cell phone

New research from some London scientists is causing a stink about the truth of cell phone hygiene, reports Time. Scientists from the University of London swabbed 390 cell phones and found that one in six phones has E. coli, a bacteria that has poop origins. The cause of this is attributed to people not washing their hands after they use the bathroom.

Although 95 percent of people surveyed claim they wash their hands after going to the restroom, the co-author of the study, Dr. Ron Cutler, says "science shows otherwise." Here are some quick ways to be bacteria-free:

• Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom.
• Don't touch anything in the restroom directly if you can help it. For example, use a tissue to push the handle when you're trying to flush the toilet.
• Wipe your device down with disinfecting wipes occasionally but make sure you squeeze all of the moisture out before doing so.
• There are also antibacterial covers available for your smartphone if you want extra protection.

I recently heard a unique voicemail message I thought was a great idea. Her voicemail said the best way to reach her is to "leave a text instead of a voicemail message" because she barely checks her voicemail messages. For those of you who are super texters, this is a great way to keep track of missed calls.

Another awesome alternative is the function on Google Voice that gives you transcripts of the voicemail messages.

As someone who is regularly glued to her cell phone, this isn't the greatest news of the day: the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) warns that cell phones may increase the risk of cancer. Panel chairman Jonathan Samet, MD, chair of preventive medicine at the USC Keck School of Medicine says:

"After reviewing all the evidence available, the IARC working group classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans . . . We reached this conclusion based on a review of human evidence showing increased risk of glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer, in association with wireless phone use."

Scary stuff. The cell phone industry responded to these findings by saying that it "does not mean cell phones cause cancer." While this study doesn't prove that the radiation from cell phones cause cancer, it does show that there is certainly a correlation, but that more studies need to be conducted to further prove or disprove these conclusions. In the meantime, here are some ways to minimize exposure to cell phone radiation.

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I have this habit for two years now, where I fake talking on the phone to let someone know what I think of them without telling them directly, or make them understand a situation, or make someone jealous, or whatever.

I'm pretending I'm talking on the phone, which I'm not really. I'm a direct person but there are some cases that I'm not!

I really want to quit doing this because I'm starting to do it quite often for even no need! I don't know who else has this habit but please, I need some advice and opinions about this.

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

We've heard about credit cards becoming more high tech, with companies installing buttons on cards that will let you choose between using reward points or credit. A revelation yesterday by Google CEO Eric Schmidt spoke volumes about where credit card technology is heading — straight to your phones. Schmidt said the Near Field Communications chip in the yet-to-be released version of the Android will enable mobile payments and may very soon "replace your credit card."

This isn't much of a surprise because our cell phones are rapidly becoming almost essential to our lives. We can do practically anything on our phones, from finding our way with GPS to checking the weather and communicating with friends. Here are three pros to the credit card smartphone:

Lower Fraud Risk: When you're making a payment with your phone, you'll have to be there in person with your phone, according to Schmidt. There will also be more security obstacles to face when you're accessing your phone. For example, the traditional credit card does not require you to input a pin number to access it, but many people already program pin code access on their smartphones.

For more benefits of a credit card smartphone, read after the jump.

If using a cell phone leaves you with a rash along your jaw, cheek, or ear, chances are that you're probably allergic to nickel. While nickel allergies are nothing new, doctors are just beginning to see a trend that they're calling "cell phone rash." And thanks to unlimited data plans and less use of landlines, both the rash and cell phone usage are on the rise.

Symptoms of "cell phone rash" include red, bumpy, irritated areas of the skin where it has come in contact with the nickel parts of a cell phone. And because nickel allergies are higher in women, it's a good idea for all of us to be aware of the rash in case symptoms start to develop.

Try an OTC corticosteroid, protective case on your phone, and use a hands-free set. And if you can, keep cell phone calls to a minimum and check with your doctor if the rash persists.

This might be common sense for some, but there are a lot of texting programs that don't charge you a cent for messaging your friends who use the same app.

My personal favorite is WhatsApp, because you can use it on four types of smartphones: BlackBerry, iPhone, Google Android, and the Nokia phone. You'll have to pay for this (it costs 99 cents), but I think I've definitely seen more than a return on the money. There can be a few glitches from time to time, but overall it works fine and is definitely a very good tool to invest in.

After talking to other exercise fanatics, I have found that many of us keep our mobile phones with us during workouts. Why wouldn't you if your iPhone doubles as an iPod and has all those great fitness apps on it. And let's face it, a phone is great if something unexpected arises, as in "Honey. I just got a flat tire and learned that my spare tube is punctured too. Can you come pick me up?" In case of something more dire, emergency responders are trained to check people's phones for helpful contacts and they look under ICE, in case of emergency. Take precaution and program your phone with an ICE contact, or really cover your bases and put in two. I also wear my Road ID when out on the trail or biking far from home.

Have a great exercise safety tip? Share it in the comments below, cause we all should be playing it safe — literally.