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| Oncologist Dr. Devra Davis |
by Rahime Sezgin, todayszaman.com,
3 July 2011
Once carrying three cell phones with her, Nobel Prize-winning oncologist** Devra Davis gave up using them after conducting a study over the dangers of these devices.
She says we allow our brain cells to die every time we speak on the phone and stresses that if the cell phone were a drug, it would be banned because it entered our lives without having been tested.
Highlighting that people face a big problem due to cell phones, the American oncologist suggests there are ways to ease the negative effects of our mobile telephones. The simplest precaution is to keep the cell phone far from our bodies and use an earpiece while using them.
Davis has waged a campaign to fight against the harms of radiation-spreading cell phones and recently wrote a book regarding the matter called “Disconnect.” “The truth about cell phone radiation, what the industry has done to hide it, how to protect your family,” reads the cover of the book.
The professor was in Turkey last week for a conference regarding the harms of the cell phones. In an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman, she says she wrote “Disconnect” in order to get people to use cell phones properly.
“There is a misperception that if something is being sold, it is safe to buy it. This is wrong. I used to carry three cell phones with me, but after conducting a study about its harms, I gave that up. Sometimes, if I see a cell phone in my grandchild’s hand, I get upset. The microwave radiation between a cell phone and cell tower that is emitted when we do not use it is very harmful. The body and the brain absorb half of this microwave radiation. While we are speaking on the phone, because of the microwave radiation, our brain cells begin to die,” she says.
Davis notes that in an ideal world doctors would be consulted in the manufacturing process of technological products and added that the technology sector continues to ignore the fact that technological products enter our lives without undergoing tests regarding their impact on human health.
The professor underscores that people accept technological equipment which introduces radiation into their lives. “I don’t believe that there is a devil who constantly exerts an effort to produce cancer. The technology sector ignores the problems and we accept many things which bring radiation into our lives. The technology sector ignores the problems and acts as if there is no problem.”
In writing a book about the harms of cell phones, Davis acknowledges that it is not easy to get rid of the devices; however, users can at least try to use them properly. “If you carry your cell phone on your person, it means the danger is in your pocket. Only if it is turned off should you carry it on your person. In fact, this is written in all cell phone manuals, but no one reads and follows them. It is necessary to use an earpiece while speaking on a cell phone,” she warns.
Davis has friends who had brain cancer because of cell phone use. She dedicated her book to them. She says people have started to learn more about the dangers of cell phones and have begun to use them more carefully. “Some people working at CNN have given up using cell phones altogether,” she adds.
The scientific studies on cancer are well done in Turkey, according to the Nobel laureate. She praises a Turkish professor in this regard. “Turkish doctors are in a good position with regard to cancer research. If the world were a fair place, Professor Nesrin Seyhan of Gazi University would receive a Nobel Prize. I was really impressed by her research. As she is a Turkish woman, she could not get what she deserved. She is working on some very good projects at Gazi University. They are doing experiments on pregnant rabbits. They have exposed baby rabbits to cell phone radiation. They have observed damage to the rabbits’ eyes, brains and lungs. In fact, cancer is not the only harm caused by cell phones. It causes damage to DNA as well,” she explains.
Davis also comments on the cancer risks she observed during her stay in Turkey. The smoking ban in public indoor areas got a thumbs-up from the professor; however, many cancer risks caught her eye as well. “A basic problem in Turkey is that cell towers are very close to private homes and hospitals. I am very surprised to see that. When I saw Çamlıca, I was shocked. In this field, Turkey does not take Switzerland as its model. On this matter, the Swiss are in a very good position. Walking down the street, I saw obese children. This would create a very serious problem for future generations. Children are motionlessly sitting in front of the computer and eating fast food. Fast food culture has become widespread. This is something that we should avoid.”
In order to prevent cancer, Davis has adopted a number of habits. She exercises and swims every day. “No matter how old a person is, he or she should exercise. If they cannot play a sport, they should stretch their legs and arms. I swim every day. Even on a plane, I do certain movements. Deep breathing and stretching the body are very important. For this, I practice yoga,” she says. She also drinks plenty of water, and never smokes or consumes alcohol. Davis saw a toilet a la Turca, referring to Turkish-style toilets, which are different from toilets with seats, for the first time in her life. She found the a la Turca very sanitary.
“I avoid sugar and white flour. I never clean my house with chemicals; instead, I prefer lemon juice or vinegar. Even shampoos contain chemicals. I use castor oil for my hair and face. I do not use chemical cosmetic products either. I prefer natural cosmetics. Sleep is important; I make sure to get enough sleep. In order to get a good night’s sleep, you need to sleep in complete darkness. For this, you should have heavy curtains in your room. When a person sleeps in the dark, the body releases melatonin, the happiness hormone,” she notes among other tips to maintain a healthy life.
She also has a motto for being healthy: “Eat broccoli, exercise, sleep well and don’t worry.”
Caution! There is a danger in your pocket
- Use a speaker, a hands-free device or an earpiece.
- Try to use a landline whenever possible.
- Try not to carry a cell phone on your person.
- Beware of weak signals. When the signal is blocked, radiation emission increases as the phone works harder to establish contact.
- Keep cell phones away from children. Microwave radiation from cell phones affects children twice as much as adults. Pregnant women should keep phones away from their abdomen.
- Don’t sleep with a cell phone turned on and placed next to the bed or under a pillow.
** Dr. Devra Davis also served as a Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — the group awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with the Honorable Al Gore. (Footnote added by the Editor of "Towards Better Health" 23 August 2017. Ref: Environmental Health Policy Institute)
http://www.todayszaman.com//news-249252-nobel-laureate-if-the-cellphone-were-a-drug-it-would-be-banned.html
Once carrying three cell phones with her, Nobel Prize-winning oncologist** Devra Davis gave up using them after conducting a study over the dangers of these devices.
She says we allow our brain cells to die every time we speak on the phone and stresses that if the cell phone were a drug, it would be banned because it entered our lives without having been tested.
Highlighting that people face a big problem due to cell phones, the American oncologist suggests there are ways to ease the negative effects of our mobile telephones. The simplest precaution is to keep the cell phone far from our bodies and use an earpiece while using them.
Davis has waged a campaign to fight against the harms of radiation-spreading cell phones and recently wrote a book regarding the matter called “Disconnect.” “The truth about cell phone radiation, what the industry has done to hide it, how to protect your family,” reads the cover of the book.
The professor was in Turkey last week for a conference regarding the harms of the cell phones. In an exclusive interview with Today’s Zaman, she says she wrote “Disconnect” in order to get people to use cell phones properly.
“There is a misperception that if something is being sold, it is safe to buy it. This is wrong. I used to carry three cell phones with me, but after conducting a study about its harms, I gave that up. Sometimes, if I see a cell phone in my grandchild’s hand, I get upset. The microwave radiation between a cell phone and cell tower that is emitted when we do not use it is very harmful. The body and the brain absorb half of this microwave radiation. While we are speaking on the phone, because of the microwave radiation, our brain cells begin to die,” she says.
Davis notes that in an ideal world doctors would be consulted in the manufacturing process of technological products and added that the technology sector continues to ignore the fact that technological products enter our lives without undergoing tests regarding their impact on human health.
The professor underscores that people accept technological equipment which introduces radiation into their lives. “I don’t believe that there is a devil who constantly exerts an effort to produce cancer. The technology sector ignores the problems and we accept many things which bring radiation into our lives. The technology sector ignores the problems and acts as if there is no problem.”
In writing a book about the harms of cell phones, Davis acknowledges that it is not easy to get rid of the devices; however, users can at least try to use them properly. “If you carry your cell phone on your person, it means the danger is in your pocket. Only if it is turned off should you carry it on your person. In fact, this is written in all cell phone manuals, but no one reads and follows them. It is necessary to use an earpiece while speaking on a cell phone,” she warns.
Davis has friends who had brain cancer because of cell phone use. She dedicated her book to them. She says people have started to learn more about the dangers of cell phones and have begun to use them more carefully. “Some people working at CNN have given up using cell phones altogether,” she adds.
The scientific studies on cancer are well done in Turkey, according to the Nobel laureate. She praises a Turkish professor in this regard. “Turkish doctors are in a good position with regard to cancer research. If the world were a fair place, Professor Nesrin Seyhan of Gazi University would receive a Nobel Prize. I was really impressed by her research. As she is a Turkish woman, she could not get what she deserved. She is working on some very good projects at Gazi University. They are doing experiments on pregnant rabbits. They have exposed baby rabbits to cell phone radiation. They have observed damage to the rabbits’ eyes, brains and lungs. In fact, cancer is not the only harm caused by cell phones. It causes damage to DNA as well,” she explains.
Davis also comments on the cancer risks she observed during her stay in Turkey. The smoking ban in public indoor areas got a thumbs-up from the professor; however, many cancer risks caught her eye as well. “A basic problem in Turkey is that cell towers are very close to private homes and hospitals. I am very surprised to see that. When I saw Çamlıca, I was shocked. In this field, Turkey does not take Switzerland as its model. On this matter, the Swiss are in a very good position. Walking down the street, I saw obese children. This would create a very serious problem for future generations. Children are motionlessly sitting in front of the computer and eating fast food. Fast food culture has become widespread. This is something that we should avoid.”
In order to prevent cancer, Davis has adopted a number of habits. She exercises and swims every day. “No matter how old a person is, he or she should exercise. If they cannot play a sport, they should stretch their legs and arms. I swim every day. Even on a plane, I do certain movements. Deep breathing and stretching the body are very important. For this, I practice yoga,” she says. She also drinks plenty of water, and never smokes or consumes alcohol. Davis saw a toilet a la Turca, referring to Turkish-style toilets, which are different from toilets with seats, for the first time in her life. She found the a la Turca very sanitary.
“I avoid sugar and white flour. I never clean my house with chemicals; instead, I prefer lemon juice or vinegar. Even shampoos contain chemicals. I use castor oil for my hair and face. I do not use chemical cosmetic products either. I prefer natural cosmetics. Sleep is important; I make sure to get enough sleep. In order to get a good night’s sleep, you need to sleep in complete darkness. For this, you should have heavy curtains in your room. When a person sleeps in the dark, the body releases melatonin, the happiness hormone,” she notes among other tips to maintain a healthy life.
She also has a motto for being healthy: “Eat broccoli, exercise, sleep well and don’t worry.”
Caution! There is a danger in your pocket
- Use a speaker, a hands-free device or an earpiece.
- Try to use a landline whenever possible.
- Try not to carry a cell phone on your person.
- Beware of weak signals. When the signal is blocked, radiation emission increases as the phone works harder to establish contact.
- Keep cell phones away from children. Microwave radiation from cell phones affects children twice as much as adults. Pregnant women should keep phones away from their abdomen.
- Don’t sleep with a cell phone turned on and placed next to the bed or under a pillow.
** Dr. Devra Davis also served as a Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — the group awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with the Honorable Al Gore. (Footnote added by the Editor of "Towards Better Health" 23 August 2017. Ref: Environmental Health Policy Institute)
http://www.todayszaman.com//news-249252-nobel-laureate-if-the-cellphone-were-a-drug-it-would-be-banned.html
I shut mine down today... I feel better already.
ReplyDeleteI already am aware of the dangers that Dr. Davis speaks about. However, I looked at her profile in Wikipedia, and I do not see any reference to her being a Nobel laureate, and I doubt that she is. I don't think that the article can be changed here, but maybe some note indicating this error could be posted. Otherwise, such a error can take away from credibility of article.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. In searching the Web, where there are allusions to this, the site, Environmental Health Policy Institute states, Dr. Devra Davis "also served as a Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — the group awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 with the Honorable Al Gore." So, I will put a footnote to the article. In 1981, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, where I worked, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which included all the staff. Each staff member was given a copy of the Nobel certificate in his/her name.
DeleteWe thank Dr. Davis for all the excellent work she and the Environmental Health Trust are doing.