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Is it normal to have a fear of microwave ovens? To the extent that you never use a microwave for fear of microwave radiation, and fear that microwaves could alter nutrtional content of the food. Is that normal?
I'm terrified of microwaves! I cannot go near one that is "cooking" food. I think they cook your insides. I noticed that people have used the term radiation. I just think this is a weird way to heat food. Yes, the sun can cause cancer, but it is natural and has been around a lot longer than microwave ovens. I worry about something that cooks food abnormally fast! Might as well heat your food in the reactor at your local nuclear power plant!
I am afraid of the effects.
When I stand near a certain type of microwave we have at work I feel a type of PRESSURE or tension INSIDE MY HEAD. Not kidding! There are more to these machines than we understand now and how they affect us.
I always stand at least 10 feet away or walk around the corner when I am heating something.
I think you're being a little too paranoid. Small amounts of radiation isn't as bad as you think. Your skin is slowly being damaged by the sun, but are you going to stay of out of the sun too? Many people get in car accidents, but they don't quit driving altogether.
But don't force yourself to use one if you really don't want to. It's up to you to decide whether it's worth it to live life without a microwave oven.
I feel the need to clarify a certain aspect about microwave radiation. It is non-ionizing. This means that the risk of cancer from exposure to microwave radiation is negligible, you are more likely to get cancer from sunlight than from your microwave. The only real danger is the normal damage you would get from sticking you hand in a very hot chamber!
I'm an electrical engineer with a specialization in electromagnetics and I can quite confidently say you're safe. The metal casing (and mesh on the door) greatly decreases the radiation exiting the microwave. Also, like UtopianCosmos said, the oven is quite weak in term's of its abilities to irradiate.
Umm...
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/microwave.asp
http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave.asp
Also. Microwaves deactivate vitamin B12 a little, so it might kill like 60%% but eating it wont harm you. ALL cooking will change the nutritional value and destroy some nutrients in food....so unless you're going to eat raw foods forever you're never going to get the full nutritional value. Cooking food also kills bacteria, so note that too.
From the FDA: "A Federal standard limits the amount of microwaves that can leak from an oven throughout its lifetime to 5 milliwatts (mW) of microwave radiation per square centimeter at approximately 2 inches from the oven surface. This limit is far below the level known to harm people."
http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/ResourcesforYouRadiationEmittingProducts/Consumers/ucm142616.htm#4
Unless you're going to sit in it or put your head right against the door you're fine. They're made of things to absorb the radiation.
I am afraid of the effects...but I'm a college student...is a necessity. when i use the microwave i promptly leave the room or duck out of the pathway of the radiation. To have a FEAR is a bit much...but I can understand being health-conscious.