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Finally Something Good You Can Do With Your Microwave!!

I’m obviously not a fan of microwaves to heat or cook your food, but researchers have found one good use for them: killing germs on your kitchen sponge. After soaking sponges and scrubbers in dirty water (that contained everything from fecal bacteria and viruses to parasites and bacterial spores), the researchers found just two minutes in the microwave was enough to kill 99 percent of the living pathogens.

Zapping sponges in the microwave every other day will decontaminate them better than simply putting them in the dishwasher, and you should wet them first, as the heated water seemed to help the sterilization process.

The other reason you'll want to ensure any sponge you place in a microwave is completely wet: A dry sponge will catch fire, toasting the microwave and the sponge, as some have learned.

Interestingly, the microwave was even able to kill B. cereus spores, which are able to survive extreme heat and radiation (though it took four minutes, not two). It’s no wonder, then, why heating food in a microwave zaps away nutrients and changes the chemical structure of foods, with virtually unknown consequences.

Journal of Environmental Health December 2006;69(5):17-24

LiveScience.com January 22, 2007

Reuters January 24, 2007






 
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Comment on This Article Community Comments (33)
 
 
Posted On Feb 08, 2007
Just today, I received a message from Good Housekeeping magazine regarding this subject and it discourages the practice of heating sponges in the microwave and says that soaking sponges in bleach water is more effective.  Depending upon the power of the microwave, it may not be able to destroy the bacteria in two minutes and if it is too powerful it could destroy the sponge or cause it to burn.



 
loisjbru
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 2/2007
loisjbru  
Replied

Storm Weaver
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 2/2007
Storm Weaver  
 
Posted On Feb 08, 2007
Bleach (at least chlorine bleach) is a horrible thing to have in our homes. One of the by-products of the breakdown of bleach is dioxin, which is a deadly chemical -- allowing this breakdown to occur where we eat and prepare foods is not a good idea.

I don't own a microwave, but the best way to prevent food contamination is to be smart about cooking and preparing foods. We use a non-toxic food and vegetable cleaner on anything we buy from a commercial market, and the things we get from sustainable producers in the area are tested regularly and we get to see the results of testing, so we -know- what we're dealing with in terms of bacteria.

Bacteria are -not- our enemies, unless they get somewhere that they're not supposed to be. Bacteria help to keep the life-cycle of the planet functional, and proper preparation, storage, and cooking of food (and eating at home with food purchased from life-aware sources) will prevent most food-borne illness without adding toxic bleach (or microwaves) to our homes and common water supply. Some days I think we're sterilizing ourselves -into- illness...

 
 
 
Posted On Jan 24, 2007

My microwave is long gone, but here are 10 reasons you may not be aware of to throw it out.

Continually eating food processed from a microwave causes long term, permanent brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain (de-polorizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue).

The human body cannot metabolize (breakdown) the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved food.

The effects of microwaved food by-products are long term, permanent within the human body.

Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefits.

The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals.

Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths (tumors).  This may explain the rapid increase rate in colon cancer in america.

The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in the human blood.

Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and serum alterations.

Loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

 


 
Suzanne_203
Apprentice User Apprentice User, Joined On 8/2006
Suzanne_203  
 
 
 
Posted On Jan 23, 2007

So here's the plan, we take all the microwave ovens being produced, plus portable generators and fuel, and distribute them for FREE in the tribal regions of the Paksitan and Afghanistan border.  Oh yes, throuw in a life time supply of free plastic wrap and containers also.

We destroy the health and well being, and thus continued evil of the terrorists, at a fraction of the current cost of our military presence, and not sacrifice one American or innocent life!

Once we have defeated our enemies there, we expand the program to Syria, Iran, North Korea, Mob Runned Russia, etc.

SMI - the Strategic Microwave Initiative...it beats Star Wars...

No nucelar winter from tactical nukes, no background radiation, and the goals are achieved, in less time and much less capital expenditure!

You just think I'm joking...

 


 
Russ Bianchi
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 9/2006
Russ Bianchi  
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A.Butler
Apprentice User Apprentice User Joined On 11/2006
A.Butler  
 
Posted On Jan 27, 2007

Hey,hey! Careful with other countries! Russia might be run by the mob but plenty of innocent people live there.

The population there is rapidly declining already.You don't need to do anything.Just watch it being westernised more and turning from the native foods and native methods of cooking.

 



Storm Weaver
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 2/2007
Storm Weaver  
 
Posted On Feb 08, 2007
As a spiritual individual who strongly believes that God encompasses each and every one of us, not in any way that can be measured through particular human philosophical differences, but because we are -all- a part of the same universal energy, it bothers me that a discussion on a healing site would include thoughts that we push/wish illness and dis-ease on another culture.

It is important to remember that people are -not- defined completely by the rhetoric that they are either exposed to or embrace -- we are all more than we show, and each of us has a purpose here, whether others understand that purpose or not.

Hate and wishing violence on others has never ended violence. To our brethren/co-beings who are blinded by limiting rhetorics, I wish you freedom... and for all of us, I wish us health.


Helna
Novice User Novice User Joined On 3/2007
Helna  
 
Posted On Mar 10, 2007
Your a jerk and I am suprised that a "proffesional web site" like this one allows comments like these. Is there no way to teach people to be human?
 Not all of the people in those countries are terrorists. Yes we are at war with them and I am not against the war but come on!! There is no reason to talk about them as if they are animals! There are thousands of inocent people in those countries; mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, ect; who are suffering for no reason, just as we did when our country was attacked by terrorists. Grow up! This comment page is not even about them!! It is about spounges and microwaves, keep your comments on topic!!

 
 
 
Posted On Jan 27, 2007

Another way to get rid of the need for a microwave is to eat raw foods! There are huge benefits to eating raw food (even if you don't do it 100%). Then you don't need to cook anything. Microwaves become a thing of the past.

However, when you throw out your microwave, you may end up with a big hole in your kitchen. Good place to store all of your raw food cookbooks! [:D]


 
MarkC_203
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 1/2007
MarkC_203  
 
 
 
Posted On Jan 24, 2007

Dr. Mercola,

I have a built in GE Monogram Advantium that came with my newly constructed house.  After reading many of your articles on microwave ovens i realize i should have gotten a double oven instead. Anyhow, I was wondering if the Convection option of the microwave is just as dangerous or less so?  What are your thoughts on this heating method. 

 

 


 
seaweed
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 9/2006
seaweed  
Replied

momgela
Novice User Novice User Joined On 6/2007
momgela  
 
Posted On Jun 12, 2007
OK, I'm new to this and also a new owner of a GE Advantium oven, which I only want to use the halogen light to cook with(maybe what you call the convection part?). Are they safe and do they alter the molecular make-up of food like microwaves do? What did you find out? I need an answer asap as I'm still able to return this oven! momgela

 
 
 
 
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