In the middle of a busy day, my cell phone rings AGAIN! Is it someone wanting something, is there an emergency, or is it a scam caller looking for my money? Hard to know, so I looked at the caller ID and it is an unknown scam caller. Well, at least I don’t have to answer it this time, but I was interrupted and maybe a little annoyed with the phone, right?
We have all been there, but did you know that using your cell phone for as little as 30 minutes a week has been shown to significantly increase the risk of new-onset hypertension by 12%? A recent study showed that if you spend more than 6 hours a week on a cell phone your risk increases to 25%! Wow, who would have thought?
That said, Matthew Tomey, MD, cardiologist, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in New York City says, “this study should not be considered a basis to recommend reducing time spent using mobile phones to make calls as a technique to avoid hypertension.” Hmmm, maybe just doing a better job of “screening” callers and avoiding nuisance calls would help lower blood pressure? As we continue our journey with technology, be aware and know that nothing is without risk, even the cell phone! Stay well and stay informed!
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