Is wifi dangerous to our health? The potential dangers and what you can do about it

There is much scientific debate about whether WiFi is detrimental to our health. All wireless devices give off microwave radiation (MWR) - your cell phone, your cordless phone, your wireless internet, your wireless alarm system, and even your wireless baby monitor.

Although the official ruling is that our wireless devices are safe as long as we stay within certain exposure limits, the amount of microwave radiation throughout our homes and public spaces is now so great that some are referring to it as the new environmental pollutant.

Whether or not you see MWR as an immediate threat to your health, there is no doubt that we are surrounded it by it more than ever, and that there is insufficient science at this stage to rule on its safety. Further, there are growing reports of health concerns, particularly from people who live near cell towers. Here are three scientifically backed reasons that wifi may be a danger to our health, and three things you can do to reduce your exposure.

1) Children are more susceptible. According to WebMD, children absorb MWR more than adults because their brain tissues are more absorbent, their skulls are thinner and they're smaller.

2) Fetuses are vulnerable. WebMD also reports that MWR exposure can lead to degeneration of the protective sheet that surrounds brain neurons in unborn fetuses.

3) It attacks our bodies. Wireless Protection cites Dr. George Carlo of the Safe Wireless Initiative, who believes that the human cell recognizes the MWR especially omitted from cell towers as a form of attack and responds accordingly, shutting down to the point that it cannot receive nutrients or expel waste properly. He reports a hardening of the cells in people who live near cell towers, and he believes there may be a link to their complaints of health issues such as headaches, skin rashes, nausea, and insomnia, and even illnesses such as motor neuron disease and leukemia.

3 ways to reduce exposure
1) Bring back the wires. Yes, wireless technology is convenient. But there is a lot of technology in the home that doesn't need to be wireless, and as soon as you plug them back in they stop omitting the microwave radiation (MWR). Try using an internet cable for your computer, a cord for your baby monitor, and a cord for your landline telephone. It's no great inconvenience and will reduce the amount of MWR in your home drastically. Landlines, Skype, and other computer-based phone calls (when connected to the internet with a cable) don't give off any MWR so get into the habit of using those more than your cellular or cordless phone.

2) Keep your distance. WebMD writes that laptops and tablets should be held about 8 inches from the body, while mobile phones should be kept at least 6 inches from your ear. This reduces the risk by about 10,000 times. Don't keep wireless baby monitors inside your baby's crib - keep it on a table nearby, instead. Finally, try to keep your wireless router somewhere with minimum contact, like a hallway or laundry.

3) Prioritize your devices. A technology writer for The Guardian notes that you get a bigger dose of microwave radiation from one 20 minutes phone call on your cell phone than from a year's worth of WiFi. "Inverse Square Law" is the principle that microwave radiation gets exponentially less as you move further away, and whereas the WiFi router might be in the next room, your cell phone is held close to the brain. Another way to think about the potency of MWR? One cellphone is equivalent to about twenty laptops and two WiFi routers. Remember also that even if you're not actively using your mobile phone, it remains radiating unless actually switched off. Therefore, it's best not to keep it on your body - keep it in your bag instead. This is especially important for pregnant women, and for women who habitually keep their mobile phones in their bra. There has been at least one study linking microwave radiation from cell phones to breast cancer.

Although we've known about microwave radiation for a long time, never before have we had such a concentration of it in our everyday lives, and we have yet to definitively prove that it isn't linked to a growing list of health problems such as insomnia, infertility, and stunted brain development in babies and children. Why not mitigate the risks by reducing the amount of microwave radiation in your home?