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(NaturalNews) With vegetarianism gaining increasing popularity from the 1970’s, reaching its peak in the 1990’s, soy has emerged as a ‘near perfect’ food, with supporters claiming it can provide an ideal source of protein, lower cholesterol, protect against cancer and heart disease, reduce menopausal symptoms, and prevent osteoporosis – among many other things. It seems like a good thing – or is it really? How did such a ‘healthy food’ emerge from a product that in 1913 was listed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) handbook not as a food but as an industrial product?

According to lipid specialist and nutritionist Mary Enig, PhD, “The reason there’s so much soy in America is because the soy industry started to plant soy to extract the oil from it and soy oil became a very large industry.” There was a lot of soy oil and with it came a lot of soy protein residue as a left over by-product, and since they couldn’t feed it to the animals, except in small amounts, they had to find another big market which, of course, was human consumption.

This excess soy production and its protein residue was the motivation for the multi-million dollars spent on advertising and intense lobbying of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which resulted in about 74 percent of U.S. consumers believing that soy products are healthy. Australia has traditionally prided itself as being a dairy consuming nation, due to the fact that they have such an abundant supply of cattle. However, lactose intolerance is becoming a health concern recognized by the medical profession; accordingly, soy is becoming very popular as an alternative to dairy, following in the footsteps of US consumers in believing that all soybased products have health benefits. In reality, the research
that has concluded that all soy products are healthy is far from accurate, and very much skewed by economic motives.

So what is wrong with unfermented soy products? Soy belongs to the family of legumes. Other members of the legume family include beans – such as adzuki, red kidney, navy, barlotti, etc., as well as chickpeas. Peanuts are included as well, as they are technically not a nut but a legume. All legumes and whole- grains – such as rice, barley, oats, wheat and rye- contain amounts of phytic acid. Being a legume, soy contains a high amount of phytic acid. So, what’s wrong with phytic acid? A number of things – yet, in some cases, phytic acid can also be beneficial. Phytic acid’s structure gives it the ability to bind minerals, proteins and starch, and results in lower absorption of these substances. Hence, phytic acid, in large amounts, can block the uptake of essential minerals, like calcium, magnesium, copper, iron , and especially zinc in the intestinal tract. Soy also inhibits the uptake of one of the most important mineral needed for growth and metabolism, iodine, which is used by the thyroid gland in the production of thyroid hormones. However, for non-vegetarian men, phytic acid may prove to be quite helpful due to its binding/chelating ability with minerals. Since a large percentage of non- vegetarian adult males
have excess iron, phytic acid would be helpful to them by binding the excess iron. But we need to bear in mind phytic acid will simultaneously bind other minerals, such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. In the case of children and menstruating women, the phytic acid in soy can be a serious negative, as women and children need iron. In women, iron is needed to replace the loss during their menses and in children iron is required for growth and development.

Apart from the phytic acid-related phenomena, there are additional factors that make soy an unhealthy choice.

• Contributes to thyroid disorder, especially in women
• Promotes kidney stones
• Weakens the immune system
• Contributes to food allergies and digestive intolerance

Perhaps the most disturbing of soy’s ill effects on health has to do with its phytoestrogens, which can mimic the effects of the female hormone, estrogen. These
phytoestrogens have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues, and drinking only two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough of the chemical to alter a
woman’s menstrual cycle.

Soy is particularly problematic for infants and it would be very wise to avoid giving them soy-derived products, since it has been estimated that infants who are exclusively fed soy formula receive the equivalent of five birth control pills worth of estrogen every day. Check out (www.westonaprice.org) to find some alarming research and statistics on what can go wrong when infants and children are regularly fed soy formula.

In order to derive some benefit from soy, consuming only fermented soy products – such as organic miso (mugi barley and genmai miso are the best), organic tempeh, soy sauce or tamari and natto – is the way to do it. This is because the phytic acid, which is inherent in soy beans, has been neutralized in the process of fermentation. Consuming fermented soy is very beneficial in recolonizing the friendly bacteria in the large intestines, which neutralizes the ‘unfriendly’ bacteria and allows for greater general assimilation of
foods and nutrients.

So, organic fermented soy is of benefit and unfermented soy is not. It is not only soy that needs to be fermented but whole-grains as well. In fact, grains (apart from millet, buckwheat and couscous) and legumes are best consumed after soaking them for 48-72 hours prior to cooking, which allows fermentation to take place. The soaking of grains and beans is also advocated in the principles of macrobiotics, which is very popular amongst vegetarians. Yet many vegetarian restaurants do not have time or forget to incorporate this very important process in their vegetarian cooking and thus people who regularly eat out at vegetarian restaurants might develop severe mineral deficiencies due to the large consumption of phytic acid in their diet.

Another common fallacy is that soy foods couldn’t possibly have a downside because Asian cultures eat large quantities of soy every day and consequently remain free of most western diseases. In reality, the people of China, Japan and other Asian countries eat very little soy. The soy industry’s own figures show that soy consumption in China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan ranges from 10-90 grams per day. That is grams of soy food, not grams of soy protein along. Compare this with a cup of tofu (250 grams) or
soy milk (240 grams). Many Americans and Australians today would be consuming a cup of tofu and a couple of glasses of soy milk every day. They might also add veggie burgers to this, thinking they are getting their much needed protein intake. Infants on soy formula are probably the most disadvantaged, as that is their main source of nutrition and they ingest large amounts of soy relative to their body weight. Often the side effects are not noticed but, as they are growing up, runny noses, frequent colds, irritability, severe sugar cravings and food intolerance develop.

The summary below outlines the adverse effects of unfermented soy products:

Arthritis is a disease that causes pain and loss of movement of the joints. The word arthritis literally means joint inflammation (arth=joint, ritis=inflammation), and refers to more than 100 different diseases. Since arthritis comes in so many different forms and no two people are alike, what works for one person or one kind of arthritis may not work for another. Following are alternative remedies reported to have been effective with at least some people and some forms of arthritis.
Folk Remedies A New England remedy for arthritis is a hot bath of Epsom salts.The magnesium in Epsom Salts has both anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic properties and it can be absorbed through the skin. The heat of the bath can also increase circulation and reduce the swelling of arthritis. Add 2 cups of Epsom salts to a tubful of hot water. Bathe for thirty minutes, adding hot water as necessary to keep the temperature warm.

A Chinese folk medicine remedy for arthritis is to eat sesame seeds. One-half ounce of the seeds contains about 4 grams of essential fatty acides, 175 milligrams of calcium, 64 milligrams of
magnesium, and 0.73 milligrams of copper. Increased copper intake may be important during arthritis attacks because the body’s requirements go up during inflammation. Grind up 1/2 ounce of sesame seeds in a coffee grinder and sprinkle on your food at meal-time.

Gin and raisins: Put three shot glasses or small containers on your counter. In each shot glass, put 9 (not 8 or 10) golden raisins, not regular raisins. Pour just enough gin over them to just barely cover them
(any kind of gin should do). By the 3rd day, the gin should be absorbed by the raisins. Eat the raisins from one shot glass, and set the glass up again with 9 more golden raisins, just barely covered with any kind of
gin, and put the fresh glass at the end of the line. Each day, eat the 9 oldest raisins, then set it up again. Repeat until pain-free, usually 72 hours. It is truly amazing. And cheap!

Drink your tea! Various parts of the celery plant contain more than 25 different antiinflammatory
compounds. Place 1 teaspoon of celery seeds in a cup. Fill the cup with boiling water. Cover and let stand for fifteen minutes. Strain and drink. The leaves of the rosemary plant contain four anti-inflammatory
substances: earnosol, oleanolic acid, rosmarinic acid, and ursolic acid. Put 1/2 ounce of rosemary leaves in a 1-quart canning jar and fill the jar with boiling water. Cover tightly and let stand for thirty minutes. Drink a cup of the hot tea before going to bed and have another cupful in the morning before breakfast.

Willow bark tea has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects similar to those of aspirin. But because the irritationcausing ingredient in aspirin tablets is diluted in tea, you’ll have less risk of stomach upset, ulcer and overdose if you drink the tea instead of the pills.

Spice up your life Many people drink ginger tea for osteoarthritis; a ginger compress is also beneficial.
Oregano is a powerful antioxidant, due in large part to rosmarinic acid, a compound with antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties. The antioxidants in oregano may help prevent the cell damage caused by free radicals, blamed for inflammation, degenerative arthritis and the aging process in general. The capsaicin in red pepper can help relieve arthritis when you apply the herb to the skin, using an over-the-counter cream that contains capsaicin like Zostrix or Capzasin-P.
Curcumin, the yellow pigment of turmeric, has significant anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to be as effective as cortisone or phenylbutazone in certain models of inflammation. Curcumin is sometimes given in combination with an equal dose of an extract of the pineapple plant called bromelain, which appears to possess anti-inflammatory properties of its own.

Helpful Supplements Fatty acids such as those found in black currant seed oil, borage oil, evening primrose oil, fish oil, and flaxseed oil increase the production of anti- inflammatory prostaglandins. S-adenosylmethionine (SAM or SAM-e) plays a role in the formation of cartilage and exerts a mild analgesic effect, comparable in effect to the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin.

Take your vitamins!
• Vitamin E, like the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used for arthritis, inhibits the prostaglandins that play a role in pain.
• Vitamin C is important for the synthesis of collagen and the repair of connective tissue.
• Pantothenic acid, part of the vitamin B complex, has been shown to help prevent and alleviate arthritis.
• Arthritis patients are recommended to take a supplement of B6 in addition to the recommended daily antioxidant vitamin/mineral supplement.
• One study found when administered to persons with arthritis, vitamins B1 and B12 enhanced the effectiveness of NSAIDs, allowing for a lower dosage of the pain relieving drugs.
• Vitamin A and the minerals zinc and copper are crucial to the formation of collagen and connective tissues.
Excerpted from article written by Tony Isaacs and published in Natural News

Please consult your health care provider before trying these or any other alternative forms of treatment.

The National Academy of Sciences proposed in 1941 that a guideline of minimum recommended daily dietary allowances be established for the express purpose of reducing the occurrence of diseases of malnutrition. These diseases of malnutrition include scurvy (caused by deficient levels of vitamin C), pellagra (caused by deficient levels of niacin), and beri- beri (caused by deficient levels of vitamin B-1). The RDA guidelines fell under sharp criticism within ten years of their publication because they were based on brief studies of approximately nine months and established only nutrient level minimums.

Maintaining one’s health over the course of a lifetime likely requires the intake of daily nutrients at varying levels relating to conditions such as illness, habit, and stage of life. It is estimated that at least
one chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes or a degenerative disease of the bone or eye, will afflict 80% of the American population over the age of sixty. This wide-spread
suffering of chronic disease in the aging may be evidence that the RDAs do not provide the levels of nutrients needed to maintain high quality health over a lifetime. In fact, the RDA guidelines are likened by the researchers to minimum wage rates since they barely sustain life let alone contribute in any meaningful way to improving life quality.

In addition to being established only as nutrient minimums, the RDAs fail to take into consideration the impact of lifestyle. Several studies have shown that behaviors such as regular consumption of alcohol, following special diets, and habitual smoking will lower blood levels of various nutrients. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) stated in their own findings that the RDAs “vary greatly in disease” implying that there are circumstances of living that can and do influence and change RDA requirements.

To gain a better perspective of the inadequacy of the standards, consider the work of two doctors at the University of Alabama School of Medicine cited in the Nutrient Digest; Emanuel Cheraskin and W.M. Ringsdorf, Jr. Given the narrow scope of the RDA guidelines, they attempted to ascertain the actual ideal daily consumption levels for nutrients, carbohydrates, protein and fat that healthy people consume daily and thereby thrive. Cheraskin and Ringsdorf, Jr. hypothesized that people who are more”symptom and sign-free of suffering” are healthier than people who present clinical symptoms and show signs of disease.

The Cheraskin and Ringsdorf, Jr. study consistently indicated that the healthiest people were those who had taken supplements and who had eaten a nutrient- rich diet in relation to the number of calories they ate. By comparing the daily intake levels of vitamins in the healthiest subjects, researchers calculated the mean or average amount of each vitamin consumed. Using these calculations, Alex Schauss, Ph.D. developed the Suggested Optimal Nutrient Allowances (SONA).

The SONA guidelines do not offer specific claims about nutrient abilities. They simply reflect what nutrient levels were consumed daily by healthy participants in the study and thus suggest that a diet including these nutrient levels each day is part of a healthy lifestyle. For example, the healthiest people in the study consumed approximately 410 mg of vitamin C each day. Analyzing the study data by age and gender determined SONA recommendations of 400mg of vitamin C for men and women aged 25-50, and 800- 1000mg of vitamin C for men and women aged 51 and older. By contrasting these amounts to the RDA’s recommendation of 60mg of vitamin C daily, it becomes clear that the RDA guidelines could only have been interpreted as the bare minimums.

The chart below shows a dramatic contrast between RDA and SONA measurements for daily nutrient intake. The USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference was used to create the
final column.
It specifies how much of a particular food a person would have to eat each day to obtain the RDA versus the SONA measurements for those nutrients. You will see that in fact, it is much more difficult to achieve optimal nutrition without supplementation.

• Vitamin A: RDA 700-900mcg, SONA 2000mcg (1 medium carrot vs. 4 carrots)
• Beta Carotene: RDA None Established, SONA 80- 100mg (8 cups cooked spinach)
• Vitamin C: RDA 75-90mg Smokers Add 35mg, SONA 800-1000mg (1-8oz cup OJ vs. 11 cups)
• Vitamin E : RDA 15mg, SONA 800mg (1oz. roasted almonds vs. 7 lbs. of almonds)
• Selenium: RDA 55mcg, SONA 200-250mcg (3 oz. canned tuna vs. 1 lb of canned tuna)
• Folic Acid: RDA 400mcg, SONA 2000mcg (“eat green vegs.” vs. 12 cups of broccoli)
• Niacin: RDA 14mg-16mg, SONA 25-30mg (6 med. baked potatoes vs. 12 baked potatoes)
• Lycopene: RDA None Established, SONA Not Found (10 cherry tomatoes = 4mg)
• Iron: RDA 8-18mg, SONA 20mg (“eat red meat” vs. 2 lbs. cooked burger)
• Zinc: RDA 8-11mg, SONA 17-20mg (“eat poultry” vs. 11 chicken breasts)

Excerpted from article published in Natural News, written by Carol L. Ohnesorge, who holds a Masters Degree in Counseling and Psychology with an emphasis in Holism.

VITAMIN C is a water soluble vitamin that should be taken daily along with other essential vitamins. Vitamin C plays a significant role in a variety of metabolic functions. It is best known for strengthening the immune system and aiding in the synthesis of collagen, which supports a healthy cardiovascular system.
Vitamin C is useful in protecting against infectious diseases like the common cold or flu, and any other infectious disease. Taking a daily dose of at least 1000mg is suggested for prevention. But what happens if you get an infection? You should definitely increase your vitamin C. Below is our recommendation for how to take vitamin C when you have contracted a cold, the flu, or other infection:

• Take, at minimum, 2000mg, 4 times a day. (if you develop loose stools, decrease intake by 1000- 2000mg)
• Take zinc 50mg daily.
• Colloidal Silver- 1 teaspoon twice daily.

Vitamin C has many benefits beyond supporting the immune system. As mentioned earlier, there has been extensive research on the benefits of vitamin C in preventing and even aiding in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin C protects against cardiovascular disease in the following ways: It alters triglyceride metabolism, helps to strengthen arterial walls, prevents oxidation of low-density lipoproteins and may reduce blood pressure.
Immune support and cardiovascular support are not the only two benefits of taking Vitamin C. There are many other reasons to take Vitamin C: aids in wound healing, provides antitumor activity, provides relief from skeletal pain in various disorders, protects against periodontal disease, and is especially effective in helping regenerate vitamin E after it has been attacked by oxygen radicals, improves iron absorption from the small intestine, is an effective antioxidant, is a cofactor (helper) in the metabolism of folic acid, some amino acids, and hormones, and protects against cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, colon, and lung, based on epidemiological evidence.
You should consult your physician about the proper dosage depending on your current condition and other medicines you may be taking.

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist. Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are fractures of the hip and spine. A hip fracture almost always requires hospitalization and major surgery. It can impair a person’s ability to walk unassisted and may cause prolonged or permanent disability or even death. Spinal or vertebral fractures also have serious consequences, including loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity.

Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because bone loss occurs without symptoms. People may not know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse. Sometimes a person’s osteoporotic hip, for example, can spontaneously break under the pressure of standing. Collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities such as kyphosis or stooped posture.

Risk Factors:
• Being thin or having small frame
• Estrogen deficiency as a result of menopause, especially early or surgically induced
• Being Caucasion or Asian
• Being female
• Cigarette smoking
• Excessive caffeine intake
• Excessive use of alcohol
• Low testosterone in men
• An inactive lifestyle
• Low lifetime intake of calcium
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Advanced age
• Amenorrhea (unusual absence of menstrual periods
• Certain chronic medical conditions
• Chronic use of certain medications such as anticonvulsants, prednisone, chemotherapy
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Anorexia Nervosa

Screening for osteoporosis can be done using ultrasound and a type of xray called DEXA scan. If someone has obvious osteoporosis, this can be incidentally picked up on a typical xray that may have been performed for another reason, but will not be able to quantify the bone loss. Ultrasound is a good screening tool, but if the result is even slightly abnormal, the person should have a formal DEXA scan. A DEXA scan is a painless procedure that involves a person lying on a table while a low level xray beam moves across the spine and hips. The score of main importance is the Tscore. It’s best to have a T-score on the + side, although having a Tscore as low as -1.0 is considered ‘within normal limits’. Having a T-score between -1.0 and -2.5 is considered osteopenia, while a Tscore less than -2.5 is considered osteoporosis.

Treatment of Osteoporosis includes adequate calcium intake (1500mg daily), supplementation with Magnesium, Boron, and Vitamin D, as well as weight-bearing exercise to increase strength and muscle mass. In addition, hormones are very effective in increasing bone density, particularly bio-identical progesterone and testosterone. Synthetic hormones are not as effective and also have many side effects. Other supplements that are useful include zinc and L-arginine. It is also very important to eat healthfully, getting natural sources of calcium, and avoiding substances that deplete your bone, such as alcohol, caffeine, acidic foods, and cigarettes.

It’s important to realize that achieving good health, in general, requires good nutrition, regular exercise, hormonal balance, and avoidance of toxins. If you focus on these things and acquire good habits, you shouldn’t have to worry about diseases such as osteoporosis because, by default, your body will be able to take care of itself. For instance, I previously had many risk factors for osteoporosis, and a little over one year ago, I was headed towards osteopenia. My T-score was -0.6. After being on Progesterone, thyroid, cortisol, vitamins, a mostly healthy eating plan, and regular exercise regimen for a year, my T-score is now +2.0. My plan was to get healthy in general, and I didn’t focus on bone density. I still have fun, forget to take my vitamins on occasion, and drink a cup of coffee every morning, so achieving wellness doesn’t have to be a scary proposition. It’s never too early to change your life course. I’d like to mention something else. Some people are concerned that thyroid and cortisol supplementation will cause bone loss. While it is true that longstanding HYPERthyroidism and long term use of HIGH doses of steroids will contribute to bone loss, supplementation with thyroid and low doses of cortisol to balance one’s hormones is something entirely different. My Tscore is case in point!