Cell Phone Awareness - by LiveInTheNow.com

New Cell Phone Data

by
LiveInTheNow.com

For many years, the wireless industry and certain health officials have contended that cell phones are perfectly harmless. However, in conducting an in-depth analysis of all of the published studies on the matter, researchers publishing in the Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography found that the largest-ever study conducted on the health effects of cell phone use, which found no associated dangers, was largely flawed. Not surprisingly, the study also happened to have been funded by the wireless industry.

The data that researchers pooled from other studies, however, led them to conclude that long-term regular cell phone use can damage DNA and approximately double the risk of developing a brain tumor in the more exposed side of the brain (i.e. the side you usually hold your phone on). The researchers said that their findings indicate a need to develop technologies to reduce electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure and for laws requiring cell phone manufacturers to reduce their devices’ levels of EMF output.

It’s hard to know exactly what to do in light of these disturbing findings. If you’re like many people — even the most health-conscious — throwing out your cell phone is completely out of the question, and even trying to reduce your use seems unfeasible. But if you care about your health, it’s critical that you take steps to reduce your exposure.

Ann Louise Gittleman, author of the book, Zapped: Why Your Cell Phone Shouldn’t Be Your Alarm Clock and 1,268 Other Ways to Outsmart the Hazards of Electronic Pollution, is a firm believer in the dangers of EMFs. In her book, she says, “Invisible pollution surrounds us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, interrupting our bodies’ natural flow of energy. And for some, that pollution has reached the point of toxicity, causing fatigue, irritability, weakness and even illness.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), EMFs have a powerful effect on us because our bodies are regulated by electricity. EMFs can interact with the body’s cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems and affect them in adverse ways.

In addition to DNA damage and increased risk for cancer, scientific studies have linked EMF exposure to: 

- Chronic inflammation, aches and pains
- Sleep disruptions
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Headaches
- Vision problems
- Nerve damage
- Alzheimer’s and other cognitive problems
- Disturbances in heart rhythm

As it turns out, there are many ways that you can reduce your exposure to the EMF radiation your cell phone emits. Here are some ideas: 

1. Limit the length and number of calls you make. This one is a no-brainer, but was also the study authors’ primary recommendation. You may want to have your cell phone available when traveling or driving in the car, but try to make calls using a landline when at home or at work.

2. Text instead of talking. The researchers also recommended this as a way to keep your phone at a safer distance from your brain.

3. Use an EMF shield. Pong Research makes EMF-deflecting smartphone cases that have been proven in independent laboratories to reduce exposure to electromagnetic radiation by up to 95% below international safety limits. The cases work by redirecting the electromagnetic radiation that would otherwise be absorbed by the user’s head and body with a special antenna system. [....]

4. Try to only use your cell phone in areas where reception is good. You cell phone must use more power (and therefore, emit more EMF radiation) in areas where reception is weak. Do your best to avoid using your phone in areas that have bad reception.

5. Keep your phone as far away from your body as possible. Store it in your bag or purse, rather than in your pocket. Keep it on the other side of the room, or better yet, in another room, when you’re at home or work. Use speaker mode for calls whenever possible.

6. Turn it off! Make it a habit to simply turn your phone off when you’re not actively using it. Especially avoid sleeping with your phone on in the same room.