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Abby's Magazine - Volume 4 Issue 5 | Page 39 • Microwaving prepared meats caused the forma on of the cancer-causing agents d-Nitrosodienthanolamines. • Thawing frozen fruits by microwave converted their glucoside and galactoside frac ons into carcinogenic substances. • Extremely short exposure of raw, cooked or frozen vegetables converted their plant alkaloids into carcinogens. • Carcinogenic free radicals were formed in microwaved plants – especially root vegetables. • Structural degrada on leading to decreased food value was found to be 60 to 90 percent overall for all foods tested, with significant decreases in bioavailability of B complex vitamins, vitamins C and E, essen al minerals, and lipotropics (substances that prevent abnormal accumula on of fat). Long-Term Effects of Exposure to Non-Ionizing Radiation One of the basic controversies about the effects of microwaves centers on whether or not microwaves exert some sort of force beyond heat, commonly called "microwave effect" or "athermic effect." It is first necessary that you understand the difference between ionizing radia on and non-ionizing radia on. There are two basic forms of radia on: ionizing and non-ionizing: 1. Ionizing Radia on: Creates charged ions by displacing electrons in atoms, even without heat. Examples are radia on emi ed from radioac ve substances in rocks and soil, cosmic rays of the sun, and radia on from man- made technology such as X-rays machines, power sta ons, and nuclear reactors. 2. Non-ionizing Radia on: Can change the posi on of atoms but not alter their structure, composi on, and proper es. Examples are visible light, ultraviolet and infrared waves, waves from radio or television, cellular phones, microwaves, and electric blankets. Despite not being able to break atoms apart, non- ionizing radia on (such as microwaves) CAN cause physical altera ons. For example, sunlight can damage your skin and eyes. Overexposure to radia on can affect ssues by causing molecular damage, DNA muta ons, and other changes that can lead to cancer. The serious concern is, with all of this radia on surrounding us from cell and cordless phones, radio towers, satellites, broadcast antennas, military and avia on radar, home electronic devices, computers and Internet, we are all part of an involuntary mass epidemiological experiment, on a scale never before seen in the history of the human race. And the truth is that we don't really KNOW what long term, low-level (but persistent) radia on does to us—even the non-ionizing type. But here are some of the things we DO KNOW: • Effects at low levels can be more no ceable than at higher levels. There is something called a "window effect," meaning an effect occurring only at specific frequencies or power densi es, but not occurring just above or below them. A number of studies demonstrate effects of microwave radia on on blood cells via this phenomenon. For a complete discussion of this, you can read Microwaving Our Planet, wri en by Arthur Firstenberg, president of the Cellular Phone Taskforce. Cindy Sage of Sage Associates, an environmental consul ng firm, has compiled a comprehensive list of studies showing biological effects at radiofrequency exposure levels far below what would be explainable as "thermic effects" and well within the range you are commonly exposed to every day. • Resonance intensifies biological effect. Resonance occurs when a form of radia on has a similar frequency as a body part. For example, microwave frequencies are similar to the frequencies of your brain! • Studies are typically done for short exposure periods, at higher intensi es. Scien sts claim that dura on of exposure is equally important to intensity of exposure, but is o en NOT studied, and that long-term, low-level exposure can have effects equivalent to short-term, more intense exposure. • The effects of radia on are cumula ve. Your body becomes more sensi ve to it over me. • There are no longer any control groups, since human beings are all now exposed to such pervasive radia on. Lack of a control group makes it even more challenging to conduct meaningful studies. The point is, standing in your kitchen while your microwave is zapping your dinner, night a er night, will not make you glow in the dark. But over the months and years, what is the cumula ve effect on your body and health?