10 smart cell phone use tips: limit your radiation exposures

The World Health Organization announced Tuesday that cell phone use may cause cancer and carries carcinogenic hazard such as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform.

Though the WHO had assured consumers that no adverse health effects had been established, it found enough evidence to categorize the radiation exposure to the cell phone as possibly carcinogenic to humans, which could cause a glioma and acoustic neuroma brain cancer.

"People who used cell phones, an average of 30 minutes per day over 10 years, had a 40 percent higher risk for a rare brain tumor called a glioma," the WHO cited based on a multi-country study.

On top of increased risk of cancer and tumors, excessive cell phone use could also be linked to other effects like cognitive memory function.

The European Environmental Agency said that cell phones could be as big a public health risk as smoking, asbestos and leaded gasoline.

As children’s lifetime exposure to cell phone RFs (radiofrequencies) today will likely be greater considering early start of cell phone use, the chances that a child could develop harmful health effects from using a cell phone for a long time may be greater. Therefore, it is best for children to avoid using cell phones.

Along the same line, public health experts, scientists, and many government agencies have made recommendations for cell phone users to aim towards lower radiation exposure.

Here are 10 smart cell phone use tips:

This advice especially applies to children.

Talking for long periods prolongs exposure and should be discouraged.

Hand-free devices such as headphone and headset should be a way to reduce the radiation.

SMS is a great way to reduce cell phone radiation.

Desirably, the SAR should be rated <0.6 W/kg.

Read Top 10 lowest radiation emitting cell phones (i.e. least cancer risk)

Enclosed places such as elevators and trains may not be the best idea to use your cell phone.

When cell phone reception is low, which happens when the base station antenna is far away, and when a cell phone is being used during high speed travel, such as driving in a car, power being emitted from the cell phone will be increased in order to maintain reception.

Radiation shields and other protective devices such as antenna caps or keypad covers may reduce the connection quality and therefore force the phone to transmit at a higher output power.

User manual of iPhone 4 guides its users as follows: “when using iPhone near your body for voice calls or for wireless data transmission over a cellular network, keep iPhone at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) away from the body, and only use carrying cases, belt clips, or holders that do not have metal parts and that maintain at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) separation between iPhone and the body.”

And it may not be a good idea to keep your cell phone on your belt or in your pocket where soft body tissues absorb radiation.

Bear these tips in mind to limit your radiation exposures.