The Belly Armor Story
Belly Armor was born out of a mother’s desire to protect her own child and inform others about the radiation that surrounds us invisibly, but not innocuously.
Belly Armor co-founder, Aileen Chen, was a banking executive when she was pregnant with her first child. Like most expectant mothers, she researched extensively on how to ensure a healthy pregnancy to give her child the best start in life. All sources advised eating healthily, exercising, and avoiding smoking, alcohol and environmental hazards like chemicals and pesticides. Because of her job, she had no choice but to be constantly surrounded by radiation-emitting laptops, cell phones and other wireless devices. Looking into what the impact of this exposure might be, she was shocked at what she discovered. Increasing amounts of research were indicating potential health risks from low-level radiation exposure, and these risks were most pronounced for young children and during pregnancy – when DNA replication and cell growth are at their highest rates. This is compounded by our ever-increasing exposure – the exponential growth in our use of smart phones and laptops and the prevalence of cell towers and wireless networks over the past 10 years means that our radiation exposure today is several times what it was only a decade ago (and several times the levels at which most research has been conducted). As just one indicator – in 1990, about 12 million people worldwide used cell phones; in 2010, the figure is closer to 4.5 billion.
An increasing number of health experts and governments worldwide have been advising precautionary measures against this type of non-ionizing radiation, and policies and advocates are sprouting worldwide. The WHO recently categorized mobile phone use as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”, alongside lead, engine exhaust and chloroform. However, there is still a gap between public awareness and policies around this health risk and what the research is showing and experts are advising. If history is any indication, it takes decades for scientific evidence to conclusively affirm health risks and then translate into policies to safeguard people (such was the case with tobacco, lead, asbestos, and x-rays).
No doubt there are significant benefits from our technology, and avoiding low-level radiation exposure is difficult and often impossible in our modern lives. Frustrated and concerned with the lack of awareness and options, Aileen and her co-founders felt compelled to do something. Belly Armor was launched with a two-fold mission: To increase awareness of this health issue so people can make more informed decisions for themselves and their families, as well as to provide easy solutions and simple tips for those who desire to lower their exposure.
The Belly Armor line of apparel and accessories were developed to provide a way to reduce everyday radiation exposure in a convenient and safe way. In partnership with technical experts and engineers, RadiaShield® Fabric, a high-tech conductive silver textile, was developed and integrated into the Belly Armor line of products. Belly Armor products have been independently tested in FCC-certified and NVLAP-accredited laboratories and verified to have up to 99.9% shielding effectiveness against low-frequency radiation, and are available in over 20 countries globally.
The health risks from non-ionizing radiation have the potential to become a major health issue in the coming years, and precautionary measures should be taken now, especially for pregnant women and children. Learn more on our website about this health issue so you can make simple changes in your life to reduce your and your family’s exposure. Inform yourself. Inform your loved ones.
