Monday, August 24, 2009

Metal in Mattresses

There is a rapidly increasing awareness about the harmful effects of metal springs in mattresses.
We include this article from Dr Mercola for your interest and information. To use the links provided, please refer to his website.


Your body has the ability to repair itself while it sleeps. This is accomplished with your own internal electrical system that functions with very weak electrical impulses.
Electrical impulses are generated by your brain and are used for intercellular communication. This is possible because your body is composed mainly of water with a high mineral content making it highly electrically conductive.
Cells know when to divide by vibrating. Brain cells, nerve cells, bone cells, all vibrate at different rates in order to communicate with one another. In many ways your body acts like a tuning fork. When you vibrate a tuning fork (external electrical influence), any turning fork (like our body) in its vicinity will start vibrating at the same frequency or rate, and therefore will be confused as to how fast to grow. This phenomena actually has a scientific name and is called resonance.
In the typical sleeping area, electrical exposure from external sources (live electrical wiring in ceilings, walls and floors) is thousands of times stronger than your body’s own electrical system. Long-term exposure to these high-level electric fields can impair your body’s ability to communicate within itself, and impact your health.
In fact, the average person spends approximately one-third of their life sleeping, which is why it’s so important to make sure your bedroom is protected from EMF (electromagnetic field) disturbances.

How EMFs Can Damage Your Health


An electromagnetic field (EMF) is an invisible zone of energy that surrounds electric devices and wiring.
EMFs are actually comprised of two fields:

  • An electric field

  • A magnetic field


The electric field is created by voltage, which determines the force with which the electricity is pushed through wires. Most electric fields can be shielded by the design of the appliance, or physically, by walls or other barriers.
The magnetic field is created by the current, which is the amount of electricity being pushed. Magnetic fields, which are the main cause of health concerns, can travel through most barriers and for long distances, and are difficult to block.
The BioInitiative Report, published August 31, 2007 by an international working group of scientists, researchers and public health policy professionals, documents serious scientific concerns about the radiation emitted from power lines, cell phones, and many other sources of exposure to radiofrequencies and electromagnetic fields in daily life.
It concludes that the existing standards for public safety are completely inadequate to protect your health. The report includes studies showing evidence that electromagnetic fields can:

  • Affect gene and protein expression (Transcriptomic and Proteomic Research)

  • Have genotoxic effects – DNA damage

  • Induce stress response (Stress Proteins)

  • Affect immune function

  • Affect Neurology and behavior

  • Cause childhood cancers (Leukemia)

  • Impact melatonin production; Alzheimer’s Disease; Breast Cancer

  • Promote breast cancer (Melatonin links in laboratory and cell studies)


Why a Metal Mattress or Bed May be Particularly Dangerous


The vast majority of beds (90-95 percent) contain metal springs and/or frames. Unfortunately, these metal frames and metal box springs can amplify and distort the earth’s natural magnetic field, which can lead to a non-restful sleep along with a range of other symptoms including:

  • Headaches

  • Hyperactivity

  • Nightmares

  • Depression and fatigue

  • Eyestrain

  • Muscle cramps


Further biological problems associated with electromagnetic stressors fall into two major categories:
1. Brain (behavioral abnormalities, learning disabilities, altered bio-cycles and stress responses)
2. Growing tissue (embryos, genetics and cancer)
Research has shown that for your body to properly detoxify during sleep it must be alkaline, and high electromagnetic fields lead to acidity. This is especially true for heavy metal detoxification.
To find out if your bed contains residual magnetism and may become magnetized, I encourage you to use the compass trick that Vicki Warren describes in the video above.

Avoiding EMF Exposure is Very Important for Pregnant Women and Babies


If you have a baby, it is especially important for you to use a non-metallic bed for your baby, as their immature bodies are even more susceptible to EMF damage. A safer alternative is a wooden basinet or wooden crib, as opposed to metal varieties.
Further, Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, PhD performed a small study showing that autism can actually be predicted based on the EMF levels of your sleeping quarters while pregnant!
He found that if you sleep in strong electromagnetic fields during pregnancy, your child will likely begin to exhibit neurological abnormalities within the first two years of life, such as:

  • Neurological dysfunction

  • Hyperactivity

  • Learning disorders


Geopathic Stress: Why You Want to Avoid the Spot Your Cat Sleeps In


Cats, ants and termites have an unusual characteristic in common; they’re all attracted to geopathic stress zones.
Geopathic stress is natural radiation that rises up through the earth and becomes distorted by weak electro-magnetic fields, created by subterranean running water, certain mineral concentrations, fault lines, and underground cavities.
Electropathological energy created by modern technology such as high and low frequency energy from telecommunication towers, electricity pylons, transformers, radar and radio towers can also contribute to geopathic stress.
Potential health problems arising from geopathic stress in your environment include:

  • Cardiovascular problems

  • Neurological disabilities and learning difficulties

  • Immune deficiency disorders

  • Chronic fatigue and irritability

  • Body pains and headaches

  • Sudden signs of physical aging

  • Infertility and miscarriages

  • Restless sleep


Sleeping in a geopathic stress fault is particularly harmful to your body, as during sleep your brain is supposed to rest half the time and is busy healing your body the other half. However, if you are exposed to geopathic stress during sleep, your brain never receives the full rest it requires to repair and regenerate.
This is why it’s so important to avoid sleeping where your cat sleeps, as for if your home is located near a geopathic stress fault, your cat will likely find it and sleep near it. If you don’t have a cat, look for areas where plants do not thrive, ant hills are built or termites congregate. These are all signs of a geopathic stress zone.
You can also use a geomagnetometer to measure magnetic fields in your home, and this may be well worth looking into, especially if you are suffering from any of the geopathic stress symptoms listed above.
At the very least, try moving your bed several feet to one side or the other, or to the opposite side of the room to see if it makes a difference in how you feel.

Tips for Creating a Healthy EMF-Shielded Home


There are several steps you can take to lower your EMF burden right now. Rather than considering these tips to be final solutions, consider them what to do while you are learning and preparing yourself to do even more:

  • Turn off all the fuses at night.

  • Shield your bed with a special metalized fabric to protect yourself from harmful frequencies that can disrupt cellular communication.

  • If you are constructing a new home or renovating one and the walls are being rebuilt you can install radiant barrier, which is a tough type of aluminum foil that will also very effectively screen out the EMF. This is what I did for my own bedroom.

  • Beware that cell phones and wireless internet features are not the only sources you need to be cautious of. Essentially, most all electronics will generate EMF’s, including the wiring in your home, electric alarm clocks, electric blankets, computers and lamps, just to mention a few.

  • At minimum, move your bed so that your head is at least 3-6 feet from all electrical outlets. If you are constructing the walls you can put the wires inside pipes, which will virtually eliminate the fields that are generated in the room when the current runs through the wire.

  • Turn off everything electrical in your sleeping area, including your WI-FI, cell and portable phones.

  • Never hold a non-corded phone to your head, and avoid using your cell phone when in a car with a child or pregnant woman. If you absolutely need to use your cell phone, crack your window so the radiation can dissipate quicker.

  • Sleep on a non-metal bed and mattress.