Soy....

Soy is commonly used to treat the effects of menopause due to the estrogen similar substance found in it. 90% of the worlds soy crop is geneticaly altered and now has a higher concentration of "estrogen". There is very little scientific evedience as to what exactly it does or to substantiate any claims due to its rather recent apperance as a food and more so of the engineered stuff. However, it is obvious that soy has an effect on the body and hormones. I don't think I would cut soy out all together but there is not much reason to consume large amounts. Soy is an easy replacement for many foods but certainly not the only way to get the nutrition you need.

Soy has an estrogen-modulating effect. What it means is that this estrogen-like molecule found in soy binds to the estrogen receptors and elicit mild estrogen effect in the cell. However, if your body has too much estrogen, this molecule acts like blocking the estrogen receptors from estrogen so you don't get the full estrogen effect. This is why soy is protective when it comes to breast cancer, endometriosis and other estrogen-related conditions. The current research shows that this estrogen-like effect of soy is so mild that it does not increase bone density significantly enough to replace HRT(hormone replacement therapy) in post-menopausal women.

Statements such as these are what the dairy industry wants us to believe. I am raising my now 11-year-old granddaughter, and we have been totally vegan for years. I make my own soymilk., and we have never been healthier. In fact, when others in her school were home with colds and flu this past winter, neither of us had so much as a sniffle. Everything you want to know about soy you can find at www.notmilk.com. In fact, it was from here that I purchased my soy milk maker, "Soytoy". Check it out, and don't give another thought to those who would try to discourage you.

There was an article about this in the SF Chronicle Magazine about two years ago. Basically, they were saying soy is bad. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/... My firstborn was supplimented with soy since I didn't produce enough breast milk to feed her. I talked to my pediatrician (of course, I was alarmed by this article) and he said that the information was not verified and unfounded, and that there was nothing he knew of that would cause her to mature early, etc. I'm vegan, so soy is a huge part of my life (my kids are not vegan, however, they love soy hot dogs, sausage and other products), and I don't feel any more estrogen-ridden... :)

Hope this helps. Best of luck to you in your search for answers.

I have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which is a hormonal issue that messes with your insulin and we are definitely supposed to avoid Soy anything as much as possible...

From my own research, I wouldn't recommend too much soy, especially for boys (linked to early maturity, too much estrogen). I also know that my mom takes 1/2 c. soy milk a day and it is enough so that she doesn't have to take estrogen hormones after a complete hysterectomy. So...that would say to me that there is quite a bit of estrogen in it. I would recommend enriched rice or almond milk for drinking instead and then make sure you or baby is consuming enough good oils.

Your information is right on. I see natural paths / holistic doctors, I was having a horrible time with my mentral cycle (very heavy, lots of large clots and lots of cramping etc) They told me to cut out the soy. It's been several months and everything is back to normal (very light, no clotting, no cramping and min. bloating). They told me that soy had estrogen in it and that is what was causing my problems. Remember Taco bell, McDonalds and several other very popular foods have soy based products in them.

If you find more out I would love to know.
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I am not able to take any sort of estrogen, because I have all sorts of side effects. I also have a food intolerance to soy. I never put the two together, until I read your post. INTERESTING!

I've also heard bad things about soy from my mother. So, I did some research on my favorite research tool--the Internet! There is equally good and bad about soy. I'm not sure if it's good or bad. Mostly what I say is "moderation is the key." Personally, I'd rather stay away from anything that messes with my hormones, especially if it's genetically modified. Anyway, I hope you find the info you are looking for.

My personal story- My mother uses the real organic stuff to help curb her hot flashes.
I was told not to drink it while pregnant because it can effect an unborn baby negatively. Especially if the baby is suppose to be a boy, and then too much estrogen is added to the mix.

Overall people consume soy in moderation, the Chinese soy is considered a lot different and processed much different then the companies process it here in the USA. Very processed here.

So I would continue to do your research and hopefully you have a doctor you can really trust and ask them if it would work for you.

Too much of anything can be a risk to a childs development... We took our daughter off soy milk for the same reason. Do some research and talk with a pediatrician befor you get concerned!

I know that I'm not supposed to consume soy products because I'm hypothyroid, I don't remember why, but I have read about not giving too much to kids because of the estrogen. And my acupuncturist said it reduces my thyroid function and the effectiveness of my medication.

I used to be vegan and am now predominately vegetarian. So, I consume a lot of soy. When I researched the subject (and discussed it with my doctor), I didn't see anything that substantiated those claims with any level of concrete validity. My doctor was pleased to see how much weight I'd lost. It appears that it's a lot like other health related topics. Some people are staunchly against soy and others sing it's praises. I'm not sure why soy has been targeted. The Asian culture has had a high soy diet for eons and they seem to be fine. I'm healthier then ever since I started eating more soy. I think you'll just have to do the research and decide for yourself, because even here you're going to get a whole lot of mixed opinions.

I wouldn't worry about it unless soy is making you ill. Soy is great for a lot of people. Most people don't have any ill effects from the estrogen.

If you're really unsure, the people to check with are naturopaths. They know what to check for in all of the various hormone levels and they can tell you what is good for you and what isn't.

The only other thing to be concerned about with soy is almost all of it is GMO. If it's causing problems, it's probably more due to being GMO than being estrogen.

I've heard the same thing as the others re: hormones. We used to eat a lot of soy when we were vegetarian but stopped partially because of what we'd read, and also it didn't seem to agree with my husband.

Something else to consider is that most of the non-organic soy out there is genetically engineered. I'm reading a book about GE/GMO food, research and politics right now, and it has made me more committed than I already was about not eating these foods (including non organic corn, canola, etc.) A lot of the research has shown increased allergies to genetically engineered foods, and I don't think the companies promoting these products (to the farmers growing the soy, etc.) have done due diligence in proving that they are safe.

here is a good start regarding soy

http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.html

we specially mix our animals feed (chickens, goats, pigs, ducks etc) to be made without soy. ALL animal feed on the market has soy. More than that, most human processed food is full of the stuff. Continue to learn and stay away from soy. A great book to read is called The Whole Soy Story. Soy is not a food, it is an intinutrient.

Hope that helps.

Finally, a subject I actually know something about! Soybeans naturally contain isoflavones which are structurally similar to estrogen and behave weakly like estrogen in the body. Some people contend this could be of benefit to women experiencing menopause. The jury is still out so to speak on if there is a downside to this. It is almost impossible to isolate one particular component in our diets as we all eat so differently, as well as have completly different lives, genetics, enviomental influences, ect. And many times anything diet related could take 40 to 50 years to manifest symptoms, so how can you pinpoint only one cause?
Soy based infant formulas are popular and have shown no negative effects to date. Also consider Asian countries use very little dairy and comsume vast amounts of soymilk, tofu, etc. and have for centuries. Again, with no measurable negative effects.
Nutrition is my passion at this time. I started researching the subject while pregnant to have the best prenatal diet, and to feed my son the best diet I can offer him. We use a lot of soy in our diet and I personally feel comfortable with it.
I would however, urge you to research on your own and form your own opinion.
Good luck!!!!! There is a lot of confusing information out there and coincidentally a lot of politics in the information we recieve. Food is a multi-billion dollar industry and everyone wants you thinking their products are best which leads to tons of misinformation.
Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy!!!

My naturopath says that soy is a poison. I take that with a grain of salt, however it absolutely is full of phyto (plant-based) estrogens. During menopause women often get relief from consuming soymilk, just as with hormone replacement therapy. I definitely wouldn't want to give it to a little boy, or really any developing child. There's rice milk, and oat milk, and almond milk, and water... Of course your baby should only be having breast milk or formula until at least 12 months.

Soy does contain precursers to hormones and may contain hormones as well. That is why they make hormone cream from soy. It is safe to eat in moderation. Women from asian countries who eat lots of soy have less breast cancer than women who do not. It would take you little time to google soy and read a few pages that look trustworthy. I look stuff up all the time. You just have to pick sites that look trustworthy.

Soy does effect people with its estrogen. People who are high risk for breast cancer, or have hormonal problems (depending on the hormones) should stay away from soy products.
When I eat soy I have worse PMS and Cramps. And the mood swings, my fiance wont go near me.