How safe is your health from your mobile phone microwave

As the world marks World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (ITU), we should begin to consider what damage the constant use of cell phone cause on our health. Even when Telekom regulators is trying to make us understand that microwave emitted by communication towers has no significant effect on our life; is this fact or do we need to confirm this by ourselves.

There is no harm in seeking for extra information; of course is it not a professional advice to always seek for another opinion when what is at stake involves life, ours and that of our wives and children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNNSztN7wJc

Does micro wave, the electronic wave that your mobile phone receives and transmits back while in use have any biological effect on our head, brain, ears, blood or nerves; do we need to raise concern on the health implications the regular use of cell phones, especially now when Nigerians are basking in the euphoria of being able to carry a mobile communicating device which previously is owned by only a few very rich and influential persons and now cost as low as N1, 500 (about $10).

It is funny that mobile phone is fast becoming a fashion accessory, we now find it convenience to carry a phone or two in our hand the same way we wear necklace, wrist watch or glasses, many times even place them by our pillows at night when we go to bed like me.

Mobile phone technology is here with us and we cannot deny the many ways it has made our lives better. Connecting with our love once, arranging business meetings, requesting for help in emergencies, etc.

The more we think about the benefits mobile phones brings to us, the less probable we are able to seek for additional information on the health implications of its constant usage. If you are ready, let’s consider some of the findings.

1. The brain: Nora Volkow a researcher with National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) said after conducting several experiment to determine the effect of regular use of mobile phones on the brain, in the course of this study said
"The study is important because it documents that the human brain is sensitive to the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by cellphones,” while being interviewed by the New York Times.

In separate study by Swedish researchers from Lund University (Salford, Brun, Persson, Eberhardt, and Malmgren). The studied was to find out the effects of microwave radiation on the rat brain. They found a leakage of albumin into the brain via a permeated blood–brain barrier, point like using invisible force to gently whisk the brain of rats as of egg.

NIH-BNL researchers have shown that radiation from a 50-minute cell phone exposure can speed up glucose metabolism, an established measure of brain activity. The finding is highly statistically significant. What is particularly remarkable about the new work is that those regions of the brain that were most highly exposed to phone radiation had the largest increases in metabolic activity

2. The skin: At school we learnt that heat denatures cells, if something is denatured it is changed to something else, this change is completely irreversible, it is pertinent to observe that when we use our phones for a call that lasts longer than 20 minutes, we feel a warm sensation on the skin, this sensation may look insignificant; however when this continue for some years, the effect could becomes more significant, research suggests.

The most active users of cell phones were found to have the largest changes in glucose metabolism in those areas of the brain exposed to the phone radiation

• Cell phone users had an increased risk of malignant gliomas.
• Link between cell phone use and a higher rate of acoustic neuromas.
• Tumors are more likely to occur on the side of the head that the cell handset is used.
• One hour of cell phone use per day significantly increases tumor risk after ten years or more.

What you can do to minimize micro wave frequency transmission on our health (Precautionary principle)

In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that regulators should take action to minimized the exposure of individual to micro wave to avoid a potentially serious risk without awaiting the results of scientific research.

They involve recommendations such as the minimization of cellphone usage, the limitation of use by at-risk population (such as children), the adoption of cellphones and microcells with as low as reasonably practicable levels of radiation, the wider use of hands-free and earphone technologies such as Bluetooth headsets, the adoption of maximal standards of exposure, RF field intensity and distance of base stations antennas from human habitations, and so forth.

In an attempt by NCC to make policies to regulate the transmission of microwave, in a two day event, hosted by the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC (EVC), Dr. Eugene Juwah represented by the Director, Corporate Planning and Strategies, Ms. Funlola Akiode had in attendance stakeholders in the industry including the Hon. Minister of Communication Technology who was represented by a Director of the Ministry, Chairman of Open Media and former EVC of NCC, Ernest Ndukwe, a former Executive Commissioner of NCC, S.A. Bello, representatives from Nigeria’s network service providers and network service vendors were in attendance.

The event was focused on the economic side, to maximize microwave transmission license benefits, the role of the regulator, NCC in this case, according to Ndukwe is therefore “to ensure timely allocation of the frequency spectrum in a way that will encourage competition, achieve 100 per cent coverage, promote innovation and raise money for the government.”
This in my own opinion is action in the right direction; because sooner or later an event may be organized to look into the health implication of micro wave frequency transmission on individuals.

To minimize exposure to this wave,

• Mobile phones uses should go hands-free to decrease the radiation to the head.
• Keep the mobile phone away from the body.
• Do not use telephone in a car without an external antenna.
• Use mobile radiation tracking apps have been developed to help to mitigate exposure
• Several nations have advised moderate use of mobile phones for children
Experts has advise that children and minors should as much as possible avoid the use of cell phone (a worthwhile advice to parents and care givers) it is important to repeat this “Experts has advise that children and minors should as much as possible avoid the use of cell phone” again even so when more people see ownership of mobile phone(s) as a class thing.

Do you think Mobile phones micro wave transmission is harmless? Let me know your thought.

References:

• http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623803000108
• The Engineer Network Team http://go.engineer-ng.net
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health
• http://www.springer.com/about+springer/media/springer+select?SGWID=0-11001-2-1296921-0

RJHRQFH3HKBY