Potholes in the fast lane

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: Tech-No-logy? There are studies and there are more studies, leaving us, more than often, attempting to make sense of it all. Take the cell phone for instance. A recent research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that heavy mobile phone use may be linked to an increased risk of cancer of the salivary gland. According to the research you are 50% more likely to develop a salivary gland tumour, if you use the phone against one side of the head for several hours a day. So, what do you do while there’s no debate about the fact that the cell phone has become an indispensable part of life? “Electromagnetic radiation has been associated with carcinogenic symptoms, but the extent of association remains unproven… It’s too early to say anything,” says Dr Ashutosh Shukla, consultant, internal medicine, Artemis Health Institute. A relatively recent invention, Shukla gives cell phones the benefit of doubt. Not Amitabh Malik, ENT specialist at Paras hospital. “Advancement in technology comes at a price. I have come across several cases where cell phones have caused sterility in males and ipods have been linked to nerve deafness.” And with summer round the corner, you need to be careful about air conditioners. “Most people know that a direct blast of the AC is bad. But few know that excessive use of AC can cause the inner membrane of the nose to dry up, causing dry cough,” says Dr Amitabh Malik, ENT specialist at Paras hospital. Taking the middle path of “moderate cooling” is what Malik advises.

What you breathe…

Marketing executive Nikhil Gupta spends three hours commuting, every day. His journey is anything but pleasant. And what he hates most about it is “the traffic jams.” Health seems to be low on his list of priorities at the moment. Not once has it struck him that the air pollution he is being subjected to routinely, is making him vulnerable to upper respiratory infections like bronchitis and sinusitis. “Wash your nose regularly with saline — quite like Jal Neti is done in yoga. About 5 ml in a syringe should be helpful for one cleansing,” says Malik.

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