SOJA NI ZDRAVA !!!!!
Soja ni zdrava in to nikoli ni bila. To je potrdilo že več tisoč študij. Pa ne samo da ni zdrava, soja je ena najbolj škodljivih hran na tem planetu in ni primerna niti za živali. Soja tudi redi – v laboratorijih jo uporabljajo za hitro povzročanje diabetesa in debelosti pri laboratorijskih živalih. V govedoreji jo uporabljajo, da pri mladih bikcih v zadnjih treh mesecih pred zakolom njihovo težo PODVOJIJO. Da Japonci pojedo veliko soje, je debela laž, ki so jo razširili pridelovalci soje. Soja je eden najbolj donosnih poslov na svetu, saj stane pridelava soje 4x manj od pridelave koruze. Zato ne preseneča, da se je iz tega razvila gigantska veja živilsko-predelovalne industrije, z ustrezno močnim propagandnim ustrojem, čigar sanjsko veliki proračun za reklame omogoča, da se pravljica o soji kot zdravi hrani širi naprej in se je medtem globoko zasidrala v podzavesti večine posameznikov.
Kot že dolgo prepričujem in rotim, nikar ne jejte izdelkov, jejte hrano. S tem pomagate sebi, svoji družini in tudi svojemu planetu. Večina vsega, kar je narejeno iz soje, pa so izdelki in so zato še toliko bolj nevarni. V manjših količinah (in če res mislite, da nikakor ne morete brez) je občasno dopustno, ne bom pa rekla priporočljivo, uživati fermentirane oblike soje (in prosim, izbirajte le bio sojo, ker to zagotavlja, da ni gensko spremenjena!), to pa so le miso, tempeh, natto in sojina omaka (slednja seveda zgolj, če je izdelana z naravno fermentacijo). Sojina omaka, ki ni izdelana z naravno fermentacijo – to pomeni, če naravna fermentacija ni izrecno omenjena na steklenički – ni naravna in ima dodan še sladkor, barvila in druge strupene snovi, ki prav tako niso hrana. Dostikrat vsebuje tudi MSG (natrijeva glutaminat). Še prav posebej pa odsvetujem kupovanje sojine omake v plastenkah.
POZOR: Tofu ni fermentirana oblika soje!
Prav tako ni fermentirano sojino mleko (fej in fuj!), sojino olje (ena najbolj škodljivih zadev takoj za margarino), sojina moka in razni umetni izumi, kot so nadomestki mesa. Sojini kosmiči, sojini ponaredki koščkov mesa, sojini »zrezki«, sojini polpeti, sojine hrenovke in drugi donosni načini, na katere prehranska industrija zahrbtno molze naivne potrošnike, hkrati pa jim še jemlje zdravje in jim koplje prezgodnji grob, so slabši od gnoja. Če ne jeste mesa, pač ne jeste mesa. To je vaša odločitev in do tega imate vse pravico. Nikar pa se ne preusmerite zaradi tega na umetne industrijske izdelke, ki naj bi meso in druge zadeve »nadomeščali«. Naravne hrane ni mogoče nadomestiti, prav tako kot tudi nihče ne more nadomestiti vas in vašega telesa. Je eno samo, edino in edinstveno. Imejte to vedno pred očmi. Deluje na naravno hrano, naravna hrana in edino naravna hrana je pravo gorivo zanj.
Ravnajte s telesom, kot da je najdragocenejši avtomobil na svetu (v resnici je vredno še veliko več …). V dragocen avtomobil ne bi nalivali dizelskega goriva, če ima bencinski motor … prav tako pa ne bi nalivali vode, peska, žaganja in blata.
Nimate časa prebrati angleške priloge in poklikati njenih neštetih spletnih povezav? Tu je povzetek nekaterih stvari (ne pa vseh!), ki delajo sojo tako škodljivo in neprimerno za naše telo:
© Zdravje PovejNaprej
nadaljevanje:
Najnovejše študije so pokazale, da soja postopno, a zanesljivo zmanjšuje možgane in upočasnjuje/moti njihovo delovanje. Soja je najzanesljivejši način, da si prezgodaj nakopljemo demenco .
· Soja vsebuje visoke ravni fitinske kisline, kar ovira asimilacijo kalcija, magnezija, bakra, železa in cinka. Običajne metode priprave (namakanje, kaljenje ali dolgo in počasno kuhanje) NE nevtralizirajo fitinske kisline v soji. Prehrana z visoko vsebnostjo fitatov (to so soli fitinske kisline) med drugim zavira rast pri otrocih.
· Tripsinski inhibitorji (=zaviralci), prisotni v soji, motijo prebavo beljakovin, kar lahko privede do bolezni trebušne slinavke. Pri testiranih živalih so tripsinski inhibitorji tudi zavrli rast.
· Sojini fitoestrogeni (‘fito’ pomeni rastlinskega izvora), t.j. ravno tisto, kar naj bi bilo pri soji tako »zdravo«, motijo delovanje endokrinih žlez in lahko povzročijo neplodnost ter tudi pospešijo pojav raka dojke
· Sojini fitoestrogeni imajo močno protiščitnično delovanje, kar ima za posledico hipotirozo, lahko pa tudi raka ščitnice. Pri dojenčkih je formula na osnovi soje dokazano povzročala avtoimunske bolezni ščitnice. Hranjenje dojenčkov s sojo je kriminal in veliko hujši genocid od vsega, kar je kdaj zagrešil Hitler
· Sojini estrogeni pri moških zmanjšujejo libido, potentnost in plodnost
· Analogi vitamina B12 v soji se ne morejo vsrkati v telo in pravzaprav potrebe telesa po vitaminu B12 še povečajo
· Uživanje izdekov iz soje poveča telesne potrebe po vitaminu D, katerega sicer že tako večina ljudi ne dobi dovolj. (Nobena stvar, ki nam uničuje obstoječi vitamin D v telesu, niti pod razno ne more biti zdrava – že samo to dejstvo bi bilo dovolj, da se soje izognete v najširšem možnem loku …
· Beljakovine v soji so nestabilne in se pri visokih temperaturah (n.pr. ko izdelujejo mesne nadomestke …) poškodujejo, to pa povzroča številne hude bolezni in okvare.
· Obdelava sojinih beljakovin ima za posledico tvorbo strupenega lizinoalanina in izjemno rakotvornih nitrozaminov.
· Med procesiranjem soje za razne namene nastajata prosta glutaminska kislina ali natrijev glutaminat (MSG), ki sta močna nevrotoksina; poleg tega mnogim izdelkom iz soje MSG še dodajajo, saj je soja sama neokusna
· Izdelki iz soje vsebujejo veliko aluminija, ki je toksičen za živčevje in ledvica.
Povprečen potrošnik ima na izbiro samo dvoje: da se informira in sojo bojkotira, ali pa da se s konzumiranjem soje, še zlasti pa umetnih industrijskih izdelkov iz nje, po hitrem postopku uniči.
Ostanite informirani.
In povejte naprej.
© Zdravje PovejNaprej
Ponavadi ima take izjave (in tudi plačuje ,raziskave’) mesno-predelovalni lobij. Pa verjetno še kakšen mlečni lobij, ki se boji izgube dobička, ker vedno več ljudi uživa rastlinska mleka.
Jaz osebno še najbolj verjamem t.i. naravnim eksperimentom. Ne da mi neka raziskava kroji življenje, ampak s čem so se ljudje prehranjevali desetletja ali stoletja in kako je to vplivalo nanje. Npr. stoletja dolgo uživanje fermentiranih sojinih izdelkov (ja, tudi tofuja) v vzhodni Aziji in dolgo življenje, manjši procent pojavljanja nekaterih vrst raka itd.
Soja: ta rastlina sicer vsebuje veliko beljakovin (največ med stročnicami) in jo imajo zato nekateri zmotno za zdravo živilo. Resnica pa je žal povsem drugačna. Soja vsebuje ogromno aluminija, težkih kovin ter strupenih količin fluora in mangana, kar glede na intenzivni, ekstremno mehanizirani način njenega pridelovanja sploh ne preseneča. Soja je tudi prepolna antihranil – zaviralcev absorbcije hranilnih snovi (ki preprečujejo tudi vsrkanje koristnih elementov, kot so vitamini, minerali, antioksidanti itd., iz vsega, kar jemo skupaj z njo), tako da njene negativne lastnosti daleč prevladajo nad morebitno koristjo. Tripsinski inhibitorji, lektini, fitati, saponini in zaviralci rasti organizma so le delček temne plati soje.
Če je soja procesirana – in to večinoma je – potem njene beljakovine dodatno uničijo še toksini, ki nastanejo pri njeni industrijski obdelavi. Sojine maščobe skrajšujejo življenje, njeni ogljikovi hidrati pa povzročajo napenjanje in vetrove.
Nič čudnega, da naši človeški predniki še nekaj stoletij nazaj soje niti približno niso imeli za rastlino, ki bi bila primerna vsaj za živinsko krmo. Uporabljali so jo samo za gnojenje tal pri kolobarjenju, na Kitajskem pa so iz nje izdelovali tudi olje za oljne svetilke s stenjem in za izdelavo mila, ter mast za podmazovanje raznih strojev. Nikomur ni prišlo niti na misel, da bi produkte tako nezdrave rastline užival! Danes pa smo lahko priča, kako je bogato financirana propagandna mašinerija pridelovalcev in predelovalcev soje po nekaj desetletjih besnega bombardiranja medijev z lažnimi infromacijami in podatki iz goljufivih študij, katere nenehno plačuje ta ista industrija sama, iz nje ustvarila veliko ‘zvezdo’ t.i. zdrave prehrane.
Imamo se za vrhunec Stvarstva, v resnici pa zna vsaka žival prepoznati, katera hrana je zanjo dobra in zdrava, katera pa ne – lastnost, ki smo jo arogantni predstavniki človeške rase že davno izgubili. Izjema so udomačene živali, te smo namreč naravnih instinktov uspešno oropali. In tako krave jejo koruzo … psi in mačke pa brikete in konzerve. Nič od tega NI HRANA.
Soja povzroča prezgodnjo spolno zrelost pri deklicah (kar spomnimo se zgodbic o tem, kako imajo že osemletnice menstruacijo, 10- ali 11-letnice pa rojevajo otroke), dečke pa poženšči in jim povzroči rast prsi, upad libida, upad zmožnosti erekcije, prezgodnje izlive in neplodnost. V okolju, ki je itak prenasičeno z estrogeni, soja tudi pospešuje pojav hormonsko pogojenih rako – tako pri moških kot pri ženskah. Soja sicer ni edini razlog za vse to, je pa eden izmed glavnih. Če je soja povrhu pridelana konvencionalno, se pravi, s pesticidi in umetnimi gnojili, to njene negativne učinke še potencira.
Soja: ta rastlina sicer vsebuje veliko beljakovin (največ med stročnicami) in jo imajo zato nekateri zmotno za zdravo živilo. Resnica pa je žal povsem drugačna. Soja vsebuje ogromno aluminija, težkih kovin ter strupenih količin fluora in mangana, kar glede na intenzivni, ekstremno mehanizirani način njenega pridelovanja sploh ne preseneča. Soja je tudi prepolna antihranil – zaviralcev absorbcije hranilnih snovi (ki preprečujejo tudi vsrkanje koristnih elementov, kot so vitamini, minerali, antioksidanti itd., iz vsega, kar jemo skupaj z njo), tako da njene negativne lastnosti daleč prevladajo nad morebitno koristjo. Tripsinski inhibitorji, lektini, fitati, saponini in zaviralci rasti organizma so le delček temne plati soje.
Če je soja procesirana – in to večinoma je – potem njene beljakovine dodatno uničijo še toksini, ki nastanejo pri njeni industrijski obdelavi. Sojine maščobe skrajšujejo življenje, njeni ogljikovi hidrati pa povzročajo napenjanje in vetrove.
Nič čudnega, da naši človeški predniki še nekaj stoletij nazaj soje niti približno niso imeli za rastlino, ki bi bila primerna vsaj za živinsko krmo. Uporabljali so jo samo za gnojenje tal pri kolobarjenju, na Kitajskem pa so iz nje izdelovali tudi olje za oljne svetilke s stenjem in za izdelavo mila, ter mast za podmazovanje raznih strojev. Nikomur ni prišlo niti na misel, da bi produkte tako nezdrave rastline užival! Danes pa smo lahko priča, kako je bogato financirana propagandna mašinerija pridelovalcev in predelovalcev soje po nekaj desetletjih besnega bombardiranja medijev z lažnimi infromacijami in podatki iz goljufivih študij, katere nenehno plačuje ta ista industrija sama, iz nje ustvarila veliko ‘zvezdo’ t.i. zdrave prehrane.
Imamo se za vrhunec Stvarstva, v resnici pa zna vsaka žival prepoznati, katera hrana je zanjo dobra in zdrava, katera pa ne – lastnost, ki smo jo arogantni predstavniki človeške rase že davno izgubili. Izjema so udomačene živali, te smo namreč naravnih instinktov uspešno oropali. In tako krave jejo koruzo … psi in mačke pa brikete in konzerve. Nič od tega NI HRANA.
Soja povzroča prezgodnjo spolno zrelost pri deklicah (kar spomnimo se zgodbic o tem, kako imajo že osemletnice menstruacijo, 10- ali 11-letnice pa rojevajo otroke), dečke pa poženšči in jim povzroči rast prsi, upad libida, upad zmožnosti erekcije, prezgodnje izlive in neplodnost. V okolju, ki je itak prenasičeno z estrogeni, soja tudi pospešuje pojav hormonsko pogojenih rako – tako pri moških kot pri ženskah. Soja sicer ni edini razlog za vse to, je pa eden izmed glavnih. Če je soja povrhu pridelana konvencionalno, se pravi, s pesticidi in umetnimi gnojili, to njene negativne učinke še potencira.
© Zdravje PovejNaprej
PA pripnite linke do teh študij in katera organizacija jih je objavila.
primož
gospod Primož, ni problem, izvolite…
The Evidence Against Soy
Dow Chemical and DuPont, the same corporations that brought misery and death to millions around the world through Agent Orange, are now the driving forces behind the promotion of soy as a food for humans. They are financing anti-meat and anti-milk campaigns aimed largely at those concerned about animal welfare and the environment, trying to convince them that imitations such as “soymilk” are not only healthier than the real thing, but better for the earth too.
There is no evidence that consuming soy products can improve health, reduce environmental degradation or slow global warming. In fact, the evidence suggests quite the opposite.
The studies below regarding the effects of soy on health are eye-opening, particularly the review by the American Heart Association — which no longer supports the health claims about soy endorsed by the U.S. government.
Overall risks and benefits of soy assessed
Latest review by American Heart Association
Soy inhibits iron absorption
Poor iron bioavailability
Poor calcium bioavailability
Calcium and zinc absorbed better from milk than from soy — even without phytates
Soy provides no benefits with respect to heart disease risk
Soy causes bladder cancer
Soy isoflavones during pregnancy increase breast cancer risk in female offspring
High levels of cadmium in soy formula
Soy linked to peanut allergy and increased risk for asthma
Whole milk vs. soy beverage — asthma risk
Persistent sexual arousal syndrome associated with increased soy intake
Genistein: Does it prevent or promote breast cancer?
If you were to carefully review the thousands of studies published on soy, I strongly believe you too would reach the conclusion that any possible benefits of consuming soy are FAR outweighed by the well documented risks.
Now, I’m not against all forms of soy. Properly fermented products like natto and tempeh have been consumed for centuries and do not wreak havoc in your body like unfermented soy products do. For example, the enzyme nattokinase—derived from natto–is a safer, more powerful option than aspirin to dissolve blood clots, and has been used safely for more than two decades.
Unfortunately, many Americans still believe that unfermented and processed soy products like soy milk, soy cheese, soy burgers and soy ice cream are good for them.
85 Percent of Consumers Believe the Lies About Soy
The rise of soy as a health food is in large part due to highly successful marketing to otherwise health conscious Americans who set the trend. According to the survey Consumer Attitudes About Nutrition 2008 (by the United Soybean Board), 85 percent of consumers now perceive soy products as healthy. The survey also found that consumers:
· rank soybean oil among the top three healthy oils, with 70 percent recognizing soy oil as a healthy oil, and
· depend on soybean oil, commonly sold as vegetable oil, as one of their two most frequent cooking oils
This is a tragic case of shrewd marketing of misinformation and outright lies taking root among the masses, which will likely take some time to undo.
Ever since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a health claim for soy foods in 1999 (which said diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease), soy sales have skyrocketed. In the years between 2000 and 2007, food manufacturers in the U.S. introduced over 2,700 new foods with soy as an ingredient, including 161 new products introduced in 2007 alone.
This has resulted in a booming multi-billion dollar business. From 1992 to 2007, soy food sales increased from a paltry $300 million to nearly $4 billion, according to the Soyfoods Association of North America.
However, the Weston A. Price Foundation, a nonprofit nutrition education foundation, submitted a petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January of this year, asking them to retract its heart-health claim from soy in light of the inconsistent and contradictory evidence showing benefits, and its many proven health risks.
What’s So Wrong With Soy?
Unlike the Asian culture, where people eat small amounts of whole soybean products, western food processors separate the soybean into two golden commodities–protein and oil. And there is nothing natural or safe about these products.
Says Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story: “Today’s high-tech processing methods not only fail to remove the anti-nutrients and toxins that are naturally present in soybeans but leave toxic and carcinogenic residues created by the high temperatures, high pressure, alkali and acid baths and petroleum solvents.”
Dr. Daniel also points out the findings of numerous studies reviewed by her and other colleagues — that soy does not reliably lower cholesterol, and in fact raises homocysteine levels in many people, which has been found to increase your risk of stroke, birth defects, and yes: heart disease.
Other common health problems linked to a high-soy diet include:
· Thyroid problems, including weight gain, lethargy, malaise, fatigue, hair loss, and loss of libido
· Premature puberty and other developmental problems in babies, children and adolescents
· Cancer
· Brain damage
· Reproductive disorders
· Kidney stones
· Weakened immune system
· Severe, potentially fatal food allergies
Most soy, perhaps about 80 percent or more, is also genetically modified, which adds its own batch of health concerns.
Despite these findings, many people still want to believe the hype, thinking that these studies must somehow be wrong. But the content of soy itself should be a clue. For example, non-fermented soy products contain:
· Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) genistein and daidzein, which mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen
· Phytates, which block your body’s uptake of minerals
· Enzyme Inhibitors, which hinder protein digestion
· Hemaggluttin, which causes red blood cells to clump together and inhibits oxygen take-up and growth
· High amounts of omega-6 fat, which is pro-inflammatory
You’re Consuming Soy Whether You’re Buying “Soy Products” or Not
Even if you know better than to gulp down large amounts of soy milk, slabs of tofu, and other soy snacks, you are still consuming soy if you’re eating processed food, in the form of soybean oil and lecithin. So depending on your dietary habits, your (unfermented) soy consumption could really add up.
In fact, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln at the National Institutes of Health told CNN.com he estimates that soybeans, usually in the form of oil, account for 10 percent of the average person’s total calories in the United States! When you consider that 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food goes toward processed food, this amount of “accidental” soy intake is not surprising.
As a side note, I’d like to make a quick statement here to address some of my readers’ concerns about my reduced CoQ 10 supplement, ubiquinol, which also contain soy bean oil.
Unfortunately, the reduced CoQ 10 (ubiquinol) – which is the optimal form of CoQ 10 that your body needs, especially if you’re over 25 – is only produced by a multi-billion dollar Japanese pharmaceutical company that holds ALL the world patents on it. Hence, there’s no way to replace the soy, even though that would have been my preference.
However, as in all things, moderation is key. If I thought there were ANY significant health risks from consuming this small amount of soy oil, then I would not personally take two a day – which I do. I do however avoid all processed forms of soy products, and severely limit my intake of other unfermented soy, which is easy to do by simply avoiding processed and “fast” foods.
Which Soy Foods Should be Avoided … and How do You Avoid Them?
Because soy is so pervasive in the U.S. food supply, avoiding it is not an easy task.
The best way to completely avoid soy in the food supply is to buy whole foods and prepare them yourself. This may also be your only option if you’ve developed a soy allergy and need to eliminate soy from your diet entirely.
If you still prefer to buy readymade and packaged products, for whatever reason, Dr. Daniel offers a free Special Report, “Where the Soys Are,” on her Web site. It lists the many “aliases” that soy might be hiding under in ingredient lists — words like “boullion,” “natural flavor” and “textured plant protein.”
Which Soy Foods DO Have Health Benefits?
The few types of soy that ARE at least somewhat healthy are all fermented varieties. After a long fermentation process, the phytic acid and antinutrient levels of the soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties — such as the creation of natural probiotics — become available to your digestive system.
The fermentation process also greatly reduces the levels of dangerous isoflavones, which are similar to estrogen in their chemical structure, and can interfere with the action of your own estrogen production.
So if you want to eat soy that is actually good for you, following are all healthy options:
1. Natto, fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor. It’s loaded with nattokinase, a very powerful blood thinner. Natto is actually a food I eat regularly, as it is the highest source of vitamin K2 on the planet and has a very powerful beneficial bacteria, bacillus subtilis. It can usually be found in any Asian grocery store.
2. Tempeh, a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.
3. Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).
4. Soy sauce: traditionally, soy sauce is made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes, however be wary because many varieties on the market are made artificially using a chemical process.
Related Articles:
Soy: Too Good to be True
Soy: Is it Healthy or is it Harmful?
Why Soy Can Damage Your Health
Članek priznanega nutricionista o soji …. Mike Geary je avtor najbolje prodajanega programa za mišičast trebuh, Truth about Abs. Kot ves čas govorim, seje treb a procesirani hrani (to je, izdelkom) maksimalno izogibati, soje pa, če ni procesirana, SPLOH NE MOREMO JESTI.
Pa še kdaj drugič naprej……
3 So-Called “Healthy” Foods that You Should STOP Eating (if you want a lean healthy body)
by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Author of the best-seller: The Truth About Six Pack Abs
I was reading a statistic in a nutrition book recently, and this is going to shock you… — Now before I tell you the statistic, let’s keep an important fact in mind… according to well renowned nutrition author Michael Pollan, and his amazing book called In Defense of Food, humankind has historically consumed approximately 80,000 different species of edible plants, animals, and fungi, and approximately 3,000 of those have been widespread foods of the human diet.
Now get ready for a shocking and appalling statistic…
Currently, the average adult eating a typical modern western diet in countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, etc consumes approximately 67% of their total caloric intake from only 3 foods — CORN, SOY, AND WHEAT (and their derivatives). — What would be considered a reasonably healthy amount of corn, soy, and wheat in the human diet? Based on 10’s of thousands of years of human history, and what the natural diet of our ancestors was (indicating what our digestive systems are still programmed to process), this would probably be in the range of about 1% to 5% MAX of our total calories from corn, soy, and wheat.
Considering that modern humans are eating 67% of their total calories from corn, soy, wheat… you can see why we have massive problems in our health, and our weight!
It’s not a surprise that we have so many intolerances and allergies, specifically to soy and wheat (and gluten intolerance) … the human digestive system was simply never meant to consume these substances in such MASSIVE quantities.
Keep in mind that these massively high levels of corn, soy, and wheat in our modern human diet is a relatively new phenomenon that originated from the economics of the multi-billion dollar corn, soy, and wheat industries. It really HAS been all about the money… NOT about our health!
By “derivatives” of corn, soy, and wheat, this means the food additives such as:
· high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
· corn oil
· soybean oil (hydrogenated or plain refined)
· soy protein
· refined wheat flour
hundreds of other food additives e.g. maltodextrin, corn/wheat starch, soy lecithin, mono and diglycerides, etc, etc
This doesn’t surprise me… consider how much soda or other sweetened drinks (with loads of HFCS) that the average person drinks daily… this is a LOT of calories from just 1 sole corn derivative. Even marinades, salad dressings, ketchup, breads, and 100’s of other foods contain loads of belly-fattening HFCS!
Also think about how many processed foods we have that are either fried in soybean or corn oil… and even if the foods are not fried in these oils, these oils are additives to almost every processed food… chips, candies, cakes, salad dressings, tomato sauces, burrito wraps, corn chips, breaded chicken, etc, etc. This is a LOT of calories from these 2 other corn and soy derivatives… both of them EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY!
On top of that, think about how much breads, cereals, pastas, muffins, and other highly processed wheat products that most people consume each day. Again, this is LOADS of unhealthy, blood-sugar spiking, nutrient-poor calories, that more than half of the population has some degree of intolerance to anyway.
It gets even worse!
Not only are we eating 67% of our total calories from corn, soy & wheat… but because of the economics involved (specifi-cally with cheap corn and soy) we are also feeding most of our farm animals corn and soy now too… again amplifying the amount of corn and soy that passes through the food chain and (from a biochemical standpoint) ends up in our bodies.
Probably the 2 worst examples of this blatant mismanagement of our food supply is how our factory farmed chickens and cows are fed.
Cows are fed mostly corn in factory feedlot farms, even though their digestive systems are only meant to eat grass and other forage. This makes the cows sick (hmm… E-coli anyone?), alters the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of the fats to unhealthy levels, and also diminishes the healthy CLA fats that would occur naturally in grass-fed beef. All of these problems go away if our cows are fed what they were made to eat naturally – grass!
Our chickens are also fed a diet of mostly corn and soy and crowded in tight pens in horrendous conditions… when the fact is that a chicken was meant to roam around the outdoors eating a mixture of greens, insects, worms, seeds, etc. When chickens are kept inside in tight quarters and fed only grains, it leads to an unhealthy meat for you to eat, and less healthy eggs compared to free-roaming chickens allowed to eat an outdoors diet.
Our food supply has gotten so screwed up that we’re even feeding our salmon & other farmed fish corn & soy…again b/c of the economics involved. How ludicrous is this, considering that fish are meant to eat a diverse diet of smaller fish, worms, bugs, etc. Again this makes farm raised fish unhealthy in terms of nutrition compared to the wild counterparts. If you want to see something even scarier about farm-raised fish, watch this quick video about the toxic fish you might be buying.
So even when you’re eating chicken, beef & fish, you’re still essentially getting even MORE corn and soy into your body, considering that the cows, chickens, and farmed fish ate mostly soy and corn. So it’s actually WORSE than just 67% isn’t it!
Why is it so unhealthy to consume 2/3rds of our calories from corn, soy, and wheat?
Well, this section could encompass an entire book, so to keep this short, I’ll just throw out a few random reasons…
· Skews the ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fats in diet to as high as 30:1, when a ratio of 1:1 to 2:1 is considered healthy.
· Problems with gluten intolerance (related to heavy wheat consumption)
· Problems with weight gain, blood-sugar swings, and reduced insulin sensitivity (and progression of diabetes) due to excessive refined corn and wheat flours, as well as HFCS in our diet
· Soy and corn are the most genetically modified crops (which also allows more pesticides and herbicides to be used, which are usually “xenoestrogens”)
· Many of the pesticide & herbicide residues in these crops are xenoestrogens that can increase “stubborn” belly fat
· Soy products and derivatives contain a double-whammy of xenoestrogens as well as phytoestrogens… again creating an environment in your body for fat storage, carcinogenic effects, and even “man boobs” for some men in very severe cases
· The feeding of corn and soy to animals reduces the health and nutritional benefits of those animal products
and the list could go on and on and on…
So how do you avoid all of this overwhelming amount of corn, soy, and wheat in our food supply, and finally take control of your weight and your health?
1. Don’t purchase processed foods! It all starts with your grocery cart discipline… choose only 1-ingredient foods such as fruits, veggies, beans, eggs (free roaming), nuts, seeds, and meats from grass-fed or free roaming animals that are raised correctly. Only resort to junk foods or processed foods on a 1-day per week “cheat day” but ONLY when dining out… that way, the processed foods aren’t in your house to tempt you.
2. Get most of your carbs from fruits and veggies instead of grains.
3. Avoid store bought salad dressings as they almost always contain soybean oil and HFCS (instead, try my homemade healthy salad dressing)
4. Make sure that your tomato sauces don’t have HFCS and soybean oils… look for sauces made with olive oil instead. Remember to avoid unhealthy canola oils too!
5. If you like guacamole (one of the healthiest snacks on the planet!), try veggie sticks with guacamole instead of genetically-modified, oil-soaked corn chips
6. If you like hummus, try veggies sticks with hummus instead of pita chips or other bread.
7. Reduce your cereal, bread, and pasta intake by having these foods only on “cheat days” and stick to more of the 1-ingredient foods I mentioned in #1 above. Try some of these healthy snacks as good alternatives (yes, I know that one of the 13 snacks on there has sprouted grain, which is fine on occasion).
I could go on with more examples, but I think that’s good for now.
So with all of this said… Is my diet perfect? Well, no of course not! Nobody is perfect, and I can give in to temptation on occasion just like anybody else. However, I’d estimate that my corn/soy/wheat consumption is only about 2-4% of my total caloric intake compared to 67% for the average person. The way that I achieve this is to simply not bring any corn, soy, or wheat products into my house, so I’m never tempted by it. Therefore, at least 6 days/week, I eat virtually no corn/soy/wheat, except for the occasional piece of sprouted grain toast a couple times a week (which is a better option than typical “whole grain” bread).
I do, however, give in and sometimes eat breads, pasta, and even corn chips, etc. when I’m dining out. I see these as my cheat meals and try to do this no more than once per week. I still completely eliminate sodas and deep fried foods though…they are just TOO evil!
Please share this with friends and fanily, on email, FB, TW, blogs, forums, etc… this is one of the MAJOR reasons that we are so unhealthy &overweight as a society… 67% of our calories from just 3 foods (and their derivatives) is an appalling statistic! Don’t give
ZDRAVJE-POVEJ NAPREJ
TOLE JE DOLGO, AMPAK ZELO POUČNO….
Soy Alert! Weston A. Price Foundation
• Thyroid Health How soy affects thyroid health
• Soy Online Service — Uncovering the truth about soy.
• GM Soy: Sustainable? Responsible? A summary of scientific evidence showing that genetically modified (GM) soy and the glyphosate herbicide it is engineered to tolerate are unsustainable from the point of view of farming, the environment, rural communities, animal and human health, and economies
• Soy and Estrogen Dominance Michael Lam, MD, MPH
• Soy’s Negative Impact on The Thyroid Mary Shomon
• Why Soy Can Damage Your Health Dr. Mercola
• The Shadow of Soy Sean Carson
Alaska Science Forum Cheetahs and Soybeans — Article #856
——————————————————————————————————————————-
Confused About Soy?–Soy Dangers Summarized
High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
Trypin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body’s requirement for B12.
Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D.
Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.
Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.
The above soy dangers and our Myths & Truths About Soy are available in our Soy Alert! trifold brochure for mass distribution.
Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Soy
. Studies Showing the Toxicity of Soy in the US Food & Drug Administration’s Poisonous Plant Database (7.5M PDF)
2. Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Dietary Soy, 1939-2008
3. Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Isoflavones, 1950-20
Advertising and Monkey Business
Tuesday, February 17 2004
Valerie James
2.Atlas Soy-led: Ayn Rand’s Take on the Soybean
Tuesday, July 12 2011
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
3.Babes in Soyland: Natural Products Expo East
Sunday, December 07 2003
Linda Joyce Forristal, CTA, MTA
4.Bad News for the Soy Industry
Friday, February 27 2009
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
5.Charlie’s Story
Tuesday, February 17 2004
George Glasser and Anita Knight
6.Colony Collapse Disorder: Soy Tie to Bee Die-Off?
Friday, February 15 2008
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
7.Committee on Toxicity in Foods and the Environment
Sunday, March 23 2003
Valerie James
8.Complaints About Soy
Tuesday, February 17 2004
9.Weston A. Price Foundation
Cruel and Unusual Punishment: Soy Diet for Illinois Prisoners
Friday, May 01 2009
Weston A Price Foundation
10.Dangers of Dietary Isoflavones At Levels Above Those Found In Traditional Diets
Monday, March 02 2009
Sally Fallon
11.Daniel Back from the Lion’s Den
Thursday, August 24 2006
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
12.Effects of Antenatal Exposure to Phytoestrogens on Human Male Reproductive and Urogenital Development
Wednesday, November 16 2005
Bernard Poggi
13.Manganese Madness
Friday, February 27 2009
David Goodman, PhD
14.Mr. Tofu!
Monday, December 18 2006
Kaayla Daniel, PhD
15.Myths & Truths About Soy
Friday, December 31 1999
Weston A. Price Foundation
16.Not Milk and Uncheese: The Udder Alternatives
Monday, October 04 2004
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
17.Not So Soy Healthy For The Heart
Friday, March 13 2009
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
18.One Woman’s Story
Friday, February 27 2009
Tera
19.Phytoestrogens in Soy Depress Immune Function
Friday, December 05 2003
Sally Fallon
20.Recovery from Soy Part I: A Strategy for Dealing with Soy Allergies
Thursday, February 14 2008
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
Reply to Bill Sardi
Tuesday, February 27 2001
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
Reply to Robert Cohen, the Not Milk Man
Sunday, February 09 2003
Andreas Schuld
Response to Dr. Mark Hyman
Wednesday, September 29 2010
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy Alert! Brochure
Sunday, March 08 2009
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Campaign Letter 2002
Saturday, June 15 2002
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Update, Fall 2003
Saturday, December 06 2003
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Update, Spring 2003
Wednesday, July 02 2003
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Update, Spring 2004
Sunday, February 04 2007
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Update, Summer 2003
Saturday, December 13 2003
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Update, Summer 2004
Sunday, March 15 2009
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Update, Winter 2003
Saturday, March 14 2009
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy Alert! Update, Winter 2004
Monday, May 24 2004
Weston A. Price Foundation
Soy and Corn Blends Stop Hunger but not Malnutrition
Thursday, March 26 2009
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy and Osteoporosis: Not a Leg to Stand On
Monday, December 18 2006
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy and Sanitation
Thursday, January 20 2011
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy and the Brain
Wednesday, April 28 2004
John MacArthur
Soy Bioterrorism
Monday, November 02 2009
Maria Van Heemstra
Soy Carbohydrates: The Flatulence Factor
Saturday, December 06 2003
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy Formula Panel Caves to Industry Pressure
Tuesday, December 29 2009
Sally Fallon Morell
Soy in the News
Sunday, March 22 2009
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy Industry on the Attack
Sunday, July 16 2006
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy Infant Formula: Birth Control Pills for Babies
Saturday, October 19 2002
Sally Fallon
Soy Infant Formula: Concerns and Recommendations
Tuesday, February 17 2004
Suha Khoury
Soy Isoflavones: Panacea or Poison?
Friday, February 27 2009
Mike Fitzpatrick, PhD, MNZIC
Soy Lecithin: From Sludge to Profit
Wednesday, February 25 2004
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy Recovery: The Toxic Metal Component
Friday, May 01 2009
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD and Galen D. Knight, PhD
Soy to the World
Wednesday, April 06 2011
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
Soy: Singing the Low-Carb Blues
Sunday, March 04 2007
Kaayla Daniel, PhD
Soy: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite “Health” Food
Tuesday, February 17 2004
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
Soy: The Quiet Conquest
Friday, February 27 2009
Ilse Oeschlager-Demarest
Soyful Tales
Wednesday, March 31 2010
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
Striking at the Soy Heart Health Claim
Monday, March 30 2009
Kaayla Daniel
Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Dietary Soy, 1939-2008
Tuesday, August 26 2003
Weston A. Price Foundation
Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Isoflavones, 1950-2010
Tuesday, August 26 2003
Weston A. Price Foundation
Teens Before Their Time
Sunday, September 08 2002
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
The Little Known Soy-Gluten Connection
Monday, June 28 2010
Kaayla Daniel, PhD, CCN
The Ploy of Soy
Wednesday, September 27 1995
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
The Promotion of Soy
Tuesday, August 09 2005
Sally Fallon
The Soy Controversy
Wednesday, May 26 2004
Mary G. Enig, PhD
The Tragedy of Soy Infant Formula
Saturday, January 01 2000
Sally Fallon
Third International Soy Symposium
Monday, March 15 2004
Sally Fallon
Tragedy and Hype: Third International Soy Symposium
Sunday, March 26 2000
Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, PhD
Trumped Up Success, Trumped Up Benefits
Friday, June 26 2009
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
Twelfth International Soy Symposium
Tuesday, February 15 2005
Bill Sanda
Why Babies Should Not be Fed Soy
Wednesday, February 10 2010
Gail Elbek
WISHH-Ful Thinking: New Markets for Soy Products
Sunday, March 04 2007
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
Thyroid Health and Virgin Coconut Oil
Many Americans experience cold hands and feet, low body temperature, sensitivity to cold, a feeling of always being chilled, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, puffy eyes, hair loss, brittle nails, joint aches, constipation, mental dullness, fatigue, frequent infections, hoarse voice, ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of libido, and weight gain, which is sometimes uncontrollable. Approximately 65 percent of the U. S. population is overweight; 30 percent is clinically obese. Research is pointing to the fact that an insufficiently nourished thyroid might be the number one cause of weight problems, especially among women, in the US today.
Virgin Coconut Oil offers great hope for those suffering from hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) today. I didn’t even realize how much hypothyroidism was affecting my life till I started on the Virgin Coconut Oil and suddenly had energy like the Energizer Bunny! I also gave up the white toxins (wheat flour, refined sugar, potatoes, and other high-glycemic index foods) and that, in combination with my Virgin Coconut Oil consumption has made a tremendous difference in my
hormonal balance, mood stability, stamina and overall energy. And, I’m slowly but steadily losing a little bit of weight without effort. Ya gotta love that! Julia (Coconut Diet Forums)
I began taking coconut oil to address a hypothyroid issue. Recently, especially over the last month, thyroid activity plunged and my temperatures would top out for the day somewhere between 97.2 and 97.8. Definitely hypothyroid territory. Now in just a couple of days the coconut oil has boosted my metabolism back toward the normal range (still subnormal but getting there) and my sleep has been incredible. From past experience with thyroid management, I know that–in my case–greatly improved sleep and feelings of rejuvenation after sleep are related to more normal thyroid activity. Whatever the precise mechanism, it’s a welcome development. Mike (Coconut Diet Forums)
We have received hundreds of comments such as these from those with hypothyroidism using Virgin Coconut Oil.
Hypothyroidism Reaching Epidemic Proportions
In 1995, researchers studied 25,862 participants at the Colorado statewide health fair. They discovered that among patients not taking thyroid medication, 8.9 percent were hypothyroid (under-active thyroid) and 1.1 percent were hyperthyroid (over-active thyroid). This indicates 9.9 percent of the population had a thyroid problem that had most likely gone unrecognized. These figures suggest that nationally, there may be as many as 13 million Americans with an undiagnosed thyroid problem.1
In her book Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You. . . That You Need to Know, Mary Shomon quotes endocrinologist Kenneth Blanchard, M.D., of Lower Newton Falls, Massachusetts as saying, “The key thing is . . . doctors are always told that TSH is the test that gives us a yes or no answer. And, in fact, I think that’s fundamentally wrong. The pituitary TSH is controlled not just by how much T4 and T3 is in circulation, but T4 is getting converted to T3 at the pituitary level. Excess T3 generated at the pituitary level can falsely suppress TSH.”2 Hence, many people who are simply tested for TSH levels and are found to be within “normal” range are, in fact, suffering from “sub-clinical” thyroid problems that are going undetected.
Ridha Arem, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Baylor College of Medicine, agrees. He says that hypothyroidism may exist despite “normal range” TSH levels. In his book The Thyroid Solution he says:
Many people may be suffering from minute imbalances that have not yet resulted in abnormal blood tests. If we included people with low-grade hypothyroidism whose blood tests are normal, the frequency of hypothyroidism would no doubt exceed 10 percent of the population. What is of special concern, though, is that many people whose test results are dismissed as normal could continue to have symptoms of an under active thyroid. Their moods, emotions, and overall well-being are affected by this imbalance, yet they are not receiving the care they need to get to the root of their problems. Even if the TSH level is in the lower segment of normal range, a person may still be suffering from low-grade hypothyroidism.3
Thus, if we were to include those who may be suffering from “low-grade hypothyroidism,” the number could well be double the 13 million estimate from the Colorado study.
What is Causing This Epidemic?
While more research needs to be done, it is generally accepted that diet plays a major role in thyroid health. For decades we have known that low iodine intake leads to low thyroid function and eventually to goiter. Iodized salt was intended to solve this problem, but it has not been the answer. There are a number of foods known as goitrogens that block iodine. Two goitrogens are quite prevalent in the American diet—peanuts and peanut butter and soybeans used most often in prepared foods as textured vegetable protein (a refined soy food) and soybean oil.
The rise of industrialization, corporate farming, and mass production of food has drastically changed our food supply from what our ancestors ate. Many studies show the detrimental effects of refined sugars and grains on our health. These foods are very taxing on the thyroid gland, and we consume them in large quantities.
Environmental stress such as chemical pollutants, pesticides, mercury, and fluoride are also tough on the thyroid. A growing body of evidence suggests that fluoride, which is prevalent in toothpaste and water treatment, may inhibit the functioning of the thyroid gland. Additionally, mercury may diminish thyroid function because it displaces the trace mineral selenium, and selenium is involved in conversion of thyroid hormones T4 to T3.
The Truth About Fats and Oils
Many dietary oils can negatively affect thyroid health. We cook with them almost every day and they are plentiful in co- mercially made foods. Expeller-pressed or solvent-extracted oils only became a major part of the US diet in the last cen tury. It is possible they are among the worst offenders when it comes to the thyroid. They are known as vegetable oils or polyunsaturated oils. The most common source of these oils used in commercially prepared foods is the soybean.
Large-scale cultivation of soybeans in the United States began after World War II and quickly increased to 140 billion pounds per year. Most of the crops are produced for animal feed and soy oil for hydrogenated fats such as margarine and shortening. Today, it is nearly impossible to eat at restaurants or buy packaged foods that don’t have soy oil in the ingredients. Often labels simply state “vegetable oil.”
Ray Peat Ph.D., a physiologist who has worked with progesterone & related hormones since 1968, says the sudden surge of polyunsaturated oils into the food chain post World War II has caused many changes in hormones. He writes:
Their [polyunsaturated oils] best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased levels of estrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the ‘protective hormones’ progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid. The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol, so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything which blocks the thyroid function.4
There is a growing body of research concerning soy’s detrimental affect on the thyroid gland. Much of this research centers on the phytoestrogens (“phyto” means plant) that are found in soy. In the 1960s when soy was introduced into infant formulas, it was shown that soy was goitrogenic and caused goiters in babies. When iodine was supplemented, the incidence of goiter reduced dramatically. However, a retrospective epidemiological study by Fort, et al. showed that teenaged children with a diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease were significantly more likely to have received soy formula as infants (18 out of 59 children; 31 percent) when compared to healthy siblings (nine out of 76, 12 percent) or control group children (seven out of 54; 13 percent).5
When healthy individuals without any previous thyroid disease were fed 30 grams of pickled soybeans per day for one month, Ishizuki, et al. reported goiter and elevated individual thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (although still within the normal range) in thirty-seven healthy, iodine-sufficient adults. One month after stopping soybean consumption, individual TSH values decreased to the original levels and goiters were reduced in size.6
Traditionally, polyunsaturated oils such as soybean oil have been used for livestock feed because they cause the animals to gain weight. These oils are made up of what is known as long chain fatty acids—the kind of fatty acids that promote weight gain. In the North Carolina State University’s Extension Swine Husbandry 1998-2000 Departmental report, for example, was a study entitled “EFFECT OF DIETARY FAT SOURCE, LEVEL, AND FEEDING INTERVAL ON PORK FATTY ACID COMPOSITION” by M.T. See and J. Odle. Ironically, since the market in its low-fat dogma of recent years is demanding leaner meats, this study showed that one could produce leaner meat and reduce the weight on swine by reducing their intake of soy oil and substituting it with saturated animal fat!7
According to Dr. Ray Peat, the fattening effect of polyunsaturated oils (primarily soy and corn) is due to the presence of Linoleic and linolenic acids, long-chain fatty acids, which have an anti-thyroid effect. Peat says:
Linoleic and linolenic acids, the “essential fatty acids,” and other polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are now fed to pigs to fatten them, in the form of corn and soy beans, cause the animals’ fat to be chemically equivalent to vegetable oil. In the late 1940s, chemical toxins were used to suppress the thyroid function of pigs, to make them get fatter while consuming less food. When that was found to be carcinogenic, it was then found that corn and soy beans had the same antithyroid effect, causing the animals to be fattened at low cost. The animals’ fat becomes chemically similar to the fats in their food, causing it to be equally toxic, and equally fattening.8
Of course in the 1940s the fat from pigs (lard) was highly desirable, as were most saturated fats. Today, saturated fats are fed to pigs to keep them lean, while most people buy polyunsaturated soy and corn oils in the grocery stores as their primary cooking oil! So we have a population now characterized by lean pigs and obese people…
Coconut Oil: A-Healthy Choice for the Thyroid
Coconut oil, on the other hand, is a saturated fat made up primarily of medium chain fatty acids. Also known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), medium chain fatty acids are known to increase metabolism and promote weight loss. Coconut oil can also raise basal body temperatures while increasing metabolism. This is good nutritional news for people with low thyroid function. We have seen many testimonies to this effect.
The “proof is in the pudding”. Try it yourself and then you be the judge. All these people certainly can’t “be wrong”. Everyone will experience different benefits, some more than others, but definitely something. In my own personal experience, I was suffering with hypothyroidism that even prescription medications couldn’t help. After a few short weeks of taking Virgin Coconut Oil, my reading was normal for the first time in a year. I use it on my skin after a shower and no longer struggle with the incredibly dry skin that often goes along with hypothyroidism, and I have used it on my hair as a conditioner. All I can say that the phrase “The world’s perfect food” is quite accurate. Try it and see for yourself. Warmly, Melanie (Coconut Diet Forums)
I am just now jumping on the coconut oil bandwagon (about three weeks now) and I’m really starting to feel GREAT! I have suffered from severe migraines for the past 25 years, the last 15 becoming increasingly severe, coinciding with the addition of soy and the “low-fat mentality” to my diet. Nothing helped! I should be experiencing my pre-menstrual migraine by now and instead I feel like I could climb Mt. Everest! Also I wondered if it decreased the waist to hip ratio because mine has gone from 7.2 all my life to 7 (or something like that). I think I had the sluggish thyroid too, with a low body temperature of between 96 and 96.8. Now it’s starting to climb for the first time in years. — Thank you… Sincerely, V. Potter (Coconut Diet Forums)
For more information on how Virgin Coconut Oil works to promote weight loss, see our article on Weight Loss.
Coconut Oil and Oxidative Stress
One of the reasons the long chain fatty acids in vegetable oils are so damaging to the thyroid is that they oxidize quickly and become rancid. Food manufacturers know about this propensity towards rancidity and, therefore, highly
refine their vegetable oils. Considerable research has shown that trans fatty acids, present when vegetable oils are highly refined (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated), are especially damaging to cell tissue and can have a negative affect on the thyroid as well as health in general. Because the longer chain fatty acids are deposited in cells more often as rancid and oxidizing fat, impairment of the conversion of thyroid hormone T4 to T3 occurs, which is symptomatic of hypothyroidism. To create the enzymes needed to convert fats to energy, T4 must be converted to T3.
Dr. Ray Peat says:
When the oils are stored in our tissues, they are much warmer, and more directly exposed to oxygen than they would be in the seeds, and so their tendency to oxidize is very great. These oxidative processes can damage enzymes and other parts of cells, and especially their ability to produce energy. The enzymes which break down proteins are inhibited by unsaturated fats; these enzymes are needed not only for digestion, but also for production of thyroid hormones, clot removal, immunity, and the general adaptability of cells. The risks of abnormal blood clotting, inflammation, immune deficiency, shock, aging, obesity, and cancer are increased. Thyroid [hormones] and progesterone are decreased.
Since the unsaturated oils block protein digestion in the stomach, we can be malnourished even while “eating well.” There are many hormonal changes caused by unsaturated fats. Their best understood effect is their interference with the function of the thyroid gland. Unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. Coconut oil is unique in its ability to prevent weight-gain or cure obesity, by stimulating metabolism. It is quickly metabolized, and functions in some ways as an antioxidant.9
Because coconut oil is saturated and very stable (unrefined coconut oil has a shelf life of about three to five years at room temperature), the body is not burdened with oxidative stress as it is with the vegetable oils. Coconut oil does not require the enzyme stress that vegetable oils do, preventing T4 to T3 hormone conversion, not only because it is a stable oil, but also because it is processed differently in the body and does not need to be broken down by enzyme dependent processes as do long chain fatty acids. Also, since the liver is the main place where damage occurs from oxidized and rancid oils that cause cell membrane damage, and since the liver is where much of the conversion of T4 to T3 takes place, eliminating long chain fatty acids from the diet and replacing them with medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil can, in time, help in rebuilding cell membranes and increasing enzyme production that will assist in promoting the conversion of T4 to T3 hormones.
More research in this area is necessary. In the meantime, those switching from polyunsaturated oils to coconut oil are reporting many positive results. For example, Donna experienced encouraging improvements in her thyroid health.
I’ve been on coconut oil since September, 2002 and, although, that doesn’t seem like long, it has changed my life and the lives of my family and friends. My weight actually went UP when I started on coconut oil but I felt so GREAT! Being hypothyroid, I was on Synthroid and Cytomel and had been for years, but with inconsistent results and feeling worse. Other changes besides the addition of coconut oil were the complete removal of soy (and that is a major challenge in itself!), all trans fatty acids, no refined sugar, and organ cleanses seasonally. My thyroid meds were discontinued with my doctor’s knowledge as I was getting too energetic and having trouble sleeping! [Imagine], from being a “sleepaholic” couch potato that was cold! My weight stayed steady until the last three weeks and it has now started the downward move. My goal was health and just believed the weight would come off when I found the right diet and exercise routine that my life was comfortable with. I’ve tried removing the coconut oil but my energy drops and I don’t feel as good. Donna (Coconut Diet Forums)
Another coconut oil user writes: I have experienced thyroid problems . . . body temperature not going above 97 degrees, cold hands and feet, can’t lose weight, fatigued, slow heart rate, can’t sleep some nights, dry skin, etc….. My doctor did the thyroid test and it came back normal. I am 46 and peri-menopausal. My Naturopath symptomatically diagnosed me with hypothyroidism. She explained the blood tests currently used by allopathic medicine are not sensitive enough. I started on the coconut oil 5 weeks ago. In the first week I noticed my body temperature had risen and my resting heart rate had gone from 49 to 88 beats per minute. This has since settled to 66. My energy is now really high and I am slowly losing the weight -3 lbs. in the past 5 weeks. I also had been taking flaxseed oil and gamma linoleic acid oil but have stopped eating every other oil but what Dr. Raymond Peat recommends, which is coconut oil, olive oil and butter… I take 3 tablespoons of coconut oil daily. Cindy (
Coconut Diet Forums)
Increasing Metabolism and Losing Weight
Many people with hypothyroidism also struggle with weight gain that is difficult to lose even on strict diets, due to a sluggish thyroid. Coconut oil is nature’s richest source of medium chain fatty acids which are known to increase metabolism and help lose weight. For more information on weight loss and coconut oil, go here.
References:
1. Gay J. Canaris, MD, MSPH; Neil R. Manowitz, PhD; Gilbert Mayor, MD; E. Chester Ridgway, MD The Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:526-534.
2. Mary Shomon, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You. . . That You Need to Know (New York Harper Collins, 2002)
3. Ridha Arem, The Thyroid Solution : A Mind-Body Program for Beating Depression and Regaining Your Emotional and Physical Health, (New York: Ballantine Books,1999)
4. Raymond Peat Newsletter “Unsaturated Vegetable Oils Toxic” 1996
5. P. Fort, N. Moses, M. Fasano, T. Goldberg and F. Lifshitz “Breast and soy –formula feeding in early infancy and the prevalence of
autoimmune thyroid disease in children”‘J. Am. Col. Nutr. 1990;(9):164-167.
6. Daniel R. Doerge, Hebron C. Chang, “Inactivation of thyroid peroxidase by soy isoflavones in vitro and in vivo” Journal of Chromatography B Vol. 777 (1, 2); 25; September 2002: 269-79
7. M.T. See and J. Odle, “EFFECT OF DIETARY FAT SOURCE, LEVEL, AND FEEDING INTERVAL ON PORK FATTY ACID COMPOSITION” 1998-2000 Departmental Report, Department of Animal Science, ANS Report No. 248 – North Carolina State University
8. Raymond Peat Newsletter “Unsaturated Vegetable Oils Toxic” 1996
9. Raymond Peat Newsletter “Unsaturated Vegetable Oils Toxic” 1996
Soy and Estrogen Dominance Michael Lam, MD, MPH – http://www.DrLam.com
In the last ten years, Soy has gone from an obscure food to the perfect food. Promoters of soy products would like you to believe that next to water, soy is probably one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Based on soy’s extensive history of consumption in the Asian diet and the long lifespan of Asians as a group, soy industry has been successfully promoted soy as a family tradition and key to longevity and good health. However, careful scrutiny shows that the Asian diet is not one that is focused on soy at all. In fact 65% of the calories from a Japanese diet comes from fish. In China, 65% of calories come from pork. The total caloric intake from soy in the Chinese diet is only 1.5%. The amount of soy consumed in Asia averages only 2 teaspoons a day and up to Ľ cup in some parts of Japan. This is certainly not the large amount that we were led to believe. Furthermore, the modern processed soy protein food in the form of soy burgers and soy drinks found in supermarkets in no way resembles the traditional Asian soy. Soy consists of complex chemical and structural components. The main components are protein, essential fatty acids, as well as a class of compounds known as isoflavones. Isoflavones as a family include compounds such as genistein, daidzein, equol, and glycitein. These are also called phytoestrogens in that they have properties that are estrogen like but are derived from plants. The amount of genistein per day consumed in the average Japanese is only 10mg. Mega consumption of isoflavones such as soy burgers can bring the total daily genistein intake to over 200mg. Genistein is particularly harmful for people who have preexisting low or mlow thyroid function. It’s antagonism to the thyroid hormone is well established. A daily dose of genistein as low as 30mg can affect normal thyroid function. The soy isoflavone genistein and daidzein are similar to 17 beta-estradiols, but are 100,000 times weaker in estrogenic activity and are therefore weak estrogens. Although these isoflavones are weak estrogens, people who eat a lot of it can have their blood level of isoflavones as mush as 10,000 times higher than those who do not consume soy. Over time, high concentrations of isoflavones in the body can have a significant cumulative estrogenic and toxic effect, eexposed to organs that have sensitive estrogen receptors sites such as the breast, uterus, and thyroid. The Chinese and Japachemicals, which cannot be fully metabolized by the body, unless it undergoes a long cooking, or fermentation process. Unfermented soy contains phylates, which acts as an anti-nutrient and blocks the absorption of minerals from the gastro intestinal track. It also contains enzymes inhibitors that reduce protein digesProcessed soy protein contains carcinogens such as nitrates, lysinoalanine, as well as a large group of anti-nutrients not found in traditional soy consumed in Asia. It also lacks calcium and causes a deficiency of vitamin D, both of which are not conducive for bone building. Tyears. Only after extensive fermentation is soy being eaten as a condiment and not as a replacement for animal food. Fermented soy includes miso, tempeh, and natto and does not have the negative properties of unfermented soy. Miso is widely used as a soup base in Japan. Natto is a foul smelling fermented soybean preparation that has been consumed in Japan for over 1,000 years. Natto also has a high concentration of vitamin K2, a critical nutrient fobuilding. It also has the extraordinary property of dissolving blood clots and keeping our blood vessels clear. Msoy. They are by and large unfermented and include tofu and soy protein. These do not provide the same benefits as fermented soy products. A typical Japanese man eats about 8 grams (2 teaspoon) a day of soy that mostly fermented as compared to the 220 grams (8oz) a western person in the form of a chunk of tofu and 2 glassesoy milk, both of which are unfermented. Eating unfermented soy by a vegetarian actually increases the risk of mineral deficiency including calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc. Unfermented soy such as soymilk is also the second most common allergen. 1% of the population is truly allergic to cow’s milk, and 2/3 of those will be intolerant to soymilk. Soymilk is also high in aluminum, because they are processed in large aluminum tanks. Studies have shown that30gram of unfermented soy consumed daily can affect thyroid function and is strongly linked to a host of auimmune diseases such as Hashimoto’s thryoiditis as well as hypothyroidism. Tgenistein can protect the body against breast cancer. Other studies have shown that women eating soy had a higherincidence of changes in their bodily cellular structure consistent with per-malignant such as epithelial hyperplasia. Whether soy is beneficial or detrimental to those with estrogen dominance is highly controversial. The key to the puis to understand that phytoestrogens are widely distributed in plants and have structures quite similar to the estrogen in
our bodies. As such, they can bind weakly to our body’s internal estrogen receptor sites. Because estrogen is involved in the development of many unwanted disease including hormone sensitive cancers such as breast cancer, it is important to keep the estrogen level as low as possible in thebody. Exposure to the estrogenic effect from soy, though weak, should be avoided in those who are at risk or , have symptoms of , or are in an estrogen dominance state. Festrogen of soy. Enterolactone and enterodiol from flax seeds are structurally similar to the phyto-estrogen and daidzein from soy. This closeness suggests that flax seed may interfere w through competitive binding of the receptor sites. Studies have shown that supplementing the diewith 1oz of ground flax seed but not with 1 oz of soy flour significantly alters the estrogen metabolism in the body. The end result is that there is a favoring of the less biologically active estrogen metabolites (2OHE1) in postmenopausal women. To avoid the negative properties of unfermented soy, it is wise to replace it with freshly ground flaxseeds so that the body can receive the beneficial phyto-estrogenic effect of unfermented soy while avoiding its anti-nutrient properties. Choose flaxseed that is grown in cold climate such as Canada. Flaxalso is a good source of omega-3 fatty acid but it has a tendency to turn rancid rather quickly and takes second place when compared to fish oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acid. estrogen metabolism
Soy’s Negative Impact on The Thyroid Guide picks egative effects that overconsumption of soy foods and isoflavones can have on thyroid
including soy baby formula for infants. of Soy Products The risk that so
disease, and particularly for infants on soy formulas, is discussed, including how much soy is safe to eat. Soy Online Service Best of the Net
ific discussion and evidence of the negncerns Regarding Soybeans Discusses issues regarding soybeans, and the safety of these products, includin
the benefits of fermented soy products. [Rheumatic Diseases Website]
By Mary Shomon, About.com Guide – Updated May 27, 2009
For at least the past decade, the issue of whether soy has
question. The potential effects of soy on the thyroid remains a controversial issue, one that shows no signs of beinresolved in the near future. On one side, we have health and nutrition magazines touting the benefits of soy as a cureall for menopause, cancer prevention, heart disease, weight loss, and many other health concerns. And behind the many soy food products and supplements is a multi-billion-dollar industry that make profits hugely from soy. Some nutritionists tout soy as a key part of a healthy diet. And rounding out the pro-soy contingent are some nutritionists adoctors who believe soy is a wonder food, even for thyroid patients. (Menopause “guru” Christiane Northrup, MD is, for example, a huge proponent of soy. Northrup has recommended that Oprah Winfrey incorporate a great deal of soy into her diet. Coincidentally — or not — both women are now hypothyroid.) On the other side of the issue are the opponents of soy, who believe th
thyroid patients. Various experts and organizations, ranging from Dr. Joseph Mercola to the Weston Price Foundatare vocally opposed to soy. — In the middle, there are experts who suggest that some soy — as long as it is in unprocessed food form, or fermented forms, and not genetically modified — may be safe for thyroid patients, asit’s eaten only in moderation. As a thyroid patient, how can you decide? Here is a look at the issues to consider. About Soy
Soy (or soyb
edamame beans — and medicinal purposes. Soybeans are considered a source of protein, and are processed into many meat and dairy substitutes. The main producers of soy are the United States, Brazil, Argentina, China and IndSoy and many soy products contains isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens — plant-based estrogens. It is soy’s weak
estrogenic properties that are often touted as a health benefit of soy. Soy is a highly profitable for some of the the world’s largest multinationa
Daniels Midland and Solae (a joint venture of DuPont and Bunge). (These companies are collectively sometimes referred to as “Big Soy.”) In the past decade, the market for soy has exploded, and soy is now being incorporated a variety of processed foods, and included in various nutritional supplements. Does Soy Have Health Benefits?
While soy is enjoying popularity, it’s inc
government-sponsored review of 200 different studies on soy, published in 2005, found very limited evidence of healt
benefits from soy: primarily a small reduction in “bad” LDL cholesterol, and a small percentage of women who have a minor reduction in hot flashes when using soy during menopause. The Journal of the American Medical Association has reported that isoflavones do not improve cholesterol levels, cognitive function or bone mineral density. The American Heart Association backtracked on its earlier support of soy, and is now saying that there is no evidencsoy has specific benefits for heart health or for lowering cholesterol. Research on the use of soy and isoflavones for cancer prevention is also inconclusive. And there is no evidence that soy can “cause” weight loss — except as part ofthe simple equation of substituting a lower-fat, lower-calorie protein source for a fattier, higher-calorie protein as part oa weight loss effort. In general, at present, there is insufficient data to suggest that soy has a protective role against any medical conditions or diseases. Soy and the Thyroid
Apart from the question
that soy may have negative effects on thyroid function and hormonal health. Soy falls into a category of foods known as goitrogens — vegetables, grains and foods that promote formation of goiter — an enlarged thyroid. Some goitrogensalso have a definite antithyroid effect, and appear to be able to slow thyroid function, and in some cases, trigger thyroiddisease. These concerns have been studied for years, but were raised specifically by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) researchers Daniel Doerge and Daniel Sheehan. Doerge and Sheehan were the FDA’s key experts on soy. In 2000, Doerge and Sheehan wrote a controversial letter of protest (PDF) to their own employer, protesting the positive health claims for soy that the FDA was approving at the time. They wrote: …there is abundant evidence that some of the isoflavones found in soy, incl
daidzen, demonstrate toxicity in estrogen sensitive tissues and in the thyroid. This is true for a number of species, including humans. Additionally, isoflavones are inhibitors of the thyroid peroxidase which makes T3 and T4. Inhibitican be expected to generate thyroid abnormalities, including goiter and autoimmune thyroiditis. There exists a significant body of animal data that demonstrates goitrogenic and even carcinogenic effects of soy products. Mothere are significant reports of goitrogenic effects from soy consumption in human infants and adults. Since publication of their letter, Doerge and Sheehan have refined their concerns, and in the journal En
Health Perspectives, suggested that for soy to cause toxicity, there need to be several factors, including iodine deficiency, defects of hormone synthesis, or additional goitrogens in the diet. They also stated that: “Although satesting of natural products, including soy products, is not required, the possibility that widely consumed soy products may cause harm in the human population via either or both estrogenic and goitrogenic activities is of concern. Rigorouhigh-quality experimental and human research into soy toxicity is the best way to address these concerns.” Other studies raise concerns about soy’s effect on hormones, for example:
• One study found that children with autoimmune thyroid disease are more li
ormula. • A 1991 Ja
eople, especially elderly subjects. • Czech researchers in 2006 reported on
ith blood levels of two isoflavones — daidzein and genistein. The study looked at children without overt thyroid disease, who were not iodine deficient. They found a “significant positive association of genistein with thyroglobuautoantibodies and a negative correlation with thyroid volume.” They concluded that “even small differences in soy phytoestrogen intake may influence thyroid function, which could be important when iodine intake is insufficient.” • In 2004, researchers found that infants fed soy formula had a prolonged increase in their thyroid stimulating hormo
TSH) levels, compared to infants fed non-soy formula. • European researchers found in one study that even a we
aused modest changes to thyroid levels. • A 1997 study published in the journal Bioch
oybeans contains compounds that inhibit thyroid peroxidase- (TPO) catalyzed reactions essential to thyroid hormone synthesis.” One of America’s most w
thyroid-related concerns about soy. He has said at his “Ask Dr. Weil” website: Excess consumption of soy can affect thyroid function, if you have a thyroid diso
getting enough iodine in your diet…you’re unlikely to get too many isoflavones as a result of adding soy foods to yodiet — but you probably will take in too much if you take soy supplements in pill form. At this point, I can only recommend that you avoid soy supplements entirely. In my book Living Well With Hypothyroidism, Dr. Mike F
Dr. Fitzpatrick is an environmental scientist and phytoestrogen researcher who has extensively researched the issue of soy formulas, and the impact of soy consumption on thyroid function. I wrote: Dr. Fitzpatrick is so concerned that he is calling for soy formula manufacturers to r
that are most active against the thyroid — from their products. .. There are also concerns for adult consumption of soy products. One UK study involving premenopausal women gave 60 grams of soy protein per day for one month. This was found to disrupt the menstrual cycle, with the effects of the isoflavones continuing for a full three months after stopping the soy in the diet. Another study found that intake of soy over a long period causes enlargement of the
thyroid and suppresses thyroid function. Isoflavones are also known to modify fertility and change sex hormone stand to have serious health effects — including infertility, thyroid disease or liver disease — on a number of mammals… Dr. Fitzpatrick believes that people with hypothyroidism should seriously consider avoiding soy products, and predicts the current promotion of soy as a health food will result in an increase in thyroid disorders.” While the U.S. has stayed out of the fray over soy, other countries have taken action to limit
soy. The French Center for Cancer Research put out a warning saying that soy products — in any amount — should nbe eaten by children under 3 years of age or women who have breast cancer or are at risk of the disease. The Israeli Health Ministry has also issued a public warning on soy, suggesting that soy consumption be limited in young children and avoided if possible in infants. In Germany, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is doing a study of isoflavone supplements, and has reported that there’s a lack of evidence to confirm the safety of such supplements, and some evidence to suggest that there may be health risks. (New Zealand’s Soy Online Service is an excellent resource withinformation on studies and findings relating to soy’s health effects, as well as recent developments in legislation to control or limit soy around the world.) Is Overconsumption of Soy the Main
Some experts suggest that soy itself is not inherentl
the issue of genetic modification — that are the concerns. They argue that soy that is not genetically modified, and consumed in food forms — like tofu, tempeh and miso — can be safely incorporated into the diet when used in moderation — like the Asians do — as a condiment, and not as a primary protein source. There are estimates suggesting that Asians consume some 10 to 30 milligrams of isoflavones
and it’s soy in traditional food form that is not processed or genetically modified. In the U.S., however, some people are getting as much as 80 to 100 milligrams of soy isoflavones a day, by consuming soy milk, soy nuts, soy protein shakes, soy candy bars, soy cereal, and foods enriched with soy, as well as soy supplements. Some soy and isoflavone supplements have as much as 300 milligrams of isoflavones. Isoflavones are also increasingly being added as a called “healthy” component of foods and other supplements. Kaayla Daniels, Ph.D., author of The Whole Soy Story, sugges
seen at levels above 30 mg of soy per day. Mary Anthony, a pro-soy researcher at Wake
Angeles Times: “There’s a tendency in our culture to think if a little is good, then a lot’s better. I personally am very concerned about isoflavone pills and soy protein supplemented with extra isoflavones. Isoflavones, after all, seem toact like hormones or drugs in our body–even if for regulatory purposes they are classified as nutritional supplements.” In my book “Menopause Thyroid Solution,” nationally-known holistic nutritionist Dr. Annemarie Colbin, said that she
feels soy may be oversold. Says Dr. Colbin: I find it interesting that there’s such a push for
engineered. These big companies have a huge marketing machine. I would not use any of the imitation meat soy foods, or any soy that is extruded, extracted, or genetically engineered. Just miso, a little tofu, tempeh…occasionallThe issue of genetically modified soy is also controversial, as the corporations that are farming soy claim that
genetically modified organisms (GMO) in foods — including soy — are safe. At the same time, some nations in Eurare banning or severely restricting use of GMO foods, due to concerns about the potential effects GMO foods may have on health, including causing allergic responses, contributing to antibiotic resistance, producing new toxins, concentrating toxic metals, enhancing the growth of toxic fungi, and molecular or DNA damage. In the U.S., varioexperts and organizations, including consumer watchdog Public Citizen, holistic physician Dr. Joseph Mercola, and environmental group Greenpeace, among others, have serious concerns about GMO foods, including soy. Activist aauthor Jeffrey K. Smith’s bestselling book “Seeds of Deception” chronicles many of the scientific concerns about GMO foods, and pushback from industry. Is Soy Actually Safe for the Thyroid
On the other side of the controversy are thos
study, frequently touted as evidence of soy’s safety for the thyroid, which was published in 2006 in the journal ThyroidThe researchers looked at 14 trials involving soy, and in 13 out of 14 trials, either no effects or modest changes were noted in thyroid function as a result of soy consumption. The researchers claim that the findings provide little evidencethat “in euthyroid, iodine-replete individuals, soy foods, or isoflavones adversely affect thyroid function.” The researchers also stated that “there remains a theoretical concern based on in vitro and animal data that
individuals with compromised thyroid function and/or whose iodine intake is marginal soy foods may increase risdeveloping clinical hypothyroidism. Therefore, it is important for soy food consumers to make sure their intake of iodinis adequate.” They also claim that “some evidence suggests that soy foods, by inhibiting absorption, may increase the dose of thyroid hormone required by hypothyroid patients.” This study is suggesting that soy is safe — unless you have a
that soy foods can inhibit absorption of thyroid medication. The study also goes on to say that despite these factors, soy foods are in fact safe, and all that is needed is to ensure sufficient iodine in the diet along with regular retesting adosage changes of thyroid medication to make up for any effect the soy has on the thyroid medication.
The study doesn’t address the fact that it’s estimated that as much as one-fourth of the U.S. population is now iodine deficient, and that the number is on the rise. At the same time, many millions of Americans also have undiagnosed autoimmune thyroid disease. At minimum, if you accept the premise of this study, that means that more than 75 million Americans with iodine deficiency may be at risk of thyroid problems from soy consumption. If you include the up to 60 million Americans who have a diagnosed or undiagnosed thyroid condition, almost half of all Americans could be at risk of soy-related thyroid problems.
It’s also troubling to note that the author of this study — and several other recent studies claiming soy is not a danger to the thyroid, is Mark Messina, PhD. Messina, though not a medical doctor, also goes by the name “Dr. Soy.” Messina had been in charge of grant funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he oversaw a $3 million grant for soy studies. Soon after he left NIH, he was hired to serve on the scientific advisory boards of both the United Soybean Board, and international soy agribusiness Archer Daniels Midland. He still serves on both scientific advisory boards as a paid advisor. In addition to his work on these advisory boards, Messina is a consultant to the United Soybean Board and editor of its soy-related newsletter, and serves as a paid speaker and consultant to promote the positive benefits of soy for the United Soybean Board’s “Soy Connection.”. Messina has also published a number of books promoting soy. The “Political Friendster” website, which tracks corporate influence, has documented the close relationship between Messina and the various corporate players in the soy industry.
So, is the study accurate? Honestly, it’s impossible to say at this point. There is a clear ethical and financial conflict of interest in commissioning research on soy’s safety from someone who is a longstanding representative of, and who is lucratively employed by, the soy industry itself.
Hopefully, more studies will be done by researchers who do not have any ties to the industry, or who do not have a vested interest in presenting a rosy picture of soy vis a vis thyroid concerns.
Who Should Thyroid Patients Believe? What Should Thyroid Patients Do?
Until we have the sort of definitive, rigorous, high-quality experimental and human studies into soy toxicity that soy experts Daniel Doerge and Daniel Sheehan called for, it’s not advisable to assume that soy is universally safe for thyroid patients. It’s also clear that soy does have the potential to cause thyroid problems in a segment of the population that is susceptible, due to iodine deficiency or other conditions.
If you feel it’s necessary to include soy in your diet, here are some guidelines.
• Be sure that you are not iodine deficient. This is tricky, however, because the only way to really determine if you are deficient in iodine is to have a urinary iodine clearance test. (The process of how to assess iodine deficiency is described well in Dr. David Brownstein’s book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It). Be careful not to just decide to supplement with iodine, without clearly establishing that you are deficient, however, because just as iodine deficiency can trigger a thyroid problem, excess iodine can also aggravate and worsen thyroid problems.
• If you have elevated thyroid antibodies or autoimmune thyroid disease that is not being treated, be aware that soy can be a trigger for developing hypothyroidism.
• If you are a thyroid patient with optimized thyroid treatment, and you’re still suffering from hypothyroidism symptoms, consider eliminating soy from your diet to see if that helps relieve symptoms.
• If you are eating soy foods, you may want to avoid genetically-modified soy, until the debate over their safety has been resolved.
• If you are going to eat soy, select fermented and food forms of soy, for example tofu, tempeh, and miso. Avoid processed soy products — including soy powders, protein shakes, and other processed forms of soy.
• Limit soy/isoflavone consumption to less than 30 mg/day, at most. Ideally, limit soy foods to few servings per week.
• Do not eat soy foods within three to four hours of taking your thyroid hormone replacement medication, to avoid any interference with your thyroid medication.
• Do not use soy or isoflavone supplements.
• B
e careful about the overall quantity of goitrogenic foods that you consume raw, especially if they are in addition to soy foods, which are known goitrogens.
Keep in mind that soy is one of the most common allergy-triggering foods, so even if it is not affecting your thyroid, it may be triggering symptoms of an allergic response, which can include acne, swelling, a stuffy nose, diarrhea, stomach pains, heart palpitations, skin rashes, itching, hives, swelling in the throat, fatigue, and episodes of low blood pressure.
Also, remember that if you do not have a thyroid gland (due to congenital hypothyroidism or surgery) or you have a totally non-functioning gland (due to radioactive iodine ablation treatment), you don’t need to be concerned about the effects of soy on your thyroid gland. Soy can, however, still interfere with absorption of your thyroid hormone replacement medication, so be sure to take your medication at least three hours apart from soy foods.
Sources:
Balk, Ethan. “Effects of Soy on Health Outcomes.” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. 2005.
Bulletin de L’Office Fédéral de la Santé Publique, No. 28, 20 July 1992
Cassidy A, et al. “Biological Effects of a Diet of Soy Protein Rich in Isoflavones on the Menstrual Cycle of Premenopausal Women.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1994; 60: 333-340.
Conrad SC, et. al. “Soy formula complicates management of congenital hypothyroidism.” Arch Dis Child. 2004 Nov;89(11):1077. Online
Divi RL, Chang HC, Doerge DR. “Anti-thyroid isoflavones from soybean: isolation, characterization, and mechanisms of action.” Biochem Pharmacol. 1997 Nov 15;54(10):1087-96.
Doerge, Daniel and Daniel Sheehan, Letter to the FDA, Online
Doerge DR, Sheehan DM. “Goitrogenic and estrogenic activity of soy isoflavones.” Environ Health Perspect. 2002 Jun;110 Suppl 3:349-53. Online
Duncan AM, et al. “Soy isoflavones exert modest effects in premenopausal women.” Journal of Endocrinologic Metabolism 1999; 84: 192-7.
Fort P. et. al. “Breast and soy-formula feedings in early infancy and the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease in children” J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 1990 9: 164-167. Online
Hampl R, et. al. “Short-term effect of soy consumption on thyroid hormone levels and correlation with phytoestrogen level in healthy subjects.” Endocrine Regulation. 2008 Jun;42(2-3):53-61.
NADALJEVANJE….
Online
Hseih CY, et al. “Estrogenic effects of genistein on the growth of estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells in vitro and in vivo.” Cancer Research 1998; 58: 3833-8
Irvine C, et al. “The Potential Adverse Effects of Soybean Phytoestrogens in Infant Feeding.” NZ Medical Journal 1995; 24: 318
Ishizuki Y, et. al. “The effects on the thyroid gland of soybeans administered experimentally in healthy subjects.” Nippon Naibunpi Gakkai Zasshi. 1991 May 20;67(5):622-9.
McMichael-Phillips DF, et al. “Effects of soy-protein supplementation on epithelial proliferation in the histologically normal human breast.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1998; 68 (6 Suppl): 1431S-5S
Messina, Mark, et. al. “Effects of soy protein and soybean isoflavones on thyroid function in healthy adults and hypothyroid patients: a review of the relevant literature.” Thyroid. 2006 Mar;16(3):249-58. Online
Mestel, Rosie. “In Light of Troubling Study on Soy, Moderation Seen as Key,” LA Times, Monday, March 27, 2000 Online
Milerová J, et. al. “Actual levels of soy phytoestrogens in children correlate with thyroid laboratory parameters.” Clin Chem Lab Med. 2006;44(2):171-4. Online
Nestor, James “Too Much of a Good Thing? Controversy rages over the world’s most regaled legume,” San Francisco Gate, Sunday, August 13, 2006 Online
Sacks FM, American Heart Association Nutrition Committee, et. al. “Soy protein, isoflavones, and cardiovascular health: an American Heart Association Science Advisory for professionals from the Nutrition Committee.” Circulation. 2006 Feb 21;113(7):1034-44. Epub 2006 Jan 17. Online
Setchell KD, et al. “Isoflavone content of infant formulas and the metabolic fate of these early phytoestrogens in early life.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1998; Supplement: 1453S-1461S
Shomon, Mary J. The Menopause Thyroid Solution, HarperCollins, 2009.
Shomon, Mary J. Living Well With Hypothyroidism HarperCollins, 2005.
CONCERNS REGARDING SOYBEANS
History of Soybeans Soybeans come to us from the Orient. During the Chou Dynasty (1134-246 BC) the soybean was designated one of the five sacred grains, along with barley, wheat, millet and rice. However, the pictograph for the soybean, which dates from earlier times, indicates that it was not first used as a food; for whereas the pictographs for the other four grains show the seed and stem structure of the plant, the pictograph for the soybean emphasizes the root structure. Agricultural literature of the period speaks frequently of the soybean and its use in crop rotation. Apparently the soy plant was initially used as a method of fixing nitrogen. The soybean did not serve as a food until the discovery of fermentation techniques, sometime during the Chou Dynasty. Thus the first soy foods were fermented products like tempeh, natto, miso and shogu (soy or tamari sauce).
At a later date, possibly in the 2nd century B.C., Chinese scientists discovered that a puree of cooked soybeans could be precipitated with calcium sulfate or magnesium sulfate (plaster of Paris or Epsom salts) to make a smooth pale curd -tofu or bean curd. The use of fermented and precipitated soy products soon spread to other parts of the Orient, notably Japan and Indonesia. Although the highly flavored fermented products have elicited greater interest among scientists and epicures, it is the bland precipitated products that are most frequently used, accounting for approximately 90% of the processed soybeans consumed in Asia today. The increased reliance on bean curd as a source of protein, which occurred between 700 A. D. and the present time, has not necessarily been a beneficial change for the populations of the Orient and Southeast Asia.
Fit for Human Consumption? The Chinese, did not eat the soybean as they did other pulses (legumes) such as the lentil, because the soybean contains large quantities of a number of harmful a substances. First among them are potent enzyme inhibitors which block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion.
These”antinutrients” are not completely deactivated during ordinary cooking and can produce serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors cause enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including cancer. The soybean also contains hemagglutinin, a clot promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together. Trypsin inhibitors and hemagglutinin have been rightly labeled growth depressant substances. Fortunately they are deactivated during the process of fermentation. However, in precipitated products, enzyme inhibitors concentrate in the soaking liquid rather than in the curd. Thus in tofu and bean curd, these enzyme inhibitors are reduced in quantity, but not completely eliminated.
Soybeans are also high in phytic acid or phytates. This is an organic acid, present in the bran or hulls of all seeds, which blocks the uptake of essential minerals-calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc-in the intestinal tract. Although not a household word, phytates have been extensively studied. Scientists are in general agreement that grain and legume based diets high in phytates contribute to widespread mineral deficiencies in third world countries.
Analysis shows that calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc are present in the plant foods eaten in these areas, but the
high phytate content of soy and rice based diets prevents their absorption. The soybean has a higher phytate content than any other grain or legume that has been studied. Furthermore, it seems to be highly resistant to many phytate reducing techniques such as long, slow cooking. Only a long period of fermentation will significantly reduce the phytate content of soybeans. Thus fermented products such as tempeh and miso provide nourishment that is easily assimilated, but the nutritional value of tofu and bean curd, both high in phytates, is questionable.
When precipitated soy products are consumed with meat, the mineral blocking effects of the phytates are reduced. The Japanese traditionally eat tofu as part of a mineral-rich fish broth. Vegetarians who consume tofu and bean curd as a substitute for meat and dairy products risk severe mineral deficiencies. The results of calcium, magnesium and iron deficiency are well known, those of zinc are less so. Zinc is called the intelligence mineral because it is needed for optimal development and functioning of the brain and nervous system. It plays a role in protein synthesis and collagen formation, it Is involved in the blood sugar control mechanism and thus protects against diabetes; it is needed for a healthy reproductive system.
Zinc is a key component in numerous vital enzymes and plays a role in the immune system. Phytates found in soy products interfere with zinc absorption more completely than with other minerals. Literature extolling soy products tends to minimize the role of zinc in human physiology, and to gloss over the deleterious effect of diets high in phytic acid.
Milk drinking is given as the reason second generation Japanese in America grow taller than their native ancestors. Some investigators postulate that the reduced phytate content of the American diet-whatever maybe its other deficiencies-is the true explanation, pointing out that Asian and Oriental children who do not get enough meat and fish products to counteract the effects of a high phytate diet, frequently suffer rickets, stunting and other growth problems.
Marketing the Soybean The truth is, however, that most Americans are unlikely to adopt traditional soy products as their principle food. Tofu, bean curd and tempeh have disagreeable texture and are too bland for the Western palate; pungent and tasty miso and natto lose out in taste; only soy sauce enjoys widespread popularity as a condiment. The soy industry has therefore looked for other ways to market the superabundance of soybeans now grown in the United States.
Large scale cultivation of the soybean in the United States began only after the Second World War, and quickly rose to 140 billion pounds per year. Most of the crop is made into animal feed, soy oil for hydrogenated fats margarine and shortening. During the past 20 years, the industry has concentrated on finding markets for the byproducts of soy oil manufacture, including soy “lecithin”, made from the oil sludge, and soy protein products, made from defatted soy flakes, a challenge that has involved overcoming consumer resistance to soy products, generally considered tasteless “poverty” foods.
The quickest way to gain product acceptability in the less affluent society,” said a soy industry spokesman, ” … is to have the product consumed on its own merit in a more affluent society.”” Hence the proliferation of soy products resembling traditional American foods-soy milk for cows milk, soy baby formula, soy yogurt, soy ice cream, soy cheese, soy flour for baking and textured soy protein as meat substitutes, usually promoted as high protein, low-fat, no cholesterol “health foods” to the upscale consumer increasingly concerned about his health. The growth of vegetarianism among the more affluent classes has greatly accelerated the acceptability and use of these artificial products. Unfortunately they pose numerous dangers.
Processing Denatures and Dangers Remain The production of soy milk is relatively simple. In order to remove as much of the trypsin inhibitor content as possible, the beans are first soaked in an alkaline solution. The pureed solution is then heated to about 115 degrees Centigrade in a pressure cooker. This method destroys most (but not all) of the anti-nutrients but has the unhappy side effect of so denaturing the proteins that they become very difficult to digest and much reduced in effectiveness. The phytate content remains in soy milk to block the uptake of essential minerals. In addition, the alkaline soaking solution produces a carcinogen, lysinealine, and reduces the cystine content, which is already low in the soybean. Lacking cystine, the entire protein complex of the soybean becomes useless unless the diet is fortified with cystine-rich meat, eggs, or dairy products.
Most soy products that imitate traditional American food items, including baby formulas and some brands of soy milk, are made with soy protein isolate, that is the soy protein isolated from the carbohydrate and fatty acid components that naturally occur in the bean. Soy beans are first ground and subjected to high-temperature and solvent extraction processes to remove the oils. The resultant defatted meal is then mixed with an alkaline solution and sugars in a separation process to remove fiber. Then it is precipitated and separated using an acid wash. Finally the resultant curds are neutralized in an alkaline solution and spray dried at high temperatures to produce high protein powder.
This is a highly refined product in which both vitamin and protein quality are compromised-but some trypsin inhibitors remain, even after such extreme refining. Trypsin inhibitor content of soy protein isolate can vary as much as 5-fold. In rats, even low level trypsin inhibitor soy protein isolate feeding results in reduced weight gain compared to controls. Soy product producers are not required to state trypsin inhibitor content on labels, nor even to meet minimum standards, and the public, trained to avoid dietary cholesterol, a substance vital for normal growth and metabolism, has never heard of the potent anti-nutrients found in cholesterol-free soy products.
Soy Formula Is Not the Answer Soy protein isolate is the main ingredient of soy-based infant formulas. Along with trypsin inhibitors, these formulas
have a high phytate content. Use of soy formula has caused zinc deficiency in infants. Aluminum content of soy formula is 10 times greater than milk based formula, and 100 times greater than unprocessed milk. Aluminum has a toxic effect on the kidneys of infants, and has been implicated as cause in Alzheimer’s in adults.
Soy milk formulas are often given to babies with milk allergy; but allergies to soy are almost as common as those to milk. Soy formulas lack cholesterol which is absolutely essential for the development of the brain and nervous system; they also lack lactose and galactose, which play an equally important role in the development of the nervous system. I would strongly discourage the use of soy formulas.
Nitrosamines, which are potent carcinogens, are often found in soy protein foods, and are greatly increased during the high temperature drying process. Not surprisingly, animal feeding studies show a lower weight gain for rats on soy formula than those on whole milk, high-lactose formula; similar results have been observed in children on macrobiotic diets which include the use of soy milk and large amounts of whole grains. Children brought up on high-phytate diets tend to be thin and scrawny.
Fabricated Soy Foods A final indignity to the original soy bean is high-temperature, high-pressure extrusion processing of soy protein isolate to product textured vegetable protein (TVP). Numerous artificial flavorings, particularly MSG, are added to TVP products to mask their strong “beany” taste, and impart the flavor of meat. Soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein are used extensively in school lunch programs, commercial baked goods, diet beverages and fast food products. They are heavily promoted in third world countries and form the basis of many food give-away programs. These soy products greatly inhibit zinc and iron absorption; in test animals they cause enlarged organs, particularly the pancreas and thyroid gland, and increased deposition of fatty acids in the liver.
Human feeding tests to determine the cholesterol lowering properties of soy protein isolate have not shown them to be effective. Nevertheless, they are often promoted as having beneficial effects on cholesterol levels.
Cancer Preventing or Cancer Causing? The food industry also touts soy products for their cancer preventing properties. Isoflavone aglycones are anticarcinogenic substances found in traditionally fermented soybean products. However, in non-fermented soy products such as tofu and soy milk, these isoflavones are present in an altered form as beta-glycoside conjugates, which have no anti-carcinogenic effect. Some researchers believe the rapid increase in liver and pancreatic cancer in Africa is due to the introduction of soy products there.
The fatty acid profile of the soybean includes large amounts of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared to other pulses legumes); but these omega-3 fatty acids are particularly susceptible to rancidity when subjected to high pressures and temperatures. This is exactly what is required to remove oil from the bean, as soybean oil is particularly difficult to extract. Hexane or other solvents are always used to extract oil from soybeans & traces remain in the commercial oil.
While fermented soy products contain protein, vitamins, anti-carcinogenic substances and important fatty acids, they can under no circumstances be called nutritionally complete. Like all pulses, the soybean lacks vital sulfur-containing amino acids cystine and methionine. These are usually supplied by rice and other grains in areas where the soybean is traditionally consumed. Soy should never be considered as a substitute for animal products like meat or milk. Claims that fermented soy products like tempeh can be relied on as a source of vitamin B12, necessary for healthy blood and nervous system, have not been supported by scientific research.,’ Finally, soybeans do not supply all-important fat soluble vitamins D and preformed A (retinol) which act as catalysts for the proper absorption and utilization of all minerals and water soluble vitamins in the diet.
These “fat soluble activators” are found only in certain animal foods such as organ meats, butter, eggs, fish and shellfish. Carotenes from plant foods and exposure to sunlight are not sufficient to supply the body’s requirements for vitamins A and D. Soy products often replace animal products in third world countries where intake of B12 and fat soluble A and D are already low. Soy products actually increase requirements for vitamins B12 and D.
Are soy products easy to digest, as claimed? Fermented soy products probably are; but unfermented products with their cargo of phytates, enzyme inhibitors, rancid fatty acids and altered proteins most certainly are not. Pet food manufacturers promote soy free dog and cat food as “highly digestible”
Only Fermented Soy Products Are Safe To summarize, traditional fermented soy products such as miso, natto and tempeh, which are usually made with organically grown soybeans, have a long history of use that is generally beneficial when combined with other elements of the Oriental diet including rice, sea foods, fish broth, organ meats and fermented vegetables. The value of precipitated soybean products is problematical, especially when they form the major source of protein in the diet. Modern soy products including soy milks and artificial meat and dairy products made from soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein are new to the diet and pose a number of serious problems.
The above information was abstracted from an article written by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, Ph.D. (an international expert renown in the field of lipid chemistry) for Health Freedom News in September of 1995.
Protein Needs for Blood Type A People Blood type A people should be nearly vegetarians. The above information should make it clear that you should avoid most soy products unless they are fermented (tempeh and miso). You should not have soy protein or tofu. To obtain optimal protein though you will need to eat about a dozen organic eggs per week, unless you are allergic to them. Try
not to eat them on consecutive days. You should also soak your seeds and nuts overnight to deactivate the enzyme inhibitors and phytates. It would be even better if you could continue the process until they sprout which is usually from 2-5 days depending on the temperature and the seeds. You will have to rinse the seeds every 12 hours and let them drain. This will completely deactivate the antinutrients and increase the live enzyme content of the seeds and nuts. The nutritional value will probably increase by 2-300%.
Generally you will need 20 to 35 grams of protein at EACH meal. The following is a list of how many grams of protein there are in one cup of:
pecans 9.9; walnuts 14.8; cashews 24.1; almonds 26.4; pistachio 26; sunflower 34.8 peanuts 37.7; pumpkin seeds 40.6;
Spirulina has incredible health benefits and is probably one of the main reasons why fish are so healthy for you. It is highly likely you can obtain even more benefits from the Spirulina with none of the complications of heavy metal or pesticide contamination present in nearly all fish. Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is nearly two-thirds protein. It also has large amounts of chlorophyll and is very valuable to help detoxify the body from heavy metals and radiation. It is also loaded with GLA, which is the main essential fatty acid present in evening primrose or borage oil.
Six tablets contain 2 grams of protein, so you will need approximately 50 tablets if you were to use them as a protein supplement for one meal. I strongly recommend this as a substitute for soy protein. I would try to have at least 4-6 servings per week for anyone who is struggling with chronic illness or looking to optimize their health, especially if they are blood type A.
This “Miracle Health Food” Has Been Linked to Brain Damage and Breast Cancer
Video Dr. Mercola: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/09/18/soy-can-damage-your-health.aspx
If you were to carefully review the thousands of studies published on soy, I strongly believe you would reach the same conclusion as I have—which is, the risks of consuming unfermented soy products FAR outweigh any possible benefits.
Notice I said unfermented soy products. For centuries, Asian people have been consuming fermented soy products such as natto, tempeh, and soy sauce, and enjoying the health benefits. Fermented soy does not wreak havoc on your body like unfermented soy products do. — Unfortunately, many Americans who are committed to healthy lifestyles have been hoodwinked and manipulated into believing that unfermented and processed soy products like soymilk, soy cheese, soy burgers and soy ice cream are good for them.
How Did Soy Foods Become So Popular?
If it seems like soy foods appeared out of nowhere to be regarded as the “miracle health food” of the 21st Century, it’s because they did. From 1992 to 2006, soy food sales increased from $300 million to nearly $4 billion, practically overnight, according to the Soyfoods Association of North America. This growth came about due to a massive shift in attitudes about soy. And this shift was no accident—it was the result of a massive investment in advertising by the soy industry that’s been wildly successful.
Soy is indeed big business, very big business.From 2000 to 2007, U.S. food manufacturers introduced more than 2,700 new soy-based foods, and new soy products continue to appear on your grocer’s shelves. According to the survey Consumer Attitudes About Nutrition 2008 (by the United Soybean Board):
• A
s of 2007, 85 percent of consumers perceive soy products as healthful
• 3
3 percent of Americans eat soy foods or beverages at least once a month
•
70 percent of consumers believe soybean oil is good for them
84 percent of consumers agree with the FDA’s claim that consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily reduces your risk of heart disease
This is a tragic case of shrewd marketing and outright lies taking root among the masses with the end result of producing large profits for the soy industry and impaired health for most who have been deceived into using unfermented soy long-term..
As you can see from the extensive list of articles below, there is a large amount of scientific research showing that soy is not the nutritional panacea of the 21st Century.
The Dark Side of Soy
The vast majority of soy at your local market is not a health food. The exception is fermented soy, which I’ll explain more about later and even worse GMO soy that is contaminated with large pesticide residues as the reason it is GMO is so they can spray the potent toxic herbicide Roundup on them to improve crop production by killing the weeds.
Unlike the Asian culture, where people eat small amounts of whole non-GMO soybean products, western food processors separate the soybean into two golden commodities—protein and oil. And there is nothing natural or safe about these products.
Dr. Kaayla Daniel, author of The Whole Soy Story, points out thousands of studies linking soy to malnutrition, digestive
distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility—even cancer and heart disease. Here is just a sampling of the health effects that have been linked to soy consumption:
Breast cancer
• Brain damage
• Infant abnormalities
• Thyroid disorders
• Kidney stones
• Immune system impairment
• Severe, potentially fatal food allergies
• Impaired fertility
Danger during pregnancy and nursing
Soy proponents will argue that soy-based foods (they lump the fermented ones with the unfermented) will protect you from everything from colon, prostate and breast cancer to strokes, osteoporosis, and asthma. But said enthusiasts never mention the studies that illuminate soy’s downside and all of the dangers posed to your health, which are based on sound research.
Another unfortunate fact is that 80 percent of the world’s soy is used in farm animal feed, which is why soy production is contributing to deforestation. Some soy propagandists have suggested that the solution to this is for all of us to become vegetarians—a reckless recommendation rooted in total ignorance about nutrition—whereas a far better solution is a major overhaul in how farm animals are fed and raised.
The Whole Soy Story — In The Whole Soy Story, you’ll find:
The real reasons why soy is NOT a health food
Shocking personal accounts of real people whose health and lives were put at risk from eating soy products
Hard evidence linking soy to malnutrition, digestive problems, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, immune system breakdowns—even heart disease and cancer
That soy has NEVER been proven safe, and learn the truth about how misleading propaganda played a huge role in how it became so popular in America
Get more critical advice about the dangers of soy as author Dr. Kaayla Daniel shares her insights in this exclusive interview with Dr. Mercola.
Read More About The Whole Soy Story Now!
What Makes Soy Such a Risky Food to Eat?
Here is a summary of soy’s most glaring problems.
. 91 percent of soy grown in the US is genetically modified (GM). The genetic modification is done to impart resistance to the toxic herbicide Roundup. While this is meant to increase farming efficiency and provide you with less expensive soy, the downside is that your soy is loaded with this toxic pesticide. The plants also contain genes from bacteria that produce a protein that has never been part of the human food supply.
GM soy has been linked to an increase in allergies. Disturbingly, the only published human feeding study on GM foods ever conducted verified that the gene inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA of our gut bacteria and continues to function. This means that years after you stop eating GM soy, you may still have a potentially allergenic protein continuously being produced in your intestines.
Even more frightening is the potential for GM soy to cause infertility in future generations, which has been evidenced by recent Russian research.
. Soy contains natural toxins known as “anti-nutrients.”
Soy foods contain anti-nutritional factors such as saponins, soyatoxin, phytates, protease inhibitors, oxalates, goitrogens and estrogens. Some of these factors interfere with the enzymes you need to digest protein. While a small amount of anti-nutrients would not likely cause a problem, the amount of soy that many Americans are now eating is extremely high.
. Soy contains hemagglutinin.
Hemagglutinin is a clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump together. These clumped cells are unable to properly absorb and distribute oxygen to your tissues.
. Soy contains goitrogens
Goitrogens are substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones and interfere with iodine metabolism, thereby interfering with your thyroid function.
. Soy contains phytates.
Phytates (phytic acid) bind to metal ions, preventing the absorption of certain minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc — all of which are co-factors for optimal biochemistry in your body. This is particularly problematic for vegetarians, because eating meat reduces the mineral-blocking effects of these phytates (so it is helpful—if you do
eat soy—to also eat meat).
. Soy is loaded with the isoflavones genistein and daidzein
Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, which is a plant compound resembling human estrogen. These compounds mimic and sometimes block the hormone estrogen, and have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues. Soy phytoestrogens are known to disrupt endocrine function, may cause infertility, and may promote breast cancer in women.
Drinking even two glasses of soymilk daily for one month provides enough of these compounds to alter your menstrual cycle. Although the FDA regulates estrogen-containing products, no warnings exist on soy.
. Soy has toxic levels of aluminum and manganese
Soybeans are processed (by acid washing) in aluminum tanks, which can leach high levels of aluminum into the final soy product. Soy formula has up to 80 times higher manganese than is found in human breast milk.
. Soy infant formula puts your baby’s health at risk.
Nearly 20 percent of U.S. infants are now fed soy formula, but the estrogens in soy can irreversibly harm your baby’s sexual development and reproductive health. Infants fed soy formula take in an estimated five birth control pills’ worth of estrogen every day.
Infants fed soy formula have up to 20,000 times the amount of estrogen in circulation as those fed other formulas!
There is also the issue of pesticides and genetic modification.
Soy foods are both heavily sprayed with pesticides and genetically modified (GM). More than 80 percent of the soy grown in the United States is GM. And more than 90 percent of American soy crops are GM.
Since the introduction of GM foods in 1996, we’ve had an upsurge in low birth weight babies, infertility, and other problems in the U.S. population, and animal studies thus far have shown devastating effects from consuming GM soy.
You may want to steer clear of soy products for no other reason than a commitment to avoiding GM foods… unless you wish to be a lab animal for this massive uncontrolled experiment by the biotech industry.
What Soy Products are Good For You?
I want to be clear that I am not opposed to all soy. Soy can be incredibly healthful, but ONLY if it is organic and properly fermented. After a long fermentation process, the phytate and “anti-nutrient” levels of soybeans are reduced, and their beneficial properties become available to your digestive system.
You may have heard that Japanese people live longer and have lower rates of cancer than Americans because they eat so much soy—but it’s primarily fermented soy that they consume, and it’s always been that way. Fermented soy products are the only ones I recommend consuming. These are the primary fermented soy products you’ll find:
Tempeh a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor.
Miso, a fermented soybean paste with a salty, buttery texture (commonly used in miso soup).
Natto, fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor.
Soy sauce, which is traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes; be wary because many varieties on the market today are made artificially using a chemical process.
Please note that tofu is NOT on this list. Tofu is not fermented, so is not among the soy foods I recommend.
Vitamin K2: One of the Major Benefits of Fermented Soy
One of the main benefits of fermented soy, especially natto, is that it is the best food source of vitamin K2. Vitamin K2 is essential to preventing osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and diseases of the brain such as dementia, and protecting you from various cancers including prostate, lung, liver cancer and leukemia.
Vitamin K acts synergistically with vitamin D to keep you healthy. Vitamin K is sometimes referred to as the “forgotten vitamin” because its benefits are often overlooked. It was named after the word “Koagulation,” to reflect its essential role in blood clotting. In fact, the enzyme nattokinase—derived from natto—is safer and more powerful than aspirin in dissolving blood clots, and has been used safely for more than 20 years.
If you enjoy natto or some other fermented soy foods, you can get several milligrams of vitamin K2 from them each day (this level far exceeds the amount of vitamin K2 found even in dark green vegetables). Unfortunately, the health benefits of many of the fermented soy foods fall by the wayside because many Americans do not enjoy their flavor.
If you don’t want to consume natto to get your vitamin K2, the next best thing would be to get use supplemental Vitamin K2 (MK-7). Remember, vitamin K must be taken with a source of fat in order to be absorbed. I suggest adults consume about 150 mcg of vitamin K2 daily.
Medical ProblemsCaused by Soy:Legal Action Request
Tips for Avoiding Unwanted Soy Foods
For a simple rule of thumb, just remember that unless soy is fermented (tempeh, miso, natto, or traditionally made soy sauce), you’re better off avoiding it. Soy foods to avoid include:
Tofu
• TVP (texturized vegetable protein) or soy protein isolate, which contains a large amount of msg, which you should definitely not consume
Soybean oil
• Soymilk
• Soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy yogurt
• Soy “meat” (meatless products made of TVP)
• Soy protein
• Edamame
Soy infant formula
The best way to eliminate non-fermented soy from your diet is to avoid all processed foods and instead purchase whole foods that you prepare yourself.
If you do buy packaged foods, you can check the label to see if it contains soy. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which took effect in January 2006, requires that food manufacturers list soy on the label, because it’s one of the top eight food allergens.
So, even if soy is hidden in colors, flavors, or spice blends added to foods, it must be clearly stated on the label.
One other common source of soy is lecithin which is used as a emulsifier in many foods and supplements. Most lecithin in the US is derived from soy but there are some newer products that extract it from organic sunflower. We switched over to the organic sunflower lecithin a few years ago in all of our products. — If you wish to know more about soy, I have provided a list of links below to the many articles I’ve posted over the years on this subject. Remember, the only way to avoid falling victim to shrewd marketing and misinformation is to become knowledgeable about what the research actually says, and this is often different from what is commonly passed around as “fact.”
Soy is NOT a Health Food
Newest Research On Why You Should Avoid Soy
• Which Veggie Burgers Were Made With a Neurotoxin?
• The Evidence Against Soy
• What’s So Bad About Tofu?
• Why Soy Is NOT the Health Food You Think it Is
• The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food
• Concerns Regarding Soybeans
• More Evidence Soy is Not as Healthy as Originally Believed
• Soy Milk is Unhealthy
• Experts Finally Recognize The Dangers With Soy
• Soy Myth Exposed: Soy is Not a Health Food
• The Truth About Soy
• What You Don’t Know About America’s Favorite Health Food
• Think Soy is Healthy? Here’s Why it’s Not as Good as You Think
• Soy Milk is Gaining Popularity in America
• Researchers Take a Second Look at Soy Foods
• Response To Those Who Believe Soy Is Healthy
• They’re Taking The Joy Out Of Soy
• ABC News does special on soy Friday. (Special on 20/20 about dangers of soy)
• New Avoid Soy Update
• Soy: Too Good to be True
• Learn the Truth About Soy. Just How Much Soy Do Asians Eat?
The Danger of Soy for Infants, Children and Pregnant Women
Pregnant Women Should Not Eat Soy Products
• Link Between High Soy Diet During Pregnancy and Nursing and Eventual Developmental Changes in Children
• Using Soy in Schools?
• Soy Weakens Your Immune System
• Soy is an Endocrine Disrupter and Can Disrupt Your Child’s Health
How Soy Infant Formulas Can Devastate Your Child’s Health
Which Infant Formulas Contain Hidden Toxic Chemicals?
• Soy Formula Exposes Infants To High Hormone Levels
• Finally Infant Soy Formula Under Investigation
• Healthy Alternative to Conventional Infant Formula, Part I
• Soy Formula May Stunt the Intestinal Growth in Your Baby
• Soy Formula Kills Three Babies
• Soy Baby Formula Linked to Behavioral Problems
• Experts Dispute JAMA Soy Infant Formula Study
• Australian Pediatric Soy Protein Formula Policy
• Soy Milk Is Safe! That Is What the Formula Industry Says
• Responses to Manganese in Soy Infant Formula Article
• How Safe is Soy Infant Formula?
• Learn the Truth About Soy. Just How Much Soy Do Asians Eat?
• Genetically Engineered Soybeans May Cause Allergies
• Monsanto Under Investigation by Seven U.S. States
• FDA Scientists Wary of Soy
Government and Agribusiness Shenanigans
Why Silk Soy Milk’s Parent Company is Throwing American Farmers and Consumers Under the Bus
• Weston A. Price Foundation to FDA: Soy is No Health Food
• Soy Ruled No Health Food
• Research Uncovers Yet Another Soy Myth
• Soy ‘Miracle’ Turns Bad in Argentina
• If You’re Suffering From a Medical Problem Caused by Soy, You May Now be Able to Take Lega
• The Shadow of Soy
• Scientists Protest Soy Approval
• Soybean Crisis
Soy and Your Reproductive System
Soy Supplements Fail to Help Menopause Symptoms
• Soy Has Little, if Any, Effect on Heart Disease, Hot Flashes
• Eating Soy Can Decrease Your Fertility
• Soy-Based Foods No Good As A Hormone Replacement
• What Works Better for Hormones–Soy or Flax?
• Soy Supplements can Decrease Sexual Behavior
• Chemical in Soybeans Causes Sexual Dysfunction in Male Rats
• Caution Urged on Soy Menopause Remedies
• Even Cheetahs Can’t Tolerate Soybeans
• Doubt Cast On Soy for Menopause
• Cancer, Heart Health: Making Sense of Soy
• Study Doubts Soy For Hot Flashes-Supplements May Not Work
Soy and Your Thyroid
Fatigue, Dry Skin, Gaining Weight? See Why You’d Better Check Your Thyroid!
• Soy Formulas and the Effects of Isoflavones on the Thyroid
Soy and Your Brain
Why Tofu Wrecks Your Brain
• Too Much Tofu Induces Brain Aging
• Soy and Brain Damage
• Soy May Cause Cancer and Brain Damage
Soy and Your Heart
Soy Has Little, if Any, Effect on Heart Disease, Hot Flashes
• Soy No Help to Women With Heart Disease Prevention
• Soy Can Increase Heart Disease Risk
• Soy: Too Good To Be True
Soy and Your Kidneys
Soy Can Lead to Kidney Stones
Soy and Cancer Risk
Soy Maker Omits Studies That Soy May Cause Cancer
• Certain Soy and Oyster Sauces Containing Cancer-Causing Chemicals
• Experts Concerned About Soy and Breast Cancer
• Soy May Cause Cancer and Brain Damage
Soy and Allergies
Genetically Engineered Soybeans May Cause Allergies
• Soy Can Cause Severe Allergic Reactions
Other Soy Issues
Rebuttal to Seriously Confused Soy Enthusiast
• Don’t Be Fooled–Calcium Content in Soy and Rice Milk Misleading
• Massive Deforestation of the Amazon for Soybean Crops
The Shadow of Soy Or, How I Stopped Loving and Learned to Worry About the Bean
by Sean Carson
You’ve joined an army of thousands committed to being all you can be. You rise at dawn to pound the pavement, or climb the Stairmaster to heavenly buttocks, while listening to Deepak Chopra on your Walkman. Or, maybe you contort yourself into yoga asanas in rooms hotter than a Korean chutney. You drink only purified water as you toss a handful of the latest longevity pills into your mouth. You’re hungry for health, and no doubt about it, you’re no stranger to soy.
Faster than you can say “isoflavone,” the humble soybean has insinuated itself into a dominant position in the standard American diet. And that shouldn’t be a surprise. Cheap, versatile, and karma-free, soy in the 1990s went from obscurity as vegan-and-hippie staple to Time magazine. With mad cows lurking between whole wheat buns, and a growing distrust of conventionally-produced dairy products, soy seemed like the ideal choice, the perfect protein.
But like all seemingly perfect things, a shadow lurked. By the final years of the last decade, a number of soy researchers began to cry foul. Soy Good? Soy Bad?
As the soy industry lobbied the FDA for a cardiovascular health claim for soy protein, two senior FDA scientists, Daniel Sheehan and Daniel Doerge – both specialists in estrogen research – wrote a letter vigorously opposing such a claim. In fact, they suggested a warning might be more appropriate. Their concern? Two isoflavones found in soy, genistein and daidzen, the same two promoted by the industry for everything from menopause relief to cancer protection, were said to “demonstrate toxicity in estrogen sensitive tissues and in the thyroid.” Moreover, “adverse effects in humans occur in several tissues and, apparently, by several distinct mechanisms.” Sheehan also quoted a landmark study (Cassidy, et al. 1994), showing that as little as 45 mg of isoflavones could alter the length of a pre-menopausal woman’s menstrual cycle. The scientists were particularly concerned about the effects of these two plant estrogens on fetuses and young infants, because “development is recognized as the most sensitive life stage for estrogen toxicity.”
It wasn’t the first time scientists found problems with soy, but coupled with a Hawaiian study by Dr. Lon White on men, the controversy ended up on national television. While industry scientists criticized both the White study and the two FDA researchers (who are now disallowed from commenting publicly on the issue), other researchers weighed in on the anti-soy side. The tofu’d fight had begun.
What about Asia?
One of the favorite mantras of soy advocates is that the ubiquitous bean has been used “safely by Asians for thousands of years.” With many soy “experts” (often with ties to the soy industry) recommending more than 250 grams of soy foods – and in some cases, more than 100 mg of isoflavones each day – it’s easy to get the impression that soy plays a major role in the Asian diet. If you saw it on TV or read it in a magazine, it must be true, right? Well, not exactly.
Sally Fallon, president of the Weston A. Price Foundation (www.westonaprice.org) and author of Nourishing Traditions, responds that the soy industry and media have spun a self-serving version of the traditional use of soy in Asia. “The tradition with soy is that it was fermented for a long time, from six months to three years and then eaten as a condiment, not as a replacement for animal foods,” she says.
Fallon states that the so-called Asian diet – far from centering around soy – is based on meat. Approximately 65% of Japanese calorie intake comes from fish in Japan, while in China the same percentage comes from pork. “They’re not using a lot of soy in Asia – an average of 2 teaspoons a day in China and up to a quarter cup in some parts of Japan, but not a huge amount.”
Contrast that with modern America, home of “if a little is good for you, more must be better.” Walk into any grocery store, especially the health-oriented variety, and you’ll find the ever-present soybean. My recent, limited survey of Marin food stores found soy in dozens and dozens of items: granola, vegetarian chili, a vast sundry of imitation animal foods, pasta, most protein powders and “power” bars, and even something called “nature’s burger,” which given the kind of elaborate (and often toxic) processing that goes into making soy isolate and TVP, would make Mother Nature wince. There’s even a bread – directly marketed to women – containing more than 80 mg of soy isoflavones per serving, which is more than the daily dose in purified isoflavone supplements. All of this, in addition to the traditional soy fare of tempeh, tofu, miso, and soy sauce. It’s no wonder that Californians are edamame dreaming.
So, while Asians were using limited to moderate amounts of painstakingly prepared soy foods – the alleged benefits of which are still controversial – Americans, especially vegetarians, are consuming more soy products and isoflavones than any culture in human history, and as one researcher put it, “entering a great unknown.”
Oddly, nowhere in industry promotion does anyone differentiate between traditional, painstakingly prepared “Asian” soy foods and the modern, processed items that Fallon calls “imitation food.” And therein lies the rub. Modern soy protein foods in no way resemble the traditional Asian soy foods, and may contain carcinogens like nitrates, lysinoalanine, as well as a number of anti-nutrients which are only significantly degraded by fermentation or other traditional processing.
“People need to realize that when they’re eating these soy foods – and I’m not talking about miso or tofu – but soy ‘burgers,’ soy ‘cheese,’ soy ‘ice cream,’ and all of this stuff, that they are not the real thing. They may look like the real thing and they may taste like the real thing, but they do not have the life supporting qualities of real foods,” Fallon says.
There’s No Business Like Soy Business
“The reason there’s so much soy in America is because they started to plant soy to extract the oil from it and soy oil
became a very large industry,” says lipid specialist and nutritionist Mary Enig, Ph.D. “Once they had as much oil as they did in the food supply they had a lot of soy protein residue left over, and since they can’t feed it to animals, except in small amounts, they had to find another market.”
According to Enig, female pigs can only ingest it in amounts approximating 1% during their gestational phase and a few percent greater during their lactation diet, or else face reproduction damage and developmental problems in the piglets. “It can be used for chickens, but it really has limitations. So, if you can’t feed it to animals, than you find gullible human beings, and you develop a health claim, and you feed it to them.”
In a co-written article, Enig and Fallon state that soybean producers pay a mandatory assessment of ½ to 1 percent of the net market price of soybeans to help fund programs to “strengthen the position of soybeans in the marketplace and maintain and expand foreign markets for uses for soybeans and soy products.”
They also cite advertising figures – multi-million dollar figures – that soy-oriented companies like Archer Daniels Midland or ADM spend for spots on national television. Money is also used to fund PR campaigns, favorable articles, and lobbying interests. A relaxation of USDA rules has lead to an increase in soy use in school lunches. Far from being the “humble” or “simple” soybean, soy is now big business – very big business. This is not your father’s soybean.
There’s been such a rush to market isoflavones that the before-mentioned multinational corporation, ADM, in 1998, petitioned the FDA for GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status for soy isoflavones. For those who don’t know GRAS, the designation is used for foods, and in some case, food additives, that have been used safely for many years by humans. For those who didn’t know – like a number of protesting scientists – that soy isoflavones had been widely used by generations of Americans before the late 1950s, it was a revelation indeed. Ahem.
Dr. Sheehan, in his 1998 letter to the FDA referenced earlier, states “that soy protein foods are GRAS is in conflict with the recent return by CFSAN to Archer Daniels Midland of a petition for GRAS status for soy protein because of deficiencies in reporting the adverse effects in the petition. Thus GRAS status has not been granted.” And what about those safety issues?
Requiem for a Thyroid
One of the biggest concerns about high intake of soy isoflavones is their clearly defined toxic effect on the thyroid gland. You don’t have work too hard to convince Dr. Larrian Gillespie of that. Dr. Gillespie, author of The Menopause Diet, in the name of scientific empiricism, decided to run her own soy experiment – on herself. She notes that she fits the demographic soy isoflavones are most marketed to: borderline hypothyroid, menopausal females.
“I did it in two different ways. I tried the (isoflavone) supplements (at 40 mg), where I went into flagrant hypothryoidism within 72 hours, and I did the ‘eat lots of tofu category,’ and it did the same thing, but it took me five days with that. I knew what I was doing but it still took me another 7-10 days to come out of it.”
In the current issue of the Whole Earth Review, herbalist Susan Weed tells the story of Michael Moore – no, not that Michael Moore, but the founder of the Southwest School of Herbal Medicine. In an e-mail to Weed, Moore declares that “soy did me in.” Weed describes how Moore, in his own experiment, ate a large amount of manufactured soy products – protein powders, “power” bars, and soy drinks, over a period of three weeks. Weed writes that Moore ended up in a cardiac care unit because the action on his thyroid had been so pronounced.
Harvard-trained medical doctor Richard Shames, MD, a thyroid specialist who has had a longtime practice in Marin, says that “genistein is the most difficult for the metabolic processes of people with low thyroid, so when you have that present in high enough concentrations, the result is an antagonism to the function of thyroid hormone.”
Far from being an isolated problem, Shames says that recent data tags twenty million Americans being treated for thyroid problems, another thirteen million who ought to be treated if they would get a TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test, and another thirteen million who would show up normal on a TSH test but would test positive on another, more specific test. All in all, Shames believes that low thyroid conditions – many due to exposure to estrogen-mimicking chemicals like PCBs and DDT in environment – are the mother of most modern health epidemics.
That’s a lot of thyroid problems. Some estimate the number to be as high as one in ten. Shames says that 8 of 10 thyroid sufferers are women – often older women – like Dr. Gillespie. The same demographic the soy industry has set its targets on.
“If you’re a normal person, and one in ten are not normal, the effect [of 50 mg of soy isoflavones] may be fairly insignificant, but even a normal person can have problems at levels greater than that,” says Shames.
Dr. Gillespie says the daily amount to cause thyroid problems may be as low as 30 mg, or less than a serving of soymilk.
A number of soy proponents say the thyroid concerns are exaggerated and that if dietary iodine is sufficient, problems won’t likely happen.
Not so says Shames. “Iodine is a double-edged sword for people with thyroid problems, and for those people, more is going to increase their chance for an autoimmune reaction… throwing iodine at it is not going to be the protective solution. Shames recommends limiting soy foods to a few times a week, preferably fermented or well cooked.”
Birth Control Pills for Babies?
Environmental toxicologist Mike Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. says he doesn’t have it out for soy. His original concern was for babies. “They were getting more soy isoflavones, at least on a body weight basis, than anybody else,” he notes. “It wasn’t so much that I knew what that would do, but that I didn’t know what that would do.” Fitzpatrick, who is also Web master of Soy Online Services (www.soyonlineservice.co.nz), Web site devoted to informing people about the potential problems with soy, stresses the potential dangers for the developing human body. “Any person with any kind of understanding of environmental endocrine disrupters, compounds {like isoflavones} that are not in the body normally and can modify hormones and the way they work in the body, any expert will say that infants need to avoid these things like the plague.”
Fitzpatrick was quoted – and misquoted – world wide a few years ago when he suggested that the isoflavones in soy formula were the equivalent of birth control pills.
“When I first did my review I did compare the estrogenic equivalents of the contraceptive pill with how much soy infants and adults would be consuming,” he says. “It’s at least the equivalent of one or two estrogen pills a day, on an estrogenic basis. I’ve been criticized that it’s not the same form of estrogen, but in terms of estrogenicity, it’s a crude but valid and alarming statistic.”
The typical response by industry experts has been to downplay the uniqueness of soy isoflavones, stating – accurately – that isoflavones of ovarious kinds are prevalent in most fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
Is it Time to Toss out the Apple Sauce?
“No, you’re not going to do that because you get exposure from all kinds of things, but the exposure you get from soy is way, way higher,” Fitzpatrick says. “Soy formula is going to give babies a real whack, far in excess of what you might find in apples. Soy is a very rich source of isoflavones – that’s how the industry markets their product. You don’t see an apple extract to help women deal with menopause.”
You’ve got to wonder how the industry can market soy isoflavones as a form of estrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women (and a host of other health claims) and still claim that soy formula is safe for infants. And while the mechanism for biological activity is clearly defined, the industry keeps repeating the same tune: “no credible evidence exists.”
But credible for whom? Says Fitzpatrick: “We’re not talking about little studies here but long-term effects on infants and adults, and that’s what concerns me. It’s very trite. They (the industry) give half-baked answers. What you really need is long-term studies.” Likewise, “no credible evidence” is not good enough for Dr. Naomi Baumslag, professor of pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical School. She joined a host of others in criticizing a recent article in JAMA that was purported to be the definitive study on soy formula safety.
“It was not an acceptable epidemiological study – you can take it to any decent epidemiologist and hear what they think about it, and they use it to say that soy is safe,” says Baumslag. “It’s totally unsubstantiated.”
Manganese Madness
Besides the dangers of prematurity and other reproductive problems posed by isoflavones, Baumslag mentions the high levels of the mineral manganese (no, not magnesium) often found in soy formula. The problem of manganese is so serious that even one soy manufacturer put warning labels on its soymilk. The company’s president, in a press release, states that “there is mounting evidence of a correlation between manganese in soy milk (including soy-based infant formula) and neurotoxicity in small infants.” With manganese toxicity known for producing behavioral disorders, the press release even goes further stating, “If research continues, showing that the current epidemic levels of ADHD in children, as well as impulsivity and violence among adolescents, are connected with the increase in soy-based infant formula use our industry could suffer a serious setback by not dealing with the issue upfront.”
With all of the potential problems with soy formula, Baumslag notes that formula is also missing key immunological factors only found in mother’s milk, the lack of which could give a child a life sentence of chronic health problems. She links soy pushing to corporate profits and the PR campaigns that they fund.
“There’s been so much PR in regards to soy formula and I think you also have to ask yourself why it’s so much cheaper for them to make, which means there’s more profits. How come only 1% in the UK are on formula, where it’s closer to 30% in the United States? I don’t know why it’s so important for them to push soy, they should push breast feeding.” Perhaps its because breast milk for babies isn’t as lucrative as milking the soybean for profits.
Caveat Emptor
As a former vegan – and big soy eater – I’m disturbed by the vast array of modern, processed soy products that have come on the market in the last few years, without any recognition of potential pitfalls. Safe bet: If it hasn’t been eaten safely for thousands of years, you probably shouldn’t put it at the center of your diet. We’ve been sold a bill of goods that says “soy is good for you” but it doesn’t tell you what kind of soy or how much, or even definitively if soy really is what makes Asians so supposedly healthy.
It’s well known that the Japanese also eat a very large amount of omega 3 fatty acids from fish each day – substances which have been clearly shown to have anti-cancer and anti-heart disease effects. So, is it the soy or is it the fish? As the industry spends millions and millions of dollars to find something that isoflavones are good for, some health claim to justify their unprecedented presence in the American diet, I have to ask: why are they trying so hard? Why is there such a push to push soy?
Soy isoflavones are clearly biologically active – they affect change in your body. It’s no longer acceptable for the industry to see no bad, hear no bad, and speak no bad. Legitimate concerns need to be studied – and not studies funded by the industry, conducted by soy scientists.
In the meantime, I’ve located a wonderful, old miso company on the north coast. They age their miso for three years in wood barrels and sell it in glass jars. It’s rich, earthy, and real. I enjoy a teaspoon in a glass of hot water a few times a week after dinner. It tastes lively and feels good. I no longer get the “urge” to eat soy “dogs” or soy “burgers,” though I now suspect that urge didn’t come from my own instinct, but from the lofty dictates of the soy experts.
But why wait years, while ignorant armies clash over this and that isoflavone and studies that say one thing or another? Perhaps the safest way to use soy, if you choose to use soy, is the way it’s been used by Asians for thousands of years: fermented, in moderation, as a condiment. In short, color me cautious.
Sean Carson is a freelance writer and editor in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also a student of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. He can be reached at: devanand54@yahoo.com
Cheetahs and Soybeans – Article #856 by Sue Ann Bowling
This article is provided as a public service by the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, in cooperation with the UAF research community. Dr. Sue Ann Bowling is an Associate Professor of Physics at the Institute.
Pity the poor cheetahs! These speedy spotted cats managed to survive one population crisis, which left them the most inbred wild animal known. Then human inroads on their habitat and hunting for their fur shoved them toward a second population crisis, which seemed headed off by captive breeding. Now it appears that the zoo diet in North America is simultaneously killing them off with liver disease and preventing them from breeding effectively.
In 1985, 29 American zoo cheetahs died and only 18 were born, and 7 of the 18 died before adulthood. Only about 10% of North American adult female cheetahs have been producing live cubs in the last 5 years, compared with 60 to 80 % in other countries.
Since North American cheetahs mostly eat a commercial feline diet based on horsemeat and soy, while the cheetahs living and breeding more successfully elsewhere are being fed whole carcasses, a group of researchers in Ohio decided to look at the zoo cheetah’s food. They found that the soybean part of the diet (the same textured soy protein and soy flakes used increasingly as a meat extender in human diets) contained natural plant estrogens, chemicals akin to mammalian female hormones and having some of the same effects. When these chemicals were injected into immature female mice, they caused damage to the mice’s uteruses.
Experiments were carried out at the zoo as well as in the lab. When four cheetahs in the Cincinnati Zoo were switched to a diet based on chicken meat without soy, their liver function improved. Right now we don’t know whether they will breed again or whether permanent damage has occurred.
What does this mean in terms of other soy consumers? Cheetahs are likely to be exceptionally sensitive to problems of any kind because they are so inbred. On the other hand, soy made up a relatively small percentage of the cheetahs’ diet, and apparently all cats are rather poor at getting rid of extra estrogens. Our pets might face some problems.
A quick scan of supermarket dog and cat food labels indicates that about half of the commercial dry pet foods have soy as the main protein source, with soy appearing as the first ingredient after corn or (in some very high protein products such as kitten food) as the first ingredient. As a dog breeder I would hesitate to maintain my breeding stock on a commercial diet that used soy as the primary protein source, or listed soy as one of the top three ingredients. But other questions need to be answered, as well.
How about the human consumption of soy? At the present time, our western diets don’t contain all that much soy, though what they do contain is often in the form of textured soy protein, which has over twice the estrogen content of soy flakes. This in itself indicates that the method of preparing soy may affect the estrogen content of the final food. Oriental diets have used soy for far longer than have Western ones. Do traditional Oriental methods of preparing soybeans for consumption remove some of the plant estrogens? I asked one of the researchers, and he replied that tofu has far less plant estrogens per unit weight than does textured soy protein. No measurements had yet been made, however, based on the ratio of estrogens to protein.
Agriculturists and plant breeders need to look at soybean estrogens, too. Do drought, temperature, soil fertility or day length affect their concentration? Do different varieties of soybeans differ in how Umuch of these substances the beans contain? Can low-estrogen varieties be developed? The cheetah study has raised more questions than it has answered — not an uncommon result of scientific research!
ZDRAVJE-POVEJ NAPREJ
TOLE JE DOSTI KRAJŠE…
Dr. Russell L. Blaylock je specialist nevrokirurgije in svetovno znan strokovnjak za možganske bolezni. O njem smo že pisali – je eden tistih zdravnikov, ki so že dolgo tega spoznali, da je zdravljenje s prehrano edini pravilen pristop, sploh pa za ohranitev zdravih možganov in podaljševanje življenja. Dr. Blaylock je v času panike v zvezi s prašičjo gripo in vsesplošnega siljenja k cepljenju (saj je bilo treba porabiti draga cepiva, za katera je država idiotsko zafračkala ogromen denar) svaril pred cepivi in pozival k bojkotiranju. Javno je opozoril, da so ta cepiva nevarna, nepreverjena, neučinkovita, nepotrebna (ker je bila gripa več kot blaga) in povrhu še uničujejo možgane. Za takšno oceno je več kot usposobljen, saj je vse življenje zdravil možganske poškodbe, ki jih povzročajo živo srebro, aluminij in drugi strupi v cepivih.
Ravno ko je bil včeraj razposlan članek o »Deset naj«, je prispel njegov sestavek o tem, kako skrbeti za zdrave možgane, da bodo ostali mladostni in nam še dolgo dobro služili. Vse, kar pomaga možganom, pa pomaga tudi telesu nasploh. Ker v njem potrjuje natanko tiste stvari, ki jih priporočam sama (saj bere iste študije in pri enakih informacijah do drugačnih sklepov niti ne more priti …), vam posredujem še njegove besede. Zagotovilo možganskega kirurga z več kot 30 leti kliničnih izkušenj bo, upam, prepričalo tudi tiste najbolj neprepričane.
Dr. Blaylock o nezdravi prehrani:
Slabo prehranjevanje ima visoko ceno za naše telo in zdravje. Zapadnjaki se prehranjujemo silno nezdravo, povrhu si pa še domišljamo, da živimo zdravo! V literaturi naletim na številne slabe nasvete glede tega, kakšen življenjski slog naj bi bil domnevno »zdrav«. Večina ljudi ne razume, zakaj sploh jemo. Tega ne počnemo zaradi užitka, ta je dodan samo zato, da hranjenja ne zanemarimo. Jemo zato, da oskrbimo telo z esencialnimi hranili, ki jih potrebuje za funkcioniranje in zaščito.
Dr. Blaylock o strupenih ‘belih’, industrijsko izdelanih rastlinskih oljih:
Uživamo zelo malo potrebnih hranil, obenem pa veliko snovi, ki nam telo poškodujejo. Večina ljudi si hrano žal pripravlja na škodljivih rastlinskih oljih, kot so sojino, koruzno, sončnično, repično, arašidno i.pd. Ljudje so šokirani, ko jim povem, da je celo sončnično in repično olje nezdravo. Toda vsa ta olja povzročajo poškodbe celic v možganih in hrbtenjači in povečujejo tveganje za alzheimerja in aterosklerozo. Eden od vzrokov je, da so vsa ta olja večkratno nenasičena (to pomeni, da nimajo vseh kemijskih vezi zasedenih z vodikovimi atomi), zaradi tega pa so proinflamatorna (=povzročajo vnetja) in ekscitotoksična (=rušijo ravnovesja v živčnem sistemu). Ko jih pri kuhi segrevamo, postanejo še oksidirana in s tem za telo še bolj uničujoča. Pa ne samo segrevanje, že samo izpostavljenost zraku jih naredi smrtonosna.
Dr. Blaylock o soji:
Da je soja postala domnevno »zdrava« hrana, se lahko zahvalimo industrijalcem, ki sojo pridelujejo in procesirajo, in njihovim vladnim vazalom. Ena najdaljših in najbolje opravljenih študij o učinkih uživanja soje (kjer so preiskovancem vsako leto opravili CT slikanje možganov) je pokazala, da so imeli tisti, ki so uživali največ soje, dramatično povečano krčenje možganov in pogostost pojava alzheimerjeve bolezni v primerjavi s tistimi, ki soje niso uživali. Poleg tega se je izkazalo, da vsebuje soja veliko glutaminata, mangana, fluora in aluminija, vsi ti pa so možganski toksini. Kljub temu pa zaradi obsežne propagande, ki traja že desetletja in jo širijo tudi zdravstveni »strokovnjaki«, ljudje množično jedo sojo.
Za moške je soja zaradi fitoestrogenov, ki izničujejo učinke testosterona, sploh izjemno škodljiva. A tudi pri ženskah, ki mislijo, da soja preprečuje raka dojke, so študije odkrile, da pri tistih, ki raka dojke že imajo, soja rast tumorjev pospeši. Visoka vsebnost mangana v soji je zaskrbljujoča predvsem za otroke, saj mangan poškoduje kritične predele razvijajočih se možganov. Pri odraslih soja pospeši razvoj parkinsonove bolezni. In ne nazadnje, soja je izjemno škodljiva za ščitnico.
Dr. Blaylock o omega 3 in uživanju vitaminov za zdravo srce in daljše življenje:
Kot sem v preteklosti že pisal, omega 3, ki se nahajajo v ribjem olju, preprečujejo celično smrt. Imajo tudi zelo pomemben vpliv na srčno zdravje, saj preprečujejo srčne napade, če pa do srčnega napada pride, preprečijo, da bi bolnik zaradi tega podlegel. Omega 3 (EPA, predvsem pa DHA) veliko učinkoviteje preprečujejo srčne bolezni kot pa katerikoli statin.
Nedavna študija je preučila dolžino telomerov pri ljudeh s srčno boleznijo. Telomeri so zaključni del DNK na koncu kromosomov in kot plastični ovojček na koncu vezalk ščitijo DNK pred odmotavanjem (če bi se dvojno zvita vijačnica DNK pričela odmotavati, bi to povzročilo prezgodnje umiranje celic.) Telomeri se z vsako delitvijo celice malce skrajšajo. Daljše ko imamo telomere, dlje lahko živijo naše celice, in s tem seveda mi. Nova študija je še enkrat potrdila, da imajo ljudje z dolgimi telomeri manjše tveganje za srčni napad in za smrt.
Študija, ki je 608 preučevancem sledila 3 do 5 let, je tudi dokazala, da ribje olje podaljšuje telomere oziroma upočasni njihovo obrabo in skrajševanje. Znanstveniki so povedali, da telomere ščiti tudi jemanje vitamina D3, folne kisline (znane tudi kot vitamin B9)*, bioflavonoidov* ter antioksidantnih mineralov, kot sta magnezij in selen*. (*Opomba: zraven folata je vedno treba uživati še B kompleks, zraven bioflavonoidov vitamin C, zraven selena pa vitamin E in cink)
Omega 3 pa podaljšujejo življenje še na drug način. Nekatere celice vsebujejo encim telomerazo, ki zmore poškodovane telomere popraviti, da dlje trajajo. Doslej so mislili, da je telomeraza navzoča le v izvornih celicah, sedaj pa so novejše študije ugotovile, da omega 3 stimulirajo tvorbo telomeraze tudi v navadnih celicah. Še en zanimiv podatek: veliko telomeraze izločajo tudi rakave celice, ki si s tem podaljšajo življenjsko dobo, namesto da bi odmrle. Toda omega 3 so zmožne razlikovati med rakavo in zdravo celico! Tako v rakavi celici telomerazo zavirajo, v zdravih celicah pa spodbujajo.
Študije vedno znova potrjujejo, da imajo omega 3, poleg podaljševanja telomerov in s tem podaljševanja življenja ter krepitve srca, še druge zdravilne lastnosti: odpravljajo tiha vnetja v telesu, preprečujejo srčne aritmije, izboljšujejo pretok krvi in zmanjšujejo oksidativni stres.
Dodatni viri za zainteresirane:
o Video- intervju z dr. Blaylockom – 10 minut: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOAyZDd8ekA (O tem, kako je nastala uradna medicina – ko so Rockefellerji načrtno odstranili vse podatke o naravnem zdravljenju iz uradnega programa šolanja za zdravnike in povezali zdravljenje samo z zdravili)
o Dr. Blaylock o vakcinah, chemtrailih, evgeniki: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5PNEcD2W14&feature=related (Intervju z Alexom Jonesom – prvi posnetek v seriji petih)
o Spletna stran dr. Blaylocka: http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/ (Vsebuje med drugim informacije o vakcinah, prašičji gripi in povezave do njegovih člankov)
© Zdravje PovejNaprej
in še tole, zelo priporočljivo branje.,….
Bad News for Soy Lovers
It’s in thousands of different products… everything from cookies to mayonnaise. You probably ate some today without even realizing it. But that’s a problem: Too much and you may wind up in a male fertility clinic. It robs your manhood and no one’s bothering to tell you.
I’m talking about soy. The USDA says it’s healthier than protein from meat. Food makers love it because it’s cheap and easy to process—so much so that the soy industry now provides 71% of the edible fats and oils in our nation’s food supply.1 The FDA says it’s perfectly safe for you to eat.
But the latest science says otherwise. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health discovered that men who regularly ate even small amounts of soy-based foods had 41 million fewer sperm per milliliter than men who didn’t.2
Ironically, the 99 men who took part in the study were already patients at a male fertility clinic who couldn’t get their partners pregnant. Scientists tracked their eating habits for six years, keeping on the lookout for 15 soy-based foods.
It turns out eating as little as four ounces of tofu or drinking a single cup of soy milk every other day caused men’s sperm counts to plummet.
This isn’t news to me, and it won’t be to my regular readers. Soy is packed with phytoestrogens, plant-based compounds that your body treats just like the female hormone. These belong to a class of “estrogen mimics” that can make men grow “breasts”— fatty deposits that build on top of your pecs—kill your sex drive, even put you at greater risk for prostate cancer.
Now we have proof soy can strike at the very heart of your manhood.
This was the largest study ever to look at human soy consumption and semen quality. Until now, most of the data we had came from animal studies. So it lays to rest the question of whether or not the phytoestrogens in soy can affect male reproductive health in humans. It also proved for the first time that even traditional soy products pose a threat. Tofu, natto, and tempeh, all part of the traditional Asian diet, will have the same negative effect as processed soy-derived products like soybean oil.
So if you want to protect yourself against this assault on your virility, here are few recommendations:
Watch your soy intake. Remember, even a little soy goes a long way when it comes to lowering your sperm count. As little as 115 grams, or about four ounces of tofu, amounts to a single serving, depending on your body weight. That’s twice the amount that made men virtually sterile in the study.
Check the label. Soy-based ingredients are hidden in plain sight in a wide variety of foods, from baked goods to salad dressings. Here are the names of the food industry’s favorite soy–based products you should avoid:
Soy Flour
Soy Isolate
Soy Isoflavones
Soy Protein
Soybean Oil
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
Vegetable Fat
Vegetable Oil
Xanthan Gum
Zein
Eat food fit for a man. People eat a lot of soy with the best of intentions—they think they’re making a healthy choice by going for an alternative to animal protein. They also want to stay lean and fit, both good ideas.
But the truth is you don’t need to avoid meat to stay healthy—or manly. In fact, meat from organic, grass-fed sources will help you to shed fat, build lean muscle, and boost overall testosterone and growth hormone levels.
One final point for skeptics: you may be wondering how people in Asian societies where soy’s a dietary staple ever manage to have children if it’s so harmful to male fertility. The answer’s simple. They don’t eat nearly as much soy as you’d think. Even the soy industry’s own research shows that in places like China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, people eat only 9.3 to 36 grams per day.3 That’s way below the 115 grams of tofu the men in the study were eating.
To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD
ZDRAVJE-POVEJ NAPREJ
noro res noro…. brez besed sem ostala kajti uporabljali smo sojo tko mal včasih namest mesa, da je bilo mal spremembe na krožniku, sedaj pa berem da povzroča diabetes in še hujše je k je moj otrok zbolel prav s to boleznijo. groza kaj vse je že za en drek in nič več ni zdravo za nas kaj še za naše otroke, ap tko jo promovirajo kako je zdrava…. ma jezna sem na industrije k zavaja nas potrošnike
NOVICA!!
Tudi pšenica ni zdrava. Vtipkaj v spletni iskalnik wheat unhealthy in dobili boste skoraj 4 milijone zadetkov, med njimi strokovne članke, študije, forume in podobno.
Poskusite s svinjino. Preko 2 milijona zadetkov.
Lepo vas prosim, dajte si prebrati kakšno resno študijo o prehrani, potem pa se začnimo pogovarjati, ne pa navajati spletnih pljuvalnikov in podobno.
Vsaka, prav vsaka prehrana in vsako, prav vsako živilo, je lahko nezdravo, če ga uživamo na napačen način, v napačnih količinah ali če ga uživa napačna oseba.
Po pameti in lastni presoji 🙂
Zdrava in ne zdrava SOJA – stvar osebne izkušnje. Jaz ne jem ne mesa, ne mlečnih izdelkov ne pšeničnih.
Sem športnica in sojo uživam že 5 let.
Posledice:
– nimam več kroničnih vnetij ledvic
– lepša koža
– manj problemov z mišicami in sklepi
– super regeneracija
– uporabljam vse izdelke Herbalife, tudi novo športno linijo
– moji zdravniki, trener, maserji so začeli uporabljat oboje sojo in Herbalife, odkar so videli 100% izboljšanje mojega zdravja in počutja
Tako da jaz nimam kaj reči preko soje.
Sojo, v vseh oblikah (tudi omako) uživam preko 12 let.
Počutim se dobro, zdravo, problemov sploh pa navedenih, nimam ….. vendar
ne bi o tem.( sem sto procentna vegetarianka)
Vprašala bi kaj na tem svetu sploh je zdravo. Enkrat prebiram o razhudnikih, drugič o
špricani zelenjavi, umetno hranjenih puranih, kokoših ……
skratka… lepo prosim naj nekdo, neka korporacija sporoči kaj, zaboga svetega, je zdravo
za naš organizem.
Največkrat gre za nateg raznih industrij, katerim verjamemo oz. dovolimo, da nas
‘nategnejo’ po dolgem in počez.
Morda dodatek: dobro preglejte prehrambene artikle, katere kupujete… skoraj v vseh
je soja. In?
Glede herbalifa pa si se zelo zlagala!Sem bil zaposlen v ambulanti in v sloveniji ogromno ljudi po nekaj mesecih uporabe herba išče pomoč pri zdravniku zaradi takih in drugačnih težav,nato po nekaj dnevih zdravniki ugotovijo,da uporabljajo dodatke herbalifa in odsvetujejo in glej ga zlomka po 1 tednu ljudje ozdravijo.Najbolj pa mi je hudo,ko starši z tem otroke futrajo,a le ti končajo na infekcijski zaradi drisk. :D:D:D
Forum je zaprt za komentiranje.