The energy crisis has us tripping over ourselves finding ways and means of using this resource more wisely and efficiently. This has led to the emergence of energy saving light bulbs.
While these light bulbs most certainly are energy savers, they can be a little more expensive. The costs, however, are offset by their long life as compared to regular light bulbs. One would thus think that they contribute towards your home’s energy efficiency, and you would be right. However, there is a cost involved in saving money. The cost may just so happen to be your health.
It is predicted that discarded and broken energy saving light bulbs are responsible for the release of up to four tons of mercury into the environment each year. Some of this mercury may be in your home! Therefore, when an energy saving light bulb breaks in your home, use extreme caution during the cleaning up process:
Besides interfering with your brain’s melatonin production, vitamin D formation, the risk of certain cancers, and the other health risks already mentioned, energy saving light bulbs are also associated with:
These and several of the symptoms mentioned earlier are also symptoms that are commonly associated with adrenal fatigue.
Many symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue (AF) closely correlate to those that result from energy saving light bulbs, especially when looking at AF due to toxicity and electromagnetic radiation. This is because the adrenal glands may become dysregulated by both these elements.
The adrenal glands, as part of the body’s NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) response system, tend to increase their cortisol production whenthe body is subjected to stress.
The EMF emitted by energy saving light bulbs dampers the cortisol production needed for normalizing blood sugar levels. Cortisol acts in such a way that your body increases its blood sugar levels during stressful periods giving it the ability to escape from an encounter if needed. Working together with insulin, cortisol ensures that the cells in your body receive the glucose they need for sustained function. Where the earlier stages of AF see increased cortisol production, the latter stages see a severe decline.
Cortisol also plays a role in inflammation. It has anti-inflammatory properties that cause a reduction in swelling, while it also has an antihistamine action that prevents allergies from getting worse. Prolonged high cortisol levels suppress inflammation. Additionally, it plays a role in your body’s immune reaction. The higher your cortisol levels, the less your body is able to fight infections.
Cortisol also enables you to cope with stress that is psychological in nature. If your body is not able to produce the cortisol needed to cope, you are no longer able to handle stressful situations.
Prolonged exposure to the EMFs given out by energy saving light bulbs may cause oxidative damage and deplete your antioxidants and hormones. Melatonin, the sleep hormone, is one of these. The result is that your sleep habits are compromised, with insomnia and other sleep difficulties the result. Low melatonin levels have been linked to the occurrence of breast cancer. It also interferes with your cells’ energy producing abilities, thereby increasing your general fatigue.
These EMFs may also have a negative effect on your red blood cells, resulting in less oxygen reaching your brain and other organs. This may result in difficulties with your concentration and dizzy spells.
Those who are exposed to EMFs for long periods may find it difficult to recover from infections, while they may also find they are more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. This may result in certain symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue, such as fatigue and weakness. It may also lead to an increase in cortisol production which could ultimately lead to adrenal exhaustion. This has the added complication of too little cortisol being released with its own set of negative symptoms and results.
Continuous exposure may also cause abnormal norepinephrine production which leads to disorders of the autonomic nervous system such as difficulty in regulating body temperature, depression, and short term memory loss.
As previously mentioned, energy saving light bulbs are a cause of mercury toxins in the environment. Mercury, as a toxin, has a major adverse effect on especially the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands, and the male and female gonads (i.e. testes and ovaries). Additionally, it also has a negative impact on your enzyme production processes and hormonal and enzyme functions are affected. You need only very low levels of exposure for mercury to make a significant, negative impact on your well-being.
The thyroid gland, using iodine, is responsible for your body’s metabolic rate. The hypothalamus, which is part of the HPA-axis, sends chemical messengers that trigger the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in the pituitary, resulting in the production of Thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3). Mercury that has accumulated in your body, however, blocks or inhibits these processes.
Mercury also tends to accumulate in the hypothalamus, thereby affecting hormone secretions in the pituitary as well as the thyroid – thus implicating the functionality of other bodily organs and functions, including the adrenal glands.
Prolonged production of cortisol results in a hormonal imbalance and has a negative influence on your body’s inflammation and immune functions. Mercury has the tendency of accumulating in those parts of the body that experience stress and inflammation – including a stressed adrenal gland. It thus inhibits the proper production and function of adrenal, and other, hormones. It may thus be a contributing factor to instances of adrenal fatigue.
Common symptoms associated with mercury toxicity include:
Exposure to the sun may actually be good for you, as the sun is our main source of vitamin D. The UV light given off by energy saving light bulbs, however, is very limited. The light given from these light bulbs may interfere with your circadian rhythm while their constant flickering (perhaps even unnoticeable) may have adverse effects on your health and well-being. This typically does not affect most people. However, if you are very sensitive, EMF and light stimulation may make you feel worse.
The sun gives off the full ultra-violet spectrum, and if you do not get enough exposure, your circadian rhythm goes out of sync. This, in turn, affects your hormones. A lot of our body’s chemistry is affected by the day/night cycle. Energy saving light bulbs, although bright light, give only a limited spectrum of UV light although their brightness tends to mimic that of sunlight, at least indoors. This disrupts the circadian rhythm as it makes the body believe that it is still daylight. Dimmer lighting during the evenings, on the other hand, does not have this kind of an effect on the body.
The UV radiation in energy saving light bulbs is UVA and UVB. The UVB, according to some sources, indicate that the UVB radiation emitted by energy light bulbs is between ten to thirty times more than that which you receive from the sun.
Energy saving light bulbs also contain a gas through which electricity passes. This gas tends to flicker when this happens. The flickering may be so fast that you do not consciously perceive it, but your brain may do so on a subconscious level.
Symptoms that this type of light is having a negative effect on your body include:
If mercury is a factor in your adrenal fatigue, one would think that the first order of business is to detoxify in order to get rid of it. This may not be the best immediate solution, however, as it would only add fuel to the fire because those who already suffer the burden of adrenal fatigue may not have the needed strength to deal with the chelation process.
Once you and your adrenals are stronger, however, you may, under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner, review a detoxification program once more. Strengthening the adrenal glands should be your first priority, besides managing future exposure to energy saving light bulbs.
Strengthening the adrenals is a multi-pronged approach, including different aspects such as your diet, environment, exercise, and mental state.
A great diet for those with adrenal fatigue is one that is made up of:
The remainder can include fruit, whole grains, and legumes. Some high-quality salt added to meals can correct your body’s sodium balance.
Foods that should be avoided include:
You could also consider taking certain supplements:
It is considered best practice to consult a healthcare practitioner before taking any supplements due to the nature of adrenal fatigue – each person’s body, symptoms, and stage of adrenal fatigue varies.
Your environment includes your home and work situation. Where possible, replace energy saving light bulbs with ones that are more conducive to your good health. Also, try to limit your exposure as much as you possibly can.
In instances where an energy saving light bulb breaks, ensure that your exposure to the mercury is limited as far as possible and use the best practices as previously described to clean it up.
Low impact exercise serves to get the blood pumping and boosts your endorphins, i.e. the feel good hormones. Great exercises to consider are walking, slow cycling, yoga, and tai chi. An added benefit of the last two mentioned is that they force you to breathe deeply, a practice that has a calming effect.
Your mental state takes to take a bashing when you have adrenal fatigue. Those with the condition usually suffer from anxiety, depression, or other psychological symptoms. You may consider seeing a professional about this. However, taking time out to do what makes you happy also helps. This includes spending time with family and friends or taking up a hobby. Anything that makes you happy counts, as taking care of your needs is a step in addressing the myriad symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue.
It is difficult to determine the cause of fibromyalgia or any other condition involving the endocrine system. However, energy saving light bulbs may contribute to certain symptoms you experience with this condition.
