Safe Cell Phone Use Is A Thing
And You Should Do It
Long before Halo Top ice cream was made and Kim Kardashian West sold contour kits, the World Health Organization (WHO) put mobile phones in the same “carcinogenic hazard” category as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform.
We all seemed to miss that news, along with suggestions made by the FDA to help cell phone users (every one of us) reduce exposure to radio-frequency energy.
SCOREBOARD
- Humans: 0
- Carcinogens: 1
But, hey! Now a whole pint of Birthday Cake ice cream has only 280 calories. We have that going for us.
If you’re one of the millions who missed the WHO’s news then it’s likely you also missed the fine print in Apple’s official iPhone User Guide. The part that states cell phones should be kept “5mm away from your body to ensure exposure levels remain at or below” Standard Absorption Rate (SAR). In plain language, cell phones should be at least 5mm away from you at all times, dammit.
Forgive me, Apple, for I have sinned… I’ve held my iPhone with my bare hands; had conversations with it pressed to my ear; kept it in my sports bra during workouts; rested it on my lap during meetings. I even text with my BARE FINGERS.
Enter: Radiation. Lots of radiation. According to some research studies, there’s enough EMF radiation emitted by our cell phones to penetrate two inches into the adult brain, and all cell phones hazardously heat our biological tissue, wreaking havoc on many parts of our body. Which leads to serious health issues like fatigue, headaches, brain tumors, DNA alteration, impaired immune system, damaged brain activity and a variety of cancers. At least, that’s what we know now.
While that’s all scary as heck, I think it’s everything we don’t know about EMF exposure that scares me the most. That, and how seldom EMFs are discussed. If it hadn’t been for my dear friend August Brice, a Tech Wellness Advocate, I don’t think I would have ever considered the safety hazards associated with everyday cell phone use. Or had any knowledge of the subject whatsoever. Let’s be real, this topic has certainly never appeared in the trending tab on Twitter, and I’ve yet to see it spark a viral video.
August is the Founder of Tech Wellness, a company devoted to living a balanced life with technology. She’s spent years and years studying, researching and sharing ways to live mindfully in our tech-obsessed world. And doing so put her ahead of her time. Way ahead of her time.
She is the reason I know that Apple’s iPhone User Guide recommends the phone be kept 5mm away, and the entire reason I’ve begun my own research into protecting myself from EMFs harmful effects. Like so many other things, the deeper I go with this, the more eye-opening it becomes.
A year ago, I would have never thought twice about the tingling sensation I felt in my hands after holding my phone to scroll through Apple News for an hour. Nor would I have found it odd that red spots appeared on my skin after my phone had been pressed to it. Like most of you, EMFs would have never crossed my mind as the cause — and the danger.
Glad that’s changed.
My hope is that you become just a little more cautious, a little more careful now too.
Start here. Tech Wellness’ 5 Steps to Safer Cell Phone Use:
1. Set your phone on a hard surface while texting to avoid prolonged hand exposure to radiation.
Typing with one finger won’t be that bad. In fact, it’ll quickly become a talent, with bragging rights.
2. Carry your phone 7–10" away from you.
Phones emit radiation anytime they are sending or receiving signal — almost anytime the phone is ON. So, pop that baby in your briefcase. Or purse. Or wherever that’s NOT your pockets.
3. Avoid using your phone while commuting.
Long and varying distance from a cell tower will increase a cell phone’s radiation output. When moving about your world, the phone’s radiation levels spike and peak when attempting to maintain signal strength. Super lame, just enjoy your commute sans personal mini-computer.
4. Wire Up.
If you can get your hands on a pair of these, do it. When you do talk on your mobile phone, use a quality headset (like TW’s recommended option above) and make sure the phone is sitting on the seat next to you or on the table — not in your hand or on your lap.
5. Switch to Airplane Mode.
The best EMF protection, and you can prove this with an EMF meter or detecter, is to turn the phone to its Airplane Mode. Doing so will disable the transmitter, so radiation goes bye. Do this anytime you can, and especially at night.
Yes. Do all those things.
If you’re looking for more advice or have some questions about all this EMF stuff, ask August Brice. And if you need to get your hands on a KKW contour kit, good luck with that.
