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The Big Picture, Part Three
Dr. Peter Borten, LAc, DAOM
In the first two parts of this series, we discussed the value of a broad perspective on health, and we started to look at some of the ways our environment affects us. (You can read these articles HERE.) There’s a lot to say about the role of the environment in our health, so this month we’ll explore a few more of the major factors.
First let’s talk about our furry houseguest, mold. Though awareness of mold seems to have improved in recent years, many people still don’t consider it as a culprit in illness. It’s frequently hidden, and some molds release poisonous substances called endotoxins that can insidiously degrade our health. Long term exposure to mold can cause respiratory issues, sinus infections, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, unclear thinking, and other problems. Also, a study released last year showed that people living in moldy conditions have a higher than normal incidence of depression. If you live in a damp home, you may need to get a dehumidifier, extend your gutter downspouts away from the house, improve your windows, etc. These efforts will be worth your while.
Another effect of cold and rainy weather, even without mold, is to aggravate aches, pains, and fatigue. The word "rheumatism" was once widely used to mean chronic achy pain of the muscles and joints that is worsened by damp weather. Early in U.S. history, hot and dry regions, such as Arizona, developed a reputation as the place for those with rheumatism to go to be healed. But in recent decades, more scientific explanations for health problems have displaced traditional wisdom.
Luckily, doctors such as Robert Jamison at Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Pain Management Center are now doing research to support what we’ve known for so long. He noticed that his pain clinic filled up on cold, damp days. This prompted him and his colleagues to distribute questionnaires to hundreds of people with chronic pain. Nearly all of them reported worsening with cold, damp weather – often just before the weather change occurred. Jamison concluded that changes in barometric pressure are the main link between weather and pain. "Low pressure," he says, "is generally associated with cold, wet weather and an increase in pain. Clear, dry conditions signal high pressure and a decrease in pain."
If you feel achy, creaky, or heavy in cold, damp weather, try using a dry sauna on a regular basis. If you benefit from it, you may consider building your own small sauna. Kits are available and they’re fairly affordable. Eating warm, cooked foods in the winter can also help.
It’s important to consider that someone living in a cold, damp, and/or moldy house may have other reasons to be lethargic, achy, or depressed. One may be a lack of sunlight. Although humans don’t photosynthesize, regular sun exposure helps us thrive. Recently, a poll of over one million Americans was analyzed along with other quality of life data in order to rank the fifty states based on how happy their residents are. Not surprisingly, eight of the top ten states were in the south, where it tends to be warm and sunny.
Sun plays a number of roles in our health. We all know excessive sun exposure can put us at risk of developing skin cancer, but sunlight has a profoundly uplifting effect on mood. This can be partly attributed to its ability to stimulate production of vitamin D in our skin, but it lifts our mood even if we stay in the shade. There’s an benefit to seeing bright light, which is why full spectrum lights often work even though they don’t stimulate vitamin D production. (Interestingly, I have encountered at least a dozen patients who feel bad on sunny days and good when it’s cloudy. One more reason not to be reductionistic in our assumptions about depression.) If you live in a place where there’s not much sun, taking extra vitamin D and using a full spectrum lamp can often make a big difference in our quality of life.
In addition to the specific benefits of sunlight, people’s lives tend to be different in warm places than cold ones. In sunny, warm weather, we’re more likely to go outside and revel in the beauty of nature. We get more exercise. And this puts us in contact with other people, who hopefully ask about our lives and share good tidings. One of the characteristics shared by nearly everyone who lives over one hundred is that they are engaged in their communities. They have a strong network of people who check in on them and expect to see them regularly. But by no means do we have to let the weather dictate how much we get out of the house or how strong our social ties are. Great technological advances have been made in cold and wet weather gear. Take advantage of it and get outdoors.
The last environmental factor I’ll discuss this month is electromagnetic radiation. It is a big and poorly understood can of worms. At the high-frequency end of the spectrum we have what is known as ionizing radiation – ultraviolet light, x-rays and gamma rays. These forms of radiation are well known for their ability to change atoms, damage cells, and cause cancer.
The lower frequencies, which give us visible light, infrared light, microwaves, and radio waves, have long been considered harmless except when we’re exposed to highly amplified sources (such as a large power transmitter or microwave oven). But there is growing recognition that even low frequency electromagnetic fields can influence our health. The extent of their impact seems to be determined by a combination of how sensitive we are, how old we are (children being more affected than adults), and how much electromagnetic radiation we’re exposed to.
The health effects of low frequency electromagnetic radiation are still mostly unknown, but there are some weak correlations with leukemia and cancer, degenerative diseases of the nervous system, miscarriage, insomnia, and mood disorders. In my practice, I’ve encountered quite a few individuals who report better sleep when they minimize the number of electronic devices in their bedroom and keep their cell phone far from the bed. I even know some folks who shut off any nonessential circuits on their circuit breaker before going to bed. They say the house feels more calm. Also, almost everyone feels better when we get out of town. There are plenty of reasons for this, perhaps one of which is that there’s little electromagnetic pollution in the country.
As for cell phones, like all cell phone users, I want them to be safe, but the research is conflicting. Cell phones emit low level microwave radiation. Microwave ovens work because microwaves jostle the atoms they encounter and this jostling generates heat. Any time we are exposed to influences that cause cell changes (such as hormones, toxins, and radiation), there is some potential that a cell change may be cancerous, and cell phone emissions may have the ability to do this.
Children are probably at highest risk, since their skulls are smaller, thinner, and less dense than adult skulls. Cell phone emissions penetrate much deeper into children’s heads than they do in adults. A Swedish study published in 2008 claimed that children who use cell phones have a fivefold increase in rates of brain cancer. Another study found increased rates of salivary gland tumors in those who hold a cell phone against one side of their face for several hours a day. On the other hand, the jostling effect of cell phone microwaves also appears to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease – at least in mice. Alzheimer’s is thought to be caused by fibrous plaques in the brain, and cell phone radiation seems to disrupt their formation.
In any case, it seems prudent to hold your cell phone away from your head, use it in speaker phone mode, or use a hands-free device. Choosing a cell phone with a low radiation rating (the Specific Absorption Rate [SAR]) may also be prudent. SAR ratings for different phones can be easily found on the web; just google "sar rating." Manufacturers are quick to insist that these ratings – as far as we know – don’t mean anything.
Despite the grim nature of some of my reporting, it’s not my intention to stoke paranoia. I simply want to give you my best assessment of the available information in order to broaden your perspective of the big picture of health. And given how big this picture is, any one of the environmental factors I’ve discussed should be understood in the context of everything else. That is, if you’re a generally healthy person, you probably won’t be affected by electromagnetic radiation in any measurable way.
Nonetheless, it may be worthwhile to assess your total exposure to electromagnetic fields. Consider your proximity to power stations, high voltage lines and cell phone towers, the number of electronic devices in your home and office, and how much time you spend on a cell phone or in front of a computer. Turn off any non-essential devices – if nothing else, you’ll save money on electricity. If you have trouble sleeping, try staying off the computer, television, and cell phone for an hour before bed, and ditch the electric blanket. Keep plenty of plants in your house as natural air cleaners. Make a regular habit of spending time in nature, away from power lines and cell phones.
In the next part in this series we’ll take a look at seasonal factors and their correlations with emotions and energy. Until then, I bid you a peaceful relationship with your surroundings.
With Love,
Peter and Everyone at the Dragontree
