Safety when using a microwave
Keeping some distance is advisable, says integrative oncology expert
IN THE NEWS: Microwaves are generally safe and numerous studies have found there is no causal link to cancer.
But there is an unsafe way to use them, says Dr. Gary Deng, director of integrative oncology at the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, in an interview with CNET.
“Microwaves can leak out of the oven. If you stand one foot away from it, your exposure drops to 1% compared to when you stand one inch from it.”
Experts advise standing one to three feet away from the oven.
If a microwave isn’t broken or tampered with, Deng says it’s safe for daily use — provided you keep your distance.
Deng is an internationally respected pioneering oncologist, the associate director of the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and the director of clinical affairs at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute, part of UCI Health. He holds the Samueli Endowed Chair in Integrative Oncology and is a professor of medicine at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
He has served as principal investigator for federally funded research on acupuncture, yoga and botanical agents, and has led the development of educational programs that have trained numerous physicians and researchers in integrative oncology. He is a past president of the Society for Integrative Oncology and author of the 2022 book, The Wellness Principles: Cooking for a Healthy Life.
Deng specializes in a whole-person, integrative approach to supporting patients with cancer through all phases of treatment, survivorship and prevention.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.