Posted: 6/12/2006 9:43:29 AM EDT
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I received this from my oncologist who supposedly received this from John Hopkins: 1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave. Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Arm! y Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr.. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic con! tainers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. |
no to this one too |
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From the Mayo Clinic Q&A section... Q&A Plastic in the microwave: A cause of cancer? Q. I've heard that when used in the microwave, plastic containers and plastic wraps give off harmful substances that could cause cancer if absorbed by foods. Is this true? A. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), stories have circulated for years about the harm from chemicals in plastics leaching into microwaved foods. There is some evidence that substances used to make certain plastics can migrate into some foods. But the FDA has evaluated the migration levels of these substances and has found them to be well within the margin of safety. The FDA carefully reviews the substances used to make plastics designed for food use, including microwave-safe plastic wraps and containers. These plastics are classified as "food contact substances." The FDA must find them safe for their intended use before these products can be marketed as such. Other claims have suggested that plastics contain dioxins, a group of contaminants labeled as a "likely human carcinogen" by the Environmental Protection Agency. But according to the FDA, there is no evidence that plastic containers or wraps contain dioxins. To ensure the safe use of plastic containers or wraps when microwaving food, the FDA recommends the following: * Use containers and materials that are specifically labeled as microwave-safe. Margarine tubs and carryout containers from restaurants may warp or melt and shouldn't be used in the microwave. Discard containers that hold prepared microwaveable meals after you use them because they're meant for one-time use. * Check the label on packaged foods. If you don't find instructions for microwave use, use a different plate or container that you know is microwave-safe to heat the food. * If you cover food in the microwave, use glass or ceramic covers, microwave-safe plastic wraps, wax or parchment paper, or white microwave-safe paper towels. * Microwave-safe plastic wrap should not directly touch the food. The labels on some plastic wraps recommend that there should be a 1-inch space, or greater, between the plastic and the food during microwave heating. ______________ I know quite a few long-term cancer survivors who don't use plastic, they won't even drink water out of a plastic bottle, but I guess once you've beaten the beast, you'll do anything to raise the odds that you won't have to do it again... I'm half and half, I don't store food in plastic containers, I use those pyrex dishes with plastic lids, not so much because of cancer, it's just what I do (and the plastic containers get discolored and look cruddy), if I'm heating something in a bowl I usually just throw on some Glad wrap and frozen foods get heated as they come. My water is unrefrigerated out of a plastic bottle and I drink gallons of it (easier to drink if not ice cold for me). |
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Quoted: From the Mayo Clinic Q&A section... I know quite a few long-term cancer survivors who don't use plastic, they won't even drink water out of a plastic bottle, but I guess once you've beaten the beast, you'll do anything to raise the odds that you won't have to do it again... I too have a friend that just beat the breast cancer beast and she won't touch plastic at all. She also eats all organic and doesn't eat out any more. I wouldn't either!! 
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A lot survivors of my acquaintance eat a macrobiotic diet and supplement to the max. I'm trying, but being on chemo makes it difficult... some days you just want what you want, some days the supplements come right back up, and anyway french fries and coke are the best cure for nausea there is. 
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| Hum ... I've always avoided it because my mom always has and I just learned not to but I wonder if it's actually bad or not. It's hard to say but I would say everyone is capable of avoiding it and it's not too big a deal to change so it might be good. Better safe than sorry sort of stance on plastics and freezers. |