Soy Alert
This past month a dear friend of mine called with the disturbing news that she had estrogen receptive breast cancer. She asked, “What do you know that could help me?” I knew nothing, so I got busy on the web trying to find everything I could on the subject.
I found more than I could have imagined. In the course of my research, I discovered that I had been swallowing a lot of propaganda. If you say something loud enough, often enough, and convincingly enough you can make anyone believe anything you say. The commercial side of the health food industry in America has vigorously promoted soy products and additives, turning a deaf ear to research that should throw up red flags. While other countries have acknowledged the potential danger and taken steps to warn their citizenry, powerful, rich concerns in this country have not admitted the problem.
Soybeans! Healthy, right? Full of vitamins? Full of protein? Yes, everyone knows that. Not according to new research. It is common knowledge that soybeans are loaded with plant compounds that mimic estrogen, a female hormone. Many post menopausal women use soy products to help control hot flashes and other problems caused by hormonal imbalances. And soy is very effective in supplying the hormones needed! Think about it. If soy products supply sufficient hormones to balance out older women, what are they doing to newborn babies fed soy formula? What is this female hormone doing to men who have a constant diet of tofu and soy milk? What about younger women who already have a full supply of estrogen; how does a diet of estrogen rich soy affect them? Research is now strongly pointing to some very disturbing facts. I have summarized many studies and reports and have tried to give a brief outline of the increasing volume of research now being done.
Some studies on the effects of soy products on humans have been in progress 40 years. They are now examining the brain tissue of the deceased. There are many recent studies done on animals. They noticed that birds fed soy developed their adult plumage at 2 months instead of the normal 18 months. At first this was a real plus because the young chicks could be marketed better with their full adult color. Then they noticed that the early maturing, soy-fed birds aged prematurely and died young. This caused much consternation among bird handlers, for they also noticed a great increase in growth disorders, thyroid problems, infertility, and tumor growth.
This was a wake-up call. People were asking, “If soy does this to birds, what is it doing to us?” National health agencies and physician associations of some countries have warned their populace to exercise caution in using soy based infant formulas. In the U. S. two of the Federal Drug Administration’s own researchers, Daniel Doerge and Daniel Sheehan, have stepped forward to protest their own agency’s allowance of health claim labeling regarding the effects of soy protein on coronary health. In a letter to the FDA, they cite their deep disturbance over potential risk to the public by the FDA’s failure to require that the same safeguards be put in place for soy use as for estrogenic (prescribed hormone substances) and goitrogenic drugs (thyroid medication), i.e., that people be informed of the risks and be under a physician’s care while using it.
