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Every
day we are surrounded by electromagnetic fields EMF from sources that are often
beyond our control. Low frequency magnetic and electric fields, high frequency
radiation from radio waves and microwaves, and artificially inducted magnetism
bombard our living and working environments at an increasing rate. Many may feel
that electro-pollution is so pervasive that satisfactory solutions are either
impractical, impossible, or ineffectual. Yet, it is possible to make dramatic
improvement in this sea of electrical environments. The key is in the bedroom,
the most important room in the house. We
are most vulnerable when we sleep. During sleep, our bodies let down, regroup,
shed metabolic wastes, and regenerate. Healthful sleeping rooms provide us with
the right environment for all the important processes of the body's natural electrical
system, internal organs and unconscious mind to work smoothly, and without interference.
A healthful bedroom is energetically balanced and free of EMF, chemicals and microbial
growth, and noxious earth energies. It provides the springboard for a strong body
that can effectively cope with a daytime environment that is most certainly less
than ideal. If we never give the body a break at night, we diminish our ability
to function well during the day. Low
Frequency AC Magnetic Fields
Outside the house, high-tension lines, low voltage
overhead lines and underground cables and transformers generate AC magnetic fields.
Inside the house, current in the wiring and current consuming appliances and devices
generate alternating current magnetic fields. Wiring, plumbing and other metallic
pathways may carry electrical current and radiate very large magnetic fields.
Although magnetic fields do drop off with distance, they may be almost impossible
to block or shield. If these fields are present in the bedroom, they must be eliminated. First,
with an inexpensive gauss meter, the designer on an existing bedroom project can
easily scan for potential magnetic field problems. To scan first for outdoor sources
of magnetic fields, the designer can follow the simple protocol outlined by the
California Department of Health Services to look for fields from overhead or underground
transmission and distribution lines. When the house circuits are turned off, if
a utility line is causing a magnetic field that is above 1 milligauss in the bedroom,
the homeowner can ask the power company to check and fix any faulty transformers,
grounding problems, or "imbalances" on a utility line. If proximity
of the utility line to bedrooms is the main problem, community or legal action
may be the only possible recourse for the homeowner. Second,
the designer or architect should scan for indoor sources of magnetic fields affecting
the bedroom. After turning on every device in the house, if the magnetic field
in the bedroom is over 1 milligauss, the designer should first unplug everything
in the bedroom. If the field remains, the designer should then ask a certified
Bau-Biologist to test and isolate the source of the magnetic fields. Once isolated,
the EMF specialized electrician can then determine the sources of the fields,
such as the house grounding system or main service, older house wiring conditions
such as "knob and tube" wiring, shared neutrals, and current on the
ground or water pipes. Fixing these magnetic field problems then becomes part
of the design team process. Low
Frequency AC Electric Fields
Sources of magnetic fields, including the examples
described above, are also potential sources of low-frequency alternating current
electric fields. AC electric fields are generated from electrical alternating
voltage, present at 110 volts with a frequency of 60 hertz in the U.S. With the
presence of voltage, all boxes, cables and devices with main connections are radiating
electric fields, even if appliances, fixtures or devices are turned off. To make
matters worse, in an indoor environment, electric fields merging together from
multiple sources such as house wiring, lighting fixtures and other appliances,
usually do not drop off completely with distance, as do magnetic fields. Instead,
they can radiate throughout the entire room at varying levels. Given our highly
electric environments, it would be almost impossible to control our exposure to
electric fields during the course of a normal day, without shielding and grounding
every wire, plug and cable in the home and workplace. The
American scientific and epidemiological communities are currently not satisfied
with the available scientific evidence on the health hazards of low-frequency
electric fields. It is important to note, however, that in the nineties the Swedish
government standards for computers began to include the lowering of electric fields
in response to growing calls for consumer safety. Bau-Biologists and many physicians
agree that magnetic and electric fields are a serious health hazard. Case histories
from work in the field include patients suffering from nervous disorders, sleeping
disorders, bedwetting, headaches, and fatigue. The Bau-Biologie approach to all
sources of electromagnetic radiation, including low frequency AC electric fields,
is this: the body must have a chance to regenerate every night in order to heal
and to better cope with electro-pollution and other toxins during the day. Every
day, Bau-Biologists working with clients in the field, as well as with physicians
and their patients, see dramatic and spontaneous healing successes when electric
fields in the bedroom are diminished. Body
Voltage
To measure the level of electric fields in the bedroom, the Bau-Biologist
conducts a "Body Voltage" test. First, the Bau-Biologist creates an
electrical "nighttime scenario," in which all appliances are plugged
in and then turned on or off, as they would be during the sleeping hours. Lying
on the bed, the client is instructed to hold a probe which is connected to a properly
grounded multimeter. The millivolts inducted, or absorbed, by the client's body
at night are measured. If the digital meter reads over the Bau-Biologie standard
of 20 m V (millivolts) for the bedroom, then the Bau-Biologist starts looking
for easy ways to lower the numbers. It is not uncommon to measure 100,000 millivolts
in a body sleeping on a switched off but plugged in electric blanket or heated
waterbed! Even a simple lamp or electric clock can cause levels 10 to 100 times
over the recommended limit. The
level of electric fields may drop dramatically when the Bau-Biologist simply unplugs
appliances. Many times, however, the right combination of unplugged and plugged-in
appliances actually cancels out some of the fields. If a reconfiguration of unplugged/plugged
in appliances does not bring about satisfactory results, the Bau-Biologist will
then isolate and test the actual building circuits to determine which circuits
have an impact on the body voltage. Once these circuits have been identified,
the client may take one of several courses of action. A
popular low-cost solution is to simply turn off the offending circuits at night.
Many clients choose to hire a specialized EMF electrician to install a remote
switcher, which sends a signal from inside the house to shut off the identified
circuits. In homes where shutting off circuits creates inconveniences such as
turning off refrigerators and security systems, the electrician may need to rewire
them to different circuits before installing the remote switcher. Every situation
is different, and the testing as well as the remediation must be performed by
qualified Bau-Biologists and electricians with the necessary professional testing
equipment to measure before, during and after whatever potential solution has
been implemented. The implications
for designing a healthy bedroom with little or no electric fields are easy to
see. The holistic team approach starts prior to the drawing of plans. The architect
and designer properly locate bedrooms in relationship to power lines and other
rooms with wiring to major appliances. They pay particular attention to eliminating
the impact of electric fields by isolating the bedroom circuits, properly grounding
the electrical system, and using metal conduit t shield electric fields. High
Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation
Microwave radiation and radio frequencies
from appliances or communication systems are another serious source of man-made
electro-pollution. High-frequency signals and pulses from radar, satellite, police
or military, radio, television, telephone, cellular phone and microwave ovens
are measurable examples of frequencies that may be affecting our health over the
long term. Effects shown in short-term studies of animals exposed to radio frequency
and microwave radiation include changes in the cardiovascular and immune systems,
blood-forming processes and neurotransmitter uptake and brain wave patterns. Since
no long-term studies exist as yet, we do not know the health consequences to the
average adult, child, senior citizen or the infirm. Once
again, the Bau-Biologie approach is one of prudent avoidance, most particularly
in the bedroom. Many times, the actual walls and building materials will shield
a great deal of the radiation, except glass doors and windows. If levels are found
at the bed site, certain mitigation techniques may be employed. A Bau-Biologist
may suggest moving the bed out of the path of the toxic field to another part
of the room or another room in the house, and/or installing special radiation-shielding
glass in bedroom windows. For
new construction, testing the site well before design is imperative. If a house
must be built in a location with high frequency radiation, it may be possible
shield the bedrooms, depending on how the windows are oriented. Whether or not
bedrooms are located on a second or third story must also be taken into account,
since levels of radiation may increase with height. Any home located in an area
with high-frequency radiation should be used primarily as indoor space rather
than outdoor space, since building materials will many times successfully shield
high-frequency radiation. Metal in and around bedrooms should be avoided, since
metal can act as an antenna for high-frequency radiation from outside. DC
Magnetic Fields
The earth radiates as a natural process, and there is no space
on earth without terrestrial radiations. These natural radiations play essential
roles in our health and well-being. Researchers at the Institute of Technology
in Pasadena recently discovered that human brain tissue contains tiny particles
of magnetite, a naturally occurring mineral known as lodestone. Virtually identical
magnet particles allow other species to navigate in Earth's magnetic field. But
in the presence of normal room electricity, metal becomes magnetized and develops
its own artificial, magnetic direct field. This can cause problems. A simple compass
held over magnetized bedsprings, bed frames and steel-reinforced walls, ceilings
and concrete will show the directional change away from the earth's natural direction
of magnetic north. Metal items stored under beds will create the same effect.
Some researchers and scientists theorize that there is a relationship between
DC magnetic fields and heart disorders, disturbed circulation, arthritis, muscle
cramps, changes to the cell membrane, and metabolic and hormonal disorders. Metal
also distorts the earth's natural healing frequency, while reinforced concrete
will both block and distort this natural field. The research points to the need
for further study. The designer practicing prudent avoidance does not locate bedrooms
over garages, fuel tanks or steel girders. They also include metal-free mattresses
and bed frames, and locate beds at least sixteen inches away from reinforced concrete,
and at least one yard from heaters, stereos and speakers, and metal doorframes
and screens. Problems associated with DC magnetic fields can be entirely avoided
in the bedroom if addressed prior to design. Even in areas that must meet codes
for seismic regulations, structural metal can be engineered away from bedrooms. This
article has focused primarily on the avoidance and mitigation of electromagnetic
fields in existing bedrooms. For remodels and new construction, however, the message
is clear: all sources of electro-pollution are avoidable in the bedroom, the most
important room in the home, if electromagnetic radiation is addressed at the earliest
stages of a project. The client looks to the designer to provide not only function
and aesthetics, but also an environment that is healthy and supportive. This
article appeared in Interior Concerns Newsletter Copyright
2000, Mary Cordaro and Katherine Metz Mary
Cordaro, Certified Bau-Biologist, consults and educates on diagnosing and solving
indoor air and EMF problems and selecting healthy, green alternatives to conventional
building materials and systems. Her integrated approach is a unique synthesis
of Bau-Biologie, Building Science, and green building. Mary is the president and
founder of H3Environmental, and creator of The Mary Cordaro Collection of luxury
organic beds and bedding. Katherine
Metz, Feng Shui Practitioner,
Teacher, Mentor, and Certified Bau-biologist
Katherine Metz was first introduced
to the art of Feng Shui by Abraham Kawai'i, a Hawaiian Kahuna. She then began
studying twenty years ago with Professor Lin Yun, the Grand Master of Black Sect
Tantric Buddhism, world renowned philosopher, and lecturer, with whom she continues
her present day studies. Her current occupation at the time allowed her to experience
firsthand the power of place as a successful location scout for film and video
in the San Francisco BayArea. In that period, Katherine also took it upon herself
to learn the German field of Bau-Biologie, or "Building Biology," which
is the holistic study of the builtenvironment and its impact on human and planetary
health.
Blending other aspects of her background-a degree in Medical Sociology
from the University of Michigan and design experience from owning an interior
landscape business-with the Hawaiian and Chinese arts of healing and place,Katherine
created The Art of Placement, where she went on to become a highly regarded practitioner,
teacher, and lecturer. She has made a lasting mark in reaching out to the public
and in her most recent endeavor serving as mentor to a select group of affiliates
from around the world.
Katherine is one of the most visible spokespersons
of the art in this country,helping introduce Feng Shui into mainstream western
culture with her lucid andpractical conveyance of its sometimes esoteric philosophies.
She has appeared on television and radio across the country. Her name appears
in many Feng Shui books as authors acknowledge their teachers, and her writings
continue to be used by students and practitioners around the world. In 1998 Katherine
was keynote speaker for the 2nd Annual International Feng Shui Conference. She
teaches and lectures, upon request, on the art and science of creating a healthy
home and workplace.
Through the mentorship program, Katherine is able to guide
affiliates with varying levels of Feng Shui knowledge by creating individualized
plans based onthe needs, aspirations, and abilities of each practitioner. She
is a virtual repositoryof knowledge and wisdom both ancient and modern, upon which
her students can draw. But most importantly and uniquely Katherine imparts itsheartsong-the
spirit -that must be present in order to practice Feng Shui in a way that really
touches the world.
Her work is devoted to exploring the seen and unseen ways
the physicalenvironment can spark and nurture the individual's natural potential
to be asvibrant, receptive, and focused as possible. Katherine has provided her
unique services for over twenty years in private homes, corporate offices, small
businesses, schools, restaurants, and health care facilities, helping her clientscreate
environments where they experience tangible and positive changes. Sleeping gets
better, communication becomes more effective, family peace is restored, business
multiplies, and people get well.
www.katherinemetz.com.
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