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August 26 2008
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Cell Phone Dangers -- What They Don't Want You to See

You need to see this video about the rapidly emerging dangers from cell phone radiation.  

Here Dr. Charlie Tia, a preeminent Australian neurosurgeon discusses what he believes is a contributing factor to this exponential increase in brain tumors among children: excessive exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), and electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from mobile phones and other electrical and electronic equipment and appliances.



Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola's Comments:

Few people realize this, but brain cancer has now surpassed leukemia as the number one cancer killer in children.  

Australia has seen an increase in pediatric brain cancers of 21 percent in just one decade. This is consistent with studies showing a 40 percent brain tumor increase across the board in Europe and the U.K. over the last 20 years. 

Today, we are quite literally awash in an invisible sea of radio frequencies (RF) and electromagnetic fields (EMF). Sources include home electrical wiring, electrical appliances such as TVs, electric blankets, electric alarm clocks, high tension electrical wires, and certainly mobile phones. More and more people are even reporting being “allergic” to EMF and radio waves

In the video above, Dr. Tia states that for some reason, some people are more susceptible to the damage caused by EMR and radio frequencies than others, but that all children are at a much greater risk than adults.  

But just HOW are electromagnetic fields and information-carrying radio waves capable of causing damage in your body? 

Radiation 101 

Radio Frequencies (RF), Electro Magnetic Fields (EMF) and X-rays are all produced by electromagnetic sources, and are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. The difference between them is the frequency of their source.  

Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz), which is the number of times a wave changes direction—by oscillating up and down—per second. 1 Hz, therefore, means one wave-cycle per second. 1 megahertz (MHz) equals 1,000,000 Hz (wave-cycles) per second.  

All electromagnetic energy falls somewhere on the electromagnetic spectrum, ranging from extremely low frequency (ELF) radiation to microwaves, x-rays and gamma rays.  

ELF fields include household appliances and overhead power lines. Scientists agree that ELF fields are hazardous to human health. They are considered ‘probable carcinogens’, and have been linked to cases of childhood leukemia, which used to be the biggest cancer killer among children – until now. 

It’s a proven fact that at extremely high frequencies, like that of x-rays, the electromagnetic waves have enough force to damage ionic and covalent bonds and damage DNA and other human tissue. This is known as ionizing radiation. Since X-rays have the power to damage the genetic material of cells, they can lead to cancer and birth defects—which is why you wear a lead vest during x-rays to protect the surrounding areas from unnecessary damage. 

At lower frequencies, such as the microwave range used by mobile phones and base stations, the energy emitted is too low to damage chemical bonds (non-ionizing radiation). This is the primary argument used by those who believe that cell phone radiation is completely harmless and choose to live in ignorant bliss and refuse to change their unhealthy behavior.

Although extremely low frequencies (ELF’s emitted from appliances and power lines) and extremely high frequencies (ultraviolet and gamma rays) are known to be carcinogenic, the scientific community is extremely hesitant to attach any kind of danger to the in-between frequencies where cell phones operate.  

ALWAYS Remember How Truth Evolves 

I think it is important to stop and remind you how nearly every scientific advance evolves through the system: As I’ve said before, change is inevitable, and truth generally wins out in the end.  

I believe Arthur Schopenhauer said it best when he declared that all truths go through three phases: 

  • First, it is ridiculed
  • Second, it is violently opposed
  • Finally, it is accepted as self-evident  

So it is not at all surprising that most all “experts” refute the increasing evidence that is coming forth.  Please remember that they also did this with cigarettes. 

Can You Hear Me Now?” – Modulated Radio Waves are All Around You 

The transmitter in your phone operates on about 0.75 watt (or much less, if you're close to a base station) to 1 watt of power, with 2 W at peak usage. This electric current running through the transmitter circuit also creates an electromagnetic field around it. As the electric current moves back and forth, the fields continue to build and collapse, forming electromagnetic radiation. 

Thus, cell phone radiation is generated in the transmitter, and is emitted through the antenna in the form of radio waves. In the case of cell phones, the frequencies of these radio waves fall in the low microwave range.

Most experts base their cell phone safety recommendations on the basic sinusoidal wave, also known as a “carrier signal." However, what they fail to recognize is that the danger does not come just from the carrier wave but also from a modulated signal that actually carries the data or your voice, which operates at a different frequency than the carrier signal.

The problem is that many of your body’s processes also operate in this frequency range.

In fact, your cells are loaded with receptors that specifically respond to these signals. So when you are exposed to these information carrying radio waves, the receptors are stimulated. Once that happens the delicate microtubular connections between your cells become impaired.

These crucial intercellular connections are responsible for communication between your cells. Once they start to fail, your cells “lock up” and retain far more heavy metals and free radicals, which can wreak havoc in your body.

One of the main concerns associated with cell phone use is that the phone is pressed to your head. Since electromagnetic radiation shoots out—at the speed of light—in all directions, this radiation can penetrate into your brain. And, as I discussed in another recent article, Cancer Institute Warns of Cell Phone Risks, electromagnetic radiation can penetrate almost straight through the entire brain of a 5-year old child. 

Newer Technology More Harmful Than Older Ones 

Making matters worse, modern Digital Service and PCS cell phones—as opposed to analog cell phones—have two additional low frequency magnetic fields associated with them.  

“Time division multiple access” (TDMA), is one of the systems currently used to increase the number of people who can communicate simultaneously with a base station. The process of TDMA results in a continuous low frequency pulsing at 8 to 34 Hz. Some phones also have the energy-saving discontinuous transmission mode (DTX), which emits yet a third, even lower frequency that pulses at 2 Hz when the user is listening and not speaking. 

Since extremely low frequency radiation (ELF) has been shown to cause cancer—like leukemia—these additional ELF’s raise new questions.

Many warn that our current technology is in fact far more dangerous in this respect than previous analog models. 

How Information-Carrying Radio Waves Impact Your Body 

Although cell phone radiation is of low intensity, it is the oscillatory similarity between this pulsed microwave radiation and certain electrochemical activities within your body that raises serious concerns, according to the study Physics and biology of mobile telephony, published in The Lancet. 

Your body is essentially a very sensitive electromagnetic instrument, controlled by highly complex and orderly oscillatory electrical processes. Each one of these electro-biological processes vibrate at a specific frequency—some of which happen to be close to those used in modern GSM cell phone technology. 

The pulsating, low-intensity microwaves from mobile phones can exert subtle, non-thermal influences on the human biology simply because microwaves are waves. As such, they have properties other than just intensity (which is the only part regulated by safety guidelines). 

Therefore, much in the same way as a radio can receive interference, your biological processes can be interfered with by the oscillatory aspect of the incoming radiation. 

Highly organized electrical processes at the cellular level are especially vulnerable to interference from cell phone radiation, because their frequency happens to fall within the microwave range.  

Many of these biological activities are influenced by your metabolism, meaning the effect of the radiation will be different from one person to another.  

The effect could also depend on the type of cell phone used, as different cell phones emit radiation at different frequencies. 

Ultra-low intensity microwaves can affect processes as fundamental as cell division, and the TDMA frequencies of 8-34 Hz, and the DTX pulse frequency at 2 Hz, correspond to the frequencies of alpha and delta brain waves.  

Therefore, your body has a two-fold sensitivity to cellular phone signals: 

    1. The microwave radiation itself, plus
    2. The lower frequency oscillations of the TDMA and DTX signals. 

In addition to that, there’s also the packet rate of newer 3G phones, which is 250 Hz. One good example of how someone may be vulnerable to the non-thermal electromagnetic influence is the ability of a flashing light (at about 15 Hz) to induce seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. It’s not the energy absorption itself that causes the seizure. Rather it’s because the brain recognizes the information being transmitted via the pulsating light, since it’s delivered at a frequency your brain uses. 

How Tissue Damage Can Occur Without Heat 

In 2004, a Swedish physicist named Bo Sernelius, stumbled across a surprising finding that suggests non-thermal mobile phone radiation can cause a massive increase in the forces that living cells exert on each other. He discovered that electromagnetic forces might act on cells by affecting the attractive forces between them, without thermal heating

How? 

Water molecules have poles of positive and negative electrical charge that create attractive forces between cells, known as van der Waals forces.Van der Waals forces are much weaker than chemical bonds. And, whereas chemical bonds need high frequency ionizing radiation in order to break, van der Waals forces are disrupted by much smaller thermal fluctuations. These intermolecular forces may be weak, but without them, life as we know it would be impossible.  

Sernelius found that the water molecules inside cells will try to align their positive and negative poles with the alternating field produced by cell phone radiation. The result? They all end up pointing in the same direction, and this strengthens the van der Waals forces. 

In the fields of 850 MHz (around the frequency used by mobile phones), the van der Waals forces leap—from a billionth-billionth of a Newton, to micro Newton strength—a massive jump of around 11 orders of magnitude. 

Although it’s still only theoretical, this may be the missing link when trying to explain tissue damage from non-ionizing, non-thermal radiation. Stronger attractive forces between cells can also make them clump together, and cause blood vessels to contract. 

Why Children are More Susceptible to Damage

A 2006 study performed by the University of Helsinki in Finland, found that EMF from mobile phones at 902 MHz has an adverse effect on children’s memory and recognition, when measured by EEG. 

Preadolescent children are particularly vulnerable because absorption of GSM microwaves is greatest in an object about the size of a child’s head, due to the “head resonance” effect. This is also why 900 MHz cordless phones are not safe, even though they aren’t transmitting all the time. 

Radiation can also penetrate the thinner skull of an infant much more easily, which is why wireless baby monitors are such a menace, and should be avoided as well.  

Additionally, the repetition frequencies of the TDMA and the DTX lie in the range of the alpha and delta brainwaves respectively. In a child, the alpha waves don’t replace delta waves as a stable activity until they’re about 12 years old.  

Children’s immune systems are also degraded by this kind of radiation, making them more susceptible to illnesses of ALL kinds.  

I’ve written more and more about this issue over the past two years, including an entire book on the subject, which is due out in 2009, as I truly believe this is a public health disaster waiting to be unleashed – much like smoking turned out to be.  

For my best recommendations on how to protect yourself and your children, please see this link.


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Community Comments ( 20 )
Comment on this Article
  
  
curlilox
[ Joined on 08/07 ] [ Posted on August 11, 2008 ]
11 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Sadly, vaccinations are another cause for brain tumors.  My best friend's baby sister began having seizures at 6 months of age after being vaccinated.  Her senior year in high school, instead of going to prom, she was having brain surgery to remove the tumor.  The brain specialist said he sees this all the time, and that it is caused from vaccinations. 

As far as the EMF's, it is imperative that we learn to protect ourselves and block the harmful EMF's.  I do not use cordless phones.  They make my head burn.  People think I'm crazy.  I never used to use a cell phone until I found out how to block the EMF using a patch that works.  I still try to use it as little as possible.  There are similiar "patches" that you can use that will block the EMF in your house.  You can wear one around your neck to block the EMF while you are out and about.  There are ways to fight back!
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Misty de Lopez
[ Joined on 11/07 ]  [ Posted on August 11, 2008]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola
I am curious for more information on the patch that you referred to.  Can you provide any links to the product and/or information? Thanks.
Mercola
  
All Under Heaven
[ Joined on 02/08 ]  [ Posted on August 11, 2008]
       
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
I'm so sorry to hear that. Hearing things like these just wracks me with grief, and anger. Those people, those children don't deserve that. And still, millions of people never question one bit at the doctor's office of what is being put into them and put into their children in ever increasing loads. But many people spend a lot of time researching the latest gadget or their coveted appliance...

You know, just recently the media finally reported a scientific study of the dangers of cell phones. I think eventually it'll be a wake up call for many people that they're putting their brains on a frying pan. Me personally, I almost never use a cell phone but I'm uneasy about the wi-fi routers I'm around everyday.

This patch you speak of, what is it?

Mercola
  
Aaltrude
[ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on August 11, 2008]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
Your comment about cordless phones making your head burn made me wonder if cordless phones and/or cell phones may be able to trigger a migraine.
Mercola
  
curlilox
[ Joined on 08/07 ]  [ Posted on August 13, 2008]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
The website for items blocking/ neutralizing harmful EMF frequencies is www.lifesolutionsclub.net  The "man in charge" is a Christian naturopathic doctor, and has studied frequencies and Energy Medicine in Germany with the scientists there.  Everything has a frequency.  If you consider a metal detector, when you dial the detector to gold, it is the frequency of gold that it picks up.  It is the same thing with dousing.  the dousing rods pick up the frequencies of water and are more accurate than the machines they have come up with to replace the dousing.  In like manner, the problem with cell phones, computers, etc, is the harmful electromagnetic frequencies they emit.  A solution to the harmful EMF's, then, is to either neutralize them or block them.  This website will explain this more and better than I can.  I hope you like the site.
  
  
Dekalb
[ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on August 9, 2008 ]
1 Points        
   
 
Savvy User

The Dr. interviewed reference a 1 day old baby with a brain tumor. How does this happen? A baby has made no bad lifestyle choices, no poor diet or lack of exercise, probably no fungus at that age. It just makes you wonder if all the other threats of "cancer causers" are making us look in the wrong direction for the source. Those other things may only be exacerbators.

 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
JWRM42
[ Joined on 02/07 ]  [ Posted on August 9, 2008]
3 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
I also heard that [its at 5:50 incase you missed it] about a one-day old baby with brain cancer. You ask how it happens? My guess would be that the mother used her cellular phone regularly, [perhaps as a home telephone] possibly wearing it around her waist on her belt or in her pocket all day, and  had a poor diet during pregnancy, to develop cancer in the child.

But, anyone is at risk of getting cancer from cellular radiation by just walking down the street, where all the radiation for others' phones possibly effect yourself. Of course, it is not as much as actually talking on one, but still has somewhat of an effect.

42
  
  
Technojunkie
[ Joined on 08/08 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

A femtocell such as the new Sprint Airave should dramatically reduce the transmit power your cell phone needs to use.  They only cover 5,000 sq. ft, perfect for the home or small office, and plug directly into an Ethernet jack on your Internet router.  The biggest limitation appears to be that it only handles 3 simultaneous calls.

www.nextel.com/.../airave

blog.treonauts.com/.../sprint-airave-n.html

Many WiFi routers allow you to decrease radio output power.  I'm highly skeptical that the standard 30mW is strong enough to be harmful but if your notebook has good antennas and you can get away with it, decreasing the router's radio output power will at least make it much harder for hackers to find your network.  Upgrading the router's standard antennas to 7-9dBi omnidirectionals can help compensate.  Higher than that, antennas start getting very directional so they're strictly for people who know what they're doing.  Nothing beats Ethernet for speed, reliability and safety so if you can run a cable from your router to your favorite spot to sit your notebook, do it.  Windows will automatically switch to Ethernet when it's plugged in.  If you need more WiFi coverage you can run Ethernet from your router to the desired location and plug a WiFi access point into that.  Give it the same network name as your router and your notebook will connect to whichever device is closer.  Most routers can be configured as APs (disables routing and DHCP), which is usually the cheapest way to go.

Bluetooth is extremely low power so using a Bluetooth headset is theoretically superior to holding your cell phone to your head.  Its 2.4GHz signal is higher than what cell phones use too.  Higher frequencies have more trouble penetrating barriers, like your skull.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
RacerX
[ Joined on 07/06 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

Thank goodness for Aussie TV. Never see this in the States.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
TiaIsWorried
[ Joined on 05/08 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

Correlation does not equal causation.

Everyone drinks water and breathes air, yet they are NEVER looked at as a cause of these type diseases.

Then add the GMO foods and millions of chemicals and who knows what is "causing" the increases in cancer rates.

I have become a firm believer in moderation in all things.  From driving my car (the SINGLE most dangerous thing any of us can do) to processed foods, to pharmeceuticals, I have decided that moderation in all things is the only way to survive in this world.

Regretfully, we cannot control everything, nor eliminate every possible contaminant from our lives.  And thinking about the million and one ways we can harm ourselves or our families is sure to add extra stress--which runs the risk of damaging our health too.

This warrants more study, but I'm not jumping on the ban it side.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
jve
[ Joined on 06/08 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

Attention parents - You have the right (and obligation) to say "NO" to your kids!  You probably managed to make it through school without a cell phone.  

 [ Reply ]
  
  
ladybug*
[ Joined on 05/08 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

I've known about this problem for a while,as I am very sensitive to electricity.I've found from the research I've done,that Sweden has actually banned cellphones from certain beaches to accommodate folks like me.The cellphones,and electricity attack our immune system and puts our bodies in a fight or flight or flight mode.If your thyroid is low your adrenals are also,if you are tired all of the time this could be why,If you would like some protection for yourself and your families,go to earthcam.com.This wonderful woman has come up with some great products,she has been around for almost 30 years,and she gives a ninety day money back gaurantee.I found from reading some very wonderful testimonials from people in different health forums,I've visited.When I plugged in the home protection device my dogs and I felt much better.My one little older Yorkie could hardly get around,and now she runs around like a youngster and can jump up on the couch again.I also wear the neck lass that comes in a pack with the home protection system.It's a bit spendy,but very well worth it.This will help with the radio waves from cell phone towers also.I've read that if you have your laptop in your lap,,do it sparingly.It's better to set it on the table,and don't spend all day on the computer,if you have to look into a good screen protector,again they are spendy.Trevor and Sheila have a good selections of healing sounds to help also.They are helping me to get my life back,after working with them,I can now do things I haven't been able to do for years.Thanks so much you two,you have given me back my life.Their website is soundsfromthesource.com

 [ Reply ]
  
  
hope for america
[ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

Please everyone google "diodes", these can be purchased to place on your cell phones, cordless phones, computers, appliances or to wear around your neck.  While visiting my ND, she refused to let me leave until she placed one on my cell insisting the damaging waves are still there even when the cell is turned OFF.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
lightshadw
[ Joined on 12/07 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

google "tdma network" and you'll see that tdma is all but gone. I know gsm is similar, but I don't know if all the issues specific to tdma are the same in gsm. It seems like tdma is a bad example to use since the two technologies now being used are cdma and gsm. Pretty good article overall though.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
davebomba
[ Joined on 05/08 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User

My expertise is safety.  When I completed my thesis for college, my subject was the world's most dangerous products.  Cell phones were of the most dangerous products I covered.  I considered them highly unsafe while people use them while driving and the probability of brain tumors and cancers just increases their hazard.  I completed my thesis over ten years ago and some of the facts are finally coming out.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
Chadzilla
[ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on August 11, 2008 ]
       
   
 
Novice User
Is it more safe to use a laptop that is plugged in or while it is running off the battery? I heard the answer somewhere, but I can't remember which one it is. The cell phone use that I see around Ohio State (and probably any other college) is crazy. Sometimes people will have the phone in their hands and be texting for the entire class. Or I'll see a couple of students having lunch together and both of them will be text messaging while trying to have a conversation with each other. And then of course wherever you look you'll see kids gabbing on their phones, and you know that it's most likely the only phone that they use. Why do people feel the need to always be connected to everything? I mean, how many people actually need to be able to access the internet with their phone? It's the American way, to have as many "things" as possible. More and more a very simple life is becoming quite appealing.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Aaltrude
[ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on August 11, 2008]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
I often wonder why someone would want to access the internet on their phone with it's tiny screen. I would much rather surf on my laptop with it's much larger screen and although my laptop is Wi-Fi capable, I'll stick with a wired connection.
Mercola
  
Brian1
[ Joined on 09/07 ]  [ Posted on August 12, 2008]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola
I think it emits less radiation when using the battery. I don't know if there is much difference. I "guess" it's safer, since AC adapters produce some EMR.

You may have to consider the battery lifespan when you use the battery only, since wears out the battery faster. The lifespan would deteriorate even faster with deeper charge-discharge cycles.

Have you seen this video from you tube about popping popcorn using cellphones?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V94shlqPlSI
I don't believe it's true.
  
  
craig_br
[ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on August 26, 2008 ]
-1 Points        
   
 
Novice User

I have to take this with a big grain of salt. The sun emits billions of times more powerful UHF and SHF radiation that a cellphone could ever manage and it does it continuously. Solar flares have been powerful enough to knock out the electric power grid. The aurorea borelais lights up like a florescent tube when it's hit by powerful emr from the sun. That's hundreds of billions of times more energy than a cellphone radiates, and right in that same bandwidth! If you want to see if you can ionize air with a cellphone, then why not make a phone call from a dark closet? No ionization? Well, why not?

We cannot go around blaming brain cancer on cellphones. That discredits us more than just about anything else we could do. The Chicken-Littles of the health-nut world do this to themselves all the time! They get a little knowledge, and then blow it by casting aspersions.

I don't say there isn't a causal relationship, at all! What I am telling everyone is to be scientific about it and stop intimating, until you have at least a scintilla of proof, always considering your gigantic radiator in the heavens we call the sun.

For example, how do you know it isn't starshine instead? Starshine changes nitrogen into carbon isotopes, one of which is C14. I'd think that would really sound "dangerous."  Suppose cellphones changed nitrogen into carbon ions? Wooo-woo! Boy then they'd really be hollering. The sky is falling!

 [ Reply ]

 
Truste
 
Mercola