Fitness and Microwave Ovens

Fitness and Microwave Ovens

Last week I sent out a recipe which called for microwaving for a few minutes. I received several emails asking about or pointing out the potential harm of microwave radiation to our health and longevity.

First I want to thank everyone who sent an email regarding that issue and second I want to apologize for not realizing that many people currently reading my weekly newsletters were not subscribers to this newsletter 2 and a half years ago.

Way back, when I first put myself on the internet, one of the first newsletters I wrote was more of a personal position/overall fitness philosophy summarizing my general thoughts and opinions about achieving and maintaining optimal health and wellness.

Lat week I just assumed that most people would remember this - a stupid thing for me to assume...

So I thought this would be a good time to reiterate that 'position':

Regarding food - It is my strong belief that the best foods for us are the ones we consume as close to their natural and unprocessed state as possible. For example, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables would be my first choice and first recommendation to anyone who asks. Second choice would be frozen organics - third would be canned organics.

After this we would get to the non-organic - fresh, frozen, canned - etc, etc...

This goes for the other food groups as well - natural & organic are the first choices...

Regarding food preparation (this is where the microwave oven comes in): My position, as stated over 2.5 years ago is natural cooking ([fire - an element of nature] oven, stovetop, etc) is the hands down winner over microwaving. I'm not going to get into the details of how harmful the use of a microwave can be - all you need to do is a search for "harmful effects of microwave ovens" - or something along those lines. You'll have more reading material than you'll know what to do with.

Before I go any further - I want to clarify why I suggested microwaving in my recipe last week. Most people reading this are in life/work situations where time is extremely limited and in certain situations there is no possibility of using a real oven or stove. So, I suggested the 2 minute cooking time via microwave oven - also thinking that people remember me writing about the first choice of cooking should always, if possible, be a natural method.

Many people reading this may be totally new to the subject, so what I'd like to do here is take a step back and look at this from a common sense/logic/slightly philosophical point of view.

Forget all those eye-opening articles, studies and reports about the deadly effects of microwaving for a minute. (I'm not saying I disagree with them, because I do believe there are ill effects to be suffered through the use of microwaves for food preparation.)

When the microwave first hit the mainstream in the late 70s or early eighties it was almost like a miracle. The novelty of this device was better than magic because it was as real as your standing there waiting for whatever it was you where re-heating or cooking.

I remember, as a ten year old, my amazement with this incredible device that was now able to reduce cooking times by as much as 80 or 90 % - not thinking one bit about what was happening on the molecular level.

The important things about the foods we eat are contained at the cellular/molecular levels - this is a universal law - no 2 ways about it. For food to be heated to extremely high temps in such short periods of time - something has to happen at these levels that does something to the actual structure and composition of the food (hence that rubbery type of feeling) - even when 'boiling' water for a cup of tea - it just doesn't taste/feel the same as when we do it the 'old-fashioned' way - there are good reasons for this - ITS NOT THE SAME.

There were warnings issued and 'rumors' about the ill effects of the microwave oven before they even hit the market (you can see some of this in the articles that can be found on the internet).

But when something passes government testing and meets specific criteria - and gets cleared to be introduced to the consumer market - we (for the most part) assume that it is safe and has been tested properly and proven to be of no harm to humans. Wrongo!

The only way we know if something is actually safe is by the public using it long term - thats where the real tests are. Think about it - how many drugs have been cleared by the FDA only to see an amazing number of deaths and medical complications caused by a specific drug - causing the govt to pull it out of circulation - and then the law suits follow, etc, etc...

Back to my 'philosophy'...

Fire is a gift from the universe - a vital tool created with and for humans to thrive (mainly for cooking our foods with ...) The microwave oven (and radiation) is a creation of convenience, an artificial method of replacing fire - a method that carries with it definite sacrifice against what is gained.

Gain some time and lose some of your health. I can't say it any simpler.

Do we still use the microwave in our home? Yes - but we've decreased the amount we use it by about 90% in the lat 18 months - and we are going to make it 100% very soon. We know our foods have to be 'whole' in order for our health and fitness to be as good as it can be.

Destroying foods at their most critical levels does not allow the body to derive the proper nutritional elements in their ideal state, therefore sacrificing optimal health and fitness.

The nutritional part of the fitness equation is more powerful than what exercises you choose to do or what workout program you choose to follow - I say this from experience and this will never change.

So what am I saying here?

1) Start to cut back on your use of the microwave oven.

2) If you have a family - discuss it with them and start talking about how you will use the methods given to us by nature to prepare your foods.

3) Even if you think this is all bogus - just stop and think for a second that maybe its true and by using the microwave you will be taking 11 years off your life - How much time are you saving now?

4) Set a date for total elimination of the use of a microwave in your household.

5) If this is too extreme for you - then try to keep it to a minimum until you've had a chance to read some of the articles on this subject that you can easily find on the internet.

Hope this helps you and I hope I've clarified my position.

Don't be like everybody else... Be fit !

Joey atlas