IS YOUR CELL PHONE A HEALTH HAZARD

More than six billion minutes each day cell phones are sent in the U.S. Science suggests a link between heavy cell phone use (30 minutes or more a day) and an increase of a type of brain cancer. Now a new study suggests a link between the National Institutes of Health reports that electromagnetic radiation that is given off by a cell phone antenna triggers an increase of brain glucose in the area of the head that is closest to where the cell phone is held. Health effects remain unknown but if you want to minimize exposure until all the evidence is in, follow these proven safety tips from Devra Davis, PhD, an epidemiologist and author of the book Disconnect: The Truth About cell Phone radiation:

· Avoid direct contact with your cell phone during calls. Use the speaker phone setting or wired hands-free device. Although wireless Bluetooth devices do reduce radiation, they don’t eliminate it.
· Follow the bars. Radiation exposure increases when a cell phone’s signal is weak or when you’re traveling in a fast-moving car or train. That’s because the phone needs to constantly reconnect to new towers. Wait until you have three or more bars showing before you make your call.
· Tell your children to text. Because their skulls are thinner than adults, children absorb radiation at a higher rate when they hold a phone to their ear.
· Save the long chats for a non cordless landline or an internet phone system, like Skype. When you are on the go, let your fingers do the talking and send a text instead.