Here’s a statistic that may be hard to believe: There are more than 6.9 billion subscriptions for cell phones around the world, yet only 4.5 billion people have access to working toilets. While the estimated 3.5 billion people without toilets are at risk for health problems, so are the 6.9 billion with cell phones.
That’s because cell phones emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs) or electromagnetic radiation, which has the potential to damage the cells in the body. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies EMFs from cell phones as possible carcinogens.
EMFs can interfere with the body’s natural electrical system and disrupt sleep, immune system function, hormone production, and the healing process. Kevin Byrne, president of EMF Solutions, also points out the simultaneous increase in conditions such as chronic pain, depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Alzheimer’s disease and the significant rise in EMF exposure.
According to Dr. Devra Davis, who wrote “Disconnect: The Truth About Cell Phone Radiation,” cell phones are dangerous because they emit erratic signals capable of disrupting resonance and DNA repair. As long as your cell phone is on, it sends out radiation intermittently. Even if you don’t take your phone out of your pocket all day, it continues to expose you to radiation. Dr. Joseph Mercola, founder of Mercola.com recently wrote an excellent article on the dangers of cell phones and provided common sense ways we can protect ourselves and our family from the electromagnetic radiation it emits.
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself From Your Cell Phone
1. Keep your distance. Do not keep your cell phone next to your body or in your bra. Some athletic wear companies are now making bras with cell phone pockets. Don’t use that pocket unless your phone is on airplane mode. There is evidence offered by the Environmental Health Trust to suggest that women who keep a cellular phone in their bra may develop breast cancer. Research also indicates that men who keep their cell phones on their belt or near their reproductive organs may have lower sperm counts and less sperm motility.2. Talk on speaker. Holding a cell phone to your ear also exposes your salivary glands to EMFs. Research has shown a fourfold increase in cancer of the parotid gland from 1970 to 2006 while rates of other salivary gland cancers have stayed the same. The parotid gland is located closest to your cheek.
3. Turn your phone off more often. No radiation is emitted when the device is off.
4. Consider alternatives. When possible, use a landline or Skype, which offers a way to stay in touch without a cell phone.
5. Use an EMF shielding device. A variety of holsters and other cell phone holders and shields are available that claim to block radiation. If you buy such a product, look to see if it has an SAR (specific absorption rate) value. You want a shielding device that blocks the majority of EMFs. (SAR is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by a body exposed to EMFs.)
6. Make the switch. Switch the phone to airplane mode when you give your cell phone to your kids to play with, especially toddlers.
7. Protect yourself while sleeping. At night, put your phone on airplane mode or keep it on the other side of the bedroom.
8. Use a wired headset. But, because radiation may still travel through the wire, buy a ferrite bead to attach to the wire. The bead absorbs radiation traveling through the wire.
9. Text at a distance. Keep your cell phone 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 16 inches) away from your body when texting to reduce exposure to radiation.
10. Seek good reception. Cell phones with better reception transmit at lower power than those that need to work harder. Whenever possible, use your cell phone only when you have five bars.
11. Gauss up! Use a gauss meter to measure the EMFs in your home or workplace. Gauss is the unit of measurement of magnetic fields. A gauss meter is inexpensive and can offer peace of mind.
12. Limit Bluetooth use. Remove your Bluetooth headset as soon as you are finished your call. Switch ears between calls so you reduce the exposure to one ear. Also, consider using a Blue Tube headset, which was designed to help minimize EMF.
13. Food fight. Eat lots of foods that can help support your nervous system, which is the first system in the body affected by EMFs. Such foods include organic fruits and vegetables, organically raised red meats (e.g., lamb, beef, bison, venison), raw dairy products, egg yolks, and homemade slow-cooked bone broths. Be sure to also include an omega-3 fatty acid supplement, which supports cell membrane integrity.
