Can over-consumption of soy can upset your hormonal balance?

Some plants have thorns, a bitter taste, or even toxins to prevent predators from consuming it.  The soy plant, however, is very sneaky. "The soy plant develops a plant estrogen that, when repeatedly devoured by a pest, results in hormonal changes to the predator, interrupting its reproductive cycle!" Now...what happens when we eat soy?

Long ago, soy was not considered an edible crop. It was used in plant-rotation to replace nitrogen back into the soil. However, take into account that in 1980 we were more concerned about health and that in 2004 we were more concerned about money.  This helps explain the deceitful marketing strategies used to raise profits of the soy industry from $2 million in 1980 to over $300 million in 2004.

Soy is used by celibate monks in Asia to dampen their libido.  Japanese wives are said to slip their husbands extra tofu when their sexual appetites are getting to be too much.

Increased use of soy formula is suspected as a leading cause of premature sexual development.  Does it seem unusual to you that -- when you were a child -- a "late bloomer" was someone who had not shown signs of puberty by the age of 17. Now, if a young woman is not a 36B  by the age of 13, this is considered unusual.  A team of researchers at Lehigh University studied the effects of soy isoflavones on rodents, and they showed that the onset of puberty was "significantly accelerated."  The leader of the team, Professor Jill Schneider, commented that she and some investigators asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to not allow soy manufacturers to claim their products are good for health.

Soy infant formula provides 6-11 times more isoflavones per body weight than the dose needed to cause hormonal changes in adults. Children consuming soy formula have shown much greater tendencies toward developing autoimmune thyroid disease and diabetes.

The FDA has not approved Soy as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe). Two senior scientists at the FDA stated, "Consumption of isoflavons during pregnancy could be a risk factor for normal brain and reproductive tract development."

Menopausal women are thought to derive some relief from hot flashes and other typical symptoms due to soy's ability to mimic estrogen. However, in October 2002, the British Government's Committee on Toxicity in Foods (COT) released their assessment of soy products. An expert noted, "As for claims that these products improve hormonal balance, prevent prostate cancers, prevent heart disease, stop osteoporosis and improve brain function, the COT found no proof of any of this."

Soy is also noted to depress thyroid function.  Suppression of the thyroid has been noted with as little as 2 tbsp. of soybeans per day. Research in Japan showed that 1 ounce (30 grams) of soybeans daily over the course of 3 months caused enlargement and suppression of the thyroid. Symptoms and functions returned to normal once the use of soy was discontinued.

Most soy that is consumed is unfermented soy. Unfermented Soy is very difficult to digest. It contains chemicals which interfere with digestion and may lead to pancreatic disorders. The Chinese learned that fermented soy was easier to digest.  In addition, it has anti-cancerous substances called aglycones. In today's unfermented soy products such as tofu and soy milk, the aglycones are present, but in a much different form, and they are NOT anti-cancerous.

Please remember it is only a myth that the Asian diet is soy-based. The soy that they do eat is fermented, and it is only used in small amounts (usually as condiments). In China, protein from pork and grains far outweighs that obtained from soy and all other legumes combined.

• TIP: Use fermented soy products like tempeh, tamari, miso, and natto. These may have anti-cancerous effects.

• Barbee, Michael. Politically Incorrect Nutrition: Finding Reality in the Mire of Food Industry Propaganda. Ridgefield, CT: Vital Health Publishing, 2004.

  AVOID: soy milk, soy energy bars, and regular consumption of tofu.

Cholesterol Is Not The Villain It Is Portrayed As!

Did you know your body makes three times more cholesterol than you typically eat?

 Cholesterol helps to keep our cells healthy. It aids in the creation of sex hormones, facilitates proper brain and nervous system function, and it is needed to synthesize sunlight into Vitamin D.  Rising cholesterol levels can be a sign that something is wrong in the body; however, elevated levels do not necessarily mean that you should jump on a cholesterol lowering drug.

Unless cholesterol is oxidized, it creates no harm. Consequently there has been much emphasis placed on ways to prevent LDL (bad cholesterol) from being oxidized in the bloodstream.  Olive oil is one substance that has been shown to inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Menopausal women have been studied because they often take cholesterol lowering drugs.  When women reach menopause, their LDL levels rise dramatically.  This elevation is interpreted as risk for heart disease.  However, the greater risk comes from other common symptoms of menopause, such as hypothyroidism (with symptoms of weakness, cold intolerance, weight gain, decreased sweating, migraines, etc.). These risks are compounded by obesity, a sense of isolation, hypertension, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle.  

The cholesterol rise during menopause is actually protective. Cholesterol is needed to create progesterone and estrogen, and -- since hormones levels dramatically drop at this time -- cholesterol is used to help balance hormone levels. This is why it makes no sense to push menopausal women to take cholesterol-lowering drugs.  These drugs only inhibit the body from its natural efforts to get back in balance.

The public has been trained to believe that artery clogs are due to cholesterol and saturated fats. This is not so. Dr. Bernhard Hennig from the University of Kentucky claimed that polyunsaturated fats are the culprits in the cardiovascular disease process, and he recommended limiting their intake.  When artery clogs are examined, 74% of the total fats are unsaturated and more than half of those fats are polyunsaturated (Trans fats).

Companies make claims that eating polyunsaturated fats (margarine) can lower your cholesterol levels.  However, according to some researchers, a high intake of polyunsaturates actually weakens cell membranes. When this occurs, cholesterol comes to the rescue once again. Cholesterol enters the cell membrane in order to stabilize and restore proper function. The cholesterol that does the rescuing is drawn from the bloodstream, thereby lowering cholesterol levels within the bloodstream.  So the claims made by these companies are not complete lies; however, your health is not the first priority in selling these products.

So...What can you do? 

•  A diet higher in Omega 3 fatty acids (fish, flax, walnuts) helps to maintain healthy cholesterol ratios. Olive oil, as stated above, is shown to inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
• Limit your sugar intake, since sugar can contribute to higher LDL cholesterol levels.
• An additional and very effective benefit is gained through exercise and maintaining proper weight. Even moderate exercise, such as walking, creates healthy changes in the body and a decreased demand for the LDL cholesterol.
• Antioxidants inhibit oxidation. Some good sources of antioxidants are fruits (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches and plums), vegetables, red wine and vitamin E. If you are not a vegetable lover, supplementing with a high quality Multi-Vitamin, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, Selenium or CoQ10 could be very beneficial.

 If you have any questions please contact Dr. Amanda.

www.JordanFamilyChiro.com