MANY kitchens have microwave ovens. They are not safe, and no one should eat or drink anything that has been heated in them, especial formula for babies.
This week, I again turn to Joseph Mercola, M.D., for solid information. (Last week I quoted his fact-filled article about the dangers of sugar).
If there is one doctor who knows his stuff about a broad spectrum of health and disease issues, it’s Dr. M. Too bad I didn’t have the opportunity to interview him when I was writing for a medical journal; he always has many good things to report.
“Extracted from NEXUS Magazine, Volume 2, #25 (April-May ‘95). Originally printed from the April 1994 edition of Acres, USA.The proven dangers of microwaves
“Back in May of 1989, after Tom Valentine first moved to St Paul, Minnesota, he heard on the car radio a short announcement that bolted him upright in the driver’s seat. The announcement was sponsored by Young Families, the Minnesota Extension Service of the University of Minnesota: ‘Although microwaves heat food quickly, they are not recommended for heating a baby’s bottle,’ the announcement said.
“The bottle may seem cool to the touch, but the liquid inside may become extremely hot and could burn the baby’s mouth and throat. Also, the buildup of steam in a closed container such as a baby’s bottle could cause it to explode. ‘Heating the bottle in a microwave can cause slight changes in the milk. In infant formulas, there may be a loss of some vitamins.’
“The report went on. ‘Warming a bottle by holding it under tap water or by setting it in a bowl of warm water, then testing it on your wrist before feeding, may take a few minutes longer, but it is much safer.’ Valentine asked himself: If an established institution like the University of Minnesota can warn about the loss of particular nutrient qualities in microwaved baby formula or mother’s milk, then somebody must know something about microwaving they are not telling everybody.
“Atoms, molecules and cells hit by this hard electromagnetic radiation are forced to reverse polarity 1 to 100 billion times a second. There are no atoms, molecules or cells of any organic system able to withstand such a violent, destructive power for any extended period of time, not even in the low energy range of milliwatts.
Heating food
“‘This is contrary to conventional heating of food, in which heat transfers convectionally from the outside to the inside. Cooking by microwaves begins within the cells and molecules where water is present and where the energy is transformed into frictional heat.’
“The same violent friction and athermic deformations which can occur in our bodies when we are subjected to radar or microwaves, happens to the molecules in the food cooked in a microwave oven. In fact, when anyone microwaves food, the oven exerts a power input of about 1,000 watts or more. This radiation results in destruction and deformation of molecules of food, and in the formation of new compounds (called radiolytic compounds).
“It is plain to see that this individually financed and conducted study has enough meat in it to make anyone with a modicum of common sense sit up and take notice. Food from the microwave oven caused abnormal changes, representing stress, to occur in the blood of all the test individuals. Biological individuality, a key variable that makes a mockery of many allegedly scientific studies, was well accounted for by the established baselines. So, how has the brilliant world of modern technology, medicine and ‘protect the public’ government reacted to this impressive effort?
Infant danger
“In the journal Pediatrics (vol. 89, no. 4, April 1992), there appeared an article titled, ‘Effects of Microwave Radiation on Anti-infective Factors in Human Milk.’ Richard Quan, M.D., from Dallas, Texas, was the lead name of the study team. John A. Kerner, M.D., from Stanford University, was also on the research team, and he was quoted in a summary article on the research that appeared in the 25 April 1992 issue of Science News.
“To get the full picture of what may lie ahead for microwaving, here is that summary article: ‘Women who work outside the home can express and store breast milk for feedings when they are away. But parents and caregivers should be careful how they warm this milk. A new study shows that microwaving human milk-even at a low setting-can destroy some of its important disease-fighting capabilities.’
“‘Breast milk can be refrigerated safely for a few days or frozen for up to a month; however, studies have shown that heating the milk well above body temperature-37°C-can break down not only its antibodies to infectious agents, but also its lysozymes or bacteria-digesting enzymes.’
“Milk heated at a high setting lost 96 per cent of its immunoglobulin-A antibodies, agents that fend off invading microbes. ‘What really surprised him, Kerner said, was finding some loss of anti-infective properties in the milk microwaved at a low setting-and to a mean of just 92 degrees.’
Chasing a story
“Journalist Tom Valentine found it interesting that ‘scientists’ have so many ‘beliefs’ to express rather than to prove fact. Yet facts eventually snuff out credential-based conjecture. Researcher Quan, in a phone interview, said that he believed the results of research so far warranted further detailed study of the effects of microwave cooking on nutrients.
“Unfortunately, further studies are not scheduled at this time. If there are so many indications that the effects of microwaves on foods can degrade the foods far above the known breakdowns of standard cooking, is it not reasonable to conduct exhaustive studies on living, breathing human beings to determine if it’s possible that eating microwaved foods continuously, as many people do, can be significantly detrimental to individual health? If you wanted to introduce a herbal supplement into the American mainstream and make any health claims for it, you would be subjected to exhaustive documentation and costly research.”
Bottom line: if you have a microwave oven, please do not use it for heating anything you intend to eat or drink. This is especially crucial for infant formulas, because your baby’s health could be at risk.
