relax by reducing electrostress

You may not have heard the term electrostress yet, but your body has been living with it for years. For instance, after a long day of staring into the computer and bathing in the radiation it emits, "You may feel physically exhausted and mentally agitated," says Santa Cruz, CA. naturopath Theresa Dale, Ph.D. (www.wellnesscenter.net) This is because the energy emitted by the computer enters your body's electromagnetic field, literally changing the way your cells, organs and body systems function.

It's a fact of 21st century life that radiation from radio, TV, computers and cell phone microwave emissions passes around and through you wherever you go. Your body's electromagnetic field and the cells inside you are constantly being altered by low-frequency radiation. In the case of microwave ovens, this is potentially serious. These appliances have been found to emit low-frequency radiation far in excess of that known to cause lymphatic cancer in children.

What's more, the radiation from other appliances we use regularly, including computers, hair dryers, ionizers and electrical heating systems have been linked to various illnesses and immune system weaknesses. The good news, however, is that there are many easy precautions that you can take to minimize electrostress. Here's a list from Dr. Dale.

1. Use mobile phones sparingly and always with a head set. The World Health Organization (WHO) cautions that there are gaps in knowledge regarding how cell phones may affect health, and that it will take years to fully understand potential risks.
2. Make all of your long social calls from a land line and NOT your mobile phone.
3. Never use a laptop computer on your lap. Avoid placing your laptop on your body.
4. Placing Boston ferns near a television has been shown to absorb some of the radiation it generates.
5. Electric blankets should never be used as these interfere with your body's electromagnetic field while you sleep. Invest in some down comforters instead.
6. Fit screen filters onto computer monitors to reduce radiation leakage.
7. Dry your hair naturally instead of with electric hair dryers.
8. Always sit at least 6 feet away from the television. Enforce this with children, too.
9. Never stand near a microwave oven when it is on.
10. Use a gas or wood-burning stove rather than an electric one.
11. Keep your bedroom electricity-free so your body can rest and regenerate without electrostress.
12. Never have electrical wiring running underneath the bed.
13. Never use electrical space heaters.
14. Avoid apartments that have under-floor or overhead heating systems. These literally encase your body in an electromagnetically charged space.
15. Distance yourself from computers when you are not working on them, or better yet, turn them off when you are not working on them.
16. Fill your bedroom with plants, as these will help absorb any electromagnetic energy coursing through your space and create a more peaceful atmosphere.