When in doubt about the risks posed by mobile phones, here is a handy list of 10 practical solutions to protect yourself from mobile phone radiations: it is wise -and really not difficult- to at least try to follow these recommendations.

This is a sensible issue we have already written about in the past, but today we want to revisit the topic due to new evidence that has recently come to light and with a list of recommendations to keep in mind, 10 practical solutions to protect yourself from mobile phone radiations.

Let’s start with the evidence: Interphone Study (a scientific study, involving 13 countries, on the effects of mobile phones) whose project leader is Lennart Hartell, a prominent Swedish scientist, have found that exposure of more than 27 minutes a day to the radiation emitted by a mobile phone over a 10 year period, considerably increases the possibility of occurrence of glioma, a form of brain cancer.

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The International Agency for Research on Cancer has included the use of mobile phones as a possible carcinogen and several countries have raised the same alarm. In Italy, for example, the Italian National Health Council in November 2011 called on the Ministry of Health to promote the use of headphones to reduce risk and asked parents to limit the use of mobiles phones in children to emergency use only. Legal cases are popping up all over the world and the effect of mobile phone radiation continues to be a red hot topic.

It is also important to consider the fact that insurance companies, like Swiss Re and Lloyd’s, do not cover risks of telephone companies. They predict that between 2020 and 2030 the chance that heavy mobile phone users will develop brain tumours is very high.

In practice, these insurance companies do not want to assume the financial risk of the class actions to come: note that insurance companies did the same previously regarding tobacco companies.

FOCUS: Responsible Mobile Phones

Having said this, here are the top ten tips to reduce the risk of mobile phones:

1) Do not let children use them, except in case of emergency. Text messages can be tolerated but it is even better to reduce those. It is not a coincidence that in France, advertising of mobile phones aimed at children less than 14 years, is prohibited.

2) Always use earphones with cable, not wireless ones. Speakerphone is even better. If there is low signal (you see the bars on the display), do not make calls, unless strictly necessary. It will require more power, which leads to more radiation.

3) When on the move use it as little as possible: when you are in a train or a car, there is less signal, and more radiation.

4) Do not place it close to the head when ringing as radiation is stronger. Wait till you answered the call and can hear a voice at the other end.

5) Do not keep a phone in your pocket or in your shirt pocket or jacket.

6) Change ear and reduce the duration of calls.

7) Use the old fashioned land-line if you can.

8) Use instant messaging tools such as Skype.

9) Do not fall asleep with a phone close to your head, for example when using it as an alarm clock.

10) Choose a model with low SAR (specific absorption rate of radiation).

It is wise – and really not difficult – to at least try to follow these recommendations.