“Show me the Proof”: EMF Assessments and Education Grounded in Science

“Show me the Proof”: EMF Assessments and Education Grounded in Science

by | Jun 26, 2025 | Blue Ridge EMF Solutions, Building Biologist NC, EMF assessments, EMF Consultant NC

When I am called to work as an Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist (EMRS) in the home of two or more people, there is usually at least member of the family who serves in the role of Doubting Thomas.  “I am not sure I really believe all this,” one husband said to me recently.   The doubts typically subside to some degree when family members can witness the numbers popping up from the meters I use to measure the four types of EMFs – making the invisible visible!

Yet the doubts are understandable, since the web is full of industry-funded studies that seek to “war game the science”, as an internal memo from Motorola executives revealed in 1994, thanks to the investigative work of Microwave News.

My work doing EMF inspections and teaching EMF science and solutions has always flowed from my long-term love of radiant health and prevention, grounded in peer-reviewed science that is not confounded by conflicts of interest.  In my deep dive on this complex issue over the past 14 years, I have found that the science of EMF health effects is plentiful and very clear.  We just need to know where to look for it, and to be discern which studies are not confounded by conflicts of interest.

 

To make the search easier, below are several of the most reliable websites on the health effects of EMFs (electromagnetic fields):

Some of the latest news on Wireless Radiation and Health

Dr. Moskowitz recently shared this new update: Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields: Thirty years of research  Featured here are summaries shared from Dr. Henry Lai, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, Editor Emeritus of the journal, Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, and an emeritus member of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of EMF. Dr. Lai’s sets of abstracts cover from 1990 through May 8, 2025. “Dr. Lai reports that the preponderance of research has found that exposure to radio-frequency radiation (RFR – wireless radiation) and extra-low frequency fields (ELF – like from wiring in your home and power lines) produces oxidative effects or free radicals, and damages DNA. Moreover, the preponderance of studies that examine genetic, neurological and reproductive outcomes has also found significant effects. Among hundreds of studies of RFR, 72% – 89% reported significant effects. Among hundreds of studies of ELF, 77% – 91% reported significant effects.”

To narrow this down: As of May 12, 2025:

  • 89% (n=359) of 407 studies on radio-frequency radiation and oxidative effects (or free radicals) published since 1997 reported significant effects
  • 90% (n=303) of 332 extra-low frequency fields (EMF) and oxidative effects (or free radical) studies published since 1990 reported significant effects

You can find far more effects from Dr. Lai if you follow the link to the studies.  Yet oxidative stress undergirds the pathophysiology of nearly every chronic condition. So it is a great starting point for looking at EMF health effects. Oxidative damage advances aging, causes inflammation, increases pain, and makes it difficult to repair DNA, thereby increasing cancer risks.

Another important new study: The World Health Organization partially funded a very important study on cancer and wireless radiation: Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure on cancer in laboratory animal studies, a systematic review, published in April in Environment International. This analysis of 54 animal studies concluded that there is high certainty of the evidence linking cell phone radiofrequency (RF) radiation to two types of cancer in animals. In response, leading scientists from the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF) are calling for immediate policy action to protect public health and the environment, warning that further delay could have serious consequences amid the global surge in the use of wireless communication devices. While some countries have policies to protect children from the adverse effects of wireless radiation, we do not (yet!) have that protection in the U.S.

To get a sense of what children are often exposed to:   Oncologist and cancer epidemiologist Lennart Hardell, MD, PhD, recently published High Radio-Frequency Radiation in the Surroundings of 10 Schools in Öbro, Sweden.  This study found that maximum levels in and around schools ranged from 10,716 to 68,452 μW/m2 . These levels far exceed the European Academy of Environmental Medicine’s EMF guidelines for daytime RF radiation exposure:  10 – 1,000 μW/m2 (microwatts per meter squared), nighttime 1-100 μW/m2, and for sensitive persons 0.1-10 μW/m2.  (It is always crucial to use the maximum exposures, as these are what cause the most damaging biological effects.  An assessment like this is only a snapshot of what is occurring 24/7).

These extreme levels reflect my own findings.  (However, in local Buncombe County Schools in the Asheville area, levels are much lower after the district was intentional about reducing the radiation risks, following much of the guidance we provided in this webinar by SafeTech NC.)  Since children typically are exposed to extreme exposure levels in most schools, it is imperative for them to recover from those exposures in a safe, low-EMF environment at home.  Children are most vulnerable to wireless radiation, and will have a lifetime of cumulative exposures.

So what can we do about all of this bad news?  Here are some easy ways to get started:

1. Create a low-EMF sleep sanctuary! This is the most important intervention, preventing all four types of EMF exposures overnight, so the body can be protected when it is most vulnerable (during sleep) and can heal from the day’s exposures.   This is the most important intervention I assist with during an EMF assessment.

2. Hard-wire internet connections, or at least use one of several means to measurably reduce exposures, like reducing the power level of your router, turning it off at night, or covering it with certain shielding fabrics.

3. Use your cell phone only sparingly, keeping it off your body and brain. The non-profit I manage, SafeTech NC, hosts some ideas on safer ways to use your phone.

I’m happy to assist you in creating a healthier home!  The best way to reach me is through my Contact Form.  Blessings on your journey, Mary Anne

Mary Anne Tierney’s Public Appearances

Mary Anne Tierney’s Public Appearances

by | Jun 15, 2025 | Building Biologist NC, Mary Anne Tierney's public appearances

Hello!  Thank you for interest in my work of sharing simple solutions to use technology safely. Below is a sampling of my recent public appearances.  

Thank you for checking out these offerings!   Gratefully, Mary Anne

Tech Safe Travel: an Opportunity for Healthy Family Fun

Tech Safe Travel: an Opportunity for Healthy Family Fun

by | Jun 6, 2024 | Building Biologist NC, Low EMF Travel

 Updated 6/6/25                                          What a joy it is to set out on family vacations (after all the packing is done) ! 

The sweet memories of summer adventures are often the most cherished moments of our lives.

While traveling has its inherent stressors, there is also an invisible hazard that is more prominent while in transit. The numerous adverse health effects of the microwave radiation emitted by all wireless devices are unfortunately amplified in vehicles. The steel chassis causes the radiation to bounce around – creating a similar effect as inside a microwave oven. More than 30 years of research, producing 20,000+ peer-reviewed studies, point to a wide array of health problems that can fortunately be prevented.

Summer can be an opportunity for our children and grandchildren to recover from the intense radiation exposures of industrial-strength Wi-Fi in schools. Children are more vulnerable to this radiation, as their developing bodies and brains absorb far more radiation than adults.  This is due to their thinner skulls, immature nervous and reproductive systems, and their high number of stem cells, which are rapidly dividing and more sensitive to all toxins.  It’s easy for us to also consider that they will also have a greater cumulative exposure to this radiation in their lifetime. Yet hours of car travel – bent over their favorite devices – can be a set-up for the rapid onset of symptoms like irritability, attention and behavior challenges, headaches, poor sleep, and more.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended these tips below for reducing radiation exposures from cell phones. This guidance is for both children and adults alike.
• Do not use the phone up to your head. Use speaker mode to limit radiation to the brain.
• Avoid carrying the phone against your body, like in a pocket, sock, or bra.
• Make only short or essential calls on cell phones.
• If you plan to watch a movie on your device, download it first, then switch to “airplane mode” while you watch, in order to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.
• Keep an eye on the signal strength (ie: how many bars you have). The weaker the signal, the harder your phone has to work and the more radiation it gives off.
• Avoid making calls in cars, elevators, trains, and buses. The cell phone works harder (and emits more radiation) to get a signal through metal.
• Remember that cell phones are not toys or teething items. ~ from AAP’s HealthyChildren.org
Why the Worry?  “Clear evidence of carcinogenesis” and DNA damage, found by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in its gold-standard, $30 million animal study of cell phone radiation, is what prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to publish the guidelines above.  NTP (part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health) released their initial findings in 2016, and then held a peer review process in 2018, which included the world’s top EMF scientists, who were vetted to assure no conflicts of interests.

The WHO’s International Agency of Research on Cancer classified cell phone radiation as a “possible carcinogen” in 2011, while encouraging more research on animals to confirm human studies that found cancer.  In 2018, the world-renowned Ramazzini Institute in Italy found equally serious cancer risks as NTP. Yet this was at much lower exposures in the “far field”- such as the exposure by cell towers and now 5G antennas.

Our own U.S. government has been slow to set meaningful safety standards for wireless devices.  Yet we can heed the collective caution that has been issued from many wireless-wise countries around the world, including France, Israel, Italy, Belgium, Cyprus, and Russia. Below is just a sampling of some of the other serious health effects, as found in more than 20,000 peer-reviewed studies:
• Oxidative stress and the creation of free radicals, increasing our risk of acute infections (including Covid 19), chronic pain, and also advancing the aging process
• Impaired fertility, both in men and woman
• Insomnia, anxiety, depression, attention and memory challenges
• Autism Spectrum Disorder, which improves dramatically in low-EMF environments
• Neuro-degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease

Here are some Reliable Resources to Learn More:
• Physicians for Safe Technology: MDSafeTech.org  Research, education
• Environmental Health Trust: EHTrust.org Education, research, policies, free resources
• Baby Safe Project.org Advice for pregnant women and those seeking conception
• BioInititive.org Compilation of more than 4,000 studies from 29 scientists worldwide
• Building Biology Institute.org: environmental education, safely standards, go to Resources for free podcasts, handouts
• SaferEMR.com News and policy analysis on EMFs; based at U.C. Berkeley Screen Strong, provider of podcasts and resources to reduce kids’ screen time

Below are three basic principles for lowering your exposure:
1. Increase distance (keeping the phone off your body and using a corded headset)
2. Decrease the duration of exposures (ie: turning off Wi-Fi and other devices at night)
3. Reduce power density– or intensity of the radiation exposure. Turning off your cell phone’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and GPS or locator services are easy ways to do this.

Since using our devices less frequently takes more advance planning than the convenience of frequent downloads, here are some ideas to ease the transition:

• Purchase a corded head set for your phone. “Ear buds” or “air pods” create distance from your phone, but still emit extreme amounts of radiation.  I often find at least 45,000 uW/m2 from these, when only 10 uW/m2 is considered “safer”. Reputable brands include headsets from ElectraHealth.com or ShieldYourBody.com
• For an iPhone, these headsets require an adapter: the “Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter” only from Apple.com
• Use a shielded cell phone case to reduce the radiation. Check out ShieldYourBody.com
• Download any desired audio books, podcasts, and movies in advance.
• Try hard-wiring an iPhone or iPad for any downloads, using an adapter such as Ethernet Wired Dongle from TechWellness.com
• For children’s screen time, consider a simple portable, rechargeable DVD player.
• Instead of streaming data (which massively increases radiation levels), borrow movies and audio books from the local library. • Pack a battery-powered alarm clock to use instead of a cell phone at bedside. Sleep is our most important time to recover from the radiation exposures of the day. Casio and Braun both make small alarm clocks with dim lighting and no audible tick.
• Ask for overnight accommodations that are away from a modem, Wi-Fi router, and cell towers. AntennaSearch.com lists many of the registered cell towers in the U.S.

While in a car or plane:
• Keep your devices on Airplane mode; allows phone calls to go to voicemail.
• Step out of the car to make cell phone calls and text; rest areas are ideal for tech stops
• Disable the car’s Blue Tooth by going to Settings on most dashboards. This may also reduce the symptom of “brain fog” from wireless radiation, and make driving a safer experience.

Calming, Creative Alternatives: Our long travel days can be an outstanding opportunity to begin or complete crafts and handwork projects, like crocheting, knitting, and embroidery. These traditional “right brain” activities can calm the nervous system and enhance our brain development. Limiting screen time may frustrate kids at first. Yet they adjust to new routines if they see their parents also practicing their creativity.
• Consider creating a family wish list of desired craft or handwork projects. Shop for needed supplies before departure.
• Sing aloud together, sharing with each other your favorite albums on CD.
• Listen together to an audio book that you have downloaded in advance.
• Gather up some car games, like magnetic checkers.
• Doodle! Zentangle is an easy-to learn way of doodling with simple patterns for relaxation. TanglePatterns.com has a downloadable beginners’ guide.

Once You Arrive, Connect Barefoot with Mother Earth! Have you even noticed all the happy faces while walking barefoot on the beach or at a waterfall? Touching earth with bare feet in water is the ideal environment for “grounding” – connecting to the earth for its calming and healing properties. (The earth has a negative electric charge exactly the opposite of our positive electric charge – about 7.83 hertz or cycles per second). In addition, the negative ions in the air beside natural bodies of water have been showed to improve our respiratory function and reduce symptoms of stress.

Enjoy your getaways this summer! Even if you pick just one of these ideas, know that every reduction in radiation exposure is worthwhile. Fortunately, we can control much of this exposure in our own homes and vehicles. And while we do so, we safeguard our family’s health – our most precious resource.

Click on Tech Safe Summer Travels to download a PDF version of these tips for low-EMF travel. Feel free to print it and share!

Mary Anne Tierney, RN, MPH, an Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist, is certified by the Building Biology Institute and founder of Blue Ridge EMF Solutions, LLC. She is also founder of the grassroots organization SafeTech KidsNC.org. You can reach Mary Anne at BlueRidgeEMFSolutions.com

Selected References:

Autism: Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link – Part I; Herbert, M., Sage, C., Pathophysiology; Volume 20, Issue 3, June 2013, Pages 191-209 sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0928468013000370

Cancer: National Toxicology Program Cell Phone Radiation Studies, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 2018. https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/topics/cellphones/index.html

Cancer: Ramazzini Institute’s study: L. Falcioni, L. Bua, E. Tibaldi, Belpoggi, F., et al (2018). Report of final results regarding brain and heart tumors in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed from prenatal life until natural death to mobile phone radiofrequency field representative of a 1.8 GHz GSM base station environmental emission, Environmental Research, Volume 165, 2018, Pages 496-503, ISSN 0013-9351, doi:10.1016/j.envres. 2018.01.037.

Children’s Radiation Absorption: Gandhi, O., Morgan, L., Davis. D. et al; (2012) Exposure Limits: The underestimation of absorbed cell phone radiation, especially in children, Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 31:1, 34-51, DOI: 10.3109/15368378.2011.622827

Depression: Pall, M., Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression, Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy 75 (2016) 43–51.

Hyperactivity: Aldad, T., Gan, G., Gao, X.B., Taylor, H. (2012). Fetal Radiofrequency Exposure from 800-1900 Mhz-Rated Cellular Telephones Affects Neurodevelopment and Behavior in Mice.

Oxidative Stress/ Immune Effects: Yakymenko, I., et al, Oxidative mechanisms of biological activity of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation; Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 2016, Vol 35, No. 2, 186-202 http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/15368378.2015.1043557
.

Contact Mary Anne today to schedule your Building Biology home assessment. You can reach her at (828) 628-5003 or through her Contact page.

An EMF Lesson on Longevity inspired by the Blue Zones

An EMF Lesson on Longevity inspired by the Blue Zones

by | May 17, 2024 | Building Biologist NC, reducing EMF Exposure

Have you heard of National Geographic’s exploration into the lives of the longest lives around the world – the Blue Zones?  This can serve as a great jumping-off point for an EMF lesson on longevity!  The Blue Zone’s creator, Dan Buettner’s research and writing has inspired numerous cities in the U.S. (including nearby Brevard, NC) to seek certification as Blue Zone communities that promote and inspire healthy living. 

Fortunately, there is so much to learn from the Blue Zone’s “Power 9” criteria for longevity without having to move anywhere!  This blog highlight’s six of the Power 9 and takes each one to a higher level of potential through protection from EMF’s (electromagnetic fields).

Creating healthy communities is a vital, long-term goal that takes the time and talents of a large body of caring individuals.  It is a goal I have been part of for nearly 35 years as a public health professional.  Yet our immediate home environments are the most crucial for our wellbeing.  It is also in these environments that we usually have the most control of our EMF exposure.

EMF Protection is profoundly important – both for our immediate health and wellbeing – and for our longevity.   This is very clear to me as now as an EMF Consultant / Building Biologist for the past five years, as well as EMF educator for the past decade. While there are four types of EMFs that I measure and mitigate, this article will focus on the most ubiquitous EMF on the rise all around us: radiofrequency radiation (RFR).  Our beloved cell phones all emit massive levels of RFR, as do cell towers, 5G antennas, Wi-Fi, smart utility meters, and all wireless and “smart” devices.

Let’s Begin with what’s Basic for Longevity & EMF Protection.

At the opening plenary session of the first U.S. EMF Medical Conference in 2019, Dr. Sharon Goldberg taught us how oxidative stress is the most important “mechanism of action” underlying the many adverse effects associated with RFR.  These adverse effects include not only cancer, but cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many other chronic conditions which can make aging particularly challenging.   You can check out Dr. Goldberg’s 2019 lecture here.  An update to Dr. Goldberg’s lecture: In an overwhelming 91% of 288 studies, oxidative stress increased with exposure to RFR!

Do you eat fruits and vegetables to help stay healthy?   Do you remember the nutrition campaign to “five-a-day” to fight “free radicals”? Oxidative stress occurs when cells cannot adequately stop excess free radicals. Think oxidation – like rust!  Oxidative stress advances aging, increases inflammation and pain, and suppresses immune function. It also makes it harder to repair DNA damage, putting us at greater risk for cancer and other conditions.

Preventing cancer and effective cancer care are crucial to longevity!   The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RFR as a possible human carcinogen in 2011.  In 2018, the National Toxicology Program, based in Durham NC, found “clear evidence” of carcinogenesis and DNA damage in its final report of a gold-standard, $30 million study of RF radiation from cell phones. Dozens of other well-designed studies have found the same results.  

Let’s look at several of the Blue Zone’s “Power 9” and how they related to EMF/RF Protection.

Move Naturally:  The Blue Zones encourage movement without machines and modern conveniences. While many active folks opt for smart watches to count steps, all smart watches emit RF radiation! It is always important to keep smart watches and cell phones off the body, just as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. Fortunately, the Garmin brand of smart watch can be put on “Airplane mode,” which stops the RFR emissions and still allows it to count your steps.  Breast cancer has been found in many young women without cancer histories who wore their phone in their bra while exercising.  A safer way to carry the phone is to keep it off the body in a backpack or purse, and best on Airplane Mode or in a shielded case.

80/20%:  Or don’t eat until you are stuffed!  Putting cell phones away at mealtimes can help us reduce our RF exposure and connect more authentically with those at our table. It can also improve our concentration on eating, so we can better assess our level of hunger and making healthier choices.

 Purpose:  I love this very deep dive into long-term wellness!  When we feel chronically ill, it is so easy to lose sight of our passions and our purpose.

Bravo to Brevard NC’s Blue Zone (rebranded as Spark Point), which has focused most on this principle of purpose for longevity, particularly given the mental health crisis among local youth.  Unfortunately, RF exposure impairs focus, memory, creates “brain fog,” and increases the risks of many mood symptoms, including depression. These symptoms make it harder for us to reach for greater purpose in our lives. Time unplugged, and using technology can help improve our focus and creativity.  Here are several tips for safer use of your cell phone, all which follow the principle that Distance is Your Friend!

  • Use speaker phone when possible
  • Texting with the phone away from you emits less radiation than talking
  • Type on the screen with a stylus – again for distance!
  • Use an air-tube headset each time you talk. No wireless headphones!

Downshift:  Resting while reducing screen time also reduce stress/anxiety and improves sleep. It is simple to turn a Wi-Fi router off at night or during a nap, or have it hard-wired, which eliminates all the RF radiation!  For more details on EMF protection for your sleep and nap time, check out my blog: Sweet Dreams: Sleep Hygiene for EMF Sensitive Souls

Belong:   Attending faith gatherings without wireless devices can improve our ability to feel calm and allow us to connect more deeply with friends and our Higher Power.  I I offer workshops on “Taking a Tech Sabbath” – which can done in collaboration with local faith leaders.  Some local faith communities in Western NC are now requesting that attendees put their phones on Airplane mode, to help improve focus, meditation, and accommodate those who are sensitive. (Incidentally, this also improves the bandwidth for congregations which live-stream their services.)

Right Tribe:  Interacting face-to-face, rather than by texting or talking on cell phones, improves our mental health while also reducing our RFR exposure.  Family connections are also strengthened from face-to-face encounters.  Eye contact actually boosts our levels of oxytocin – a feel-good, bonding hormone!  

“The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen but, if one will, are to be lived.”       — Søren Kierkegaard

To learn more about EMF/RF health effects and how to prevent them for living long and healthy lives, see some of the reliable websites below.

  • Physicians for Safe Technology:   MDSafeTech.org    Education, research
  • Environmental Health Trust   EHTrust.org   Science, policies, resources for education
  • Baby Safe Project.org   Advice for pregnant women and those seeking to conceive a child
  • BioInititive.org    Compilation of more than 8,000 studies from 29 scientists worldwide

To schedule an EMF assessment to create a healthier home for you and your family, call me at (828) 628-5003 (landline!  No texting!) or use my contact page.

Wishing you a long and healthy life.  Blessings, Mary Anne