In the past there have been discussions about the good, the bad and
the ugly
concerning the use of microwave ovens. An e-newsletter I subscribe to
had
the following in the issue I received today. Sorry for the length, but
I
felt it best to quote the entire article.

"2. Microwaves, Macro Risks

I often get asked when I teach, what I think about the use of
microwaves.
Since over 90% of households are estimated to use these devices to
either thaw, reheat or cook food, my answer may not be the most
welcomed one but I think it's important for each of us to make our
lifestyle
choices based on as much information as we can.

In this country, the evaluation of microwave safety has been limited
to
studying the potential hazards of microwave emissions from improperly
sealed oven doors.  Safety standards have focused exclusively on
controlling
leakage. Doesn't it strike you as odd, (it does me) that the FDA has
not
seen any necessity for evaluating the effect of the microwave process
on the
food itself?

Microwave ovens heat food by generating short waves of
electromagnetic radiation that travel at the speed of light.  These
waves change polarities from positive to negative millions of
time per second.  All this back and forth motion creates friction
within the food molecules, which heats the food up, from the
inside out.  At the same time, this agitation disrupts the structure
of the food molecules, actually damaging and rearranging the
structure.

There are two bodies of evidence that are the most often cited
when the issue of microwave safety is raised.  Russian scientists
began studying the effects of microwave radiation on humans as
early as the 1930's and after World War II looked more specifically
at microwave ovens, which had been developed by the Germans for
the war.  In 1976, the Soviet Union banned the use of microwave ovens
because of the results of their research.

The Russian research found significant health risks in three
categories,
a few of which are summarized here:

<>Cancer causing effects
In general, their research showed cancer-causing agents in food were
increased, the ability of the immune system to fight some forms of
cancer decreased, cancer cells present in blood serum were increased
and a statistically higher percentage of stomach and intestinal
cancers
were present in those who ate microwaved food.

<>Nutritive destruction of foods
Microwaved food decreases the availability of B-complex vitamins,
Vitamins C and E, essential minerals and compounds that protect the
liver from excessive fat accumulation.  60-90% of the vital energy
field of all tested food was lost.  The nutritive values of proteins
in
meats was destroyed.  The structural disintegration of all foods was
accelerated from the microwave process.

<> Biological effects of exposure
A breakdown of the human life-energy field from exposure to microwaves
while in operation, was detected.  Degeneration and circuit breakdowns
of
nerve impulses were recorded in the part of the brain controlling
thought
and higher function, and in the central and autonomic nervous systems.
Brainwave disturbance was markedly higher leading to memory loss, loss
of concentration, interrupted sleep and slowing down of intellectual
processes.  Hormonal balance in both men and women was disrupted.

In 1991, two Swiss researchers conducted a small clinical study in
which
they fed subjects various kinds of food, which had been subjected to
either
no cooking, conventional cooking or microwave cooking.  Each subject
received one type of food on an empty stomach at intervals of 2 to 5
days.
Blood samples were drawn before eating and then again at several
intervals
after eating.  All blood samples drawn post-microwaved food showed a
negative alteration of the "good" to "bad" cholesterol ratio.  White
blood
cells (immune system) decreased more distinctly after the microwaved
food
than with food prepared any other way. Leukocytes, another type of
white
blood
cell often associated with pathological effects, appeared to increase
after
the ingestion of microwaved food.

The Swiss study results created quite a stir and the trade group
representing the microwave industry sued to get a gag order against
the
doctors. One of the researchers was convicted of interfering with
commerce
and prohibited from further publishing his results.  In 1998, a higher
court
reversed the decision, citing the repression of free speech, and
ordered the
Swiss to pay compensation.

Stanford University scientists found that breast milk heated in a
microwave
increased E-Coli concentrations 18 times and significantly decreased
the
immunological properties that are naturally occurring in breast milk.

Long before I was familiar with the research, my intuitive sense told
me
that messing around with the molecular structure of food at high
speeds
and high heat couldn't be good for it or us.  Like everything else
nutritional, it seems the further away we get from eating whole foods
in as
close to a natural state as possible, the more we compromise our
health.  It
is very easy to pretend that because the food looks the same, it's
perfectly
fine.  It's tempting to assume that if microwaves were really
dangerous,
the FDA wouldn't allow them to be on the market, would be protecting
us.  Yes, conventional cooking is more time consuming and seemingly
less
convenient.  But how convenient and time consuming is poor health or
an
early death?"

Here's the source of the newsletter
http://www.nutritionmagician.net/newslet.htm

Betty Ann
mailto:[log in to unmask]

"In a cat's eyes, all things belong to cats." English Proverb