THE CELL PHONE POISONING OF AMERICA
THE CELL PHONE POISONING OF AMERICA
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/scalar_tech/esp_scalartech_cellphonesmicrowave17.html
by Lynn Quiring, RPh, CCN, NMD
2008
by Lynn Quiring, RPh, CCN, NMD
2008
"Electromagnetic pollution
may be the most significant form of pollution
human activity has produced this century,
all the more dangerous
because it is invisible and insensible."
This powerful and striking statement was made by prominent physician Andrew Weil, MD, best-selling author of eight books, a Harvard Medical School graduate, and internationally recognized expert on medicinal herbs and integrative medicine.
When you read the rest of this report you'll understand why his statement is both accurate and valid.
Facts About Cell Phone Use
- Talking on a cell phone as little as 500 minutes a month can increase the probability of brain cancer by 140% to 300% (1)
Cell phone radiation has been shown to damage and break living DNA (2)- Cell phone radiation causes leakage of the blood-brain barrier allowing toxins to damage sensitive brain tissue (3)
- Cell phones worn by men on a belt clip can reduce sperm count by 30% (4) (5)
- After using a cell phone for six years the risk of developing an acoustic neuroma (tumor of the auditory nerve) increases by 50% (6)
- Cell phone radiation increases estrogen and adrenaline levels in the body disrupting hormonal balance (7)
- A two-minute cell phone call alters a child's brain function for an hour (8) (9)
- Cordless phones have even higher cancer risks than cell phones (10)
The Russians Knew About This A Long Time Ago
Between 1953 and 1976 the Russians directed electromagnetic radiation directly at the US embassy in Moscow.
The radiation was a continual round-the-clock bombardment as the Russians were using this technology in an attempt to listen in on conversations within the US compound. Soon the American embassy staff became ill. The US ambassador to Russia developed leukemia and was forced to return to the United States.
His replacement also developed leukemia and he, too, was replaced. Staff members were continually ill and additionally complained of memory loss, brain fog, loss of focus and insomnia during their stay in the embassy.
"Radio Frequency Sickness Syndrome" was a condition the Russians had earlier identified in experiments. So they weren't surprised to learn of these health problems.
However, this same technology is being promoted today as safe and convenient.
Convenient it may be but safe it is not.
How Do Cell Phones Work?
Cell phones are really just radio transmitters emitting signals through radio waves.
These waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, or EMR. When the cell phone is turned on it locates itself by broadcasting a series of signals to the cell phone carrier's closest cell phone tower. The carrier then relays that information to the nearest mobile telephone switching office. When making a call the phone sends its data to the carrier's nearest tower, to the switching office and then to the switching office in the area code of the number being called.
Once the connection is made the cell phone's transmitter packages your voice or text data onto a second radio wave that is created for the purpose of transmitting the information. This second wave is called the Information-Carrying Radio Wave, or ICRW. When the call is received by the recipient's switching office a connection is made through the nearest tower that connects the call with your phone.
Through a processor in the phone the digital information signal is converted into an analog signal so a voice can be heard. All this occurs in an average time of four to eight seconds.
Each cell phone contains its own transmitter. The purpose of the transmitter is to encode information onto a radio wave. This radio wave radiates out from the phone's antenna evenly through space. The information being encoded, for example, could be the sound of your voice, the data from your text message or a photo.
The transmitter will then send the encoded wave, with your information or voice, to the antenna and the antenna will then send the signal. The function of the antenna is to propel these radio waves out into space so that a receiver in a nearby cell tower will pick them up.
This makes the antenna the most dangerous part of the phone.
Where The "Cell" In Cell Phone Comes From
Cell phone towers emit signals in a "flower petal" pattern around the tower.
This 360-degree radius around the tower is called a "cell" and this is what the term "cell" in cell phone means. When a cell phone is in a "cell" one usually enjoys good reception. But when the cell phone is not in a "cell" area reception is poor. So for a cell phone company to provide complete coverage cell phone towers and antenna towers must be positioned all across the countryside so that the "cells" overlap one another.
One can begin to see what a huge infrastructure needs to be created to provide complete cell phone coverage. That's why cell phone towers and antenna towers are so prevalent.
And that's why these antennas are installed in so many places like fire stations, schools, churches and rooftops everywhere.
What Exactly Is Cell Phone Radiation?
Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy consisting of a magnetic field plus an electrical field.
Cell phone radiation is one form of electromagnetic radiation. All electromagnetic radiation falls within a spectrum that can range from extremely low frequency radiation, or ELFs, on the low end, to microwaves, X-Rays and gamma rays at the upper end. For example, electrical power lines and wiring in our homes operate in the 60 Hertz frequency which is found at the low end of the spectrum.
AM radio operates at one megahertz while most cell phones operate in the range of 800 to 2200 megahertz. These frequencies are substantially higher than 60 Hertz. At the high end of the energy spectrum we find X-Rays that operate at more than one million megahertz. This kind of radiation energy is also known as "ionizing" radiation since these radio waves are so powerful that they can break chemical bonds in the body and cause genetic damage.
Radiation at the low end of the spectrum is known as "non-ionizing" radiation and radiation of this kind is generated by such devices as cell phones, cell phone towers, wireless routers, WiFi, etc. This form of radiation is too weak to break chemical bonds and is one reason why many falsely believe that cell phone radiation is harmless.
When the radio wave from a cell phone is oscillating at 800 to 2200 megahertz, (or two thousand two hundred million cycles per second) it is moving much too fast for the body to detect. The body simply cannot recognize a radio wave moving at this speed and thus it moves invisibly through the body without detection.
Radiation moving this fast could only be recognized if it were driven by a very strong source of power. If the power driving a radio wave is of sufficient strength the wave could cause damage through the heating of biological tissue. Since cell phones aren't strong enough to heat biological tissue the mechanism by which cell phone radiation causes harm occurs in a different manner.
This mechanism will be explained in a different section of this report.
Helpful Terms to Understand
Electricity is simply the flow of electrons.
This can occur over a high power transmission line or through wiring in the home or office. Whenever electricity passes through a wire two fields of force are created. One is an electrical field and the other is a magnetic field. In the United States electrical current reverses direction 60 times each second and thus is called alternating current, or AC.
The cycles of current are measured in a unit called Hertz (Hz) so named for the German physicist Heinrich Hertz.
Hertz is simply defined as the number of cycles per second. Electrical current in the U.S. operates at 60 Hz while electricity in most other parts of the world operates at 50 Hz. Most electric power in the U.S. is of an extremely low frequency, i.e., under 3000 Hz.
As frequencies increase, the distance between one wave and the next becomes shorter and shorter. Consequently, there is a greater amount of energy generated in the field. Shorter wavelengths mean greater energy. Electrical fields can be shielded rather easily by using metallic barriers. However, magnetic fields, such as those in the 60 Hz range, will easily penetrate through most any barrier and become very difficult, if not impossible, to shield.
It's important to understand the term Hertz (Hz) since it is used commonly to express the frequencies of appliances and devices like cell phones and microwave ovens. Megahertz (MHz) is one million hertz and gigahertz (GHz) is one billion hertz or one billion cycles per second. Most cell phones operate in the frequency range of 800 to 2200 megahertz. To make a comparison, the human heart being dependent upon electrical function, beats in a frequency of 2 Hz, or two cycles per second.
Most electrical activity of the human body operates in the hertz range.
Another important term is gauss, or milligauss (mG). This unit measures the intensity of the magnetic field. It was so named for the German astronomer and mathematician Karl Gauss. A milligauss is one one-thousandth of one gauss.
As an example, the earth has a natural magnetic field that has been measured to be about 0.5 gauss.
Since humans have been exposed to the earth's natural magnetic field from the beginning of their existence this natural magnetic field is not harmful to the human body. However, power lines, electrical appliances, electrical wiring, cell phones, etc. all give off magnetic fields that are not natural to mankind. The intensity of these fields is expressed through the term milligauss.
Abnormalities in embryos can be produced from magnetic fields as little as one milligauss.(11)
Studies have shown a 500% increase in the risk of childhood leukemia, lymphomas and brain tumors in children exposed to power lines generating an electromagnetic field of only four milligauss.(12) Most scientists believe we should be exposed to no more than 1 mG.
Small handheld meters called gaussmeters can be purchased inexpensively to measure the electromagnetic field in the home and office. However, the gaussmeter only measures the intensity of the magnetic field. It does not measure the wireless signal or information-carrying radio wave.
Hertz measures frequency and milligauss measures intensity. Keep those terms in mind as you read information about devices such as cell phones and common household appliances.
Fewer Signal Bars Mean More Danger
Pay close attention to the signal bars on the display panel of your cell phone.
Fewer bars indicate a weaker signal. A weaker signal means the cell phone will generate more power to maintain the connection. In fact, for each bar lost due to poor signal strength the cell phone will increase its power by 1000% to maintain the connection.
More power means greater exposure to the radiation for the caller.
Ideally, always try to talk outdoors in an open space. This allows an easier connection from your cell phone to the nearest cell phone tower. The easier the connection the less power is needed to stay connected. Also, avoid making cell phone calls from cars, buses, trains, subways or airplanes.
These enclosures make the connection more difficult and also tend to concentrate the radiation within the enclosure.
Why Are Cell Phones Dangerous?
The cell phone antenna generates a wireless signal that connects and communicates with the nearest cell phone tower.
This signal is a form of radiation, often called cell phone radiation. Cell phone radiation is one type of electromagnetic radiation, or EMR. Other types of EMR include radio frequencies (RF), microwaves (MW) and electromagnetic frequencies or EMFs.
There are other additional forms of radiation but these are the most common. This form of radiation is not the same as nuclear radiation or radiation from X-Rays.
Those forms of radiation are referred to as ionizing radiation because they contain enough energy to break chemical bonds in the body. The form of radiation to which we are referring is found in the very low-frequency end of the electromagnetic spectrum and is generated from items such as televisions, AM and FM radio, radar, microwave communication devices, electrical wiring, power transmission lines and, of course, cell phones.
All electric and electronic devices produce some varying amounts of electromagnetic radiation, that is, they create both an electric and a magnetic field. There is overwhelming evidence of significant biological consequences from being exposed to these forms of radiation, including that from cell phones.
One of the problems is that cell phone radiation can't be seen. It's invisible. And for most people, it can't be sensed or felt either.
We can't see, feel or hear the thousands upon thousands of EMR frequencies that are continuously bombarding every cell in our body 24 hours a day. This explosion of wireless technology is drowning us in a sea of electropollution and cell phone radiation.
This insidious and invisible toxin called electromagnetic radiation is wrecking havoc on our health. We think because it can't be seen or felt it isn't there. But, frankly, there isn't a time during any day when we are not exposed to the damaging effects of electromagnetic radiation. In fact, never before in the history of civilization has this type of environment existed.
The United States, Canada, Western Europe and China emit so much EMR that it is even detectable by satellites in outer space.
Here's How The Harm Happens
Damage from the cell phone comes from two sources.
- The first damaging source occurs from the near-field plume of radiation generated by the cell phone's antenna. This plume of radiation extends out a distance of six or seven inches from the antenna in all directions. The near-field plume has been studied most extensively and contains the most intense energy. It is able to penetrate deep into biological tissue. This radiation is absorbed when the cell phone is held in close proximity to the body.
This form of radiation is also given off by wireless laptop computers and similar devices. Later in this report you will see a picture from a study showing how deep this near-field plume of radiation penetrates into the head.
The warning is this: don't allow a cell phone, wireless laptop or any similar electronic device to be too close to your body due to this near-field plume. And never put the cell phone's antenna in your mouth.
- The second form of damage comes from a radio wave called the Information-Carrying Radio Wave, or ICRW. The cell phone signal is made up of two parts. The first part of the signal vibrates at 800 to 2200 megahertz. This wave is moving much too fast for the body to recognize and, as far as we can tell, is not causing any harm.
However, when a person speaks or sends a text message the information is "piggy-backed" or packeted onto the first radio wave. This creates a second wave or signal which is called the information-carrying radio wave, or ICRW. It vibrates at a frequency down in the hertz range. In this range the ICRW is recognized by the body and it is this wave that is causing damage.
Here's what happens. Receptors are located on the cell membrane of each cell in our body. These receptors are both chemical and vibrational. The vibrational receptors pick up signals which vibrate in the hertz range.
As the information from the ICRW contacts the vibrational receptors on the cell membrane the ICRW is recognized as a foreign invader and begins disrupting cell communication and function.
Everyone is exposed to these ICRWs on a continual basis. When the body senses that a foreign invader is present it takes measures to protect itself. It does this by shutting down the active transport channels in the cell membrane and as a result the permeability of the cell membrane changes. Consequently, the nutrients that are in the space between the cells can't get inside the cell to nourish it.
Because nutrients can't get inside the cell membrane the cell suffers from a lack of nourishment.
Conversely, the toxins and free radicals that build up inside the cell as a part of our body's normal metabolic processes can't exit the cell properly. This build up of toxins and free radicals inside the cell damages and destroys mitochondria. The mitochondria are the organelles inside the cell that produce energy for the body in the form of ATP. When energy is not generated the cell cannot detoxify nor will it have energy to communicate with other cells.
Consequently, the vital cell-to-cell communication process is lost. When this communication is lost a basic physiological process is disrupted. Messages between cells aren't sent, needed hormones and neurotransmitters are not secreted and the immune system can't respond appropriately.
As waste material and free radicals build up inside the cell mitochondria are damaged and cellular dysfunction ensues.
To illustrate the effect of this disruption think of the consequences to a group of cells that function to keep the blood-brain barrier closed. Those cells could no longer perform that task and leakage of the blood-brain barrier would occur. Indeed, leakage of the blood-brain barrier has been one of many findings in research. (13)
The free radicals that build up inside the cell also interfere with the repair and replication of DNA. Many studies have shown the formation of micronuclei following exposure to information-carrying radio waves. (14)
Micronuclei are fragments of DNA that break off but still have the ability to form a cell membrane and replicate. Micronuclei are precursors to cancer formation and do not present a problem as long as they remain inside the cell. But when the damaged cells undergo their normal programmed cell death, called apoptosis, the contents of the cell, including micronuclei, are released.
Normally, the immune system, through the release of macrophages would rid the body of these improperly formed cells. But because the communication system has been disrupted the message to the immune system doesn't arrive.
Now these micronuclei sit in a nutrient-rich environment and are free to clone.
And this is how the tumor begins.
Health Effects Are Linked To Electromagnetic Radiation
It is indeed naïve to think that all the radiation that moves invisibly through our body on a daily basis is not harmful. Quite the contrary.
If these invisible EMR waves can move easily through the concrete walls of buildings, as we know they do, they will easily pass through the soft tissue of your body. Think about it. You can make a cell phone call from the basement of a building in New York City and easily connect to someone in a building in Los Angeles, CA.
That signal moves through many barriers and obstructions as it connects from one tower to the next.
And as this microwave signal moves invisibly through us the ICRW that is attached to it wrecks havoc on our biochemistry. Consequently, our society is becoming sicker and sicker.
In fact, numerous studies have linked long-term EMR exposure to increased risk for many, many conditions.
Here are a few:
- Alzheimer's disease (15)
- Autism (16)
- Parkinson's disease (17)
- Heart disease (18)
- Miscarriage (19)
- Brain tumors (20)
- Leukemia (21)
- Fatigue (22)
- Depression (23)
- Immune system disorders (24)
- Learning disabilities (25)
- Memory loss (26)
- Sleep disorders and insomnia (27)
- Headaches and migraines (28)
- Loss of concentration (29)
- Lowered sperm counts (30)
- Increased blood pressure (31)
- DNA damage (32)
- Blood-brain barrier damage (33)
- Hormonal imbalance (34)
The list of symptoms and conditions being linked to cell phone radiation and wireless technology is lengthy and this short list represents only a few of the conditions now linked to cell phone radiation and EMR.
Cell Phone Radiation Affects Hormones
Charles Graham, PhD, physiologist at the Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City, MO., has conducted studies indicating that electromagnetic radiation alters hormone levels. (35)
When women were exposed to elevated levels of EMR overnight in the laboratory serum estrogen levels increased. Studies have shown that elevated estrogen levels are a risk for cancer development. Also, testosterone levels in men were reduced following exposure to EMR. Reduced testosterone levels have been linked to prostate and testicular cancers.
Much is written today about the harmful effects of "estrogen mimickers" produced from the multitude of many chemicals and pollutants in the environment. Indeed, these products that mimic the effects of estrogen have a damaging effect on the body in terms of their disruption to proper hormonal balance.
Dr. Graham believes that electromagnetic radiation may fit the description of an endocrine disruptor better than many of the known environmental hormone mimickers. He feels this occurs because EMR appears to cause its effects by acting on and through hormones as opposed to acting as a hormone as mimickers do.
For many years breast cancer patients all over the world have been prescribed a drug called tamoxifen as a means to prevent recurrence of breast cancer. In a study published in Electricity and Magnetism in Biology and Medicine in1998, it was shown that tamoxifen lost its ability to halt the proliferation of cancer cells when exposed to EMR. (36)
The amount of electromagnetic radiation used to produce this effect was only 12 milligauss. This amount of EMR is generated when commonly used appliances like hairdryers, vacuum cleaners, can openers, computers, microwave ovens, desk lamps, and electric clocks are in use in the home. Imagine the implications of this finding.
Women who were taking a drug to help prevent recurrence of breast cancer may have had their medication rendered useless by the exposure to EMR from common household appliances!
Cell Phone Radiation Inhibits Melatonin
Studies have also shown that electromagnetic radiation inhibits the production of a hormone called melatonin.(37)
Melatonin regulates the sleep cycle and is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. It is produced about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Consequently, melatonin levels rise at night and remain low during the day. Melatonin has many useful effects but the most common is that of regulating the sleep cycle.
When cell phone radiation, or other EMR, inhibits this important hormone the sleep cycle is compromised.
- Could this be one reason why so many people today have insomnia?
- Could the multitude of sleep problems in America today be a result of all the radiation in our environment?
- Should we remove the cordless phone or clock radio from the nightstand near our bed?
Common sense would say so.
Why is this important? If the body doesn't reach the deeper phases of sleep during the night it cannot repair itself. Cells will not have a chance to rejuvenate and repair. Sleep is necessary for this repair process to occur. Yet today 81% of young people 15 to 20 years of age sleep with their cell phone on! (38) Considering the value of melatonin to our health the implications of this statistic cannot be overstated.
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that a woman's risk of breast cancer increased up to 60% if she routinely worked a nighttime shift. (39)
Men's risk of prostate cancer also increased. How does this occur?
Light raises cortisol levels. Cortisol is produced by the adrenal gland which is activated by light. Light furthermore inhibits production of melatonin by the pineal gland in the brain. So the combination of increased cortisol, which suppresses our immune system, and decreased melatonin, which suppresses tumor development leads to conditions favorable for the potential development of cancer.
Melatonin is also a known regulator of estrogen. So when melatonin isn't produced in adequate amounts one of the body's natural mechanisms to suppress estrogen is removed and estrogen dominance results.
Another important function of melatonin is that it is a powerful antioxidant and is very efficient in destroying free radicals. Destruction of free radicals and proper DNA synthesis allows our cells to function properly. One of the known effects of free radicals is premature aging and one of the ways free radicals are produced is from environmental toxins that include EMR.
Melatonin also enhances the immune system. It does this is through its ability to increase the activity of the immune system's killer lymphocytes. Additionally, melatonin also strengthens the ability of Vitamin D to stop tumor growth. In fact, the tumor-fighting ability of Vitamin D is strengthened by 20 to 100 times. (40)
A study published in the Journal of Pineal Research in 2007 reported on the therapeutic effects of melatonin in treating cognitive impairment such as that found in Alzheimer' disease, dementia, etc. Results showed significantly better improvement in patients treated with melatonin. (41)
As we can see melatonin is important for many reasons.
Any disruptive influence, like electromagnetic radiation, that would suppress or limit the body's ability to produce melatonin could have serious health implications for each of us.
Melatonin Inhibits Estrogen and Cancer
A 2001 study done at Japan's National Institute for Environmental Studies revealed that breast cancer cells treated with melatonin would resume growing when exposed to electromagnetic radiation! (42)
Findings showed that the cells' signaling system was disrupted, impeding or preventing cell-to-cell communication. Thus, cells were not able to communicate effectively with each other and this affected their ability to respond to environmental challenges and threats.
Perhaps one of the most important functions of melatonin is that it inhibits the release of estrogen and suppresses the development of breast cancer. (43) Seventy percent of breast cancers today are estrogen sensitive. When EMR inhibits the release of melatonin the activity of one of the body's most protective hormones is lost.
Additionally, other studies have shown that reduced levels of melatonin from electromagnetic radiation suppression have caused a number of other malignancies including prostate cancer, melanoma, and ovarian cancer.
A causal link between breast cancer and EMR continues to be reported. Dr. Patricia Coogan at Boston University of Public Health reported a forty-three per cent increased risk for breast cancer for women who worked in occupations where exposure to magnetic fields occurred. (44)
Such occupations included electricians, power line workers, phone installation workers, electrical engineers and those working near mainframe computers. This increased risk has been directly linked to the suppression of melatonin by EMR.
There is also concern that this increased risk of breast cancer is not confined to women.
As much as a six-fold increase in male breast cancer has been found among men who work in the utilities industries, in switching stations and as telephone lineman. (45)
Cell Phones Affect Male Fertility
A recent study released by the prestigious Cleveland Clinic showed a link between poor sperm production and the number of hours a day a man uses a cell phone.
Men who use a cell phone more than four hours a day had significantly worse sperm counts and the quality of sperm was substantially diminished.(46)
Doctors believe this damage may be caused by radiation emitted by cell phones. Men who used a cell phone more than four hours a day had sperm counts that were 25 percent lower than men who never used a cell phone. (47)
Additionally, sperm quality was adversely affected. The swimming ability of the sperm was reduced markedly. Furthermore, a 50 percent drop in the number of properly formed sperm was noted. (48) Sperm count, motility, viability and appearance all were significantly affected.
It is advisable for men (and women) not to carry a cell phone on a belt clip or in a pocket close to the body.
Neither should anyone work on a laptop computer while resting it on the lap.
Cell Phones Disable The Blood-Brain Barrier In Two Minutes
The blood-brain barrier is a delicate membrane that separates the brain from the rest of the body and filters the blood supply to the brain.
This filtering membrane keeps toxins and damaging proteins that might be found in the blood from coming in contact with sensitive brain tissue. Research has shown that talking on a cell phone for as little as two minutes will disable the blood-brain barrier. (49)
In studies done by neurologist Dr. Leif Salford it was found that toxins and harmful proteins can pass out of the blood and into the brain while the cell phone is switched on.
It is noteworthy that diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's are linked to unwanted proteins being found in the brain.
It's Like Driving While Drunk
The U.S. Department of Energy found that using a cell phone while driving will severely impair memory and reaction time. In fact, the impairment is so severe that it is similar to driving while intoxicated.
Additionally, University of Toronto investigators found that the impaired effects of a cell phone call made while driving will persist up to 15 minutes after completing the call. (50) The effect was the same whether the driver used a hands-free headset or not.
Many countries are now moving to join England, Spain, Israel, Switzerland, and Brazil in restricting or banning cell phone use by drivers.
Cell Phones Radiation Is a Source of Stress
In addition to the stress of continual mental interruption cell phones can cause a physical stress response in the body.
When the body experiences a stress event the "flight or fight" response is triggered. Certain stress hormones are released from the adrenal glands, the first of which is adrenaline. Most of us are familiar with the effects of adrenaline: rapid heart rate, increased energy level, increased blood pressure, muscle contraction, rapid breathing, etc. These effects are not harmful if they only occur for a short period of time.
But what about a stress response that continually releases adrenaline such as that occurring from constant exposure to cell phone radiation? Obviously, this would not be healthy over a long period of time.
The second chemical released in the stress response by the adrenal gland is a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is the body's natural form of cortisone. It is necessary for many maintenance functions of everyday life. When our bodies are chronically stressed increased amounts of cortisol are released.
Consequently, high amounts of cortisol suppress the immune system, blood sugar levels rise and insomnia can occur. Finally, after long-term continual stress responses the adrenal glands become tired and fatigued. Consequently, the ability to respond to stress situations appropriately becomes compromised.
Irritability, fatigue, anger, road rage, high blood pressure, loss of blood sugar control, decreased thyroid function and weight gain are a few of the many symptoms that can result from this condition.
Miscarriages and High Blood Pressure Caused By EMR
Blood pressure can be increased simply from being exposed to a cell phone.
A German study, published in The Lancet, reported that blood pressure was elevated in a group of volunteers when cell phones were randomly turned on and off without the participants knowledge. (51)
Miscarriages have also been linked to electromagnetic radiation exposure.
In one of the many studies that have been conducted in this area one thousand pregnant women were shown to have a 180% increased risk for miscarriage when exposed to intermittent magnetic fields as low as 16 milligauss. (52)
We Can't Escape the Radiation
Researchers have shown that one doesn't have to own a cell phone to be exposed to electromagnetic radiation.
There are so many cell phones users surrounding each of us who are making calls on their cell phones that we are constantly being exposed as those cell phones connect with the cell phone towers and other callers. Plus, there are now wireless networks everywhere. And it's worse than second-hand smoke because these radio waves are invisible.
You may not own a cell phone or use one very often. But there is always someone around you using a cell phone or wireless network. And those cell phones and wireless networks are emitting signals, or radiation, to maintain their connection. So the signals are everywhere and each and every one of us is caught in the crossfire.
There simply is no way to escape it.
Cell Phones Were Never Safety Tested Before Being Sold
When cell phones came onto the market in 1983 they did so without any pre-market safety testing.
How was this allowed?
Normally, any consumer device that emits radiation would be required to go through specific safety testing to determine if there would be any risk to the population.
But based on information from the cell phone industry the cell phone became exempt from any such testing. The information provided by the cell phone industry to the government at that time stated that the only harm that could come from this type of radiation had to do with the heating effect on biological tissues.
Because cell phones operated at such a very low power it was not possible for them to heat biological tissue.
Therefore, the government excluded cell phones from the requirement of doing any pre-market safety testing. The microwave oven was used as the example in the cell phone industry's claim. The microwave oven produces microwaves, i.e. radiation, that oscillate at a very high frequency. These microwaves are also driven by a very high source of power.
When a food item is placed in a microwave oven it causes the water molecules in the food to move very rapidly. This increased activity produces friction that, in turn, produces heat. When this occurs long enough food will cook. It's a fairly simple process. Obviously, exposing the human body to those microwaves wouldn't be wise since the heating effect would eventually heat and destroy human tissue.
So to make the microwave radiation used by cell phones safe the cell phone manufacturers simply lowered the power used to drive those frequencies. Since the power used by cell phones was so much lower than a microwave oven the heating effect did not take place.
Therefore, the cell phone was presumed to be safe. The rationale was that if only a small amount of power was used and it wasn't strong enough to heat human tissue then no damage would occur. No heat, no harm. And that was the assumption that was used by the federal government to allow cell phones to be sold and manufactured.
Current standards for safe radiation exposure are based solely on this heating, or thermal effect. No testing was ever done to evaluate whether or not the frequencies themselves might be harmful. This was left to chance discovery. It is a giant experiment that every cell phone user is participating in today.
We now know that the mechanism causing damage is not a thermal or heating effect issue but is something more subtle and even more damaging.
The Cell Phone Companies Know
In 1993, Larry King had a guest on his show named David Reynard of Tampa, FL.
During the show Mr. Reynard unleashed a bombshell that ignited one of the most shocking controversies in television history.
He stated that he was filing a lawsuit against the cell phone companies and was alleging that his wife, Susan, had died from a brain tumor caused by repeated use of a cell phone. This allegation caused cellular stocks to quickly tumble. Congressional inquiries were triggered and the cell phone industry scrambled to save its image.
In an effort to reassure the public and the government the cell phone industry agreed to conduct long-term research studies to prove that cell phones were safe. Following public hearings the Senate took issue with both the cell phone industry and with the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA was the agency of responsibility for granting approval of cell phones. To settle the allegations and bring proof to the issue the cell phone industry volunteered to conduct long-term research to prove cell phone safety.
However, they offered to do so only if the FDA agreed not to regulate them until the research was completed. And so the process began.
As a first step, the cell phone industry hired appropriate medical and science researchers to conduct a study that was to become the largest of its kind ever conducted on cell phone safety. The cell phone industry funded this research project with $28.5 million of its own money.
The protocol required that every study conducted to be duplicated in at least two laboratories. Research protocols were peer reviewed before being initiated. Furthermore, preliminary data were peer reviewed before interpretation and final reports and data were peer reviewed at the conclusion of the process.
Every effort was made to ensure the study was above reproach and that the results of the study were credible and not biased due to industry funding.
The Deadly Facts from the Cell Phone Industry's Own Study
In 1999, the results of the research findings were published.
The following summary is quoted directly from that report:
- The rate of death from brain cancer among handheld phone users was higher than the rate of brain cancer among those who used non-handheld phones that were away from their head
- The risk of acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor of the auditory nerve, was 50% higher in people who reported using cell phones for six years or more
- The risk of rare neuro-epithelial tumors on the outside of the brain was more than doubled in cell phone users as compared to non-users
- There is some correlation between tumors occurring on the right side of the head and use of the phone on the right side of the head
- Laboratory studies looking at the ability of radiation from a cell phone's antenna to cause functional genetic damage were definitely positive
In other words, the research found genetic damage, leakage of the blood-brain barrier, cellular dysfunction and a tripling in the risk of rare neuroepithelial tumors and rare brain tumors in people using cell phones versus those who did not use cell phones.
In fact, the tumors even correlated to the side of the head where the subjects reported using the phone most often.
In all, over 56 studies were funded by the cell phone industry and over 200 scientists and doctors from around the world participated.
The research findings were reported to the cell phone industry executives with the suggestion that the industry inform the public and allow users to begin to take precautionary steps until more research could be done. A detailed account of the whole story can be found in a book that chronicled the events that took place.
The book, titled Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age can be found at most book stores. The shocking part of this whole process is that in spite of the concrete peer-reviewed findings produced by this research the cell phone industry chose not to go public with the information.
And there's more.
Former Motorola Research Scientist Acknowledges Radiation Problem
Robert Kane, PhD., former Motorola Senior Research Scientist and Technical Staff Member, said this,
"Recent research has demonstrated that even short-term exposure to radiation power densities emanating from a nearby cellular telephone is sufficient to modify brainwave patterns, affect short-term memory, and modify an individual's ability to perform physical tasks such as driving an automobile."
He went on to say,
"The body of available research indicates that operation of a nearby portable cellular telephone will expose a non-user to radiation, some of which will be deposited into the brain of the non-user at levels higher than necessary to elicit undesirable biological effects even though the phone may be more than ten feet away from the non-user."
Translation: Cell phone radiation bombards you whether you are making calls yourself or not.
You can be driving in your car, eating in a restaurant, watching a game or attending a concert and you'll be irradiated from someone else's cell phone calls whether you know it or not. There is no escape. It's not just the caller's brain that gets irradiated; it's everyone around the caller, too.
This information comes straight from one of Motorola's top former research scientists.
What Are SARs? Are They A Guide To Cell Phone Safety?
SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate.
It is a complex measurement of how much radiation passes through tissue during a specified time period. In other words, it measures the level of absorption of EMR by the body. When biological tissues absorb EMR it can lead to the distortion of cellular function.
Up until 1993 no one had ever observed that there were any heating effects occurring at SAR levels below 40 watts per kilogram. Cell phones operate at a power of about 0.6 watts and yield a SAR value of less than 2 watts per kilogram which appears to be a safe level. Again, this was the rationale used when the government exempted cell phones from any pre-market testing and any form of regulation.
As long as SARs were this low and no heating effect took place it was assumed that no harm could be done to biological tissue by a cell phone. We now know this to be an erroneous assumption.
All cell phones today have a published SAR value. It varies slightly from phone model to phone model. However, knowing the SAR number of your phone is of minimal value since all phones manufactured today must meet the FCC established standard of 1.6 watts/kg or below. That said, it's still a good idea to purchase a cell phone with a SAR value as low as possible to minimize the absorption of radiation when the cell phone is near the head.
But SAR only measures the intensity of the electromagnetic field. Keep in mind that SAR does not measure the pulsating or oscillatory action of the wave. For example, the wave frequency or pulse could be low enough to mimic the electrical activity of the brain itself and thereby cause damage but the cell phone could still have a low SAR value. So knowing the SAR would be of little value in this case.
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