"All We Know Is What We Know Until We Know More" - EMFs, the Nervous System, and the Evolution of Understanding
"All We Know, Is What We Know, Until We Know More." I always kid, that I am going to put this on a t-shirt, something my kids have probably become tired of hearing me say but, I want them to always remain curious. History reminds us of this again and again. Ideas once considered absolute have shifted, softened, or have been rewritten entirely as new tools, evidence, and perspectives and they always will.
The Pattern of Progress
Every generation looks back and says, “How did they not know?”
We once used lead in paint and gasoline.
We once prescribed cigarettes for stress.
We once dismissed the gut-brain connection.
We once underestimated the impact of chronic inflammation.
Certain pharmaceuticals once thought to help, caused bigger issues.
None of these shifts happened overnight.
They unfolded as science caught up with lived experience. It's possible that future generations will look back at our relationship with technology and say the same. After-all children born after 1995 can not even remember a world without cell phones and internet.
Not with fear, but with greater understanding, today, we explore questions around electromagnetic fields (EMFs), the nervous system, and cognitive health, including dementia, as we find ourselves once again standing at the edge of what we know… and what we have yet to discover.
When Science Changes Its Mind
Not long ago, doctors believed stress had little effect on physical health.
Now we know chronic stress reshapes the brain, disrupts hormones, weakens immunity, and alters the nervous system.
Not long ago, ulcers were blamed solely on stress and personality. Then science discovered H. pylori bacteria.
Not long ago, the brain was thought to be relatively fixed after childhood.
Today we understand neuroplasticity and the brain’s ability to change throughout life.
Science is a “practice” and modern science has only been a thing for around 200 years. Science is fluid, a systematic way of understanding reality through observation. Discernment however, is the ability to thoughtfully evaluate information, experiences, or choices by combining observation, reasoning, and inner awareness. Life requires the practice of both. We're not going to stop using our devises and for that matter we can't easily control the greater invisible EMF environment we now exist in. But, what we can do is become aware of how EMF may impact us and then assert discernment around our practice of using these technologies and lifestyle choices.
Shifts come with resistance, because we’re not always comfortably with change. Change begins with curiosity and through natural revelation. And each reminds us that knowledge is never static, it evolves, and we evolve.
EMFs: Here's Some Of What We Know So Far
Electromagnetic fields are everywhere. They come from:
Cell phones and Wi-Fi
Power lines and appliances
Bluetooth devices and smart technology
Natural sources like the Earth’s magnetic field
Science currently tells us that low-level EMF from everyday devices are generally considered safe within established guidelines. Large health organizations, including the World Health Organization and the FDA, continue to monitor research.
But here is the nuance:
“Generally safe” does not mean “fully understood yet”
Research into long-term, cumulative, and subtle effects is still evolving, especially in relation to the nervous system. Some studies suggest possible links between chronic EMF exposure and:
Sleep disruption
Changes in brain activity
Nervous system sensitivity
Oxidative stress in cells
Other studies show minimal or inconclusive effects. But, be curious about the onset or increase of so many chronic conditions, such as autoimmune, mental health, stress, anxiety, dementia, autism. The truth is not black and white.
It lives in the space between certainty and curiosity, science and discernment. And historically, it is often in that space where the next discoveries emerge.
The Nervous System: Our Most Sensitive Interface
The nervous system is the body’s communication network, an intricate web of electrical and chemical signals.
It regulates:
Stress responses
Sleep cycles
Memory and cognition
Emotional regulation
Cellular repair and immune signaling
We now know that the nervous system is profoundly shaped by our environment. Noise, light, trauma, toxins, social connection, and even subtle stimuli can influence how it functions.
So it’s reasonable to ask:
If the nervous system is electrical by nature, how might constant exposure to artificial electromagnetic signals interact with it over time? Science does not yet have that definitive answer. But history teaches us that asking the question matters.
Dementia: A Multifactorial Mystery
Dementia is not caused by a single factor. Research points to a complex interplay of:
Genetics
Inflammation
Metabolic health
Sleep quality
Cardiovascular function
Environmental exposures
Chronic stress and trauma
Lifestyle and diet
Emerging research is beginning to explore whether environmental factors, including pollution, toxins, and possibly now EMFs, may contribute to neurological vulnerability.
At this stage, EMFs are not conclusively considered a proven a single cause of dementia. But they are part of a broader conversation about how modern environments shape the nervous system and brain health. And again, we return to our guiding truth: "All we know is what we know until we know more."
Living Wisely in the Space of “Not Yet Knowing”
We don’t need to wait for absolute proof to make conscious choices.
Without panic or paranoia, we can practice gentle awareness, and only you can determine that level of personal awareness, what feels right to you?
Taking breaks from screens
Turning off Wi-Fi at night when possible, especially next to you while you sleep.
Using speaker mode or wired headphones
Prioritizing sleep and emotional well-being
Supporting nervous system regulation through breath, nature, grounding on earth or mat, sound regulation, rest, and good self care.
These are not acts of fear. They are acts of respect for a nervous system that evolved in a very different world than the one we now inhabit.
The Deeper Invitation
The phrase “All we know is what we know until we know more” is not just about science. It’s about humility.
It reminds us to stay curious, open, and compassionate toward our personal well-being, and new information, without abandoning critical thinking and discernment.
It invites us to hold three truths at once,
Science is one of our greatest tools.
Science is always a practice in progress.
We each possess a powerful personal GPS
And perhaps the most conscious place to stand is not in certainty or skepticism, but in informed awareness, and paying attention with that awareness to what feels right.
Because every breakthrough in history began with someone willing to say,
“Maybe there’s more to this than we currently understand.”
Be Well,
Donn XO