Tips on how to reduce exposure to cell phone radiation

How do you cope with the fact that the cell phone, the means of communication by which million of people communicate, may cause brain cancer?

News that exposure to the phones' radio frequency and electromagnetic fields may put consumers at an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, will likely have panicked users reaching for their land lines.

While there no direct evidence that cell phones will give you cancer, there are proven way to help you reduce your risk:

If you're going to talk on your cell phone, go hands free.

These devices emit far less radiation than the actual phone, according to the Environmental Working Group. If you're alone, you could also use the phone's speaker mode.

Got a weak signal?  While it seems counterintuitive, that's the time when radiation is the strongest. The fewer bars you have, the more important it is to wear that headset.

Like to talk on your cell phone while you drive? Be aware that your iPhone may be more dangerous while you're in the car.  The reason?  While your phone is searching hard for a signal, it's emitting more radiation.

We've all become used to having our phones within a moment's grasp. But think twice before you keep it in your pocket or on your belt, right next to your body while you're chatting, advises the environmental group.

Little kids shouldn't talk on cell phones for more a few minutes – their brains absorb more radiation.  Tell Grandma to call on the land line.

Some phones cause more radiation to be absorbed by the human body.  Here are a few to consider avoiding, according to the group.

1. Motorola Bravo (MB520) AT&T 1.59 W/kg
2. Motorola Droid 2 GlobalVerizon Wireless *1.58 W/kg
3. Palm PixiSprint1.56 W/kg
4. Motorola Boost i335Boost Mobile 1.55 W/kg
5. Blackberry Bold 9700AT&T, T-Mobile1.55 W/kg
6.Motorola i335Sprint 1.55 W/kg
7. HTC Magic (T-Mobile myTouch 3G)T-Mobile 1.55 W/kg

Source   http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2011/05/31/2011-05-31_cell_phone_rancer_risk_tips_on_how_to_reduce_exposure_to_cell_phone_radiation.html?r=news

High-fiber foods

Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.

Fruits	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Raspberries	1 cup	8.0
Pear, with skin	1 medium	5.5
Apple, with skin	1 medium	4.4
Strawberries (halves)	1 1/4 cup	3.8
Banana	1 medium	3.1
Orange	1 medium	3.1
Figs, dried	2 medium	1.6
Raisins	2 tablespoons	1.0
Grains, cereal & pasta	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked	1 cup	6.2
Barley, pearled, cooked	1 cup	6.0
Bran flakes	3/4 cup	5.3
Oat bran muffin	1 medium	5.2
Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked	1 cup	4.0
Popcorn, air-popped	3 cups	3.5
Brown rice, cooked	1 cup	3.5
Bread, rye	1 slice	1.9
Bread, whole-wheat or multigrain	1 slice	1.9
Legumes, nuts & seeds	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Split peas, cooked	1 cup	16.3
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	15.6
Black beans, cooked	1 cup	15.0
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	13.2
Baked beans, vegetarian, canned, cooked	1 cup	10.4
Sunflower seed kernels	1/4 cup	3.9
Almonds	1 ounce (23 nuts)	3.5
Pistachio nuts	1 ounce (49 nuts)	2.9
Pecans	1 ounce (19 halves)	2.7
Vegetables	Serving size	Total fiber (grams)*
Artichoke, cooked	1 medium	10.3
Peas, cooked	1 cup	8.8
Broccoli, boiled	1 cup	5.1
Turnip greens, boiled	1 cup	5.0
Sweet corn, cooked	1 cup	4.2
Brussels sprouts, cooked	1 cup	4.1
Potato, with skin, baked	1 medium	2.9
Tomato paste	1/4 cup	2.7
Carrot, raw	1 medium	1.7

*Fiber content can vary between brands.

soluble and insoluble fiber

Color coding of table entries:

• Both Applies to both soluble and insoluble fiber
• Soluble Applies to soluble fiber only
• Insoluble Applies to insoluble fiber only

Dietary fiber functions and benefits

Functions	Benefits
Increases food volume without increasing caloric content, providing satiety	May reduce appetite
Attracts water and turns to gel during digestion, trapping carbohydrates and slowing absorption of glucose	Lowers variance in blood sugar levels
Lowers total and LDL cholesterol	Reduces risk of heart disease
Regulates blood sugar	May reduce onset risk or symptoms of metabolic syndrome and diabetes
Speeds the passage of foods through the digestive system	Facilitates regularity
Adds bulk to the stool	Alleviates constipation
Balances intestinal pH and stimulates intestinal fermentation production of short-chain fatty acids	May reduce risk of colorectal cancer

Fiber does not bind to minerals and vitamins and therefore does not restrict their absorption, but rather evidence exists that fermentable fiber sources improve absorption of minerals, especially calcium. Some plant foods can reduce the absorption of minerals and vitamins likecalcium, zinc, vitamin C, and magnesium, but this is caused by the presence of phytate (which is also thought to have important health benefits), not by fiber.

Stevia

The discovery and development of high-intensity sweeteners, used simply for their non-nutritive sweetening properties, signified a major turning point in the food and beverages industry. They enabled food technologists to develop products which satisfied our sweet cravings without adding to our caloric intake. With rising levels of obesity and diabetes dominating headlines worldwide, there has never before been so much emphasis on reducing our caloric intake as well as consuming healthier foods and beverages.

However as the use of high-intensity sweeteners has become more widespread so too has the rising number of voices expressing concerns over the toxicity of some of these products, fears that were first recognised at a national level when Japan decided to ban certain artificial sweeteners in the late 1960s. Since then the growing worldwide emphasis on health and a widening demand for natural ingredients has led the food and beverage industry to look much more closely at alternative sweetening ingredients.

One herb of South American origin qui-ckly caught the attention of the wider food and beverages industry boasting natural, non-caloric, sweetening properties: stevia.

Originating from Paraguay, Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly known simply as stevia, is one of the 240 species of herbs and shrubs which comprise the Stevia genus of the sunflower family (Asteraceae). Also known as sweetleaf and sugarleaf, stevia leaf offers sweetness without adding any calories.

The green powder derived from crude stevia leaves can be 15 to 30 times sweeter than sugar, while stevia extracts, which can come in both white crystalline powder and liquid format, offer a sweetening power hundreds of times greater than sugar. The sweetening properties are provided by the content of a dozen or so different steviol glycosides, which are largely odourless and freely soluble in water and ethanol. Also, stevia is heat stable at 95°C, photo stable and boasts a long shelf-life. Improvements in refining processes have helped to improve the overall taste profile and reduce the bitterness, enabling its use in a wide range of foods from beverages and baked goods to confectionary and preserves. Nevertheless, while its versatility as an ingredient makes it an attractive choice, it is stevia’s all-natural credentials which make it stand out from the crowd.

While it has been used in Paraguay for centuries, and extensively as a sweetener in general food use in the Far East for decades, particularly Japan, in the last four years stevia has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity on the global stage, thanks largely to the persistent efforts by key producers to push legislators worldwide to give the green light to this new zero-calorie sweetener.

Limited for many years by regulatory constraints, the breakthrough came in June 2008 when Joint WHO/FAO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) stated that steviol glycosides are safe for use in foods and beverages. Since then stevia’s profile on the global food and drinks stage has rocketed. The domino-effect approval by legislators across the world opened the door to new formulations and reformulations of foods and beverages with zero- or reduced-calorie content and its status as a global ingredient was secured with its incorporation into leading soft drinks brands including PepsiCo’s SoBe Lifewater Zero and Trop 50 calorie-reduced fruit juice, and Coca-Cola’s Glaceau Vitaminwater Zero and Sprite Green. As a table-top sweetener, it has gained popularity under brands names such as Truvia, developed jointly by Cargill and Coca-Cola, and PureVia, developed through the combined efforts of Whole Earth Sweetener Company, PepsiCo and PureCircle.

However stevia is still only at the start of its global journey. Although it has been given full approval in a number of regions, including the Far East, US, Asia Pacific and South America, crucially it has still to receive the green light from European authorities. Once approval has been secured in Europe, other regulating authorities in Africa and the Middle East are likely to follow suit, with full global approval expected by the end of 2012. The level of popular acceptance of stevia in North and South America and Asia suggests that the global potential for this all-natural sweetener is significant.

A new study by leading food and drink consultancy Zenith International estimates that worldwide sales of stevia reached 3,500 metric tonnes in 2010, a 27% increase on 2009, taking its overall market value to US$285 million. Zenith forecasts that the global market for stevia will reach 11,000 metric tonnes by 2014, equivalent to US$825 million by value.

Soy foods help prevent lung cancer in non-smokers

Eating soy foods such as tofu, soybeans, and soy milk may help reduce the risk of developing lung cancer in non-smokers, according to a new study in the Jan 13, 2010 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study shows an inverse association between intake of isoflavone, a component found high in soybeans and the lung cancer risk in both female and male non-smokers.

Non-smokers were defined as those who have never smoked in the study.

Early case-control studies have already revealed a similar association. But this may be the first prospective cohort study confirming that eating soy may cut the risk.

For the study, Shimazu T and colleagues at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo, Japan followed 36,177 men and 40,484 women aged 45 to 74 years who were not diagnosed with lung cancer when entering the study in 1995 to 1999.

The participants were surveyed at baseline through a validated 138-food-item questionnaire. During the 11-year follow-up, 481 men and 178 women were diagnosed with lung cancer.

Of the never-smoking men, those who had their intake of isoflavone in the highest quartile were 57 percent less likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those who had the lowest quartile of the phytochemical, the researchers found.

Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera biennis)

Evening primrose is a flowering plant also known as oenothera biennis, scabish, king's cureall, night willow herb, sun drop, and fever plant.

Evening primrose has been used in alternative medicine as an aid in treating heart disease, high cholesterol, circulation problems, premenstrual syndrome, endometriosis, breast pain, certain symptoms of menopause, eczema, psoriasis, acne, osteoporosis, and multiple sclerosis. It has also been used in cancer, Alzheimer's disease, asthma, diabetes, hyperactivity, and stomach or intestinal disorders.

Evening Primrose Oil has been called the most sensational preventive discovery since vitamin C. It contains the pain relieving compound phenylalanine and is increasingly being used to treat chronic headaches. It is currently being studied all over the world as a treatment for aging problems, alcoholism, acne, heart disease, hyperactivity in children, symptoms of menopause, multiple sclerosis, weight control, obesity, PMS and schizophrenia. It has so many preventive and therapeutic qualities that it has become a standard part of recommendations of many herbalist for maintaining youth and preventing disease.

Evening Primrose Oil contains a high concentration of a fatty acid called GLA and it is this fatty acid that is largely responsible for the remarkable healing properties of the plant. In fact, Evening Primrose contains one of the highest concentrations known of this important substance and only a few other plants contain it at all. This makes Evening Primrose an important medicinal herb, and as studies continue, the list of benefits will likely become much longer. The gamma-linoleic acid, linoleic acid and other nutrients in this oil are essential for cell structure and improve the elasticity of the skin. These fatty acids also help to regulate hormones and improve nerve function aiding problems ranging from PMS to migraine headaches. The hormone balancing effect contributes to healthy breast tissue.

Specifically, evening primrose oil may help to:

Relieve the discomforts of PMS, menopause, menstruation, endometriosis and fibrocystic breasts:

By interfering with the production of inflammatory prostaglandins released during menstruation, the GLA in evening primrose oil can help to lessen menstrual cramps. It may also minimise premenstrual breast tenderness, irritable bowel flare-ups, and carbohydrate cravings, and help to control endometriosis-associated inflammation. Many PMS sufferers are found to have unusually low levels of GLA in their systems, which is why supplements might help so much. In women with fibrocystic breasts, the oil's essential fatty acids can minimise breast inflammation and promote the absorption of iodine, a mineral that can be present in abnormally low levels in women with this condition. In menopause, it is widely reported that Evening Primrose oil reduces hot flushes and increases feelings of well being.

Ease the joint pain and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis:

Supplementation with evening primrose oil and other sources of GLA has been shown to lessen the joint pain and swelling of this crippling disease. A six-month study reported fewer signs of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis sufferers taking capsules containing GLA than in those taking a placebo. In another trial, the number of tender joints and swollen joints dropped significantly with GLA but not with a placebo.

Prevent diabetes-associated nerve damage:

Research indicates that the GLA in evening primrose oil can help prevent, and in some cases even reverse, the nerve damage (neuropathy) so commonly seen with diabetes. In a year-long study, such symptoms as numbness, tingling, and loss of sensation in participants with mild diabetic neuropathy were less marked in those who took evening primrose oil than in those who took a placebo.

Reduce the symptoms of eczema:

In some cases, eczema develops when the body has problems converting dietary fats into GLA. Getting supplemental GLA from evening primrose oil may therefore be helpful. Some studies indicate that this oil can outperform a placebo in relieving eczema-related inflammation, as well as the itching, oozing, and flaking associated with this condition. By taking GLA, eczema sufferers may tolerate reduced doses of steroid creams and drugs, many of which cause unpleasant side effects.

Help treat acne and rosacea:

By working to dilute sebum, a thick oily substance that is oversecreted in some people with acne, the essential fatty acids in evening primrose oil may reduce the risk of pores becoming clogged and lesions developing. The oil's EFAs help treat rosacea by reducing inflammation, controlling cells' use of nutrients and by producing prostaglandins, which stimulate the contraction of blood vessels.

Gamma-linolenic acid also shows promise against breast cancer.