When I heard that Lif3 Smartchip was looking for some testers of their new chip which reduces cellphone radiation, I volunteered right away. I had been concerned about cellphone radiation for a while, especially since there have been no long term studies on the effects of cell phone radiation on children, of which I happen to have four.
Now, if you think that cell phone radiation is non-existent, then all you need to do is check the user manuals of any of the major cell phone manufacturers. Right there, in black and white, you will find warnings indicating that when transmitting, cell phones need to be carried at least 0.6 inches away from the body to meet FCC Radio Frequency (RF) exposure guidelines.
For those that don’t know, radio frequency is a form of non-ionizing radiation. So now that we’ve established that cell phone radiation is a real thing, the question becomes whether there are there any negative effects from too much cell phone radiation and how much is too much?
Well, the data is not in yet. There have been studies that show radiation from cellphones is a growing concern including one major cell phone radiation study that showed an increase in cancerous tumours in rats, but other studies have not shown similar links.
All this to say, the research is still in its infancy. Cell phone are only about 40 years old so we haven’t gone through a lifetime of using them. Furthermore, cell phones weren’t used the way we use them now – constantly connected, on all the time and they weren’t used by children at such young ages and for the duration of their lives.
In fact, 66% of children and 85% of teens are using some form of mobile device on a regular basis and tests have proven that children absorb radiation by up to 10 times more than adults and that exposure may result in an increased risk of learning and behavioural difficulties.
Until we have some more definitive data one way or another, I am personally choosing to avoid any potential future risk to myself and my kids. The World Health Organization seems to have a similar stance classifying cell phone use as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.’
In comes the Lif3 smartchip, which features technology that has been scientifically proven by an independent lab, to reduce the radiation specific absorption rate (SAR) emitted from mobile phones by up to 99%. If you want to know more about how the technology works, you can read about it here. The studies also showed that the technology can do this with virtually no loss of signal.
So, how did the Lif3 Smartchip work for me? Well, I can attest that after two months of use, I have not noticed any decrease in signal strength at all. It was ridiculously easy to attached (you just stick it in the proper spot on the back of the phone) and it still managed to fit effortlessly into my phone case.
More importantly, my nagging worries about cell phone safety was no longer there. The only negative thing I could find about the Lif3 Smartchip was that you cannot peel it off and move it to a new phone if you decide to upgrade. I would definitely recommend this technology to anyone concerned about cellphone radiation.
Now of course there are other steps you can take to reduce your and your kids’ exposure to cell phone radiation. The easiest way is to buy them a basic phone, which of course won’t be met with much enthusiasm, but it will effectively reduce the amount of time they spend on the phone. I also recommend using earphones or the speakerphone when talking on the phone.
Another way to limit exposure is to do what any good parent is supposed to do anyway, and set proper limits for cell phone use. You can either put a cap on the data usage or you can set ground rules on the amount of time and / or location where cell phones can be used.
In our home, we have a no phones allowed in the bedroom rule, which applies to everyone in the household. Screen time also has to be earned and is capped to an hour a day, with time spent on homework being an exception. Of course if you want others to follow you need to lead, and this might mean you need to break up with your own cell phone addiction.
One thing I have a really hard time with is trying to get the kids to stop carrying around their phones in their pockets, so if anyone has any suggestions on how to break this habit, or how to reduce cell phone exposure, please comment below. At least I can feel good knowing that they their cell phones have Lif3 Smartchips attached to them.
