Re: Re: Cohousing-L digest - Microwave vrs Ovens
From: Racheli Gai (jnpalmeattglobal.net)
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 08:19:44 -0600 (MDT)
>From Racheli


Timothy Clark wrote:

>> Could I have some more data on the heath dangers of microwave cooking?

>Please be specific.  I have already passed up a good deal on a house that
>was close to power lines only to find out five years later there is no
>danger at all.

There are two concrete issues involved (or at least two which come to mind
at the moment), and a more general one.

The concrete stuff:  First, according to Andrew Wyle (sp?) 
and others, cooking in a microwave 
anything which takes more than 10 minutes or so, causes 
changes in the structure of the substance you eat.  This, according to
him, is a bad thing.  (I haven't read it recently, so I don't remember if
he gave a more elaborate explanation or not).  
Secondly, micorwaves can "leak" - and American ones do it to  a high
degree.  According to the Architectural Resoure Guide, published by
Architects, Designers and Planners for Social Responsibility (the Northern
California chapter) - American standards for leakage fall 10 times below
European standards, and 100 times below the Russians.  (As with everything
else - our govt. works hard to help  the rich get richer, not to protect
us.  But I digress)...   The book "Prescriptions for a Healthy House, by
Paula Baker (an architect), Erica Elliott (an MD) and John Banta cautions
against use of microwaves, too.  I'm sure there are other sources, but
these are the two that I happen to have at hand.
BTW - for those who use microwaves, it's advised not to cook in plastic,
to avoid offgassing.

A general comment: I don't think there
is a "proof" that microwaves are dangerous.  The evidence at this point is
circumstancial at best.  So, avoiding it is a matter of following the
cautionary principle, which is: not to assume that something is good for
you unless it's shown to be otherwise, but rather: to avoid things until
they establish a good safety record.  I know that this is positively
un-American, but I think it makes sense.
BTW - I don't agree that there is a final word regarding whether living
near powerlines is safe.  As far as I know the battle is still raging...

R.
 

_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/cohousing-l

Results generated by Tiger Technologies Web hosting using MHonArc.