drk’ news letter issue 027 drk’s · principle, france outlawed cell phone ads targeting...

DRK’S NEWS LETTER Issue 027

DRK’s News Letter

Issue No: 27

June,2019

MOBILE PHONE RADIATION: CHALLENGES AND REMEDIES

Mobile Addiction–Imminent Threat “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” —Arthur Schopenhauer, celebrated German Philosopher

We have been hearing, of late, increasingly

alarming reports of the mobile radiation causing havoc – even cancer particularly to the children and adolescents. But we cannot imagine a world without use of mobile phones. So I thought of making an in-depth study for consideration of all concerned users as well as authorities on the seriousness of the situation and to take immediate possible remedial measures, before it is too late.

I am quoting scientists, experts, environmentalists

and scholars for the statements contained in this letter, not necessarily mentioning their names for every statement/fact. “Man-made environmental radiation is the new asbestos. Smart people replace fear of radiation with understanding of radiation. There is a fine line between radiation being your best friend or your worst enemy.” ― Steven Magee, Leading expert on radiation and human health.

“We have all become addicted to mobile phones.

They have become our family, our friend, our confidante and to even some they have become our lovers. But at what cost have they taken over our lives? Medically, mobiles emit radiation and microwaves which can distort memory and/or brain processes if they are used close enough and for prolonged period of times. True, phones can help, but along with money they may have also unwittingly become one of the main causes for the downfall of society as a whole.”

― Anthony T. Hincks, Safety Expert & Author

Email: [email protected] Website: www.goodgovernance.in www.lifepositive.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.goodgovernance.in/

DRK’S NEWS LETTER | Issue 027 2

Late Lessons From Early Warnings

Once upon a time there was a little girl on a

playground who noticed grey smoke pouring out of the windows of a school across the street. “Fire!” the little girl shouted. A man sat calmly on a nearby bench. “I don’t see any fire,” he said. “Fire!” the girl cried again. “But I only see smoke,” said the man. “Fire!” the girl shouted, over and over. But no one paid any attention. A few hours later, the school had burned to the ground.

The moral of this story? Where there’s smoke,

there’s a good chance you’ll find fire. That’s the precautionary principle practiced by most governments in Europe when it comes to protecting public health from the millions of cell phones in the world and the electromagnetic radiation they emit. Refusing to adhere to this “better safe than sorry” principle has caused catastrophic health and environmental effects globally, writes David Gee, an editor of The Precautionary Principle in the 20th Century: Late Lessons From Early Warnings. The book analyzes the dismal failures of governments around the world to respond to early danger signs in the environment, from rising levels of carcinogens to the depletion of Atlantic fisheries. In February 2009, Gee testified in Brussels at a European Commission workshop on electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and health. He

warned about the profound danger posed by cell phone radiation—also called electropollution—which many scientists are now calling the “worst toxin in planetary history.” Greatest Polluting element Because of this common-sense precautionary principle, France outlawed cell phone ads targeting children in January 2009. Many other countries followed suit: Russia’s Ministry of Health issued a warning that no child under eighteen should use a cell phone, and that pregnant women should avoid them completely. Israel’s health ministry and the Toronto Department of Health issued warnings as well. Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, India and Finland have all publicly discouraged children’s use of cell phones too. In contrast, what are they doing in the United States? Exactly the opposite. Not long ago, Sprint signed a two-billion-dollar contract with Disney to market cell phones to children under twelve. What is the health impact of billions of microwave-emitting devices on the human body and brain— wireless devices that were never pre-market tested for health? The health risks posed by smoking and asbestos pale in comparison to cell phone radiation, which


produces ICRWs (Information Carrying Radio Waves), precisely because our exposure to ICRWs is completely involuntary. We can choose to walk out of a smoky bar or re-insulate an asbestos-laden home, but there’s no way to completely avoid electromagnetic radiation. One might say this has become a civil liberties issue because our exposure is non-optional. “I have no doubt in my mind that at the present time, the greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of electromagnetic fields. I consider that to be far greater on a global scale than warming...and the increase in chemical elements in the environment.’’ —Nobel Prize nominee Dr. Robert O. Becker, from his book Cross Currents. Mobiles Trapping the Youth A latest survey by Delhi's top government hospitals has found that the Capital's youth are unknowingly getting trapped in behavioural addiction via internet on smart phones. The survey, conducted by the premier top health institutions - All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) and Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) has found that about 56 per cent of the participants had at least one mobile phone behavioural

addiction such as gaming, internet use, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.).

41 per cent of the respondents have agreed to

professional help in case they are having behavioural addiction related to the use of mobile phone technology, while 15 per cent agreed to have sought some help in the past. Dr Suneela Garg, director professor of community medicine says, "Behavioural addiction due to use of mobile technology and internet is a major concern. Respondents have revealed they engage in gaming and downloading videos through smart phones. Nearly 25 per cent of the people have experienced withdrawal symptoms when not using mobile phones." Dr Nand Kumar, professor in the department of psychiatry at AIIMS, said: "There was a time when cases of behavioural changes were found in technologically advanced countries such as South Korea, but today, it has become a concern for Indians. I have come across several patients who fear losing their phones and they cannot imagine their lives without them." "People are developing behavioural problems such as not getting proper sleep. Many a time they develop troublesome symptoms such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression, delinquency, aggressiveness, loss of concentration and memory, fatigue and headache." he added.


Mobile Phone Obsession Anxiety and fear of missing out on information make university students check their mobile devices as many as 150 times in a day on an average, a new study has found. It came as a shock to the researchers that around 23% are logging more than 8 hours daily. “These figures are quite alarming and may have serious consequences on the health and academic performance in the long run. Many researchers have recommended the daily usage limit for especially teens at 2 hours a day.” According to the existing literature on cell phone usage, the number of smartphone users in India is believed to have crossed 800 million. Children Getting Neglected Psychotherapist Dr Vihan Sanyal says, “I see many mothers who are constantly multi-tasking, replying to messages on their phones, spending time chatting with family and friends over a call, cooking and trying to manage their children at the same time. High usage of smartphones often leads to absent-minded behavior, impatience and disturbance in the family routine. They at times start facing challenges in focusing for long. We see fathers working on laptops, spending time on Facebook, on WhatsApp and answering business calls during vacations instead of spending time with

their children. Recent studies have shown a drop in the level of grey matter in the cingulated cortex of the brain in people who are frequent users of their phones and other forms of digital media in comparison with people who spend less time on them. We know that less grey matter in this region of the brain impacts executive functions including focus and attention. It is extremely important for adults to limit the use of digital gadgets for their mental and physical wellbeing and for the wellbeing of their family. Child psychologists insist that kids who receive undivided attention thrive and feel more confident. They find it easy to concentrate and are dependable. In all fairness, it’s impossible to stay off your gadget 100 per cent of the time but try your best to be fully present, physically as well as mentally, when you are with your child. Dealing with Addiction Technology addiction expert, Dr. David Greenfield, refers to smartphones as “the world’s smallest slot machine.” He explains that smartphones, just like slot machines, operate on a variable reinforcement schedule. “Every once in a while you get a reward… a piece of information, a text, an email, an update… something comes through that you find salient or pleasurable, but you don’t know when you’re going to get it, what it’s going to be and how good it’s going to be.” Each of these little rewards, such as texts, likes, social media updates, trigger a dopamine release. Dopamine controls the pleasure centers in our brain. When this chemical is released, it All on Gadgets - No one to Play


feels good and makes us want more of whatever is boosting our dopamine levels. It’s also the reason why responding to one quick text message so often turns into a

fifteen-minute time-suck of scrolling through internet memes. It causes a dopamine loop.

Get your phone out of the bedroom. There are lots of reasons why you should not sleep with your phone. For starters, using your phone within an hour of bedtime leads to poorer sleep quality and more insomnia. Put yourself on a digital diet. The same way reducing your waistline involves breaking unhealthy habits and eating more mindfully, reducing your screen time requires similar self-control. When you want to lose weight, you have to stop eating the junk food. When you want to cut back on smartphone use, you have to stop using the junk apps. Delete those deliciously addictive games. Set up a digital schedule. Assign certain chunks of time throughout the day to go phone free. Experiment with leaving your phone at home when you go to dinner with your friends. Turn your phone off for a couple hours every day at the office so you can work without distraction. Preventing tech addiction in children Parents and caregivers need to be prepared to be unpopular and provide clear boundaries for their children. Dr Soong Chi Mei, Psychologist suggests the following measures- 1. Limit the use of TV, computers and mobile devices to a maximum of 30 minutes at a time.

2. Schedule an appropriate time for using the device, and plan fun physical activities for your child to engage in at other times. 3. Refrain from putting TV and electronic gadgets in your child’s bedroom, and put away such devices after use. 4. Observe ‘tech-free’ times such as during meals, homework and bedtime. 5. You can designate ‘tech-free’ zones for your child such as in the bedroom, dining area and in the car. 6. Teach your child early about the importance of moderation. 7. Be sure to offer praise when your child demonstrates restraint in the use of tech devices and follows the rules you’ve set. 8. Monitor access by using the device together with your child. Take this opportunity to communicate, interact and share family values. “At times, with the hectic lives we lead, technology may be used to help occupy a child’s time. However, it remains important for parents and caregivers to be available to talk, listen, play, visit places and actively engage with their children during their daily routines and activities,” says Dr Soong. Dangerous Consequences A study commissioned by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has concluded that there is a link between high levels of radio frequency radiation (RFR) — like that used in 2G and 3G cellphones — and cancerous heart tumors in male rats, which were exposed to high-level RFR. The thermal effect has been largely studied and refers to the heat that is generated due to absorption of microwave radiation. Being exposed


to the thermal effect could cause fatigue, cataracts and reduced mental concentration. Research is going on to study the non-thermal effects of radiation, and it has been associated with affecting the cell membrane permeability. Sadly,

the current exposure safety standards are purely based on the thermal effect while ignoring the non-thermal effects of radiation. • Principle of microwave Radiation heating is similar to that of a microwave oven where the water in the food content is heated first. Likewise microwave absorption effect is much more significant by the body parts which contain more fluid (water, blood, etc.) like the brain which consists of about 90% water. • Mobiles cut sperm count, says report. Hungarian scientists have found 30% sperm decrease in intensive mobile phone users, in addition to damage of sperms. • A pregnant woman and the fetus both are vulnerable because of the fact that these radiations continuously react with the developing embryo, the developing child can become affected, the developmental malformation may occur. • WHO study in 13 countries confirm increased risk for brain tumor. The Telegraph Study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization (WHO) discovered that the chances of developing a malignant tumor are” significantly increased" for people who use cell phones for ten years. They also found that a type of brain tumor called glioma is more likely in long-term mobile users. In human body, cells communicate with one another through signals that carry all the vital information essential for biochemical and physiological process of the body. Electromagnetic radiations from mobile phones, laptops and

desktop computers tend to disrupt these communication signals, which in turn stress out the body cells, and increase the pulse rate, if used excessively. A defense response is triggered at the biological level when subjected to such signals. The body is under a permanent state of red alert in the body, which suppresses the production of the some of the most important repair enzymes and stress proteins. Being subjected to Microwave radiations emitted from Mobile Phones, Computers and other Wi-Fi devices for long periods can exhaust the cell’s defense system, lower the body’s immunity and make it vulnerable to various diseases.

Warning Signals even a Decade Ago A Report from Sydney Morning Herald on March 31, 2008 spoke about research findings of a neurosurgeon Dr.Vini Khurana, a family friend of mine. Dr Khurana, who is a staff specialist neurosurgeon at the Canberra Hospital and an associate professor

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is known to directly heat up the head and brain, and can also cause thermoelectric effects on cells and DNA. “EMR rays in general cause irritation, concentration lapses and in many cases even proliferation of cells which cause cancer,” said Dr Rajeev Ranjan, a New Delhi neurologist. Radiation can also interfere with the functioning of medical devices like pacemakers. EMR also “affect[s] the DNA and cause[s] problems in cell recovery and cell growth,” says New Delhi neurologist Anshu Rohatgi.


of neurosurgery at the Australian National University, said there had been increased reports of brain tumours associated with heavy and prolonged mobile phone use, particularly on the same side as the person's "preferred ear" for making calls. Dr Khurana, who since 1994 has received several awards, said the time between the commencement of regular mobile phone usage to the diagnosis of a malignant solid brain tumour might be in the order of 10-20 years. He also said there was already enough evidence to warrant industry and governments taking immediate action to reduce mobile phone users' exposure to electromagnetic radiation and inform them of potential dangers. A review of more than 100 studies on the safety of mobile phones has concluded that cellular devices are poised to cause an epidemic of brain tumors that will kill more people than smoking or asbestos. The review was conducted by neurosurgeon Vini Khurana, who made headlines worldwide with his warnings. He called upon the industry to immediately work to reduce people’s exposure to the radiation from mobile phones. While mobile phones may save lives in certain emergency situations, Khurana said, brain cancer is “a life-ending diagnosis.” Smoking is responsible for five million deaths each year. While one billion people worldwide smoke

tobacco, three times as many now use mobile phones. His warning is not the first. A Swedish study in 2006 concluded that people who used mobile phones for an hour or more each day had a 240 percent higher brain tumor risk than non-users. Tumors were significantly more likely to develop on the side of the head where the phone was most often used. Warning by Government of India The eight-member committee, appointed by the Government of India found startling violations of radio frequency levels according to international standards. They have recommended that mobile phones not complying to standard levels of specific absorption rate (SAR) should be banned. SAR measures the amount of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body while using a phone.

A measure of the radio frequency absorbed by our body while we talk on the phone is called the Specific Absorption Rate. All mobile phones, and cellphone towers, are supposed to conform to the SAR limit. Also, handsets should have the SAR displayed. But that's not always the case.

With Dr. Vini Khurana and Family at Sydney, Australia


If the damages are not lethal for humans, its even worse for birds and insects as well. The effects of the radiation are deadlier in Indians when compared to Europeans due to

their low body mass index and low fat content. The tropical climate in India also aggravates the effect. The report pointed out that children, adolescents and pregnant women could be at the maximum risk and recommends the use of hands-free technology to lower physical contact with the body and the cell phone. The children seem to be the worst hit with the extreme use of cell phones. According to Girish Kumar, a professor in the Dept of Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay, "There is a 400% increase in the risk of brain cancer among teenagers using cell phones for long periods. The younger the child, the deeper is the penetration of electromagnetic radiation as children`s skulls are thinner." The committee has recommended “amendment in the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and rules so that only mobile handsets satisfying radiation standards should be permitted in the country".

It is imperative that the accumulating

scientific and medical evidence of the long-term ill effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) be taken into Consideration. Our civilization is at risk for pandemics of malignancies, neurological, endocrine and immune system disorders if steps are not taken soon to protect people from exposures from cell phones and other uncontrolled electronic sources. - Mitchell Fleisher, M.D., D.H., Virginia

The USA National Toxicology Programme (NTP) findings show that as the intensity of the radiation increased, so did the incidence of cancer among the rats. A number of epidemiological studies have linked cell phones to both gliomas and to Schwann cell tumors. The Interphone study, for instance, found an association between the use of cell phones and gliomas.

Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla has raised her voice against mobile phone radiation and its impact on health. The actress complained of feeling discomfort after talking for long hours on the phone. But she has felt better after fixing anti-radiation chips on her mobile. She recommends everyone around her to use these chips. “The Envirochip and Enviroglobe neutralizes the negative effects of Electrosmog – radiations from high tension lines, mobile towers, mobile phones, routers and boosters without affecting the signal strength. These act like safety belt for your Wi-Fi devices.”, says Ajay Poddar of Syenergy Environics. www.environics.co.in “Of course I can feel a clear difference with the use of EnviroChip.” – Shekhar Gupta, Media Personality

With Ajay Poddar of Environics

http://www.environics.co.in/


Tips To Reduce Cell Phone Radiation We do not know a “safe level” of cell phone radiation. Therefore if you must use a cell phone, please reduce exposure with the strategies listed below -recommended by many organisations in many parts of the world over the years. 1. Wired technology is safe technology. The healthiest thing to do is to ensure you have a home corded landline phone and corded computer (with wireless functions turned off). 2. Home cordless phones emit radiation like cell phones, so every home should have a corded landline (with a curly cord to the handset). 3. Forward cell phone calls to your home line while you are at home. Prefer this corded phone for voice conversations. 4. Distance Is Your Friend. While talking on your cell phone, prefer to position the cell phone away from your body as far as possible. 5. Avoid Using Your Cell Phone When The Signal Is Weak or when moving at high speed, such as in vehicles (car, bus, train or airplane) and elevators, as automatically power increases to emit a maximum amount of radiation because the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to each nearest network antenna. 6. Avoid Carrying Your Cell Phone On Your Body at All Times. Do not carry a powered-on cell phone in

your pocket or bra. Cell phones emit radiation constantly, even when you are not actively using them. Power them 100% off before you carry them near your body. 7. Children Should Only Use Cell Phones For Emergencies. Children’s skulls are thinner than adults’ and their brains are still developing. Hence, radiation from cell phones penetrates more deeply into their brains and is likely to cause more damage. 8. Do Not Sleep With Your Cell Phone Powered-On. Research shows that sleep is disrupted by cell phone radiation. Need an alarm clock? Simply set the phone to “airplane” or “flight” or “off-line” mode, which will stop “wireless” electromagnetic field emissions. 9. Use Your Home and Office Corded Landline for Most Conversations. Forward your cell phone to landlines whenever you are at home, then power off the cell phone without missing a call. 10. Avoid Using Your Cell Phone Inside Spaces that are surrounded by metal Like A Car, Elevator, Bus, Train or Airplane. The metal surroundings reflect the waves inside the vehicle, often increasing your radiation exposure. Your use also passively exposes other persons near you (children, pregnant women, and other adults) to your phone’s electromagnetic radiation fields, and also their exposure often increases when inside those metal enclosures.


11. Whenever Possible, Minimize Talk Time And Choose To Communicate Via Text Messaging Rather Than Making A Voice Call to limit the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body. 12. Protect Your Fertility. This radiation has been shown to damage sperm and ovaries. Many people move the phone away from their head to reduce exposure but down to their torso, forgetting that a cell phone or laptop to the abdomen results in higher radiation absorption to the reproductive organs. 13. Read Your Cell Phone Manual to find the minimum distance the government recommends that your cell phone must be away from your body. 14. Special Note for Pregnant Women: It is especially important that pregnant women reduce cell phone exposures because research has shown cell phone radiation can cause damage to the brain and reproductive system in developing pregnancies. 15. Be aware of how close children are to you when you are using a cell phone or wireless device and minimize children’s exposure. For example: do not rest a cell phone on/near your baby; do not hold a transmitting device near their bodies. 16. Make only short or essential calls on cell phones so that you minimize your daily exposure.

17. Keep an eye on your signal strength (i.e. how many bars you have). The weaker your cell signal, the harder your phone has to work and its radiation is more intense. It’s better to wait until you have a stronger signal before using your device. 18. Do not sleep with your head or body near a wall that has the electric panel, electric meter or appliance on the other side. 19. Unplug appliances and electronics such as TVs and Microwave Ovens when not in use. This reduces ELF and also reduces energy

consumption. 20. Remove electronics from the bedroom—especially around your bed and the crib. 21. Increase Your Distance: The amount of radiation exposure received depends on the amount of time exposed and distance from the source. Radiation levels fall off exponentially with distance from antennae. 22. Try to keep the cell phone away from your head and body. Keeping it at an arm’s distance away significantly reduces exposure to the low-level radiation it emits. 23. Laptops and tablets should be placed on a table, not on your lap. Turning off the wireless functions of your device removes RF electromagnetic radiation but does not remove the ELF electromagnetic radiation—so always place electronics on a table.


Loren Brichter (American software developer who is best known for creating Tweetie and the Pull-to-Refresh interaction technique) invented the pull-to-refresh mechanism for an app that Twitter eventually acquired. “Smartphones are useful tools,” he recently told The Guardian. “But they’re addictive. Pull-to-refresh is addictive. Twitter is addictive. These are not good things. When I was working on them, it was not something I was mature enough to think about. I’m not saying I’m mature now, but I’m a little bit more mature, and I regret the downsides.”

“A smartphone is an addictive device which traps a soul into a lifeless planet full of lives”. ― Munia Khan, Author of Beyond The Vernal Mind “We are damaging the world more with our mobiles than our forefathers did with their musket.” ― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

“There is a fine line between radiation being your best friend or your worst enemy.” “Man-made environmental radiation is the new asbestos.” “Smart people replace fear of radiation with understanding of radiation.” “I judge the competence of radiation researchers not by their discoveries, but by their ability to recover from the biologically toxic exposures.”

― Steven Magee, Leading expert on radiation and human health.

“WE have all become addicted to mobile phones. They have become our family, our friend, our confidant and to even some they have become our lovers.

We now have less real conversations with

real people, face to face. We ignore friends and family members because we are playing games or using apps. We neglect work, studies and learning to do the self same.

True, phones can help, but along with

money they may have also unwittingly become one of the main causes for the downfall of society as a whole.”

― Anthony T. Hincks, Author

“Look at the world and think about a

catastrophic disaster where the cell phone towers went dead. How would you ever be able to 'TEXT" your next door neighbor to see if they were okay”

“As long as you have a Cell Phone you're

never alone” ― Stanley Victor Paskavich, Disabled Gulf

War Veteran

drk’ news letter issue 027 drk’s · principle, france outlawed cell phone ads targeting...

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