Step Away from the Cell Phone

Are cell phones safe?

The average American cell phone user logs in about 13 hours of calling time each month. And according to the industry survey that produced that statistic, cell phone users between the ages of 18 and 24 spend an average of nearly 22 hours per month with their cells pressed to their ears.

As I’ve noted in past e-Alerts, questions about cell phone safety have not been resolved – not even close. But until they are, there’s one simple thing you can do that might help avoid future health problems: If you’re one of those who spends multiple hours on your cell each month, put the phone down and step away.

Microwaving brain cells

Last year, Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D. (one of the foremost authorities on alternative cancer treatments) published an article titled “Do Radio Frequency Energy Fields Cause Cancer?” And he opened his piece with this more specific question: “Do devices such as cell or mobile phones, that emit radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RFEMF), cause cancer?”

Dr. Moss notes that the American Cancer Society (ACS) regards his question about a potential link between cell phone RFEMF and cancer as a “cancer myth.” And he takes exception with this quote from Ted Gansler, M.D., who is the ACS Director of Medical Content: Although “a few studies have suggested a link with certain rare types of brain tumors, the consensus among well-designed population studies is that there is no consistent association between cell phone use and brain cancer.”

Cell phones emit low-level, non-ionizing radiation on the same frequency as microwaves. This radiation has been shown to enter the user’s head, but what happens when this is repeated over and over, every day, year after year, remains to be seen.

In 2003, Microwave News obtained an internal FDA memo written in April 1993 that reviewed existing research on microwaves emitted from cell phones and concluded that the database of studies “suggests that under at least some circumstances these exposures do indeed accelerate the development of cancer by some unknown mechanism.”

That mechanism might involve free radical damage. A 2005 study in Turkey showed that long-term exposure to RFEMF from cell phones could increase free radical levels in the brain, raising the risk of brain cancer. In an intriguing side note, Dr. Moss adds: “These researchers found that the increased risk of brain cancer could be substantially offset by administration of the dietary supplement, gingko biloba.”

Electro sensitive

Apart from the potential effects of RFEMF on the brain, some people are simply more sensitive than others to EMF. According to a 2005 report in the UK’s Daily Mail, “Tens of thousands of people in the UK are thought to suffer from the condition, called electrosensitivity, yet it is not formally recognised by the medical profession.”

Symptoms of electrosensitivity (which seem to affect mostly women) include headaches, fatigue, depression, memory loss, joint pain and ringing in the ears. Treatment for this unusual condition is simple (although not necessarily convenient or easy): Avoid using electrical devices – especially powerful ones such as computers and microwave ovens. Can’t live without your cell phone? Then put the phone down, step away, and use a speakerphone whenever possible.

Dr. Moss has taken similar precautions. He reduces EMF exposure by keeping cell calls brief, and he keeps all electrical appliances away from his bed. He also takes antioxidant supplements to reduce free radical damage caused by EMF.

Dr. Moss’ articles about RFEMF dangers and other important cancer issues can be found on his web site: cancerdecisions.com.