The Autism Epidemic Can End Today

There are simple steps we can take today to reduce the rate of autism and end the autism epidemic. This does not require waiting for more research or a new drug. But it does require that we take action to avoid harmful exposures in our environment.

The first step is preventing exposures that cause genetic mutations. Many children with autism are found to have genetic mutations that they did not inherit from their parents.[1] These are called de novo mutations and usually come from the father’s side. Being an older father is usually associated with a higher risk for genetic mutations in sperm cells[2], but older age can also mean longer environmental exposures. Environmental exposures that decrease fertility and are known to damage sperm should be avoided.[3] One rising environmental exposure is wireless radiation from laptops and cell phones near reproductive organs. Wireless signals have been found to cause sperm and DNA damage.[4][5] Men carrying their cell phone in their front pocket prior to conception are at greater risk for sperm damage and de novo mutations.[6]

A researcher at Stanford studied twins, including some cases of identical twins, where one child had autism and the other did not.[7] He found that genetics alone only accounted for 38% of the factors that contributed to autism. The remaining 62% came from environmental factors.

The two environmental factors that leading doctors and researchers are most concerned about are glyphosate and wireless. Both are relatively new to our environment, and our exposures to them have risen exponentially. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the herbicide RoundUp. It is extensively used with GMO “RoundUp ready” crops and is also used as a drying agent on wheat to speed the time to market.[8][9] Glyphosate exposure can be avoided by switching to organic foods since the organic standard bans the use of glyphosate.

Wireless use and exposures have been rising dramatically since cell towers and networks were rolled out around 1980. The rise of digital (DECT) cordless phones in the mid-1980s, and later, baby monitors and Wi-Fi, as well as computer use, have brought these exposures closer to our bodies and to our children. At this point, most people are surrounded by these signals that penetrate our bodies 24 hours a day. None of these products were safety tested prior to being released into the market, even though harm, including DNA damage, has been found by researchers.[10] A two-part paper on EMF (electromagnetic fields) and autism published in 2013 examined the published research on the biological effects of wireless and EMF exposures and found that the known symptoms of exposure matched the primary symptoms of autism.[11][12] Many parents are reporting steady and sometimes rapid improvements in their children after reducing sources of constant wireless exposures in their homes, especially when these exposures are reduced during critical sleep hours.[13]

Many other factors are already known to increase the risk of autism.[14][15] Until we have absolute proof that suspected environmental factors are not driving the epidemic, we should take action to avoid exposures, until products are tested and shown not to be associated with autism or biological harm.

Carefully review your home, food, water, and air quality, as well as the products that you buy.[15] Look for household and personal care products that are EWG verified[16] to be free of known toxins. Even if you already have a child on the autism spectrum, improving food quality and your home environment can decrease symptoms, and in some cases, the child can recover.[18][15]

Until we have a full and systematic review of all the environmental factors that can contribute to autism, we must, as responsible parents, take action to avoid exposures that are known to be harmful or are untested, especially ones that are rising dramatically, like glyphosate and wireless. This will require some vigilance on our parts, but nothing new is required and we don’t have to wait to act. We simply have to restore the health of our homes so that our children can be healthy, thrive, and reach their full potential.

References

[1] O’Roak, Brian J., et al. "Sporadic autism exomes reveal a highly interconnected protein network of de novo mutations." Nature 485.7397 (2012): 246-250.

[2] Kong, Augustine, et al. "Rate of de novo mutations and the importance of father's age to disease risk." Nature 488.7412 (2012): 471-475.

[3] Kinney, Dennis K., et al. "Environmental risk factors for autism: do they help cause de novo genetic mutations that contribute to the disorder?." Medical hypotheses 74.1 (2010): 102-106.

[4] Houston, B. J., et al. "The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on sperm function." Reproduction 152.6 (2016): R263-R276.

[5] Sepehrimanesh, Masood, et al. "Proteomic analysis of continuous 900-MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure in testicular tissue: a rat model of human cell phone exposure." Environmental Science and Pollution Research(2017): 1-8.

[6] Phones Carried on Belt or in Pants Pocket May Harm Reproductive Health

[7] Non-genetic factors play surprisingly large role in determining autism, says study by group

[8] EU on brink of historic decision on pervasive glyphosate weedkiller

[9] Dr Bush - Why Are Children Sponges for Toxins? Science of the Microbiome & the Extracellular Matrix.

[10] EMF Portal: Search 25,703 publications and 6,069 summaries of individual scientific studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields.

[11] Herbert, Martha R., and Cindy Sage. "Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link–Part I."Pathophysiology 20.3 (2013): 191-209.

[12] Herbert, Martha R., and Cindy Sage. "Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link Part II."Pathophysiology 20.3 (2013): 211-234.

[13] Facebook Autism and EMF Group

[14] Top 5 Autism Suspects and How to Avoid Them

[15] Autism and Your Home

[16] EWG Verified

[17] EWG’s Healthy Home Guide

[18] Faber, Scott, et al. "A clean room sleeping environment’s impact on markers of oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders." BMC complementary and alternative medicine 15.1 (2015): 71.

How Do You Know What’s Real in Silicon Valley?

      December 1998
Palo Alto, California

I was sitting in a classroom at Stanford listening to Larry Page and Sergey Brin wrap up the last class they were teaching on web data mining.

“I just want to announce that we have formed a company called Google around the database we used in this class. We now have four employees, and you are welcome to interview and join us if you are interested.”

I liked their novel approach of counting links from other sites to determine which web pages were more popular and credible, but this was a far cry from the big search engines like Yahoo and Excite. For the last four months, I had also been working full time managing engineering for the front page of the Excite search engine and portal. We had been getting millions of page views a day and my stock options were up, so I didn't even consider the offer.

I walked out of the classroom content to have finished the last class for my Master’s degree.

. . .

November 2001
Sunnyvale, California

I left Excite after the Internet bubble burst and joined a company called Interwoven.  A few months after I joined, our office moved to a new location next to Onizuka Air Force Base in Sunnyvale.

After the move, one of the engineers sent an email expressing concern about the safety of our new office. The Air Force Base had several very large dish antennas pointed right at our building. A facilities manager responded that he had been assured that this was safe. I deleted the email thread, which I felt was a waste of my time, and focused on my work. This was ridiculous; at Excite we worked right next to the AT&T communications tower in Redwood City and no one had gotten sick.

. . .

August 2009
Los Altos, California

I was walking around the block on a nice summer day, and one of my neighbors greeted me as I walked by. I responded back and then she said in a quiet and concerned voice, “How are you doing?”  

I replied “Good.”

“You look pretty thin.”

“I’m fine, I’m eating really well and exercising.” I didn’t know what else to say.

I finished my walk around the block and went into the bathroom to look into the mirror. I had been doing everything I could think of to improve my health. I had been working out, eating almost all organic food, and avoiding chemical toxins. But my weight has dropped pretty dramatically, and I had lost almost 30 pounds over the last few years. I’m 5’ 10”, and my weight was down to 131 pounds. I’d had to shop in the boys’ department to find pants that fit. I’d had problems sleeping through the night, and I’d had an almost constant ringing in my ears. I was putting way more effort into my health most people and yet, I was missing something. Something was still wrong.

One interesting clue was that the ringing in my ears didn’t happen everywhere, it only happened in certain places. I had several experts go through my home. An audio expert found a high pitched ringing sound in our home that could be traced to electrical noise. I also hired a building biologist to help review our home and office spaces. He found several sources of high exposure to wireless levels and EMF (electromagnetic fields) that we reduced, and my sleep, weight, and health rapidly recovered. The mystery was solved.

Months later, I remembered the email at Interwoven about the antenna, and I drove back there with a radio frequency meter to measure the signal levels coming off the antennas. There was a very large and strong blip about every 5 seconds that you would expect to hear from a rotating radar antenna. I looked up at the big blue cube next to the dish antennas and pointed the meter toward it. The strong pulse was coming from the big cube building, which was apparently concealing a rotating radar antenna. I later learned that this site was a space radar tracking system.

Needless to say, I wish I had not dismissed the concerns about the antenna.

. . .

June 2017
Near Washington D.C.

I pulled up to the home of George Carlo, who ran cell phone safety testing for the wireless industry in the 1990s. As I was taking my backpack out of the car, I heard a voice greeting me from the front porch, “Hey, Peter!”

If you’re assuming this was going to be an intense confrontation, you are just as wrong as I was about wireless being safe. George wrote a book about the harm from cell phones in 2001. We had spoken a few times on the phone over the last seven years about the health impacts of wireless, but we hadn’t met in person.

It turned out we had a lot in common. Neither of us really wanted to work in this area, but once you know the reality of this “secret”, it’s morally difficult to walk away and not share what you know.  

He was asked to test cell phones for safety after they had already been released into the market and he found evidence of biological harm.

“The industry thought they had a PR problem, but what they actually had was a real safety problem.”

And that safety problem has never been addressed. He reported his findings but was ignored. There was too much money at stake.  

George explained: “The FCC didn’t think that the wireless auctions would generate very much money. They were really surprised by how much money the tech companies and telecom companies were willing to pay. The revenue was substantial and helped to balance the federal budget.”

. . .

The objective written on the top of my resume used to be “to empower people with personal technology.”  But now I find the best way to empower myself and others is to make people aware of the current safety issues and give them simple steps they can take to reduce their exposures, especially at night.

Try it for yourself. Turn off your cell phone, Wi-Fi and cordless phone base station at night and see how you sleep. Measure wireless levels in your own home.

I have included a few references, but I would encourage you to do your research and keep digging deeper until you really know, for yourself, what is truly real.

References

Report of Partial Findings from the National Toxicology Program Carcinogenesis Studies of Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation in Hsd: Sprague Dawley® SD rats (Whole Body Exposures)

Scientists call for Protection from Non-ionizing Electromagnetic Field Exposure

WHO: IARC Classifies Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields as Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans

Pall, Martin L. "Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression." Journal of chemical neuroanatomy 75 (2016): 43-51.

Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age: An Insider's Alarming Discoveries about Cancer and Genetic Damage

Autism: All Things Considered

I’m going to ask you to consider something new that you probably have not heard associated with autism. It is something that I had never considered, something I was completely blind to. So, please, pause for a moment, be as open as you can, and consider this:

What if wireless was a factor in autism?

If this was true, we would expect to see parents in high-tech jobs, with more wireless exposure, having autistic children with more severe symptoms. One research study found that exact link.[1]

We would also expect to find that countries with more advanced high-speed wireless networks and higher levels of exposure to wireless radiation would have higher autism rates. We would expect that South Korea, which has the some of the world’s fastest internet connections and most advanced wireless networks in the world, would also have the highest autism rate in the world, which is, indeed, the case.[2]

If wireless were contributing to the autism epidemic, we would expect to see the physical symptoms of wireless exposure match the known symptoms of autism.  Researchers have, in fact, found that the primary biological hallmarks of autism match symptoms associated with wireless and other EMF (electromagnetic field) exposures.[3][4].

Autism researchers have recently found that 68% of autism cases have epigenetic changes that impact brain development.[5] If wireless and EMF were involved, we would find research linking exposure to these to epigenetics changes (how genes are expressed, or turned on and off), and there is research showing that that can, in fact, happen.[6][7]

Finally, we would expect to see health insurance companies, who have tried to avoid paying for autism treatments, also try to avoid paying for any harm caused by wireless and other EMF exposure symptoms. This has, in fact, been the case. The insurance industry listed EMF exposure as one of the highest insurance risks in the world[8] and then Lloyd’s of London dropped coverage for EMF induced illness and declined to comment.[9]  

Thank you for being open to considering the role of wireless in autism. I hope you find, as I have, that this invisible and rising part of our environment can have a substantial impact on our lives. The good news is that awareness alone is more than half the battle and exposures can usually be reduced very rapidly.

If you’re interested in learning more about autism and wireless safety, I recommend these resources:

Herbert, Martha R., and Cindy Sage. "Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link–Part I." Pathophysiology 20.3 (2013): 191-209.

Herbert, Martha R., and Cindy Sage. "Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link Part II." Pathophysiology 20.3 (2013): 211-234.

Posar, Annio, and Paola Visconti. "To what extent do environmental factors contribute to the occurrence of autism spectrum disorders?." Journal of pediatric neurosciences 9 (2014): 297.

The autism/ASD epidemic is caused by low intensity EMFs (acting via VGCC activation) & chemical exposures (acting via excessive NMDA activity) which both act via excessive [Ca2+]i to disrupt synapse formation and function in the brain. Martin L Pall, PhD (Video)

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety, Joel Moskowitz, Ph.D (Website)

Overpowered (2014) by Columbia Professor Martin Blank (Book)

References

[1] Dickerson, Aisha S., et al. "Role of parental occupation in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and severity." Research in autism spectrum disorders 8.9 (2014): 997-1007.

[2] Study in Korea Puts Autism’s Prevalence at 2.6%, Surprising Experts

[3] Herbert, Martha R., and Cindy Sage. "Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link–Part I." Pathophysiology 20.3 (2013): 191-209.

[4] Herbert, Martha R., and Cindy Sage. "Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link Part II." Pathophysiology 20.3 (2013): 211-234.

[5] Sun, Wenjie, et al. "Histone Acetylome-wide Association Study of Autism Spectrum Disorder." Cell 167.5 (2016): 1385-1397.

[6] Shckorbatov, Yuriy G., et al. "The influence of differently polarised microwave radiation on chromatin in human cells." International journal of radiation biology 85.4 (2009): 322-329.

[7] Hong, R., et al. "[Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on DNA of testicular cells and sperm chromatin structure in mice]." Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi= Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi= Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases 23.6 (2005): 414-417.

[8] Swiss Re SONAR Emerging risk insights (2013)

[9] Lloyd’s Won’t Discuss Their New EMF Exclusion Clause

Autism One 2016: The Wireless-Free Tent Experience

In 2015, I gave a talk at the Autism One conference entitled “Wireless: A Key Piece of the Autism Puzzle and What You Can Do About it.” Two other talks were also given at that conference which discussed the health effects of wireless and EMF (electromagnetic fields) and how they contribute to autism. The challenge was that the hotel the conference was held at had a very strong industrial-strength Wi-Fi. This was a big concern, as I was planning to return for the 2016 Autism One conference. Was there some way to reduce exposure for parents and extremely sensitive children?

I have been focusing on reducing sensory noise, toxins, and wireless in my home and office space for over a decade, and my office was just featured on a CNN program that explored the health effects of environmental toxins. Working with some professionals from Healthy Building Sciences, LessEMF.com, and Alan Maher Designs, we came up with a plan to create a low EMF zone. My company, Clear Light Ventures, sponsored a room we named the “Clear Space.”  We incorporated as many healthy factors as we could into the room, but the primary goal was reducing high levels of wireless radiation.

We used a quick assembly event tent frame and covered it with two layers of an EMF shielding fabric called StatiCot. We then used four layers of another EMF shielding material called Swiss Shield Daylite for a skylight and for the doorway. We grounded the metal frame and conductive shielding fabric with three Alan Maher Technical Grounds to give the fabric and frame a way to discharge electrical energy. This configuration allowed us to reduce the average level of wireless radiation from over 3,000 uW/m2 to 0 uW/m2. It was a great team effort, but the real measure of success would be to see how many people, especially the autistic children, felt the difference. 

Over the next five days of the conference, hundreds of people went into the Clear Space tent.  I was surprised that almost everyone (about 97%) felt the difference. We started to ask people to write brief comments about their experience of being in the tent.  Here are a few of those comments:

“I felt very calm and peaceful in the tent.  It was like I stepped out of my world to a place I needed to be.”

“I feel much more relaxed!”

“I spent 10 minutes in the tent and felt much more clear in my head and calmed.”

Calm was the most common word used to describe the experience. Some of the autistic children who came into the tent immediately started to calm down and “stim” less. Two brothers came in and calmed down right away. One sat in a chair and looked stunned by the experience, and the other laid on the floor and went to sleep. Many of the parents at the conference brought their children into the tent to calm them down.

You don’t need to create a completely wireless and EMF-free zone to start feeling the calming effects of reducing wireless exposure. You can start to get some of the benefits for free by turning off sources of wireless exposure around your body, especially exposures in your bedroom that impact your sleep.

For more details, see the video "Autism One Wireless-Free Tent Experiences."

Take Action

Creating a Healthy Sleep Environment

Wireless and EMF Reduction for Autism

References

Wireless: A Key Piece of the Autism Puzzle and What You Can Do About It

The autism/ASD epidemic is caused by low intensity EMFs (acting via VGCC activation) and chemical exposures (acting via excessive NMDA activity) which both act via excessive [Ca2+]i to disrupt synapse formation and function in the brain.

CNN’s Morgan Spurlock: Inside Man on Toxins

The Inside Man episode “The Truth about Toxins” (Season 4: Episode 5) aired on CNN on August 12th. If you saw the show, thank you for taking the time to watch it.  If you haven’t seen it and would like to, it is currently streamable on go.cnn.com:

- Find the show icon on the left and click on it
- Find “Inside Man” in the list of shows     
- Find the episode “The Truth about Toxins” and select it

You may also have to sign in, using your sign-in for your cable company’s website. The show is also accessible from the goCNN app on Apple TV.

My local cable company (Comcast/Xfinity) has it on-demand until September 10th.  If you have Xfinity, this link will take you right to the episode: 

Morgan Spurlock: Inside Man "The Truth About Toxins"

My story and work on toxins and detox are featured in a segment near the end of the show (27:35-35-:46). The primary focus is on detox from EMF (electromagnetic fields and wireless).

I will follow up this blog with a more in-depth review of detox products, protocols, and concepts that we discussed and prepared for the episode.

Campus Safety: How to Survive and Thrive in the Wireless Era

When my oldest son went to college last year, we gave him and some of his friends a copy of the book “The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: College.”  The book covers a wide range of topics from how to do laundry to how to deal with a nightmare roommate.  The only problem is that it was missing information on the newest campus safety issue that concerned me the most: wireless radiation. This paper will present simple tips for surviving and thriving in wireless environments in college. Most of these tips also apply to elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, home, and work environments.

Cell towers

Find the cell tower(s) on or near your campus and minimize your time near them to reduce exposure to microwaves . If you have the ability to choose your dorm, consider the distance to cell towers as one of the most important deciding factors. Ideally, you would not want to be in a dorm that was within a quarter mile of a cell tower, and the further away the better (go to  antennasearch.com to find the cell tower(s) in your area).

Wi-Fi

Many classrooms and lecture halls have Wi-Fi routers installed inside them. Sit as far away from Wi-Fi routers as you can.  

If you can choose your location in your dorm, ask for one that is as far from the Wi-Fi router as possible. The ends of buildings may often have lower Wi-Fi levels than the middle. To measure the signal strength and the number of signals you are exposed to in each location, you can walk around the building with your phone or laptop and watch the Wi-Fi signal level(s) rise and fall.

Cell phone

Part of your wireless (microwave frequency) exposure comes from your cell phone, even when you are not using it. Buy a phone that has a low SAR (specific absorption rate) rating. Radiation levels drop off quickly--every time you double the distance, the radiation level goes down by 75%. Conversely, moving twice as close (for example, from two inches to one inch away) will quadruple the radiation level. This is why the FCC and the cell phone manufacturers warn you to always keep your phone at least 5 mm (about two-tenths of an inch) from your body. (See the “show the fine print” website to look up the exact distance for your phone).

Carrying the phone on your body will likely increase your exposure to a level above the FCC’s guidelines. Try to develop a habit of not carrying your phone in your hand, pocket, bra, or any other place that is in contact with your body. A good solution is to keep your phone in a backpack or purse as much as possible. If you must carry your phone in your hand, pocket, or bra, turn the phone to airplane mode and make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are off.  If the phone really must be on and against your body, use a shielding product like a Blocsoc.

When you use your phone, either text, use speakerphone, or use an airtube headset to avoid exposure near your head. You can also turn off the stronger LTE connection to reduce exposure (on the iPhone->Settings->Cellular-“Enable LTE”->Off). Another option is to  use Apple’s iMessage or Google Voice texting to keep up with text messages on your computer, ideally from a wired connection.

Computer

Spending hours working with a laptop can dramatically increase your stress and EMF exposure. Also, after sunset, it can increase your exposure to blue light, which can disrupt your circadian rhythms and sleep cycle. To prevent this, you can install a free app called f.lux to reduce blue light exposure at night.

Working on your laptop while it is plugged in and charging will increase your exposure to harmful electric fields, so use it unplugged as much as possible. If you have a wired Ethernet connection available, use that and turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. If you only have a Wi-Fi Internet connection, turn it off when you don’t need to connect to the Internet. This is also a great tactic for removing distraction and interruptions when you need to focus. Place your laptop on a desk, instead of your lap. If this is not an option, consider a shield like a HaraPad to put under your computer, especially if you are using Wi-Fi. The HaraPad can also be kept right against your back in a backpack to protect your body from cell phone exposure if your cell phone is on and in your backpack.

Electromagnetic Fields and Electrical Noise

Keep LED electric clocks (a major source of magnetic fields) and light and power cords as far from your bed as possible, especially away from your head. An Alan Maher Designs Tech Ground Mini is a great device to plug into a dorm room outlet to reduce electrical noise and field effects in the room.  Another Alan Maher Designs product that would be useful on campus is a shoe insert that can filter electrical noise around the body and in the nervous system. This is a discrete and very effective way to stay calm and keep your brain and nervous system sharp and focused.

I hope these tips help you survive and thrive in your college years and beyond.

EMF and Autism Update

This paper is a summary of recent research and treatment protocols that support the theory that electromagnetic fields and radiation play a role in autism.

Initial Paper Summary

One year ago, Harvard researcher Dr. Martha Herbert, and EMF expert Cindy Sage, had their lengthy paper Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link published in Journal of Pathophysiology in two parts: Part I, Part II

The paper basically stated that the known symptoms of EMF exposure match the known symptoms of autism, these being primarily oxidative stress, inflammation, lower melatonin and glutathione and elevated calcium.  Their conclusion was that the theory of EMF (electromagnetic fields and radiation) as an environmental factor in autism is plausible and deserves further attention.

Genetic Study

The most recent genetic study in autism found that the majority of the genetic mutations found were not inherited from the parents: Dozens of Genes Associated with Autism in New Research.  The next logical step is to find environmental or physiological factors that would increase mutations.  It has been theorized that the increase in men carrying their cell phones in their front pockets (closer to their bodies than the FCC and cell phone manufacturers recommend) may play a role.  The overwhelming majority of research studies of cell phone wireless radiation and sperm have found an increase in damage to sperm, including damage to DNA.

A study by the University Texas found that children of fathers with technical jobs had a higher risk for autism.

The carrying of a cell phone in the pocket should be reviewed as a possible source of genetic mutation to sperm and a factor in the rising autism epidemic.

Emerging Awareness

Doctors and public health agencies are now starting to include EMF when they discuss the full range of possible environmental contributors to autism:

Pandemic Rates of Autism Cannot Be Explained by Genetics or Diagnosis Alone

Part 2 of Pandemic Rates of Autism Cannot Be Explained by Genetics or Diagnosis Alone

Dr. Martin Pall has gone one step further. He states that the exact mechanism of how EMF impacts the voltage regulated cell membrane channels is now known.   But, that is just one part of the puzzle.   He believes we now understand the whole thing.   We have cell phone and wireless causing sperm damage and contributing to increased genetic mutations and genetic load.   Toxins and total toxic load activate NMDA receptors, which contribute to increased inflammation.  He is very concerned about the toxic contribution of rising levels of glyphosate.  Finally, wireless and EMF are overloading voltage regulated gateways on the cell membranes, allowing positively charge calcium ions into the cell and disrupting the natural modulation of inflammation fighting nitric oxide (NO).

Screening

The lack of an objective biomarker for autism has made diagnosis and research more challenging. Two new non-invasive screens for autism may help us to quickly find children who are at risk and help researchers find more links between environmental exposure and changes in physiological biomarkers.

The first screen is a measurement of the brain’s electrical response (EEG) to light and sound.  The autistic brain takes more time to recover from the stimulus. 

Autism diagnosis could become clearer with sound/sight response screening

Since wireless radiation is basically light at a wavelength below our visual spectrum, it is hypothesized that autistics may be more sensitive to wireless pulses (invisible flicker or flashes) than neuro-typical children are, just as they are more sensitive to visible light than neuro-typical children are.  A study is underway to validate this hypothesis.

The second test is a non-invasive scan of the retina which measures the thickness of the membrane.  The retinal membrane thickness is an extension of the brain and nervous system and is seen as a good approximation for brain health.  Autistics have been found to have thinner retinal membranes:

Reduction in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in young adults with autism spectrum disorders.  

This is a key measure, because the thickness of the membrane is also a variable in the membrane channel’s ability to resist efflux and influx (outflow and inflow) of calcium.  Having a thin membrane equates to being “thin skinned” or sensitive.  We should now be able to quickly measure the effects of lowering EMF exposure and/or adding beneficial factors like healthy fats, which are used to build cell membranes.

Treatment Protocols

Doctors who are asking parents of autistic children to reduce constant sources of EMF and EMR (electromagnetic radiation) at night are seeing improvements in over 80% of the children.  This is a simple and free protocol that parents can try at home on their own, right now.  

Summary

Researchers are now closing in on the factors contributing to autism and EMF is emerging as a very plausible and likely suspect.   Doctors and parents who are measuring and reducing exposure to constant sources of wireless radiation are seeing results.

The Real Reason Electronics Are Affecting Our Sleep - Part II

Some people may still sleep poorly even after following the basic tips from "The Real Reasons Electronics Are Affecting Our Sleep." In 2005, I was sleeping so poorly that I had to be hospitalized.  I tried everything I could find: doctors, medicines, supplements, neurofeedback.  I saw some minor improvement, but nothing really restored that deep rejuvenating sleep I had known for years.

One day, on vacation, I realized that I could actually sleep well in some places. What was different?  My bedroom at home was pretty quiet, except for a subtle high pitched noise.  I became convinced that the noise was the cause of my sleep disturbance.  It took me three years to find the source of the noise.  The most helpful person was a building biologist who helped measure EMF (electromagnetic fields), wireless radiation and electrical noise (dirty electricity) on our household wiring.

We put in a few dirty electrical noise filter plugs and I noticed the pitch of the noise I heard at night changed and I finally started to sleep better again. Eventually, I turned off the wi-fi permanently and switched to wired Ethernet for all our computers.  We also replaced our cordless phone with a corded phone.  Additionally, we reduced levels of magnetic fields and electric fields (EMFs) in our bedrooms.  The fields "carry" the noise, just like a speaker transmits sound. When the fields are lower, it's like lowering the volume of a stereo speaker.

The hardest part of the experience for me was recognizing that technology could be a problem.  I worked in Silicon Valley and had always viewed technology as good and completely safe.  This belief proved to be not entirely correct.  I now fund work to raise awareness about wireless safety and the safety of EMF (electromagnetic fields), including their potential role in the rising autism epidemic (Autism and EMF? Plausibility of a pathophysiological link - Part I).  

Sadly, like me, most people have assumed that this is all completely safe and well tested.  Some sleep labs at very elite universities even advertise that they have Wi-Fi in their labs.  I have yet to find a study that demonstrates Wi-Fi does not affect sleep.  The emerging data on wireless and EMF shows that our biological processes are impacted at very fundamental levels.  

Here are some more advanced tips for sleeping well without interference from wireless radiation and EMF:

• Measure the level of electrical noise in your home's wiring with a Stetzerizer or Greenwave meter.  Use the meter to locate high sources of electrical noise and find devices that might be generating it.
• Don't sleep with your head near a power panel or circuit breaker box.  These are sources of high magnetic fields.
• Consider moving your head away from the A/C plugs around the wall or try sleeping with your head toward the middle of the room.
• If you have a smart meter, consider opting out.  They emit a wireless pulse every 6 seconds and the switching power supply in the units can increase the electrical noise in your home.
• Look for other sources of constant wireless radiation: alarm systems, wireless weather stations and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices.
• Hire a building biologist or environmental consultant to come to your house to measure EMF levels and look for other sources of wireless radiation and EMF. Some sources of exposure may be outside your home and they can help you shield your home from those exposures.

Almost everyone is now affected by this rising threat to healthy sleep. Most people know something is wrong, but have failed to find the invisible factor affecting sleep.  I hope that after reading these articles this factor is now clear to you, and that you will take action to mitigate it to improve your sleep and your family's sleep.

Peter Sullivan is an environmental health advocate, autism funder and writer.  He lives in Los Altos, California with his wife and two boys.

The Real Reason Electronics Are Affecting Our Sleep

Many people are now noticing that they do not sleep well after using electronic devices late at night. Some have attributed the sleep disturbance to exposure to blue light, since it is stimulating and is known to reduce melatonin levels at night. But that is only one part of the problem. 

It is important to understand that wireless radiation and EMF (electromagnetic fields) emitted by these devices are basically light with a frequency that is below that which our eyes can perceive.  We know that exposure to EMF can also draw down our melatonin levels, just like exposure to visible light at night.  So, it may be helpful to think of wireless and EMF as invisible lights that should be turned off at night before bed, just like we naturally turn off visible lights.

Here are some basic tips for reducing exposure at night:

• As a general rule, keep electronics out of the bedroom: TVs, cordless phones, cell phones and chargers.  Corded phones that don't need to be plugged into power outlets are OK.
• Move digital LED (light emitting diode) alarm clocks away from your head.  They generate very large magnetic fields.   Ideally, move the clock to the other side of the bedroom or replace it with a battery powered analog or LCD clock.
• Unplug reading lights close to your head.  Even lights that are not on will generate electric fields and bring electrical noise closer to your head.
• Turn off cordless phone base stations at night.  The cordless phone base is the one that has the physical phone line going into it.  Unplug the unit or put it on a light timer.  The wireless signal from these base stations is constantly on and has a large reach, so turn it off even if it's far from your bedroom.
• Turn off your Wi-Fi at night.  You could put the Wi-Fi router's plug on a light timer, or some routers have a software configuration that will allow you to turn it on and off at specific times.  You could also use a remote switch to turn the plug and Wi-Fi on only when you need it for a limited duration of time.

These simple steps will help you avoid the most common electronic and EMF (electromagnetic fields) problems that can interfere with your sleep.  When you are ready, there are even more steps you can take to reduce your exposure: 

The Real Reason Electronics Are Effecting Our Sleep - Part II