“In a culture where people cradle their cellphones next to their heads with the same constancy and affection that toddlers hold their security blankets, it was unsettling last month when a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that doing so could alter brain activity,” Kate Murphy reports for The New York Times.
“The report said it was unclear whether the changes in the brain — an increase in glucose metabolism after using the phone for less than an hour — had any negative health or behavioral effects,” Murphy reports. “But it has many people wondering what they can do to protect themselves short of (gasp) using a landline.”
What’s a landline?
Murphy continues, “‘Cellphones are fantastic and have done much to increase productivity,’ said Dr. Nora Volkow, the lead investigator of the study and director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health. ‘I’d never tell people to stop using them entirely.’ Yet, in light of her findings, she advises users to keep cellphones at a distance by putting them on speaker mode or using a wired headset whenever possible. The next best option is a wireless Bluetooth headset or earpiece, which emit radiation at far lower levels. If a headset isn’t feasible, holding your phone just slightly away from your ear can make a big difference; the intensity of radiation diminishes sharply with distance.”
“Many cellphones emit the most radiation when they initially establish contact with the cell tower, making their ‘digital handshake,'” Murphy reports. “To reduce exposure it’s best to wait until after your call has been connected to put your cellphone next to your ear.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]