Soy issues…
I had wanted to wean my self off eating red meat for a long time. My replacement food of choice was the Boca Burger. A meatless product made chiefly from soy protein and wheat gluten. I began eating 2-3 Boca Burgers a week. This along with Edamame and the occasional chick pea were the only soy products I consumed.
A few months into this way of eating, I began to have huge digestive distress. I chalked it up to my travel schedule and stress. When I began to have more serious stomach issues I thought maybe I had a hiatal hernia (I am not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination!!!) so I went to my internist. He sent me to a gastroenterologist, he sent me to a heart specialist who in turn sent me back to my internist. I wised up and went to a nutritionist. She made me write down what I generally eat and in 5 minutes said one word. SOY.
She said soy is the leading factor in pancreatic type issues, digestive issues and thyroid issues. Doctors do not delve into nutrition and try always to find a textbook medical answer. According to her here is why soy can be a problem…
"...the soybean contains large quantities of natural toxins or "antinutrients". First among them are potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. These inhibitors are large, tightly folded proteins that are not completely deactivated during ordinary cooking. They 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. Soybeans also contain haemagglutinin, a clot-promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together. Trypsin inhibitors and haemagglutinin are growth inhibitors. Approximately 25 per cent of bottle-fed children in the US receive soy-based formula - a much higher percentage than in other parts of the Western world. Fitzpatrick estimated that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent (based on body weight) of at least five birth control pills per day. Scientists have known for years that soy-based formula can cause thyroid problems in babies."
Within a month of giving up Boca Burgers, Edamame and chick peas I was in great shape and had no symptoms! For what this is worth – hope this helps.
(As an aside; my business Partner’s wife (all soy diet) was hospitalized for pancreatic issues – quite severe. After a week in the hospital they could find no cause, suggested exploratory surgery, she said no, and they and sent her home. In the hospital she had eaten the bland hospital diet (no soy). She still sticks to the same bland diet, never went back to soy, and has been fine ever since.
j
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I'm one of those people who have trouble with soy, but it really depends on in what form. I can eat edamame with no problem, but will have trouble with soy milk and some processed soy products. I don't mind tofu, but it doesn't always like me. I'm Asian, but don't use soy sauce very much, anymore.
Like Jennifer D, I found almond milk very nice, even rice milk isn't bad (must have chocolate, lol!).
My GYN did warn me against soy-based HRT, back when I started going through menopause. At the time, there just wasn't enough research on it.
What other alternatives to soy has anyone found worth pursuing?
July 15, 2008 - 4:20pmThis Comment
Hi - I also try not to eat to much dairy and have tried the Soy route. While I have not had any problems with it, I have been hearing more and more negative things about Soy. I agree more research needs to be done. I have tried Almond milk and found that to be a good replacement.
July 15, 2008 - 12:05pmThis Comment
Thanks for sharing your story with us. Soy is such an interesting topic. So much controversy around it. Should I eat or drink it or shouldn't I?
I've been told by several well respected docs to stay away from it because it acts like estrogen in the body. The body doesn't know whether its soy or estrogen.
I keep hearing that younger girls especially, should not be eating or drinking soy. They will have more health issues as they get older.
What's the real truth? I don't know. I think we should check into this more to see who's done studies around soy and women. No one ever talks about Soy being bad for men. Interesting, isn't it?
Let's check with our experts to see what they think.
We'll also look for the latest research we can find and post it on the site or at least the link to it.
Thanks for taking time in your busy day to post to all of us women!! There's always two sides to every story. I'm going to look in one of my books to see what one of our expert has to say on this subject.
Anyone else know of studies or research...For or Against
women and Soy?
I too, became a vegetarian and just had soy. I got so sick from it. I wasn't getting enough fat in my diet. Hormones were a mess. But no one checked them. Cholesterol levels sky rocketed. Body started over producing because I had no good fats in my diet. My IBS issues...bad.
The way it was explained to me was...it's like oil in your engine. If you don't have oil in your car. Your engine is going to freeze up. It needs oil to lubricate all the parts. It's the same with your body. If you don't have enough good oil in your body. You can't lubricate all your internal organs. Coupled with the fact that my skin, hair and everything else was so dry.
I thought I was doing the right thing. Was a thin as a rail. Loved it. Thought I looked great. Not so much as my friends were saying. One night, I went to a dinner party with these great beaded pants on. Thought I looked pretty hot. The next morning the host called me to tell me that I looked like s--t. You can fill in the blanks. I was so stunned by his comment. He was being honest with me. Everyone was actually quite worried about my weight loss and even my face looked drawn. It was not pretty.
To this day, I am so thankful for him telling me that. Being honest enough to let you know when you're on the wrong path. I will always remember that.
The next day, I started eating meat again. Within months, I looked and felt a hundred times better.
Lesson learned. Every body is different. What I need, may not be what's best for you. And vice versa.
Best in health,
Michelle
Best in health,
June 18, 2008 - 11:22amM
This Comment
Like you, I tried weaning myself off of animal products -- (dairy) and opted for Soy Milk. As much as I wanted to make it work, it just didn't. Once I went back to dairy, I felt fine.
June 18, 2008 - 8:15amThis Comment