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Cell Phone Radiation
Protection News
Monthly Newsletter
Vol. 1, No. 1, December, 2008
H
ello everyone and welcome to our newsletter! At the end of this month, many folks will be thinking about
setting “New Year’s Resolutions.” Well, one of the resolutions we ought to be setting is to protect ourselves
from the hazards of cell phone radiation! It is the purpose of this newsletter to educate the reader about these
real or potential health concerns. Some of you readers are already aware of these concerns because you may
have purchases our product, “The Wave Shield.” Others are new to the topic. Regardless of where you stand
on the issue, look to this newsletter to help keep you up-to-date in this important field.
There are MANY questions consumers have about cell phone radiation and frankly, many have NO questions because
they’re not even aware that there could be potential health hazards associated with cell phone use. This monthly
newsletter will keep you informed of the ever-increasing documentation of potential hazards and how you can protect
yourself as much as possible. The three topics for discussion today are: (1) Introduction to the “Electromagnetic
Spectrum”, (2) The dangers of cell phones, (3) Examining the data against cell phones and (4) How to minimize the
dangers associated with cell phone use. Each month, there will be further discussions to keep you well informed.
Introduction to “Cell Phone Dangers”
by Tom Petrie, Nutritionist
|| Cell Phone Energy ||
The cell phone uses energy that is part of the “electromagnetic spectrum,” illustrated above. Notice how a very small segment of this
spectrum is visible light! Cell phones use signals that are between microwave and radio waves as illustrated between the lines above.
T
-
o make sense out of this chart, remember our early range of electromagnetic energy between microwave ovens and
science lessons about waves. They have a height or radio waves. The cell phone could be considered to be like a
amplitude and they have a number of times they radio that sends information on signals via waves that are really
vibrate each second or frequency. The higher the pushed by a burst of power. The bulk of the cell phone radiation
frequency of the wave, the lower the amplitude. is emitted from the antenna (obvious or built into the phone), and
From the chart above, we can see that cell phones operate in a from the speaker. This burst of power provides most of the
radiation we’re concerned with. Yet, when a cell phone is not in 6. While the microwave radiation from cell phones is NOT
use, there is still a low level of radiation to keep it connected to enough for thermal (heating) effects the energy IS sufficient to
the nearest tower. This is why one would either turn their cell significantly alter protein concentrations! This effect is similar
phone off when not in use or keep it away from the body. to what has been shown in cultured cells. Cells are the building
blocks of all tissues in a living organism, whether plant or
Clemson University. in South Carolina has an excellent
animal. Cultured cells are cells that are taken from a living
summary of the basics of electromagnetic radiation on their web-
organism and then grown in a laboratory—usually in a petri
site: http://rh5.clemson.edu/ropermtn/cellPhone.php.
dish. (New Scientist, Feb., 23, 2008) Altering DNA structure
Currently, there are about 2-3 billion cell phones in use and function—as mentioned earlier would be considered a “non-
today! In other words, upwards of half the world’s population of thermal” effect.
6.3 billion people, is using them! While a cell phone emits and
7. Many illnesses are associated with exposure to radio waves
receives electromagnetic waves, it is difficult to determine the
and these include: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease,
amount of radiation one is exposed to (and thus their “health
autism, fatigue, disturbed memory and cognitive function.
risk”) while using their cell phone because this depends upon the
strength of the signal and the distance from the cell phone tower. 8. Some folks are using wireless devices such as the popular
The “base-station” that can be a few miles away so the further “Bluetooth”. Such devices should NOT be used as they triple
away the base station, the stronger the signal needs to be. the radiation reaching the users brain!
Contrary to what you might think, the fewer the number of bars,
9. The current regulations of microwave radiation from cell
the greater is the amount of radiation you’ll be exposed to!
phones ONLY look at “thermal effects”, e.g., the effects that
What this means is that making shorter calls is not such radiation can have on HEATING surrounding tissues.
necessarily safer. What matters is where you are when making the “Non-thermal effects” (get used to hearing this term), are not
call and how far you’re from a particular base station. This taken into consideration. The body DOES have ability to
makes it impossible to access the risks, if any, from making your counter thermal effects on various tissues. The more important
cell phone calls. question is this: Can our bodies reverse non-thermal effects of
cell phone radiation? The answer is we just don’t know!
There are two basic dangers we’re concerned with from cell
phones: the near field effects, namely those that occur within a few 10. Cell phones reduce sperm count and motility. With fertility
inches of the cell phone, when on. The other effects relate to a more rates decreasing some fifty percent over the previous 70 years
insidious and persistent problem: The constant background worldwide, ANYTHING that decreases fertility (and decreasing
electromagnetic radiation. It is this radiation that has increased health and vitality of sperm would qualify), should be seriously
dramatically over the past several decades. There are ten basic questioned and scrutinized! The connection between infertility
concerns about the safety of cell phones. All the research is not and cell phone use has received little public attention.
in, but we can start the investigation from some of these issues:
Examining the Data Against Cell Phones
1. We are using them too frequently without a clear
understanding of the potential health hazards that are associated Some critics of the supposed dangers of cell phones will
with their use. As with many technologies, the rush to use it is point to an April 2000 British study that claimed cell phones to
often NOT taken with a serious concern or interest in look-ing at be safe. [Rothman, K.J., Epidemiological evidence on health
potential hazards. This is no where more true than in the general risks of cellular telephones, Lancet, Nov., 25, 2000; 356: 1833-
avoidance or concern for cell phone dangers by both 36, 1837-40. ] Nonetheless, they still suggested that children—
“responsible” federal authorities and the general public. whose brains are still developing, not use mobile phones
excessively.
2. Use of cellular phones can increase the risk of cellular DNA What Some Countries Have Done
damage. DNA is crucial for the replication of all cells—
reproductive and others. If DNA is damaged, a host of Health officials of Great Britain (home of Lancet), have
challenges can occur such as infertility, birth defects and cancer. twice urged the nation’s wireless industry to refrain from
promoting mobile phone use in children and to limit any calls to
3. Extensive use of cell phones is associated with a dramatic just emergency calls only.
increase in the risk of brain tumors. It is important to note that
NO ONE has studied the long-term effects of cell phone The German Academy of Pediatrics has warned parents to
radiation on one’s brain. limit the use of cell phones among children.
4. Use of cell phones and even exposure to back-ground cell The Russian Radiation Protection Bureau has advised
phone radiation (in other words, from not even using a cell pregnant women and children under the age of 16 to avoid
phone directly), can contribute to or cause behavioral problems mobile phone use altogether.
in children including ADD, ADHD and learning disabilities. Scandinavian health authorities have recommended that all
5. According to the World Health Organization, (WHO) consumers, especially children, should use whatever means
exposure to electromagnetic radiation —such as that which possible to reduce their exposure to mobile phone radiation
comes off your standard cell phone—can cause symptoms such emissions.
as headaches, fatigue, stress, sleep disturbances, skin symptoms Finally, Health officials of Austria and Israel recom-mend
like prickling, burning sensations and rashes. It can also cause that children under the age of 16 not use cell phones at all!
muscle pains and aches.
A recent letter of warning comes from Dr. Ronald
Herberman of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Center and
was sent out in the form of a memo to the center’s staff and since a child’s brain is NOT so well developed and their skulls
faculty of about 2,960 people. are much softer and thinner than an adults. (Yes, some of us
have thicker skulls than others!)
Dr. Ronald Herberman is the director of the University of
Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the UPMC Cancer
Center. He is also associate vice chancellor for cancer research
within the School of Medicine, Department of Health Sciences.
Other appointments include chief of the Division of
Hematology/Oncology and the Hillman Professor of Oncology.
He is also a professor of Medicine and Pathology. In serving as
vice chancellor for cancer research, he has the responsibility for
enhancing and facilitating the basic and clinical research
activities of the six schools of the health sciences and of the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Dr.
Herberman remains personally involved in several cancer
research programs. Wave Shield, for Cordless phone; $20
In this memo, he stated:
The Health Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation
“Recently I have become aware of the growing body of
literature linking long-term cell phone use to possible One of the key figures in the field of EMF dangers is Dr.
adverse health effects, including cancer. Although the George Carlo, Chairman of the Science and Public Policy Institute,
evidence is still controversial, I am convinced that there is a non-profit health group based in Washington, D.C. He is often
sufficient data to warrant issuing an advisory to share considered one of the world’s top experts on the health effects of
some precautionary advice on cell phone use.” electromagnetic radiation. He is also the co-author (with Martin
Schram) of Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age.
Dr. Herberman’s advice is straightforward and simple: The Institute that Dr. Carlo founded in 1990 has studied
various controversial problems such as the dangers of silicone
1) Keep cell phone calls as short as possible.
breast implants to ignored hazardous waste sites. For the past
2) Use text messaging whenever possible. several years, Dr. Carlo’s organization has been tracking health
problems amongst its 6,000 members. It also is aggressively
3) Use speaker phone options or headsets.
trying to solve the problems associated with unfettered cell phone
4) Do not allow children to use cell phones except in case of usage.
emergency. This is because their developing organs are the most
Many think the government should be “tracking” the cell
likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure.
phone industry and the safety of its products. It should be
Dr. Herberman’s memo also advises against using cell pointed out that various companies address this issue in their
phones in public places because it exposes other people to introductory booklets that come with new phones. For example,
electromagnetic fields. This could be looked at as a sort of the Motorola VU 204 cellular phone states this on page 94:
second-hand smoke effect. “Your Motorola mobile device is designed to comply with local
regulatory requirements in your country concerning exposure of
One of Dr. Herberman’s suggestions is to use head-sets, but
human beings to RF (radio frequency) energy.” Later the booklet
we need to be careful about this recommendation since the use of
recommends to “…keep the mobile device and its antenna at
headsets can expose the brain to three times the radiation coming
least 1 inch from your body when transmitting.”
out of your phone speaker! This is because the wire can act as an
antenna, focusing more electromagnetic radiation into the ear It is wise to keep your cellular phone at least one inch away
and—of course, your brain! Certainly, using a speaker phone is from your body, but how many people actually do this? Dr.
useful, since the intensity of radiation decreases as the “square of Carlo points out in a recent interview that the industry continues
the distance” from the source. In other words, the radiation at 2 to deny any link to health troubles. (Total health magazine, Vol.
feet is ¼ of the radiation at one foot, NOT half. But forget the 28, No. 1, 2006) Strangely, this denial comes while the industry
math! The further your phone is from your ear, the less radiation has conducted NO long-term safety studies.
you’ll be exposed to.
What has kept the public naïve about this topic is that the
As noted earlier, devices such as “Bluetooth” ear pieces efforts have changed from the scientific field to optimize our
should NOT be used since they transmit and receive signals at a understanding of cell phone dangers, to the political field. Thus
frequency close to that of microwave ovens. Devices such as the lobbying by special interests has largely framed the debate now.
“Waveshield” (http://www.bestcprb.com) are devices—about the For example, there is NO regulation of the cell phone industry by
size of a penny, that block up to 99 percent of the radiation from the FDA. And because of huge budget cuts at the EPA, they are no
reaching the user. Note, they do NOT affect the radiation coming longer involved with this issue.
off the antenna or the body of the phone, just the part that enters
Still, there is one initiative that is designed to help protect
the soft tissues of the brain through the ear. This is, of course,
American consumers and that is “The Safe Wireless Initiative.”
the area, that needs the most protection since the skull of the
They try to track health problems associated with electro-
brain acts to block much electromagnetic radiation (EMF) from
magnetic radiation exposure (e.g. cell phones). They are at:
reaching the brain. Obviously, in children, this is not so true,
http://www.health-concerns.org.
To be on the safe side, it is best to limit our cell phone use of Surgeons. He is also an expert on the potential health hazards
and practice “safe” cell phone practices. Dr. Vini G. Khurana is of cell phone use. Here is a summary from his website:
a Mayo Clinic-Trained Neurosurgeon with an advanced http://www.brain-surgery.us
neurosurgery Fellowship in Cerebrovascular and Complex
Tumor Surgery from the Barrow Neurological Institute in
Phoenix, Arizona and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College
SAFETY TIPS: The following important points regarding
mobile phone safety should be kept in mind:
1. Bluetooth ear-piece devices are NOT safe. Microwaves Keeping a mobile phone close to one's head overnight is
generated by the mobile phone are wirelessly NOT safe. Even "at rest", the mobile will regularly emit
transferred and directly transmitted into the ear canal a pulsed microwave signal to its closest base station in
and surrounding head region via the coupled blue tooth order for the mobile phone's position to be tracked in
device. order to maintain its expected service.
2. Wired ear-pieces are NOT safe unless they are 6. A regular land-line IS safe. In fact, this remains one of
specifically shielded against electromagnetic radiation. the safest forms of electronic verbal communication.
Wearing an ear-piece connected by a wire to a mobile 7. Using the "speaker phone" option on a mobile phone,
phone in essence converts the user's head into an with the phone held at least 20 cm from the head is a
antenna for the base-station. safer alternative (inverse square law for radiation fall-
3. Home-based cordless phones do not emit as much off), however, this naturally compromises the privacy of
electromagnetic radiation as conventional mobile the communication to some extent.
phones, however they are NOT to be regarded as being 8. Using a mobile phone via hands-free car kit (where the
safe owing to the longer usage time (typically cheaper car speakers and car microphone are used instead of the
calling rates) associated with home-based calling plans. mobile phone being held to the side of the head) IS safe.
Using such phones for less time and on "speaker-phone" Here, the car roof acts as the antenna, and the user's
mode with the cordless phone held at least 20 cm from head is at an acceptable distance from both the roof and
the head is a safer alternative to holding them close to the phone (inverse square law for radiation fall-off).
the side of the head.
9. A child's brain is structurally developing well into
4. The desktop base stations associated with cordless adolescence, has a greater relative water content and
phones emit a constant electromagnetic radiation plume lower volume compared with an adult's brain, and
of up to 3 meters in diameter, and so are best not kept subject to more "plasticity" (structural and functional
close to the head for prolonged periods of time such as reprogramming) at a microscopic level. It is logical to
overnight. expect that exposing a child's brain to cell phone
5. "Walkie-talkies" are NOT safe. They emit very high radiation is likely to cause cellular damage that, in due
levels of electromagnetic radiation, up to 50 times more course, may lead to brain cancer. Children should NOT
than a mobile phone. use mobile or cellular phones unless in an emergency.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tom Petrie is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in
Nutrition and Biochemistry. He was Nutritionist with the
Use the WaveShield!
Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa Monica, CA and
Nutritionist for the Total Health Foundation in Albany, NY.
He has been a guest on WABC radio and local TV. He
currently works with The Healing Clinic in Spring Valley and
the Schachter Center for Complementary Medicine in Suffern,
New York. His Website is: http://tompetrie.net.
To learn how to protect yourself from the potential dangers of cell phone radiation,
go to http://www.bestcellphoneprotection.com or http://www.bestcprb.com.
Only $25.00
http://www.bestcellphoneprotection.com
Mention this newsletter and receive 15 percent off your
next order! Use coupon code 1034.
E-mail your questions to: tomcares@verizon.net.
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