Is Cell Phone Radiation Dangerous?
Written by:
John Goss
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Here are two questions we at Gimme the Good Stuff hear quite a lot from our readers:
1) “Is there a link between cell/smart phones and cancer?”
2) “Is there a product that provides effective radiation protection?”
As you probably know, your cell phone, along with other common household electronic devices, emits EMFs (electromagnetic radiation fields). That much is an established fact. Vexingly, we are far less certain what health concerns these EMFs might cause.
Until recently, studies have been either inconclusive or show little reason for concern. But the last several years found the World Health Organization, at the urging of over 195 scientists from 39 countries, and citing over 2,000 peer-reviewed studies, reclassifying devices emitting EMFs as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
French researchers have found an almost three-fold increase in the incidence of brain cancer in people with more than 900 hours of lifetime cellphone use. Swedish researchers also found that the risk of being diagnosed with brain cancer increased by a factor of three in people who had used cell or cordless phones for at least 25 years. Research on lab animals has caused similar concerns.
Bear in mind that this technology is still in its infancy and as a rule I’d rather err on the side of safety, especially when I consider the fact that:
- When I was a kid, cigarettes were considered safe, and there were even doctors who endorsed particular brands.
- In the 1960s, many doctors believed that diet played little or no role in our health.
- Recently, the American Cancer Society changed mammography guidelines, based on a new understanding of the risks.
I’ll stop there. The point is that when industry-funded, scientific researchers claim that cell phone use is safe, I can’t help but wonder if, in twenty or thirty years, we will look back and wonder how we could have been so foolish. Children–due to lower skull density and a still-developing brain–would likely be even more vulnerable to the potential carcinogenic effects of cell phones.
Cell Phone Radiation Protection
The good news is that there are ways to decrease the amount of EMFs we expose ourselves to without giving up our phones entirely. For better or worse, cell phones are here to stay, so we need to learn how to use them safely.
(Related Post: iPad Radiation)
Here are some things you can do to drastically decrease the amount of EMFs you are hit with:
- Don’t let your kid use your cell phone. Admittedly, I love to FaceTime with my grandsons. But we try to keep these calls brief.
- Use your speakerphone. Every centimeter of distance between your brain and your cell phone reduces the amount of EMR exponentially.
- Put your phone on airplane mode when you’re not using it. If nothing else, you should always put your phone in airplane mode at night if you use it as an alarm and therefore have it next to you.
- Don’t use your phone when the signal is weak. When the bars are low, your phone has to work harder to find the signal–which means higher radiation for you.
- Invest in a protection device. The internet is thick with products that claim to reduce or eliminate EMF exposure from cell phones. Some of these products are pure quackery, while others have proven their effectiveness in independent labs. We’ve done research on several products, and generally speaking, any product that is worn as a pendant or necklace won’t block or absorb EMFs in any effective way.
- Use tube-type headphones. Normal headphones are attached with a wire that can transmit EMFs to your head.
Here are some good products we’ve found to protect yourself from your phone radiation:
Pong (Now Alara)
We no longer carry Alara cases in our store, but they have been tested and our research suggests that the shielding/redirecting technology embedded within Pong cases successfully reduce EMF exposure.
The limitations are that they are only made to fit a iPhones. (See below for what to use if you have a Galaxy or want a universal case).
DefenderShield EMF Radiation-Free Air Tube Headphones
One of the best ways to protect yourself from radiation from your cell phone is to use either speaker phone or headphones.
Unfortunately, only some headphones are effective–specifically, those that use tubes rather than wires to direct the sound from your device into your ears. Delivering sound via hollow air tubes rather than traditional wires, the DefenderShield EMF Radiation-Free Air Tube Stereo Headphones offer an incredible listening experience while eliminating EMR exposure to the head.
DefenderShield Radiation Protection Products
DefenderShield’s line of products block virtually 100% of harmful EMR cell phone radiation from the face of your cell phone–no matter what kind you have–without affecting signal quality. DefenderShield also makes radiation protection for laptops and tablets–supper important if you have kids who like to play on your iPad!
Backed by FCC-certified lab testing, its multi-layered shielding technology embedded in the front cover blocks virtually 100% of the full frequency spectrum of harmful Electromagnetic Radiation (EMF) from 0-10 GHz which includes:
- Extremely Low Frequency Radiation (ELF Radiation)
- WiFi Radiation (RF Radiation)
- Bluetooth Radiation (RF Radiation)
- Cellular Radiation (RF Radiation)
The bottom line is that this is that cell phone radiation is still a new area of study. As of now, it is impossible for anyone to claim that their product will rescue you from 100% the ill-effects of cellphone use and their EMFs.
But history tells us that these EMF redirecting products might be worth the investment, considering the negative outcomes that may show themselves years from now.
Stay sane,
John, Certified Holistic Health Coach
Note: This article contains affiliate links or sponsored content, which means that if you make a purchase, we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that meet our strict standards for non-toxicity and that we use (or want to use!) ourselves. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Good Stuff!
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Hi Jon,
Great article! Thank you so much for the information.
I have a question for you along these same lines. What are your thoughts on induction stovetops? What are the exposures to EMF with an appliance like that? Do you have significant concerns? I’ve had one for the last 6 years and it broke two weeks ago. I began doing research and have been quite concerned about what I have been finding in terms of induction cooking and EMF. Needless to say that we will be replacing it with a traditional stovetop but still discouraged about the exposure with the appliance.
Maia and John – I am still unclear whether the DefenderShield iPhone case actually provides any protection when the cover is open, and phone is in use (i.e. an active call or user texting etc.)? Or if it only provides protection when the cover is closed? Can you comment based on your understanding? Thank you!
Hi Maia and John,
I’ve been looking into the research on various anti-radiation phone cases because Pong does not carry a case that fits my Motorola android phone. Have you ever looked into SafeSleeve (https://www.safesleevecases.com/)? They seem to have a greater variety of phone case options than many other companies. Thanks!I would love to know your thoughts on SafeSleeve as well!
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