Sunday, April 3, 2011

Cellphone Radiation May Alter Your Brain. Here are rules of safe use.

The Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that heavy use of cell phone could alter brain activity.

it was unclear whether the changes in the brain — an increase in glucose metabolism after using the phone for less than an hour — had any negative health or behavioral effects.

advises users to keep cellphones at a distance by putting them on speaker mode or using a wired headset whenever possible.

The next best option is a wireless Bluetooth headset or earpiece, which emit radiation at far lower levels.

If a headset isn’t feasible, holding your phone just slightly away from your ear can make a big difference; the intensity of radiation diminishes sharply with distance. “Every millimeter counts,”

So crushing your cellphone into your ear to hear better in a crowded bar is probably a bad idea.

Go outside if you have to take or make a call.

And you might not want to put your cellphone in your breast or pants pocket either, because that also puts it right up against your body.

Carry it in a purse or briefcase or get a nonmetallic belt clip that orients it away from your body.

Some studies have suggested a link between cellphone use and cancer, lower bone density and infertility in men.

But other studies show no effect at all.


You can get an idea of the relative amounts of radiation various cellphone models emit by looking at their SAR, or specific absorption rate.

the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization, has a comprehensive list of the SAR values for most cellphones available from major carriers on its Web site.

But more important than looking for a low-SAR phone is how you use it.

Many cellphones emit the most radiation when they initially establish contact with the cell tower, making their “digital handshake.”

To reduce exposure it’s best to wait until after your call has been connected to put your cellphone next to your ear.

emission of radiation is “significantly less when a cellphone is receiving - you listen - signals than when it is transmitting - you talk,”

cellphone emits less when you are stationary because when you are moving rapidly — say, in a car or train — it must repeatedly issue little bursts of radiation to make digital handshakes with different towers as it moves in and out of range.

weak signal indicates it has to work harder and thus will emit more radiation. “Fewer bars means more radiation

Children’s developing brains and tissues are thought to be most vulnerable to cellphone radiation.

Health authorities in Britain, France, Germany and Russia have all issued warnings against allowing small children to use cellphones for extended periods, if at all.

from www.nytimes.com - www.nyt.com
Cellphone Radiation May Alter Your Brain. Let’s Talk. - NYTimes.com

safety, cellphones, headset buying tips in full

lookup cellphone radiation levels

Samsung the best, Motorola the worst, in general


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