Physical Health Vs. Environmental Health

My second job was at the credit desk in a J.C. Penney store. The appliance department was right next door, so I got to hear from the salespeople all the stories of in home repair calls.

There was one old lady who would call about once a month, insisting that the "microbes" in her microwave were coming out to attack her. The store always sent a repairman, knowing her microbe story was just a ploy to get a repairman there so she would have someone with which to visit. She would always have something lovely baked for him, so he would have an excuse to stay longer.

It was quite a sad story, really.

I had my first experience with a microwave at the neighbor kids house on a summer day when we were getting ready to go to the swimming pool. We popped 2 hotdogs in the new-fangled contraption and blew them up by letting them go too long.

It was these two early experiences that got me to thinking about microwave cooking recently.

Like 90% of American households, I've had a microwave all my married life and used them not to cook, but to heat frozen foods, leftovers and microwave popcorn.

But living in the woods truly gets you closer to nature and the desire to be healthier.

What do they really know about the safety of microwaves anyway?

When I started reading up on them, I don't think it's much. Microwaving food actually changes the molecular structure in food - especially, research shows, in milk and vegetables - and they think it dramatically depletes the vitamin sources.

So what's the point of having a veggie with dinner when its been "nuked?" So, after our move, I stopped using the microwave, even for warming and popcorn.

I bought a toaster oven and started warming some things up in the "big" oven.

Not only do I feel better about putting that food in our bodies, it actually tastes a lot better.

My husband even suggested we get rid of the microwave, "If you're not going to use it, we could use the counter space."

True. Space is at a premium in 480 square feet.

However, I haven't made that move yet.

I know it takes more energy to heat our food in the oven - less so if I can use the toaster oven. Every energy saving website I've read says to use your microwave to save electricity.

However, I think in this instance, I'm saving more by NOT using it.