CELL PHONE RADIATION
CELL PHONE RADIATION RISKS
In late March ’09 the peer-reviewed journal Pathophysiology published an overview of 15 studies (done in six different countries) on the effects of electro-magnetic fields (EMF’s) and radio frequency radiation on human health.The editorial summed up with: “Overall, the scientific evidence shows that the risk to health is significant and that to deny it is like being in free-fall and thinking ‘so far, so good’.”
In the Swedish component of this study, it was determined that there is a 5.2 fold elevated risk of malignant brain tumors in those who begin using cell phones before the age of 20, versus a 1.4 increase in odds for older users.
The response of Health Canada was as progressive as we’ve come to expect from them: “Health Canada currently sees no scientific reason to consider the use of cell phones as unsafe. There is no convincing evidence of increased risk of disease from exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields from cell phones.”
The editor of the report, Martin Blank of Columbia University, disagreed with the Canadian position: “Health Canada must realize that its obligation to protect the health of its citizens requires that they alert them to the implications of the scientific findings, so that they may take pre-cautionary measures on their own.”
CELL PHONES FOR KIDS
I personally don’t have a cell phone, nor do I trust them. I’ve been concerned about the sea of man-made frequencies that surrounds us for years, beginning with my first gauss meter, which measures EMF’s put off by electronic equipment. Decades ago the Europeans linked constant exposure to high EMF’s to increased cancer rates, especially in children. If there is anywhere that we should err on the side of caution it is obviously with children. Failure of the Canadian Health Protection Branch to do so is unconscionable.
In 2001 “Electrical Hypersensitivity” was recognized as a medical condition by the Swedish government. They estimated that just over 3 percent of their population was severely affected by this condition. I would suggest that this 3 percentile is our “canaries in the coal mine” and are only the tip of the iceberg.
At this point in time it behooves us to, as usual, take care of our own well being by being proactive. Educate yourself on the potential dangers and find out what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. And for god’s sake don’t give your children cell-phones. In ten years we are going to be inundated with a plague of brain tumors amongst our young adults. Then who is going to look after all us baby boomers with Alzheimer’s?
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD PROTECTION
I personally use an “Earthcalm” device, both something for the house and a pendent for my body (www.earthcalm.com). Deepak Chopra, last I checked, endorsed the Qlink (www.shopqlink.com), which is a pendent with optional house protector. Many people use the Biopro products (www.quantumnaturecare.com), which are based on Russian technology developed for their space program. Many of these protective devices are simply attached to the cell phone.
I cannot clearly state that one product is superior to another since the science on these things is fringe, to say the least. You can’t measure their protective effects with a gauss meter, since if they stopped the actual radio waves your phone would no longer work. Most of these devices claim to create counter (or scalar) waves to neutralize the ill effects of those frequencies that are not healthy to living organisms. They are generally proven through kinesiology (muscle-testing) or thermal imaging of the brain, showing less heating up of brain material when the devices are used. Or through live blood cell analysis, which shows less platelet clumping when the devices are used than when the cells are exposed to EMF’s without protection.
Europe has begun to produce other forms of protection from EMF’s in the form of copper based paints and wallpaper, and clothing that contains copper mesh. This is based on the idea of a Faraday Cage which is a copper mesh box used to test electronic equipment in. The mesh breaks up EMF waves so that they can’t affect the device being calibrated or tested.
Copper mesh has been put into baseball style caps, with an earflap that unfolds for when you use the phone, and into a scarf that can be wrapped around the head when on the phone. From our current scientific model, the copper-based products are probably the most sound though not currently available in North America.
I will close with a related quote from the inestimable Dr. Weil and a list of ailments with possible links to EMF exposure.
“Electromagnetic pollution may be the most significant form of pollution human activity has produced in this century, all the more dangerous because it is an invisible and insensible ‘toxin’.” Dr. Andrew Weil
Symptoms linked to EMF sensitivity: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Fibromyalgia; depression; dizziness; headaches; tinnitus; ADD/ADHD; sleep disorders; Neurological conditions including MS, ALS and numbness, tingling and tremors.
Other sites to check out include www.lessemf.com and www.emfsolutions.ca or simply google “emf protection.”