What is an Anti-Radiation Blanket, and Do I Need One?

The reality is that radiation is produced by Mother Nature, as well as mankind. As a result, our bodies are exposed to various forms of radiation on a daily basis. The problem is that not all forms of radiation are considered equal, and some forms are much more harmful to living things and their DNA than others. One of the newest sources of radiation is via the cell phones, as well as other technological gadgets that transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation.

While the verdict is still largely out on whether or not smart gadgets and Wi-Fi waves do more harm than good, many companies are designing and selling anti-radiation blankets and other products as a precautionary measure.

What Is an Anti-Radiation Blanket?

The original models of anti-radiation blankets were made by companies like ours, Lancs Industries, for businesses whose employees or clients were exposed to harmful doses of radiation as part of their job. You may be familiar with one of the most common forms of anti-radiation blankets, which are the heavy lead blankets or capes often worn while getting an X-Ray. Heavy-duty versions of these lead wool blankets are used by nuclear power plants and other industrial applications where radiation exposure would be harmful or deadly without them. Now, however, there is a new kind of anti-radiation blanket on the market and it is designed to protect people from the potential effects of electromagnetic radiation.

The bulk of these new, lighter anti-radiation blankets is marketed to pregnant women and new mothers in order to protect their babies. The New York Times reports that while many of these products are shams, there are companies out there, like Belly Armor, that take a scientific approach and test their products. The results are blankets, t-shirts, cell phone cases and other light textiles that claim to protect the wearer from the majority of the environmental non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation directed at their body.

In most cases, these garments or blankets are not designed to be used on a regular basis but, rather, in response to a particular situation, like a pregnant mother working on her laptop or a nursing mother talking or texting on a cell phone. The problem with these products is two-fold:

• Non-ionizing radiation isn’t proven to be harmful…yet. It’s the ionizing forms of radiation that do the DNA damage that leads to health and medical issues that compromise one’s well-being. That being said, studies have linked non-ionizing radiation exposure to problems with sperm morphology and motility, so perhaps the verdict is still out. In any case, these products are often expensive and there’s not use spending unnecessary funds on a product that isn’t needed or doesn’t work as advertised.

The large majority of these anti-radiation products are made and manufactured in China and southeast Asia where it is much more difficult to verify the policies and procedures governing their testing and manufacturing processes. This makes it difficult for the average consumer to even know if a product works as advertised.

While there is nothing wrong with taking a proactive approach to health, we recommend the following steps if you want to limit your exposure to electromagnetic radiation:

• Ditch the Wi-Fi in your house. The reality is that Wi-Fi is everywhere so your body will be exposed to electromagnetic radiation whether you want it to be or not. However, you can limit your own exposure by ditching the Wi-Fi service in your house and going back to a direct internet connection for your desk and laptop computers.

Minimize cell phone usage. Again, cell phones and their signals are everywhere, but using your landline at home and your cell phone when you’re on the go can limit a good deal of the up-close-and-personal signals that are directed right near your head when you talk without a Blue Tooth or hands-free adaptor.

Get your laptop off your lap or belly. Use a lap table or special pillow to get your laptop up and away from your belly and legs so you aren’t experiencing direct exposure.

Purchase high-quality anti-radiation products. If you do want to invest in anti-radiation products, we recommend using products that are designed, tested and manufactured here in the United States where quality control standards are stringent.

Interested in custom anti-radiation products for your home or business? Contact us at Lancs Industries and we’ll get to work on it for you.