We have made the decision not to have a microwave at the farm. This is one of those decisions that you make solely on a health basis, not on a convenience basis. Of course it is easy to have a microwave. We all know that. Why would anyone want to make life harder than they have to? There is a change in thinking out there called the Slow Food Movement. Slow down. Appreciate the moment. Yes, I know you appreciate how fast the food gets done in a microwave :-). That's not what I am talking about. How can we live without a microwave? If you are my age, you have. Those of you who are younger than 30, might not have. We have been cutting back on microwaving for years. It's just not healthy. Remember you only have one body...consider it a temple & treat it as such. I came across an article in a natural health magazine that gave ten reasons to throw out your microwave. This is based on research from the Swiss, Russian & German scientific clinical studies. Other countries are usually ahead of us on testing things for safety. Here is the list:1. Continually eating food processed from a microwave causes long-term-permanent-brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain.
2. The human body cannot metabolize or break down the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3. Male & female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4. Effects of microwaved foods are long-term or permanent within the human body.
5. Minerals, vitamins & nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, of the body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6. The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in a microwave.
7. Microwaved foods cause stomach & intestinal cancerous growths (tumors). This may explain the rapidly increasing rate of colon cancer in America.
8. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9. Continual ingestion of microwaved foods causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland & blood serum alterations.
10. Eating microwave food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability & a decrease of intelligence.
One thing not mentioned is the danger of plastics in the microwave. Toxic chemicals can leach into your food from the containers or the plastic wrap & paper plates you use.
Well, I don't know about you, but if you even think one of these is correct, it is enough of a reason to stop using a microwave.
So tonight when you get home & are starving & want a quick meal from the microwave, have an apple or other healthy snack, pop the meal in the regular oven & relax. Wind down, listen to music, read a little, slow down. Let the stress of the day flow out of your body. When your dinner is ready you will not be eating in a stressed state which is terrible for digestion.
Then, when people look at you (all calm & relaxed) in horror & think you are crazy for not using the microwave, just think of me. I am used to being viewed that way about drying clothes on the line, using natural homemade body products, eating a mostly raw food diet, not going to a "regular" doctor.... & on & on. I tell you what though. This will be our secret. We are healthier for it. Being non-mainstream is a good thing. Enjoy your knowledge & maybe, just maybe, some of those people will eventually see that this is a good path to be on.
7 comments:
While I can't say that I agree with any of the reasons listed for not using a microwave, the one really true reason is the containers used for it, I've also started cutting that out of my life.
They are huge energy hogs and for the most part, entirely unneccessary.
Just as a side note: Microwaves work only on the water molecules, creating excitation which causes heat (assuming you don't put metal in there!). That is why when you put something really dehydrated in there, it doesn't heat properly, not enough water content.
So there are no franken-molecules created in there, just excited water. And since the heat that heats the food is just water heat, which is the same as boiling, the amount of damage done to the food is exactly the same as from boiling. Which we all know isn't great for nutritional value for most foods.
The problem with microwaves has almost everything to do with the containers. If an object isn't heat stable, it shouldn't go in the microwave and that includes plastic. The litmus test is if you wouldn't put it on the bottom rack near heating elements in a dishwasher, then it should never go in the microwave.
The leaching of plastics is totally toxic. Glass, ceramic, yes. Plastic no. And it isn't the microwave causing it, but the heat of the food. So plastic should never be used as a container for hot foods no matter where it is cooked.
And as a another side note: Using coated pans on a stove is even worse than microwaving with plastic for chemical leaching.
Thanks Christy! It's good to get another perspective & additional information.
We have also stopped using any Teflon or otherwise "coated" pans.
Barb
I use my microwave for storing frosted cake so it won't go stale and the ants can't get to it! LOL. I would never cook in it.
I don't use my microwave nearly as much as I did a few years ago. I never put food in plastic containers - and if they are in one I switch to glass. I am afraid of the toxic stuff leaching from the plastic. I just got rid of all my pots and pans today, including the ones that were no stick and bought stainless steel. Now I'll feel better. (my old pans were warped and 37 years old...lol) I just wrote about them in my blog. I don't think you'll miss the microwave after a month or so...it's like anything else, you get used to it and don't miss it....debbie
Christy, one year my body started shutting down and I had chronic pain that only increased as the year went on. I ended up in bed nearly the whole year and could only be up for two hours at a time, tops...constant pain stinks! It was at that point I decided to eliminate any pharmaceuticals that werent life-or-death, got rid of all chemicals possible (inside the house and out), gave away my microwave, steered away from much plastic, especially anything heated or drunk from it, and gave away all my metal cookware that wasn't stainless steel. I don't know what microwaves DO to food, but I found that it was generally not pleasing to my body, for whatever reason...it just never tasted the same to me, and I ended up using it primarily for popcorn, heating water, and melting things, or reheating leftovers...but not for cooking. When it came right down to it, the stovetop just wasnt that much slower than the microwave for me. Friends thought I was nuts, but I've never missed it since. If I keep on going like this, I may end up roasting meat outside on a stick over mirrors...ha!
We discovered we COULD live without the microwave while living in our little 16' camper - off the grid for 5 months last summer. It must've been a combination of the altitude, being very active, eating better (less red meat, more veggies) but my fibromyalgia hardly bothered me & I don't recall getting more than a very minor headache during that time. Since moving back to the midwest & back into our "old life" I've noticed a big change in my health... not for the good. Can't wait to be microwave-free & get healthy again!
Congratulations on getting rid of your microwave. I gave mine away years ago and never missed it.
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