Hormones are powerful substances. They pack a big wallop considering the tiny amounts that are produced by the endocrine glands. Most hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, insulin and melatonin are made in parts per billion or parts per trillion. Even small hormonal fluctuations can create major physiological changes.

As profound orchestrators of all of life’s processes, maintaining hormonal balance is imperative for optimum health. When delicate hormonal balance and rhythms are altered, the body’s ability to regulate fundamental systems goes haywire.

Our modern lifestyle poses many threats to optimal endocrine function. Stress, toxicity, poor quality food, lack of sleep, pharmaceutical medications are all known hormone disruptors. However, there is one particular kind of hormone disruptor that is often the most overlooked — electromagnetic energy fields generated from cell phones, cell phone towers, computers, routers, Wi-Fi and Smart Meters.

Electromagnetic Fields —The 21st Century Smog
Modern physics has confirmed what eastern philosophy has been based upon for thousands of years — the human body is fundamentally a coherent, highly sensitive electrical system— emanating its own electromagnetic field, known as a biofield.

All physical matter, including the earth itself, radiates electromagnetic energy. The electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) found within the natural world are harmonious with and supportive of life.

On the other hand, artificially created EMFs are 100–200 million times greater than what existed just two generations ago. Every minute of every day, whether we are awake or asleep, we are exposed to a constant barrage of man-made electromagnetic frequencies.

Constant interference with our natural energy fields from external sources of EMFs can eventually damage our own fields resulting in many physiological imbalances. The most recent research has identified that exposure to EMFs causes significant oxidative stress resulting in free radical damage. Unrelenting oxidative stress alters the DNA resulting in cell mutation. Such serious imbalances will also adversely impact hormone production, neurological processes and risk of cancers, including breast cancer.

Irrefutable evidence implicates oxidative stress to more rapid aging, elevated blood glucose levels, elevated lipid levels, high blood pressure, infertility, increased neuro-regulatory disturbances, and compromises the central nervous, cardiovascular and immune systems.

Scientist Robert O. Becker, M.D. author of, Cross Currents, The Perils of Electropollution, explains that our human bodies and immune systems are being adversely affected by manmade electromagnetic fields from sources, including, power lines, cell phones, radar, microwaves, satellites, ham radios, computers, video display terminals, electric appliances and Wi-Fi hot spots. He believes that radiation, once considered safe, is now correlated with increases in cancer, birth defects, depression, learning disabilities, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease and much more.

Melatonin, Breast Cancer and EMFs
Perhaps, one of the most serious consequences of EMF exposure is its effects on our hormonal systems.

The pineal gland is a light sensitive gland about the size of a pea located deep within the center of the brain. Once dismissed as a useless gland, it is now considered to be, perhaps, the most important gland in the body. The pineal gland produces the hormone, melatonin.

Researchers are surprised at the extent of the physiological processes that are either controlled or influenced by melatonin: it regulates circadian rhythms that govern our waking/sleep cycle and it is a powerful destroyer of free radicals, thereby allowing DNA synthesis and cell division to occur.

Melatonin not only inhibits the release of estrogen but also actually suppresses the development of breast cancer. It also has the ability to increase the cytotoxicity of the immune system’s killer lymphocytes and counteract stress-induced immunosuppression.

Japan’s National Institute for Environmental Studies showed that breast cancer cells treated with melatonin would resume growing when exposed EMFs. They disrupt the cell’s signaling system and their internal communications network, which determines how cells respond to their environment.

This mechanism has helped to explain why reduced melatonin levels from EMFs contribute to a number of cancers including breast cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma and ovarian malignancies.

Melatonin suppression occurs at frequencies not far above those of the common household ranges of 5–60 hertz. If we sleep next to a cell phone, cordless phone and/or digital clock enough continuous EMF exposures suppress nighttime melatonin production.

The connection between breast cancer and EMFs continues to strengthen. Boston University School of Public Health reported a 43 percent increased risk in women with a high likelihood of occupational exposure to magnetic fields such as those given off by mainframe computers.

Young women who keep their phones tucked into their bras are at increased risk from breast cancer. A recent study focused on four women between the ages of 21–39 with invasive multi-focal breast cancer, who kept their phones in their bras for up to 10 hours a day for four years. Imaging of the girls’ breasts revealed a clustering of multiple tumor foci in the part of the breast directly under where their cell phones touched their body.

More Female and Male Hormone Disruption
Experimental physiologist, Charles Graham’s research found that magnetic fields had an effect on two other hormones. They increased estrogen levels and reduced testosterone, a risk factor for testicular and prostate cancer.

He also found that EMFs may actually fit the definition of an endocrine disrupter better than many hormone mimicking environmental pollutants. Magnetic fields appear to elicit their effects by acting on and through hormones, rather than as hormones.

When exposed to EMFs, tamoxifen, the most popular drug given to prevent recurrence of breast cancer, lost its ability to halt the proliferation of cancer cells.

Neurotransmitters, a special class of hormones, include serotonin and dopamine. Neurotransmitters play a major role in moods especially depression. Evidence has now shown a connection with altered serotonin and dopamine levels with EMF exposure.

EMFs also increase the levels of adrenaline, the flight or fight hormone, released from the adrenals glands.

Chronic stress is detrimental to every anatomical system, including the reproductive one. Stress effects fertility and elevates blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and strokes, as well as suppress immune function. Even short EMF exposures could cause spikes in such hormone levels.

What About Cell Phones?
EMFs from our Smart phones penetrate directly into our brain, breaking down the protective blood brain barrier, causing DNA damage, free radical production and even brain tumors. Since the master glands, of the body are located in our brain, massive disturbances to the hormonal signaling capacities may be generated from continual cell phone use.

It is now acknowledged that headsets, far from being protective, can actually increase radiation exposure into the brain by as much as 300 percent. Bluetooth technology is especially dangerous.

Solutions
Reducing exposure to EMFs as much as possible is essential. Turn off routers at night. Remove electrical devices, chargers and phones from near your head while sleeping.

Since we now live in a world that has created and unprecedented problem where we are all exposed to electro-pollution, it is imperative to use proven technology that can actually prevent the DNA damage to our cells.

Love them or hate them cell phones and the ever expanding and intrusive Wi-Fi world is here to stay. The responsibility lies with each one of us to take the proactive steps that will protect us, our family and future generations.