When Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, sent out a memo to 3,000 faculty and staff members to limit their cell phone use due to possible risks to the immune system and bone marrow, many thought he was over-reacting to unpublished studies.
But Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD, President and Medical Director of the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation in Tucson, doesn’t think so.
“I think this is an emerging science,” says Dr. Dharma. “And we’re probably at about the same place we were with cigarettes and cancer 40 years ago. There’s been research that has shown that electromagnetic radiation kills brain cells associated with learning and memory, too. Those scientists hypothesized that people who may be prone to Alzheimer’s disease may be doing damage that encourages an earlier onset of the disease.”
While Dr. Dharma agrees that current science hasn’t given us definitive answers, he does suggest there is every reason to use caution when dealing with this type of radiation.
“After all, we are nothing but electromagnetic radiation ourselves, so the cell phone radiation may clash with our own, causing serious damage,” says Dr. Dharma, author of the books, Brain Longevity and Meditation as Medicine.
No one expects you to toss your cell phone. Here’s what you can do:
- Limit cell phone use when possible
- Use the speaker phone rather than holding the phone to your ear
- Use a wired headset to limit exposure
- Use your phone in open spaces whenever possible
Perhaps especially important, limit children’s exposure to cell phones, since they may be the most vulnerable, being exposed at such a young age and for more time over their lifetimes.
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Alzheimer’s and other forms of cognitive decline affect millions of Americans, but evidence is mounting that there are identifiabe factors, aside from genetics, that contribute to their development. While its not clear exactly what the link between cell phone use and Alzheimer’s is, it probably wouldn’t hurt to try to at least be conscious of your exposure to cell phone radiation.
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Written exclusively for Stop Aging Now, the authority on anti-aging research, anti-aging nutrition, and anti-aging supplements.