10 Practical Tips To Keep Your Cellphone From Killing You

Have you heard, cellphones are deadly. Science told us so this week when Dr. Ronald B. Herberman of the esteemed University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute realized that cellphones emit death rays that fry your brain and turn you into a baby-eating Communist, or give you cancer or whatever. Dr. Despair isn't a downer though! Inside, 10 practical ways to keep your precious little brain safe from those ubiquitous chirping cancer slabs...

1. Do not allow children to use a cell phone, except for emergencies. The developing organs of a fetus or child are the most likely to be sensitive to any possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.

2. While communicating using your cell phone, try to keep the cell phone away from the body as much as possible. The amplitude of the electromagnetic field is one fourth the strength at a distance of two inches and fifty times lower at three feet. Whenever possible, use the speaker-phone mode or a wireless Bluetooth headset, which has less than 1/100th of the electromagnetic emission of a normal cell phone. Use of a hands-free ear piece attachment may also reduce exposures.

3. Avoid using your cell phone in places, like a bus, where you can passively expose others to your phone's electromagnetic fields.

4. Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times. Do not keep it near your body at night such as under the pillow or on a bedside table, particularly if pregnant. You can also put it on “flight” or “off-line” mode, which stops electromagnetic emissions.

5. If you must carry your cell phone on you, make sure that the keypad is positioned toward your body and the back is positioned toward the outside so that the transmitted electromagnetic fields move away from your rather than through you.

6. Only use your cell phone to establish contact or for conversations lasting a few minutes, as the biological effects are directly related to the duration of exposure. For longer conversations, use a land line with a corded phone, not a cordless phone, which uses electromagnetic emitting technology similar to that of cell phones.

7. Switch sides regularly while communicating on your cell phone to spread out your exposure. Before putting your cell phone to the ear, wait until your correspondent has picked up. This limits the power of the electromagnetic field emitted near your ear and the duration of your exposure.

8. Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train, as this automatically increases power to a maximum as the phone repeatedly attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.

9. When possible, communicate via text messaging rather than making a call, limiting the duration of exposure and the proximity to the body.

10. Choose a device with the lowest SAR possible (SAR = Specific Absorption Rate, which is a measure of the strength of the magnetic field absorbed by the body). SAR ratings of contemporary phones by different manufacturers are available by searching for “sar ratings cell phones” on the internet.

Of course, science doesn't actually know for certain whether cellphones are safe or whether they cause debilitating brain tumors. "Further research is needed" is a common refrain, though this is the sort of thing that will work itself out over the next decade as more, um, tumors data become available.

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Cosmo's 20 Favorite Sex Tips Ever

Culled straight from the experts, Cosmo has the wall-shaking, earth-quaking moves that'll make your bed end up across the room.

Sure, your sex life rocks, but you still catch yourself wondering if there isn't a tip or two that could catapult your carnal life from all right to out-of-sight. Well, there is. Cosmo picked the brains of five of the top sex pros in the country to glean sneaky, seductive, and superhot moves that will take you and your guy into uncharted turn-on territory. Explains Susan Block, Ph.D., sex therapist and author of The 10 Commandments of Pleasure (St. Martin's Press, 1997): "Since sex is our full-time job, we're on top of all the latest trends and techniques." And how! After grilling our panel of experts for their greatest tricks, we couldn't believe the amount of arousing -- and amazing -- advice they had to offer. So read on and prepare to get it on like never before.

1. Randy Rub-a-Dub-Dub
Before you make love, take a bath together. Prepare the bathroom beautifully beforehand with fluffy towels and candles. Then put two drops of patchouli oil, three drops of sandalwood oil, and three drops of lavender oil into your bathwater. Patchouli and sandalwood are two scents that aromatherapists believe awaken sensuality, while the lavender is thought to induce relaxation. The combination of scents and warm-water sensations will completely prime your bodies -- and minds -- for a truly sensual and erotic experience.
--Nitya Lacroix, author of The Art of Tantric Sex (DK Publishing, 1997)

2. Pocketful of Pleasure
When he's least expecting it, tell your man you need some change. Then stick your hand in his pocket and start rubbing his penis through the fabric, pretending that you're really digging around for that coinage you need. When he's good and hard, whisper something Mae West-ish in his ear like, "Is that a roll of quarters in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?" He'll practically bust out of his pants.
--Susan Block

3. Unhand Your Man
Give your man a massage without using your hands. Before you begin, slowly undress your partner, but make sure that he stays warm. (If the room isn't toasty enough, cover him with towels or sheets.) Then, keeping your hands at your side or behind your back, stroke his body (all except for his penis) with your face, hair, and breasts. Once he's totally relaxed, rub your breasts against his penis and he'll happily rise to the occasion.
--Nitya Lacroix

4. Heavenly Heartbeat
To feel more connected in bed, tune into each other's heart rate. Lay your hand on his chest, and have him do the same. You might be surprised how easily you can become synchronized. Since heart rate speeds up during orgasm, if you stay hand-to-heart connected while you do it, you'll feel how wild you're driving each other.
--Barbara Keesling, author of Discover Your Sensual Potential (HarperCollins, 1999)

5. Putting on the Ritz
You know how hotel sex is always extrahot? Try re-creating that away-from-home atmosphere in your own bedroom. First, purge your room of any family photos or office equipment. Then buy sheets with the highest threads-per-inch count you can find (look for 200 and above), which feel supersilky to the touch without the cheesiness of satin. Invest in some thick, fluffy robes to lounge around in. And for the ultimate hotel-style indulgence, set up a tray of champagne and finger foods to savor after you make love. You'll both feel like you're on an incredible vacation from the rest of the world.
--Ellen Kreidman, author of The 10 Second Kiss (Renaissance, 1998)

6. Pop His Cork
Try the oral-sex technique that I call The Screw. As you're moving up his shaft with your mouth, turn your head a bit from side to side, letting your tongue follow a corkscrew pattern. When you get to the frenulum -- that part of the shaft just beneath the head -- be sure to lick it for a few seconds before moving all the way up to the top. Then repeat, moving down his shaft. What will drive him wild about this is that you aren't just going up and down -- you're also going sideways. It's 3-D!
--Paul Joannides, author of The Guide to Getting It On (Goofy Foot Press, 1999)

7. Let Go -- Loudly!
When you're sexually excited, really express yourself. Let yourself go in whatever way feels most comfortable. Scream your head off, laugh, shout his name -- whatever you have the urge to do. If you're embarrassed, just know that you're doing your partner a favor. The more you express your pleasure, the more you make him feel like the stud of the universe. Bonus: Your orgasms will be even more powerful if you really let 'er rip vocally.
--Susan Block

8. Toy With Him
Stock up on some sex toys. Velvet-lined handcuffs can be exciting, and they don't hurt like the metal ones do. Silk blindfolds build a sense of suspense -- which can be really titillating. And you can never go wrong with a vibrator. Ask him to buzz it against your clitoris or tell him simply to sit back and watch you handle it. It will feel amazing for you, and he'll be turned on just by seeing you so turned on.
--Susan Block

9. Eyes Wide Open
Don't close your eyes during sex. This is a great way to explore more of the emotional side of intercourse. Start by kissing with your eyes open and looking at each other during foreplay. Gradually build up until you can sustain eye contact throughout both of your climaxes. You'll experience your orgasm in a totally different way. It's a revelation.
--Barbara Keesling

10. Hot Dog!
Before giving him oral sex, position yourself so you're sitting to the side, almost perpendicular to his penis. Cup your hand around his member, creating a "bun" around his "hot dog." Then kiss the part of his penis that's exposed while breathing hard. Your hand will trap your exhalations and make his member feel superhot. With your other hand, work his testicles. He'll think he has died and gone to heaven.
--Paul Joannides

11.Tantalizing Turn-Around
Face his legs instead of his face when you're on top. (Hold on to his feet for balance.) He'll get a great view of your backside -- a surefire turn-on. And if his erection points out instead of up, this position will feel especially incredible to him.
--Paul Joannides

12. The Kiss Connection
Share a passionate 10-second kiss every single day. A lot of couples keep having sex but stop really kissing. And that's a shame, because it's such a wonderful, intimate act. So just go up and lay one on him. Instantly, you'll feel passionate instead of platonic. What a rush!
--Ellen Kreidman

13. Bare Boogie
You don't have to have a model-perfect body to have maximum fun in the bedroom. Look at yourself naked in a full-length mirror for five minutes a day and focus on what you love about your body. If this feels awkward, turn on some music and dance naked with your mirror image. By getting used to your unique shape, you'll gain confidence that will naturally spill over into your sex life and make you twice as enticing to your guy.
--Barbara Keesling

14. Sultry Slo-Mo
To surprise him and build anticipation, try doing the same things you always do in the bedroom, but slow down to one-fourth of your normal speed. You and your guy will have time to really bond, and since you'll be feeling sensation over a longer period of time, both your orgasms will likely be out of this world.
--Barbara Keesling

15. Don't Wait to Exhale
You can actually use your breath to control your orgasm. With each exhalation, imagine that you're pushing the satisfying sensations throughout your body -- instead of just letting them build up below the waist. When you finally let go, you'll feel the orgasm from head to toe.
--Nitya Lacroix

16. Finger-Food Foreplay
Have a romantic dinner without utensils so you can feed each other. There's something sensual about placing food in your partner's mouth. It's such fun -- especially when you serve stuff that's not supposed to be eaten with your hands, like salads or pasta. After a meal like this, serve yourself for dessert.
--Ellen Kreidman

17. Strut Your Stuff
The next time you go out with your man, wear your sexiest outfit. Go ahead -- flirt with strangers and turn some heads. Tease. It's easy to forget you're still attractive to other members of the opposite sex when you're in a committed relationship. But sometimes you have to remind your guy that you're a prize, not an appendage. It really turns most guys on to know they have someone other men want to be with. And it can be a tremendous ego boost for you, too. When you feel sexy, you are sexy. Once you return home from your diva-date, you won't be able to keep your hands off each other.
--Susan Block

18. Grab and Go
If you're turned on at an inopportune time, act on your feelings. Although it feels a little bit naughty, a quickie will help you stay faithful. People often have affairs solely for the illicit rush from doing something "bad." Quickies allow you to experience all of the having-an-affair thrill with none of the cheating.
--Ellen Kreidman

19. Jeans Jiggy
Encourage your man to touch you when you have your favorite tight jeans on (and don't let him take them off). His hand can glide over your crotch more easily, and the material will transmit the sensations over a wider area.
--Paul Joannides

20. Pillow Power
Great sex is all about angles -- the angle of his erection and your pelvis determine exactly what hot spots he'll hit and how tightly he'll feel gripped. That's why pillows can be passion's best friend. Try one under his butt while you're on top or supporting your tailbone in the missionary position. Or use a few to prop yourself up when lying on a counter. And don't be afraid to experiment with odd-size cushions, too. You'll be surprised how many new sensations you both experience just by adding a pillow.
--Paul Joannides

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How High Fructose Corn Syrup Makes you Gain Weight

New research from UT Southwestern Medical Center shows the amazing speed that our bodies make body fat from fructose. One of the reasons why low carb diets help you lose weight is that they reduce your intake of fructose.

Even though fructose, a type of sugar, is found naturally abundance in fruit, it is also added to many processed foods. Fructose is probably best known for its presence in the sweetener called high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is typically 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. It unfortunately has become the preferred sweetener for many food manufacturers. This is because it is cheaper, sweeter and easier to blend into beverages than table sugar.

Sugar Type As Important as Calories

Dr. Elizabeth Parks, lead author of the study , said her team’s findings infer that the right kind of carbohydrates you eat may be just as important in weight control as the number of calories you eat. The study appears in the Journal of Nutrition.

“The message from this study is powerful because body fat synthesis was measured immediately after the sweet drinks were consumed,” Dr. Parks said. “The carbohydrates came into the body as sugars, the liver took the molecules apart like tinker toys, and put them back together to build fats. All this happened within four hours after the fructose drink. As a result, when the next meal was eaten, the lunch fat was more likely to be stored than burned.

“This is an underestimate of the effect of fructose because these individuals consumed the drinks while fasting and because the subjects were healthy, lean and could presumably process the fructose pretty quickly. Fat synthesis from sugars may be worse in people who are overweight or obese because this process may be already revved up.”

Blame Obesity Epidemic on Fructose?

Dr. Parks said that people trying to lose weight shouldn’t totally eliminate fruit from their diets but that limiting processed foods containing the sugar may help.

“There are lots of people out there who want to demonize fructose as the cause of the obesity epidemic,” she said. “I think it may be a contributor, but it’s not the only problem. Americans are eating too many calories for their activity level. We’re overeating fat, we’re overeating protein; and we’re overeating all sugars.”

Methodology

In the research, six healthy individuals went through three tests where they had to drink a fruit drink mix. In one test, the breakfast drink was 100 percent glucose, similar to the liquid doctors give patients to test for diabetes — the oral glucose tolerance test.

In the second test, they drank half glucose and half fructose, and in the third, they drank 25 percent glucose and 75 percent fructose. The tests were random and blinded, and the subjects ate a regular lunch about four hours later.

The researchers found that lipogenesis, the process by which sugars are turned into body fat, increased significantly when as little as half the glucose was replaced with fructose. Fructose given at breakfast also changed the way the body handled the food eaten at lunch. After fructose consumption, the liver increased the storage of lunch fats that might have been used for other purposes.

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