Dangers of EMF Radiation E-Book - ZaKaiRan

3do identify a connection, and at a farhigher level of statistical significance thanthose commissioned by the mobile phoneindustry.Where similar dynamics are at work,in the tobacco and cancer link, and morerecently fossil fuels and global warming,industry has tried to sow doubt in thepublic’s mind that there is a problem,often with the help of ‘credible’ scientificexperts. In the case of tobacco, thisdelaying tactic enabled the industry tomaximise profits until the scientific caseagainst it was watertight.In May, 2011, a Swedish scientistnamed Anders Ahlbom was removedfrom an IARC panel evaluating mobileradiation because he had omitted tomention his directorship of the consultingfirm Gunnar Ahlbom AB that hadbeen established to help clients in thetelecommunications industry deal withcertain issues including environmentalregulations. In 1998, Ahlbom participatedin the setting of controversial globalEMF standards under the InternationalCommission on Non-Ionizing RadiationProtection (INCIRP.)Also in May, Ren de Seze, anothermember of the IARC panel, was accusedin a French TV documentary of trying todiscredit a study carried out for the carrierBouygues Telecom indicating that mobilephone radiation can be deadly to chickenembryos. The group to which he belongs,Fondation Santé et Radiofréquences, is halfsupported by industry.Sometimes being forthright can haveunexpected consequences. Followinghis groundbreaking research into healtheffects, in May, 2011, Olle Johanssonissued a statement that ‘Due to unforeseencircumstances I am now being evictedfrom my premises’, and he has since losthis laboratory space. Greek biophysicistDimitris Panagopoulos was the firstperson to scientifically prove DNAdamage from mobile radiation, but for hisefforts was reassigned a small windowlessresearch space by the University ofAthens, and was later blocked by theuniversity from taking up a research postelsewhere.Are cordless phonesbetter?Like mobile phones, cordless phones (alsoknown as DECT phones) also use themicrowave spectrum, and on the whole,studies tend to indicate that the risks arenearly as great. For these phones the 2008Lennart Hardell study looking at peoplewho started their usage under the age of20 found a four-fold increase in gliomascompared to controls.A cordless phone base effectively acts asa type of miniature mobile phone tower,but unlike a mobile phone base station, itsradiation levels are usually constant ratherthan being adjusted down to the minimumlevel needed to make a call. It is advisablenot to spend extended periods near to one,for example when sleeping or working.A 2010 double-blind study conducted byCanadian scientist Dr. Magda Havas foundthat people exposed to radiation from acordless phone base at 0.5% of the currentUS and Canadian safety guideline limitexperienced anywhere up to a doubling oftheir heart rate. Of the test subjects, mosthad identified themselves as being to somedegree electrosensitive.Fortunately, DECT models are nowavailable overseas where the base only emitsradiation when the handset is in use, andadjusts it according to the distance from thephone. Made by a company called Orchidfor the German market, these are labelledas ‘lower emission’, and the companyis struggling to keep up with a healthyconsumer demand that has largely beenstimulated by government health warningsabout DECT phones. Back in Australia,some retail outlets no longer sell cordedphones, making life more inconvenientfor the electrosensitive people who rely onthem, and for anyone who wants to takesteps to curb their EMF exposure.Minimising exposureAustria, France, Germany and Sweden haveall issued advice to enable their citizens toreduce mobile phone radiation. AlthoughAustralia has not followed suit, insteadissuing statements that there is nothing toworry about, it would be wise to follow aprecautionary principle. Suggestions include:• Not having a mobile phone, or only usingit in emergencies. However, in manycases, this is not practical as many peopleare obliged to use a mobile for their work.• Using the speaker phone, or an air tube(a device where the last few inches ofwire are replaced with a hollow tube.)There has been some concern thatwired earpieces risk concentrating theelectromagnetic field in the ear, andin 2005 British expert Professor LawrieChallis recommended clipping a ferritebead to a hands-free kit.• Bluetooth headsets are generallysignificantly lower-radiation than usinga phone against the ear.• Keeping calls short.• Sending texts instead.• Picking a mobile with a low SAR.• Keeping the mobile four inches from thehead in preference to holding it directlyto the ear, as the radiation exposuredrops dramatically with distance.• Choosing a stronger-signal area tomake a call. Radiation values decreasesignificantly when speaking closer to abase station, and rise when at a distance.• Avoiding the use of a mobile in a metalenvironment such as a car or a train.• Mobiles send out signals when switchedon, and no call is being made. Keep themobile away from the body, or considerusing an anti-radiation bag.Messages waiting to bereceivedThe size of the global mobile phonemarket has recently reached the US $1.2trillion (AUD $1.1 trillion) mark, makingit the fastest-growing large industry on theplanet. Its influence in terms of lobbying,advertising and funding studies cannotbe overstated. It has attracted a legionof supporters who share its dismissiveattitude to health concerns. Sometimesthese are found in unlikely places.In the case of mobile phones, theFederal Government is failing in its dutyof care, an attitude that is mirrored inits gung-ho attitude to GM food, havingabandoned the precautionary principlebeing followed by some governmentsoverseas. If, or more likely when, mobilephones are finally identified as a serioushealth risk, much unnecessary damagewill already have been done.The Cancer Council of WesternAustralia provides a Cancer Myths sectionon its website in which it largely dismissescancer risks from a range of everydayobjects, substances and exposures. Onthe ‘Mobile phones and cancer’ page, anotice appeared on 1st June 2011 (oneday after the UN announcement) that theinformation was currently ‘under review.’As for the seemingly vast number ofpeople, myself included, who suffer fromearaches of varying degrees when usinga mobile or cordless phone held up totheir ear, if they manage to avoid beingpersuaded that this is psychosomatic,they may feel instead that their bodiesare trying to tell them something. Thesemessages are worth listening to; one friendwho encountered this discomfort froma mobile phone later experienced twomonths of pain in her head and neck areafollowed by a permanent and severe caseof electrosensitivity that today restricts herlifestyle considerably.ResourcesEMFacts (Australia)www.emfacts.comPowerwatch (UK)www.powerwatch.org.ukMicrowave Newswww.microwavenews.comEMF Explained (Australian industryperspective)www.emfexplained.infoElectroSensitivity UKwww.es-uk.infoElectroSensitivity.orgwww.electrosensitivity.orgEnvironmental Working GroupSAR values site (US)www.ewg.org/cellphone-radiationOrchidwww.orchidgrp.comMartin Oliver is a writer andresearcher based in Lismore(Northern NSW).TWO OF THE BEST FROM THE TAD JAMES COMPANYThe Secret of CreatingYour Future ® SeminarIs there an area of your life you want to improve?Do you believe you are capable of more?Have you tried making changes before and fallen short?Modern HypnosisInternational Certification Training This accelerated 3 day training focuses on 4 of the most commonreasons why someone will see a Hypnosis practitioner.You will be able to see clients at the completion of your training88841i140At this EMPOWERING Seminar, you will:Motivate yourself and propel your passion for living!Take Advantage of this Very Special Offer and come experience the worldsleading Time Line Therapy ® Seminar with the people who created the technique!SydneySeptember 10 & 11Price: $595BOOK NOW $295(limited seats at early bird price)BOOK EARLYAS TRAININGS FILL!During the Training You’ll LearnEffective Hypnosis Techniques: in Hypnosis CALL NOW ON 1800 133 433Your Curriculum Includes: BOOK EARLYAS TRAININGS FILL!Melbourne: July 15–17Brisbane: Aug 12–14Sydney: Aug 19–21Melbourne: Nov 18–20Price: $895BOOK NOW $595LIMITED SEATS AT REDUCED PRICEThe Tad James Co. 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