I’ve heard from many people that you should not stand directly in front of and no closer than 30 feet while a microwave oven is on? Why? If this is a myth how did it get started?
This idea is just a myth. There should be virtually no microwaves leaking from the oven so it shouldn’t matter where you stand. If you’re concerned about microwaves, you can buy a microwave oven tester from a local appliance store or from www.comforthouse.com (or for a more accurate and reliable measurement, take your microwave to a service shop for inspection with an FDA certified meter). I have no idea how such a myth got started, but it’s clear that microwave ovens scare people because they don’t understand them. Given how easy it is to burn yourself on a conventional oven, I’d guess that there are fewer health risks with microwave cooking than with conventional cooking.