Why We Ditched our Microwave

Microwaves are a staple kitchen appliance in most American homes.  The past few years I have been hearing all the negatives about microwaves and when our microwave broke 3 years ago we never fixed it or replaced it.  Truthfully, I do not miss it all that much.  It is just as easy to heat left overs up on the stove or use the toaster.  Plus I have more room in my kitchen without the bulky microwave and we save a bit of energy.  

In reading through the Nourishing Traditions book, Sally Fallon says to stay clear of microwaves.  Here is what she says, "Unfortunately, the microwave achieved instant popularity without much prior research to study the effects of eating microwaved food.  In consequence, one large experiment involving an unwitting populace is now in progress.  The small amount of research done on the effects of eating microwaved food has shown that the microwave may have unfavorable effects on fats and proteins, making them more difficult to assimilate.  More recent studies carried out in Switzerland revealed that the microwave caused changes in vitamin content and availability.  Eating microwaved food results in abnormal blood profiles, similar to those that occur in the early stages of cancer.  An especially dangerous practice is using the microwave for heating baby's bottle.  Altered amino acids in microwaved milk can be toxic to the liver and nervous system for infants.  We recommend that you resist using the microwave at all costs."  (Nourshing Traditions p.68)

A while ago a friend of mine emailed me this list of more reasons to not use the microwave, this list was taken here from a blog.  I believe that she got this information from a book by  Dr. Susan Silberstein called Hungrier for Health.

1. Micro-waved diets cause digestive disturbances.

2. The human body cannot metabolize unknown by-products created in micro-waved food.
3. The effects of micro-waved food by-products are permanent within the human body.
4. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating micro-waved foods.
5. Minerals, vitamins and nutrients of all micro-waved food are reduced so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down for utilization.
6. The nutrients in vegetables cooked in a microwave oven are altered into cancerous free radicals.
7. Micro-waved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancers and may be a primary contributor to the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in the U.S.
8. The prolonged eating of micro-waved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9. Continual ingestion of micro-waved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10. Continually eating food processed in a microwave oven can produce virtually irreversible damage to the body’s nervous system by “shorting out” electrical impulses in the brain and nerve centers. This can result in the loss of memory, lack of concentration, emotional instability and decreased intelligence.

I don't want to take any chances with my family's health, so we have ditched our microwave and we haven't looked back!