How Close is Too Close for Cell Phone Radiation Exposure?
image source: Chicago Tribune
The way we carry our cell phone has long been debated as a health issue. This being said, we still make bad calls, both literally and figuratively, in using our cell phones.
For instance, the Oscar-winning film La La Land shows Emma Stone fielding calls with her ears pressed on her phone. If Hollywood celebs receive calls in this manner, maybe it is safe. Don’t you think?
In an article from the Chicago Tribune, then-President Barrack Obama was quoted saying, “computer in every pocket.” Does that mean that it’s okay to put our smartphones in our back pockets? Probably.
There are also people who stow their cell phones under their pillows when going to sleep. Is the distance safe enough to protect us from the supposed harmful effects of cell phones? Maybe. So how far exactly is considered as the safe zone when using our cell phones?
Cell Phone Radiation: Distance Does Matter
Scientific findings and government reports have varying stand on this matter. As per the Chicaco Tribune, the government says that there is no direct link that shows that radio frequency radiation (RF radiation) from smartphone use poses a threat to our health.
However, critics refute such claim. In fact, they point their opposition to the preliminary report of the National Toxicology Program. Research shows that the rats subjected to RF radiation developed heart and brain tumors.
Daily Mail Online also reported the risk of putting cell phones in the pants’ pockets. Based on a systemic review of 21 research papers on RF radiation, it was found out that phones placed directly or near a man’s nether regions for a long time can result to lower sperm count. In addition, sperm that survived from RF radiation are said to be “DNA-damaged.”
The May issue of the Environmental Health Trust’s newsletter detailed how a woman acquired a multi-focal breast cancer, albeit having no exposure to predisposing risk factors for breast cancer.
According to the monthly bulletin, the young woman used to tuck her smartphone in her bra. Two cancer experts studied the case of the woman, and what they discovered is shocking.
The cancerous cells in the woman’s breasts have a distribution pattern. And believe it or not, the cancer cells lined up following the shape of a cell phone.
Moreover, studies conducted in 2007 and 2012 established the link between RF radiation from cell phone use and brain tumor.
Both research found out that pressing a person’s ear(s) directly on the cell phone when making phone calls increases his/her chance of having acoustic neuroma and glioma. In addition, tumors will develop on the side of the head that is frequently subjected to RF radiation.
Protect Yourself from Cell Phone Radiation
If you want to shield yourself from the harmful RF radiation, follow the safety precautions stated by your cellphone’s manufacturer. For instance, the latest iPhone 7 model should be kept at least 0.2 inches away from your body.
Android users should also be cautious with their smartphone use. For those with Samsung Galaxy S6 or Google Pixel, ensure that the distance between you and your smartphone is at least 0.6 inches and 0.4 inches, respectively.
Experts also advise to use the handsfree mode of your cell phone when making or receiving calls.
Furthermore, you can equip your smartphone with a special phone case that is lab tested to block up to 99 percent of the harmful RF radiation. SafeSleeve offers such anti-radiation phone cases for your iPhone or Android devices, and also for tablets and laptops. You can buy yours here.
