Much safer ways to use cell phones....

Today's post: Thursday, 12-11-2008

Cell phones are extremely useful and have even proved life-saving at times. So, since most people have experienced this, cell phones are NOT likely to go out of use anytime soon.

But heavy use may be bad for some people and moderately heavy use might be though the evidence is still a bit light one way or the other.

What to do?

So far, I’ve simply not used mine much and have continued using our original land line for most of my calls. And, since very few people have my cell phone number, I rarely have my cell phone turned on and set to ring if someone calls and have it off the rest of the time. It’s only on when I’m expecting a call or when I’m making one from it.

That works for me at the moment. But your job may require you to make heavy use of a cell phone. So, if that’s true for you, what should you do to make it safer?

Dr Al Sears is one of the better doctors who focuses on how to have GOOD health and prevent disease while having a better quality of life. And, since he writes for his own email list and for Early to Rise and their Total Health Breakthroughs, I get to read his articles often that reveal his much better than average thinking & knowledge. (He’s not perfect. But most of his articles are extremely good.)

So, when I saw earlier today that he had done an article on how to use cell phones more safely, I read it with interest. And, when I found how good it was, I immediately decided to make it the theme of today’s post.

Here it is. As I often do, I follow it with my comments.

This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, a free newsletter dedicated to making money, improving health and secrets to success. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.

“Can Cellphones Really Give You Cancer?

By Al Sears, MD

Some people think Senator Kennedy's cellphone caused it. He was diagnosed last year with a malignant "glioma," a kind of brain cancer specifically considered a risk for cellphone users.

Should you be worried?

The truth is, cellphones have not been around long enough to give us the kind of long-term studies we really need to know for sure.

And the research is conflicting. Some studies show no increased risk. So I'm not ready to tell my readers and patients that cellphones definitely cause cancer. The FDA says, "The available scientific evidence does not show that any health problems are associated with using wireless phones." But they then add, "There is no proof, however, that wireless phones are absolutely safe."

Some of the most up-to-date research suggests that there is some cause for concern. Here's what I know:

Researchers in Israel found last year that people who used cellphones heavily experienced a 58 percent increase in "parotid tumors" - a cancer of the saliva gland near the ear.

Another study last year, this one out of Sweden, concluded that cellphone users are 10 times more likely to develop benign cancers of the ear and brain.

Several animal studies have found that the kind of radiation cellphones use can damage DNA in brain cells. Damaged DNA is one of the things that can turn healthy cells into cancer cells.
Cellphones use microwaves called "radio frequency radiation" (RF) to transmit signals. Their antennae emit most of the RF, and since you're holding the phone right next to your ear most of the time, a lot of it penetrates the brain - as much as 60 percent, according to some studies.

Depending on the size of your head and the amount of radiation coming from the specific type of phone you use, you may be literally "cooking" your brain. RF energy can potentially cause the temperature of your brain tissue to rise slightly.

To protect yourself from any potential risk from cellphone RF, here are a few guidelines:

Keep cellphone calls short.

Go with a "hands-free" headset or a speakerphone. These keep the cellphone from direct contact with your head.

Don't carry your cellphone in your chest or hip pocket. Even when in "standby" mode, cellphones continue to emit radiation, exposing whichever part of your body is closest.

When using a hands-free headset, let the wire extend fully between your head and the phone. This distributes RF in small amounts along the length of your body rather than concentrating it in any one location.

Look for a phone with "voice-activated" features. These enable you to place calls and perform other commands without having to hold the phone close to your head.

Use a standard "land line" whenever possible.

Find out the level of RF emissions for your cellphone. If the level is high, replace the phone.
Cellphones come with emissions ratings known as "SARs" (specific absorption rates). These range from 0.5 to 1.6 W/kg (watts of power absorbed per kilogram of body tissue). Avoid any cellphone that falls within range of that upper limit.

The FDA provides SAR ratings for most kinds of cellphones and other wireless devices online. You'll need to locate your cellphone's FCC ID number, which is usually located somewhere on the case of the phone or in the battery compartment.

Meanwhile, my Wellness Research teams tracked down the SAR ratings for some commonly used cellphones:

Make/model SAR rating:

Alcatel OT-256 0.59
Apple iPhone 0.974
Blackberry 8100 Pearl 1.52
Kyocera KX1 (SoHo) 0.99
LG Prada 1.29
Nokia 2300 1.27
Nokia 2650 0.54
Palm Treo 600 1.43
Palm Treo 650 CDMA 1.5
Samsung PM-A840 1.29
Samsung SPH-A900 0.92
Sanyo M1 1.22
Sanyo SCP-5400 1.16
Sharp GX20 0.7
Sony Ericsson A1228C 1.34
Sony Ericsson K600i 0.5
Sprint PM 8912 1.27
T-Mobile Dash 1.34

Don't wait for proof positive that cellphone use can harm you. Using my guidelines, take steps right now to protect yourself.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure. He is also a nutrition expert, a fitness expert, and is board certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Find Dr. Sears's practical solutions and get immediate access to more than 400 of his articles by visiting http://www.alsearsmd.com/ETR/ ….]”

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A. One strategy he recommends is very similar to my current one. Mostly by using your cell phone very sparingly when you can, you are able to limit your exposure to it.

1. “Use a standard "land line" whenever possible.“

I particularly favor making an effort to make some of your more important or longer calls on a land line even if you do have to use your cell phone a good bit.

Here’s a couple of reasons why other than to avoid time using your cell phone.:

The calls don’t occasionally drop off in voice quality or suddenly simply end themselves at inconvenient times as cell phones too often do. And, since their handsets do not have to be mostly designed to be convenient to carry around, landline handsets are often much easier and more comfortable to use than cell phones.

That makes your more important and longer calls work better and be less hard on you. So this may be the best of these strategies now.

It can also work to use emails instead of some calls. Not only does that allow you and the person you are emailing to NOT use your cell phones, you both can reply at a convenient time.

2. “Keep cellphone calls short.”

3. “Even when in "standby" mode, cellphones continue to emit radiation, exposing whichever part of your body is closest.”

This suggests having your cell phone turned off unless you have reason to expect an important call can be protective also. So far this works well for me.

(However, it may well be technically feasible to make cell phones that are made NOT to emit radiation or to emit 90 % less than today’s models when they are not receiving a call. So that’s something to watch for in the future, particularly, if further research shows using cell phones is definitely harmful.)

B. Dr Sears and his staff also have provided a way to know which of several popular cell phones seem, overall, for both incoming and out going calls to do this least, which is nice.

And, there may be a way, since this is an FDA rating, to look up a cell phone NOT on the list in his today’s article on FDA’s website someplace.

C. Not having the cell phone right next to your head by using an ear phone and with your cell phone away from your head sounds like a superior idea if you do have to use your cell phone a lot.

It does sometimes make its users who talk on their cell phones in public look as if they are taking to themselves. But by now most people realize they are talking on their hands free cell phone instead.

And, it can make people who DO talk to themselves look more normal than was once the case, depending on what they are saying of course!

D. Hands free operation of a cell phone you use in your car is now legally required in many states. And, a car offers locations for the sending and receiving part of your cell phone that help limit your exposure to the radiation.

E. Since even if YOU do all these things, many people around you every time you are in public will have their cell phones on or be talking on them, you’ll be exposed to some of their radiation even if you do not use a cellphone at all. And, you will be exposed at least some if you have a cellphone and use it, even if you use it less and have a low radiation model.

So, one thing is clear, you need to do everything else you can to prevent cancer.

1. Do NOT smoke. Avoid second hand smoke. Support laws that prohibit or severely restrict smoking in public. And support groups that help people quit or that help teach young people why not to start. For example, we now know that one fourth of heavy smokers who actually LIKE smoking will get lung cancer from it with no extra help need from cellphone use. And, despite that smoking kills many more people with cardiovascular disease, it is estimated to directly cause as many as one third of ALL cancers, not just lung cancer.

2. If you get a bit too fat or you are, take action to lose the fat. In particular, get regular exercise each week. This helps you keep off the fat and has been found to be directly preventive of cancer. Eating lots of organic vegetables also helps keep fat off; and many of them have cancer-preventing vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients.

3. Take multiple supplements, vitamins, minerals, and those that help you prevent cancer such as 2,000 or more additional vitamin D3 each day. Taking curcumin once a day may also help prevent cancer as well as Alzheimer’s disease. Taking 200 mcg a day of selenium may not prevent all cancers; but it does seem to make it less likely those who get cancers while taking it will die from any cancers they get.

4. And, make a strong, special effort to eat some raw cruciferous vegetables, particularly, cabbage, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, and/or cauliflower each week.

So, in summary, if you limit your exposure to cell phone radiation as much as you can AND take the other actions that prevent all cancers, there’s a decent chance you can use your cell phone and avoid cancer too.