Minimize the time on your cell phone

This actually typifies a health hazard seen with our frequent use of cellphone. Not a few people have died recently of brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, and acoustic neuroma metastasis. These people were very concerned about their way of life: very little or no social alcohol, meticulous living.

 The only point then could have been an excessive use of mobile phone or the presence of several telephone masts near the house. That may have led to the suspicion of  the probable cause of death.

About 91 per cent of American adults and 60 per cent of teenagers own mobile devices and  that has revolutionised communication in the 21st century.

So whether you own an Android, an iPhone, a Blackberry, or a basic flip phone, chances are you check your phone for messages, alerts, or calls even when your mobile device isn’t ringing or vibrating, says Pew Internet & American Life Project survey.

Nigeria is currently home to about 190 million connected telephone lines, with 145 million having an active subscription. Internet users, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission, are about 86 million.

Another report states that 85 per cent of Nigerians have access to the Internet through mobile phones. The modern convenience that cell phones provide is responsible for its increased daily use.

According to the Morningside Recovery Rehabilitation Centre, the average American spends 144 minutes a day using his or her phone during a 16-hour period.

With an estimated six billion subscriptions worldwide and counting, cell phones have become one of the fundamental means of communication in the society
In Nigeria, the above statistics may be more than double. In most cases, we spend a huge period exchanging unnecessary pleasantries and greetings ranging from  one to five minutes or more, before we get to the reason for the call.

So our exposure is far more than the developed countries.

While cell phones provide an efficient and easy way to communicate with friends, family, and co-workers, excessive use can take a toll on your health. Mobile phones use transmitting radio waves through a series of base stations where radiofrequency waves are electromagnetic fields that cannot break chemical bonds or cause ionisation in the human body, says the World Health Organisation.

Although cell phones are considered to be low-powered radiofrequency transmitters, your handset transmits power when it is on. Therefore, it is important to increase your distance from the handset to reduce radio frequency exposure.

The Federal Communications Commission  suggests that cell phone users should keep a minimum distance of 20 centimeters from their handset to significantly reduce risk of exposure to radiation.

 Adults and children can suffer the long-term effects of radiation waves on the brain. “Young children particularly need to be careful,” Dr. Devra Davis, director of environmental oncology at the University of Pittsburgh, told CNN.com.

“We do not have enough information nor do we have enough time to be sure that cell phones are safe and there’s a reason for concern that they may be harmful,” she said.

The University of Pittsburgh also warned its faculty and staff to limit their cell phone use due to the possible cancer risks.

Don’t gamble on your life, and learn about the reasons why increased cell phone use can have short-term and long-term effects on your health.