Cell Phone Cancer Conundrum

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Text When Possible

The reason test messaging is considerably safer in terms of radiation absorption is related to the distance away from the body people keep the phone in order to text. The intensity and power of the radiation emitted from your cell phone decreases dramatically with any distance greater than 5 cm. Text messaging involves holding the phone away from your body in order to both type and read the text. It is uncommon for people to hold the phone closer than 5 cm when texting because objects go out of focus at any distance closer than 5cm to your eye. Text messages are also usually quick and to-the-point, so you are likely to spend a great deal less time on the phone. Unlike vocal communication, there is no usual repartee of pleasantries being exchanged that force you to be on the phone much longer than you need to be.

Speaker Phone

If your cellular phone has the option and it is publicly viable to do so (i.e. other people are not around to listen in on your conversation), use the speaker phone option. This will encourage you to keep the phone a greater distance away from your body and all vital organs while still allowing you the benefit of vocal communication. Many people avoid this option in preference of simply holding the cell phone antenna away from the body. Yes, pointing the antenna away from you is a smart idea however; most modern phones have the antenna built into the phone for style. This makes it very difficult to figure out where exactly the antenna is and therefore makes it difficult to keep away from your ear. This is precisely why the speaker option should be exercised as a first choice.

Headsets

The verdict is still out on many brands of wireless headsets and Bluetooth technologies but there has also been suggestive evidence that these may be just as bad for you. In fact many sources indicate Bluetooth may even be worse for you. Fortunately there are many varieties of 'air tube' headsets that many companies manufacture. These ‘air tube’ headsets are much safer and emit no radiation. Sound waves are transmitted via a hollow tube which is connected to the speaker of your phone. Alternatively, if you are not in the market for an air tube headset you could always purchase a Wave Shield for your earpiece. The wave shield is a small gold mesh shield that is fitted over the earpiece of your current headset and is able to stop much of the radiation before it can interact with your body.

Abstinence

Of course the best way to avoid any of the potential dangerous side effects of long term cell phone usage is abstinence. If you don’t need to use it don’t. You can’t become affected by cell phone radiation if you don’t use a cell phone at all. Yes, this is easier said than done. In today’s world it seems everything needs to be done “five minutes ago” and quick and easy communication methods are vital. We suggest abstaining as long as you possibly can, or is viable to do so, and seeking other methods of quick communication such as email.

Although the official verdict may still be out, we think there is enough correlational evidence to be alarmed. There are also plenty of studies that suggest there is no strong link between cancer and mobile radiation, but we think it is only fair to warn you that many of these ‘studies’ are funded by the cell phone companies themselves. Even then, many of them still come back as only “inconclusive.” Hopefully, when the official word is out on the matter it will come up as negative –that cell phones don’t cause harm; hopefully. But, in the mean time, there are plenty of things you can do to avoid the potential risk that many independent researchers swear by.

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 User Comments:

Josh

Dec 13, 2008 9:35 PM

f it.. im not giving my phone

AL

Nov 7, 2008 4:18 AM

As long as beer doesnt cause cancer i am okay

trevor

Nov 2, 2008 6:39 PM

and what, pray tell, would i do without my cell phone.

raymond

Oct 31, 2008 12:39 AM

everything causes cancer...

Musical

Oct 30, 2008 5:19 PM

i know after a while of using my phone i get headaches

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NOTE: Shave Magazine accepts no responsibility whatsoever for the content of comments made by users or any of the repercussions that may arise from such comments.