There is great controversy surrounding the effect of microwaves on people and food. Between rumors that they cause cancer and destroy the nutrition of food, it can be difficult to sort propaganda from fact.

So what are microwaves, anyway?

A microwave is far more than simply a machine that heats food. They are, in fact, micro-waves. There are two types of radiation: ionizing and non-ionizing.  Ionizing is the dangerous, nuclear sort. Non-ionizing includes micro and light waves. So how does a wave warm up food? It makes the food particles vibrate quickly, heating them. Cell phones also give off micro-waves.

The Controversy

Part of the controversy lies in the discovery of the microwave. It was not originally an oven; it was part of a device invented during World War II called a Magnetron vacuum tube. It was discovered that a candy bar in the researcher’s pocket had melted. The Magnetron was intended to improve radar to detect enemy submarines. It then instantly leads to the question: Should we really be using war machinery to make our popcorn?

There are claims that microwaves decrease the nutritional value of foods and can even harm you if you stand too close. An article by William P. Kopp in 1996 denounced the microwave as a cause of intestinal and stomach cancer. He also said that they reduced food’s “vital energy field” and humans’ “life energy fields.” This is just one of many examples where the entire context must be considered, while the cancer may have been believable as a lone fact, it loses credibility when energy fields come into play.

The Truth

It has been proven that foam or plastic wrap placed in a microwave can seep chemicals into food. Microwaves can often cook unevenly, so any raw foods with risk of bacteria should be checked to ensure they have cooked thoroughly. It has also been shown that heating up milk for infants can be dangerous because the bottle may stay cool even when the milk is scalding. Most of the dangers of microwaves involve unsafe cooking of food, not the micro-waves themselves.

In the end, as long as you use common sense while using your microwave, it is completely safe.

Kathryn Lisko is a student at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and is a regular contributor at ProbioticSmart.com – a website dedicated to nutrition and digestive health.

A lot of people follow strict exercise regimes and you will find that some of these are not right at all because they are using myths that are simply not true at all. Let’s take a look at some of the myths that people often assume are true.

Pain Is Good

We have all heard it, no pain, no gain but is this really true? Of course it isn’t, if the body is showing signs of pain it is actually telling you that something is wrong so exercising when you are in pain is not the best of ideas at all. Whilst muscle soreness can be expected I would never actually work out on real pain because it will damage your body even more. Give yourself some time to recover!

Don’t Eat Before Working Out

If you are working out on an empty stomach then the exercise is going to make a bigger impact on the body right, wrong! Although I would never advise you eat a full blown meal just before you start on that exercise regime I would always recommend that people have a light snack to restore the body’s energy. If you do not do this you will find that you will not be able to exercise for a very long period of time at all.

Eating At Night Will Make You Gain Weight

This is not true at all unless you are having a fourth main meal to the day late at night. Choosing to have your dinner at around 9pm will not make any difference to if you were having it at 5pm. If you are gorging on pizzas and fatty snacks then of course you are going to put on weight, it is really common sense this one.

Sweating Is A Sure Sign Of Weight Loss

This one is also a load of rubbish, it is only the body’s way of telling you that you need to cool down and sweating is a means to do this. You could be having a long walk or working out in a pool and it
would still burn a significant amount of calories without even one drop of sweat.

You Have To Exercise Regularly To Lost Weight

Any exercise is of course better than nothing so even if you are only going for a short run once or twice a week it is going to be better than sitting there and doing nothing and it will make a difference to
the way you look and feel.

So there you go, just a few myths that people may not be aware of, there are many more out there.

Ryan is an internet marketer representing a company that sell pressure washers and reverse parking sensors. He exercises most nights to keep fit and was surprised by some of these myths.

How many exercise myths do you still believe in? This cool quiz contest over at eFitilogy.com will help you find out!

Not only will it make you a smarter person (the quiz is hard but you will be amazed at what you will find out) but it also gives you the chance to win one of the ~$1400 prizes:

	1st prize: $1,399-worth: E30R Tunturi Recumbent Bike
	2nd prize: $1,299-worth: E30 Upright Bike
	3rd prize: $379-worth: Power Blocks Classic 5-45lbs Adjustable Dumbbell Set

The quiz is located here: eFITology Exercise Mythbuster Quiz Contest

Now here are some details:

• Contest expires March 10th, 2010;
• Contest is open only to individuals who are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia and are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry.

Let me know how you did in the comments!