CELL PHONES AND HEALTH

One of the most common sights we see these days, is that of people with their mobile phones next to their ears. A boon for better communication, cell phone usage nonetheless has many health hazards. Various studies indicate that the emissions from a cell phone can be extremely harmful, causing genetic damage, tumors, memory loss, and increased blood pressure and weakening of the immune system. This is alarming information, and one has to take into account all these factors..

CELL PHONES AND HEALTH

Though there is no evidence of cell phones causing cancer or any such illness, but the suspicion, or fear of the same is not baseless either. The electromagnetic radiation from cell phones does have a potential link to cancer. The fact that this radiation is invisible, intangible, and enters and leaves our bodies without our knowledge makes it even more intimidating.

Possible hazards:

* Two minutes of exposure to emissions from mobile phones can disable a safety barrier in blood causing proteins and toxins to leak into the brain, could increase chances of developing Alzheimer's multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's. (Scientists at Sweden's Lund University)

* Scientists say exposure to the phones' low-level radiation causes red blood cells to leak hemoglobin and can lead to heart disease and kidney stones.

* Recent studies suggesting a link between cell-phone use and brain tumors, and the possibility that the microwaves could ignite petroleum fumes at gas stations.

* A cell phone unit, or communications tower, has so many of thee radiation emanating gadgets. This can be a problem for its immediate environment.

SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS

Cancer / Tumors

Studies have been conducted suggesting that rats that have been exposed to microwaves similar to the sort generated by mobile phones but more powerful, showed breaks in their DNA which could indicate an adverse effect. Also, mice exposed to radiation for 18 months developed brain tumors. Though of course, these studies are not concrete proof.

Blood Pressure

It was observed that people using cell phones were prone to high blood pressure. Again, there isn't any concrete evidence of the same.

Pregnancy

A study at the University of Montpellier in France was carried out on 6000 chick embryos and suggested that the heavily exposed chick eggs were five times less likely to survive than the control group. This study raised questions about possible effects on pregnant women but it has not yet appeared in peer-reviewed scientific literature or been reproduced, so its findings are difficult to assess.

Headaches, Heating Effects, Fatigue

A study brought out that longer the people used mobile phones, the more likely they were to report symptoms such as hot ears, burning skin, headaches and fatigue.

The study did not include a control group (that is people who do not use mobile phones, to make a comparison); therefore the symptoms reported could have been caused by any number of other factors in the mobile phones users' environment, such as working with computers, stress, driving or reading.

Memory

There have been various studies into the connection between mobile phones and memory loss. A study looked into the effect of radiofrequency (RF) on the section of rats' brains that is linked with the memory. The results showed that RF could modify signals in the cells in a part of the brain that is responsible for learning and short term memory.

Posture (holding phone between raised shoulder and ear)

Some researchers claim that holding a mobile phone between the raised shoulder and the ear could have a damaging effect on muscles, bones, tendons and discs. These problems would apply equally to a cordless phone or a landline phone as to a mobile phone and are the effect of bad posture.

Mobile Phones and Children

Because of their smaller heads, thinner skulls and higher tissue conductivity, children may absorb more energy from a given phone than adults.

PREVENTION TIPS

* Cell phones should be used for emergencies, and not for long conversations.

* A small chip-like cell phone microwave radiation protection device is available, which has the ability to absorb electromagnetic energy waves from your mobile phone. It helps in reducing the potential harmful effects of these emissions to the human body.

* Using a mobile headset is a good idea, you don't have to hold phones next to your ears all the time

* Use a hands free mobile car kit while driving, without taking your hands off the steering wheel

THE WHO (World Health Organisation) RULES

* Mobile phone users should limit their exposure to harmful radio frequencies by cutting the length of calls.

* Hands-free devices cut exposure by keeping the instrument away from the head and body.

* Driving cum mobile phone talking should be banned.

* Mobile phones should not be used in Intensive Care Units of hospitals as they can pose a danger to patients by interfering with the working of pacemakers and defibrillators.

* People with hearing aids should not use mobile phones.

* Base stations, which have low powered antennae on their terrace to communicate with cell phones, should not be located near children's schools and playgrounds.

CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING

Studies indicate that a lot of car accidents have happened, while the driver was on the phone. This is because while driving, one obviously needs to concentrate, and talking on a phone doesn't help. Some countries like Portugal have banned the use of cell phones, which may not be very practical, as their main use is to be reachable while you are on the move. Thus, it is important to take certain precautions while driving:

* Position your phone within easy reach so that you don't have to take your eyes off the road.

* Get to know the features of your cell phone - speed dial, redial, voice mail, they can be your lifesaver. But don't dial and drive at the same time. Use a hands free kit.

* Avoid using a phone when road conditions are hazardous or traffic is heavy. You can let your voice mail take messages and then call back later.

* Don't engage in stressful conversations that may distract your attention from the road.

* Don't take notes or look up phone numbers whilst driving, wait till you can pull over.

* User abbreviated speed dialing. In fact, voice activated dialing is even better. It leaves both hands free. Frequently called numbers can be programmed.

* Have an answering machine installed that could take messages until you can return the calls. Let your co-passenger handle the calls if you are not travelling alone.

When shopping is like a wedding

WALKING down the aisle is every little girl's dream. Surrounded by family and friends, colourful decorations, lively music, lots of food and laughter, the excitement is simply irresistible. Nevertheless, has it ever occurred to you that grocery shopping can be just as eventful as weddings? Not only is there similarity in walking down the aisle, but grocery shopping puts you to a test -- can you make the right judgement and pick the best choice? Here is a quick checklist: - Be Prepared Just like for a wedding, the planner is a must. Always prepare your shopping list before hitting the road. You can start on the list anytime, not just when you are heading out to the store. A shopping list prevents you from buying on impulse. - Perfect Timing Find a place where you are comfortable, with items you can afford. It could be the wet market round the corner, the sundry shop or the supermarket next to your workplace. Each has its own "specialties" to offer. You just need to open your eyes and look for the best deal. Learn to manage your time while you shop. Avoid rushing as you may end up with poor choices and "extras" which would be thrown away later. Sometimes though, you may catch a good deal before the store or market closes. - Variety & Moderation Explore which category of Body Mass Index (BMI) each one of your family members belongs to. Are they under, within or above normal weight? Use the Food Pyramid as your guide to fulfil everyone's needs. Each of you should be getting enough from the five food groups: grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and poultry, and dairy products; and a little from sugar, salt and fats. - Nutritional Facts Shop for foods that support healthy eating; not those with little or no nutrients. Take into account that the more food varieties you have, the more "power" nutrients you will get. Fortunately, it is now a requirement for certain categories of foods to carry nutrition information or nutritional facts to equip you to be the smart customer. - Quality Deals Look for quality food; don't be fooled by offers. For perishable items like fruits and vegetables, avoid those with black marks or are discoloured. Fish and meat with pink and firm flesh should be bought right away. When buying chilled or frozen foods, make sure they travel under ideal temperature, especially from store or market to home. Drastic temperature changes can reduce freshness of the foods, affecting the nutritive value and putting your health at risk. - Make It Fun Children should be brought along on grocery shopping trips. The chance for them to explore, learn and experience the amazing varieties of food is invaluable. Train them from young towards better health. It is a great investment of knowledge for their future. Plan your shopping trips to be as interactive and as interesting as possible. These will definitely engage your children's interest. This article is courtesy of Malaysian Dietitians' Association.

Ancaman Plastik

Pada zaman sekarang, antara bahan yang paling banyak dan selalu digunakan oleh manusia dalam kehidupan seharian mereka adalah barang yang diperbuat daripada plastik. Lihat sendiri perkakas di dalam rumah, bermula daripada dapur, bilik air hinggalah ke kawasan ruang tamu dan halaman di luar rumah, hampir kebanyakannya dihasilkan daripada plastik kerana ia adalah bahan yang murah lagi mudah digunakan. Namun, di sebalik dua keistimewaan plastik itu, tersembunyi ancaman yang kita tidak ketahui. Contoh yang paling mudah, iaitu botol air mineral. Selain daripada ringan, senang dibawa ke mana-mana dan mudah digunakan dengan berulang kali, ianya juga akan menjimatkan wang para pengguna apatah lagi di kala kemelesetan ekonomi sekarang, jalan mudah untuk penjimatan adalah menggunakan botol ini berulang kali.

Meskipun amalan mengelakkan pembaziran adalah perkara yang dituntut oleh Islam, tetapi adakah kita mengetahui akan kesan buruk seandainya kita suka menggunakan botol air mineral ini secara kerap untuk suatu tempoh masa yang lama? Hal ini adalah kerana botol air mineral diperbuat daripada Polyethylene Terephtalate atau lebih sinonim dengan singkatan PET. Bahan ini mempunyai beberapa kekurangan yang boleh memudharatkan kesihatan pengguna apabila digunakan dengan berulang kali, terutama sekali jika terdedah kepada suhu panas. Menurut sejarah, ia digunakan dalam industri pembuatan botol minuman secara meluas selepas dipatenkan pada tahun 1973.

Beberapa tahun kemudian, timbul isu bahawa bahan kandungan PET berupaya untuk larut resap ke dalam air mineral dan seterusnya mencemarkan air mineral itu sendiri. Semua bahan plastik di pasaran sekarang secara asasnya adalah berdasarkan petroleum. Dalam proses pembuatan botol air mineral misalnya, peringkat pertama melibatkan proses tindak balas kimia untuk menukarkan petroleum kepada bahan asas dengan menggunakan pemangkin seperti antimoni. Selanjutnya, peringkat kedua pula membabitkan bahan kimia seperti Dimetil Tereftalat (DMT) dan Etilena Glikol (EG) dengan penggunaan pemangkin tertentu. Kemudian, bahan campuran kimia lain seperti Di-2-ethyl-Hexyl-Adipote (DEHA) juga ditambah kepada bahan asas untuk menghasilkan botol mengikut reka bentuk yang dikehendaki.

Antimoni yang digunakan sebenarnya boleh menyebabkan penyakit barah dan sepatutnya tidak digunakan dalam proses membuat botol. Begitu juga dengan penggunaan DEHA yang dikatakan boleh larut resap dalam air, tetapi sehingga kini tiada fakta saintifik untuk menyokong dakwaan itu. Selain itu, dua faktor yang menyebabkan penggunaan botol plastik air mineral secara kerap kali yang membhaayakan kesihatan pengguna ialah perubahan sifat kimia akibat haba dan juga kesan penuaan. PET hanya tahan haba hingga 60 celsius dan jika lebih tinggi, botol tidak akan cair tetapi menjadi lembut. Walaubagaimanapun, apa yang membimbangkan ialah proses larut resap yang mungkin boleh berlaku. Namun, kenyataan ini juga tiada sokongan dengan bukti saintifik yang kukuh.

Sehubungan itu, kalau kita ingin menggunakan bekas botol air dengan berulang kali, elakkan daripada menggunakan botol plastik PET, sebaliknya gunakan botol plastik yang dihasilkan daripada polikarbonat yang lebih tahan haba, iaitu hingga 130 atau 140 celsius. Dari segi kesan penuaan pula, botol plastik terdedah kepada perubahan sifat apabila digunakan berulang kali seperti kemek dan pecah, di mana proses larut resap juga mungkin boleh berlaku dan hal ini memungkinkan terjadinya pembiakan bakteria. Pencemaran terhadap alam sekitar turut berlaku akibat daripada penggunaan plastik selain daripada menjejaskan kesihatan. Contohnya, satu kajian telah mendapati bahawa lebih kurang 100 bilion tan beg plastik telah mencemari lautan seluruh dunia dan meragut nyawa hidupan laut seperti penyu, burung-burung dan ikan paus.

Dianggarkan juga sejuta burung cedera dan mati setiap tahun kerana termakan dan terjerat beg plastik serta banyak penyu mati akibat termakan beg plastik yang terapung hanyut di permukaan laut yang menyerupai makanan asasi penyu, iaitu ubur-ubur. Plastik-plastik yang dibuang ini tidak akan hancur dalam masa yang singkat kerana jangka hayatnya sangat panjang hingga mencapai lebih kurang 10 abad untuk hancur atau terurai. Selain itu, plastik-plastik yang dibuang juga boleh menyekat pengaliran air sehingga boleh menyebabkan air parit dan sungai membanjiri kawasan berhampiran apabila hujan lebat. Disebabkan oleh faktor tempoh reput yang agak panjang, maka ia akan memenuhi sebahagian besar dari kawasan tapak pelupusan sampah. Lebih merisaukan lagi, plastik boleh mengeluarkan kompaun toksik dan berbahaya apabila ia reput. Sekiranya hal ini berlaku, pencemaran tanah, sungai dan sumber air di bawah permukaan tanah tidak mustahil akan terjadi.

Akibatnya, kualiti alam sekitar, kesihatan dan kesejahteraan masyarakat akan terjejas. Berikutan keburukan plastik terhadap kesihatan manusia dan persekitaran, beberapa negara telah mengambil langkah untuk mengelakkan pembungkusan dengan plastik secara berleluasa. Terdapat sebilangan negara telah menghentikannya melalui undang-undang penggunaan beg plastik di kedai dan pasar raya. Sebahagian negara lagi telah mengenakan bayaran ke atas sisa beg plastik. Maka dengan itu, tidak hairanlah jika tema bagi sambutan Hari Alam Sekitar Sedunia pada tahun lepas ialah ‘Kick The Habit- Reduce The Use of Plastic Bags, Towards A Low Carbon Economy’ (Ubah Sikap! Kurangkan Penggunaan Beg Plastik Bagi Menjana Ekonomi Yang Berkarbon Rendah). Tujuan kempen ini diadakan adalah mengajak kita untuk mengubah sikap terhadap penggunaan plastik.

Di samping itu, sebagai pengguna, kita juga perlu mengetahui kebaikan-kebaikan dari segi alam sekitar daripada pengurangan penggunaan bahan-bahan daripada plastik khususnya beg plastik.
Antaranya:

1. Jumlah sisa buangan yang perlu dilupuskan akan berkurangan lantas mengurangkan penggunaan kawasan tanah bagi tujuan pelupusan seterusnya menipiskan risiko berlakunya pencemaran.

2. Penggunaan semula (kitar semula) pembungkus atau beg plastik akan menjimatkan penggunaan sumber tambahan bagi penghasilan beg plastik baru. Kajian oleh Agensi Perlindungan Persekitaran Amerika Syarikat yang dijalankan bersama Konsultan ICF, Konsultan Owen-Illinous dan Univesiti Florida pada September 2006 menunjukkan kitar semula satu tan plastik akan menjimatkan penggunaan tenaga sebanyak 51 hingga 56 juta Btu (satu Btu bersamaan dengan tenaga yang boleh dihasilkan oleh 8 gelen gasolin).

Oleh yang demikan, wajarlah bagi kita selaku pengguna menyambut baik dan menyokong penuh kempen mengurangkan penggunaan plastik dan beg plastik. Sebagai alternatifnya, menggunakan bahan lain selain daripada bahan tersebut adalah sangat-sangat digalakkan terutamanya dalam menyelamatkan alam ini daripada tercemar dan mengekalkan kesihatan kita sepanjang masa.


Justeru, hayatilah pesanan junjungan besar nabi kita, Muhammad saw dalam hadith baginda yang bermaksud:

“Rebutlah lima perkara sebelum lima perkara..mudamu sebelum tuamu, kayamu sebelum miskinmu, sihatmu sebelum sakitmu, lapangmu sebelum sempitmu dan hidupmu sebelum matimu”.

Ingatlah bahawa bumi ini dan kesihatan yang dikurniakan oleh Allah SWT adalah antara amanah yang perlu dijaga dan dipelihara oleh kita dengan sebaik-baiknya selama mana kita hidup di dalam alam yang bersifat sementara dan fana’ ini. Amatlah pedih azab yang bakal kita terima di akhirat kelak seandainya kita gagal dalam memikul tanggungjawab berkenaan.

"sampaikanlah sesuatu walaupun ianya sebaris ayat"