Thats why we are only exposed to them for a very brief amount of time when were given an X-ray exam.

Electromagnetic Fields Surround Us
A brief encounter with X-rays in a doctors or dentists office is one thing, but we are literally bombarded with electromagnetic fields every day. For one, the sun emits powerful UV rays, but at least we can wear sun block. Some researchers are extremely concerned about the electromagnetic fields that were not shielding ourselves from (e.g., cell phones and microwave towers).