Soy Response & Why You Should be Avoiding It

Excerpt from the August 8th, 2011 New York Times article, "Soy Does Little for Menopause Symptoms"

Fears about the risks of estrogen replacement therapy have led many women to turn to soy products to treat the symptoms of menopause. But a clinical trial published on Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found them no more effective than a placebo.

“Women should be reconsidering taking these types of products for menopausal health,” said Dr. Silvina Levis, lead author of the study and a professor of medicine at the University of Miami. “We didn’t see any objective clinical benefit for soy isoflavone supplements. We actually saw more constipation, bloating, and hot flashes in the women taking soy.”

Finally! Research is coming out to support what many of us have seen for years. Not only is soy not helpful for menopause symptoms, it actually amplifies those symptoms with increased hot flashes, bloating and a range of digestive issues.

Soy is our least favorite food in LoveLife Method programs. Our programs include a special elimination method for detecting food intolerances. Our clients omit 12 common inflammatory foods and replace them with alkalizing ones. Once the benefits begin kicking in, we then coach our clients each day as they reintegrate one food at a time to determine which foods are creating a range of inflammatory symptoms including: weight gain, digestive issues, skin, pain, etc.

Everyone is different and what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. Therefore, of the 12 foods we have our clients eliminate, we believe that each of these foods can be fine or even healthy for many people, unless it is shown to create inflammatory symptoms. Take citrus, for instance. Citrus contains loads of Vitamin C, is good for the liver, and is a healthful food for most people. However, it has been one of our top most common inflammatory foods creating allergies, mood issues, weight holding, and skin issues in certain individuals. As we always say, one man’s SuperFood is another’s poison. 

Even gluten, which has received a terrible rap, if eaten as a whole food product rather than a processed one, is not the evil substance it is made out to be. It is, however, one of the most common triggers of inflammation and therefore, for some, it wreaks havoc.

However, the one food, we consistently recommend that our clients avoid, even if it does not appear to induce inflammation is - you guessed it - Soy. 

Why? A myriad of reasons that many experts cover very thoroughly. One of my favorites is Sally Fallon’s article which can be found here.

The short version is:

• 95% of Soy is a GMO crop
• Soy is extremely high in Phytic Acid which binds minerals and creates mineral deficiencies
• Soy contains a myriad of potent Chemical Toxins
• Soy is high in Goitrogens and can depress Thyroid Function
• Soy increases estrogen levels  and is a major hormone deregulator
• Soy has been linked to infertility, thyroid disease, liver disease, mineral deficiencies, digestive issues, inducing early menopause, sex hormone changes, and even some cancers

However, soy is pervasive in our food supply. If you eat any processed foods or dine in a restaurant, you are almost assured of receiving soy. It is in the vegetable oil your foods are prepared with, in salad dressings, soups, marinades, vitamins, and fish oil, to name a few.

Even many health food products that claim to be “soy-free” actually contain soy. How can they get away with this? They remove the protein, which they name the problematic culprit. However, we have many clients who still react to those products from which the soy protein has been eliminated.

So, what’s a soy omitter to do? Educate and empower yourself to go Soy-Free as much as possible. 

Here are our top tips for avoiding soy:

• When dining out in restaurants, ask that they use 100% olive oil rather than their vegetable oil blend.
• If the restaurant does not have 100% olive oil, request that your food be dry grilled.
• Ask if the salad dressings contain vegetable oil and/or soy sauce. Choose one that is free from these ingredients or opt for Oil and Vinegar on the side.
• Do your Vitamins list Lecithin or Vitamin E? Both are soy derived. Choose ones without.
• Avoid processed foods that contain: Lecithin, Vitamin E, Soy or TVP- Texturized Vegetable Protein. All are soy based.

Soy Challenge

We recommend that you consider a Soy Challenge Test. Eliminate Soy entirely for 10 days and reintroduce it for a period of 4 days. The most common symptoms our clients experience from soy are: Gas, bloating, constipation, lowered energy, PMS, early menopause, hot flashes, and weight gain.

Not all soy is created equally. A true fermented soy such as Nattokinase or South River Miso, can be helpful, in small quantities, for some people, while for others it will still create inflammation. As always, we recommend cultivating a relationship with your Inner Expert so that you can discover what works best for you.

In Happiness and Health,
Kim Love