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I realize that this post may offend some people. Let me assure you that it is not my intent to do so. Many people today consume large amounts of soy in various forms, whether soy milk, soy butter, soy cheese, soy protein, etc....This has been touted as the next great health food discovery. Upon further reading, I have discovered some very serious health concerns related to consumption of soy.
I am just going to hit some of the highlights here. There is so much information available for further reading. If you want to investigate further check out Weston A Price. On that website there is a brochure available called "Soy Alert" that gives the myths and truths about soy. It gives a fantastic, easy to understand summary.For example, soy foods do not provide a complete protein.
There is a great concern about the safety of soy infant formulas. I have several close friends that have used soy formula for their babies, for various reasons, one of which is reflux. The Weston A. Price Foundations says in their article "Soy Alert," "Infants exclusively fed soy formula receive the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day." Also, "Premature development of girls has been linked to the use of soy formula and exposure to environmental estrogen-mimickers such as PCBs and DDE." Those statements alone are enough for me to seriously question the use of soy.
Sally Falon as put out a wonderful cookbook called Nourishing Traditions. The thing that I appreciate most about it is the way that she takes the time to thoroughly explain why certain foods are dangerous or unhealthy. She has quite a bit to say about soy. For example, she points out that protein powders made from soy are often labeled as a health food. Walk into any health food store and you will most certainly find protein powder. This type of protein is obtained by such a high temperature making the protein useless. It is also high in mineral-blocking phytates, thyroid depressing phytoestrogens, enzyme inhibitors, and it is known to depress growth, and cause cancer. I must admit that I did have to look up a few definitions to fully understand what that meant.
What are phytates? Phytates are substances that are found inside the husk of whole grains that binds certain minerals making them unavailable. Yes, all whole grains have them, but soy has quite a bit more than the others. Often soy-based foods contain MSG (see previous entry for MSG dangers). Soy milk has such a high phytate content that consumption of this product can lead to mineral deficiencies. One example is a depressed thyroid. If you have a thyroid problem, check your soy consumption.
Soy rations in animal feed affects their life span as well as quality of life. Often these animals suffer from liver problems, mastitis, and sterility.
What about soy sauce? Many people enjoy the occasional Asian cuisine. Look for "naturally brewed" soy sauce. It does not contain MSG. Soy foods block zinc unless they go through a long period of fermentation.
On page 502 of her book, Sally Falon states, "No other food has so many public relation firms and lobbyists working for it." Scary??
http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/avoid_soy.htm See this website for more information regarding the dangers of soy.
Should you give up soy? That's a personal decision. Many people think it's great because Asian peoples have used soy for thousands of years. However, if you research, you will discover that they use it more as a condiment than a main dish or staple. In my opinion, you should not use soy to replace something in your diet. I am not by any means a vegetarian. I believe God put meat on this earth for us to eat, responsibly. I do not believe it is the healthiest way to eat. Some may disagree, and that is perfectly fine. Our bodies need certain proteins and fats only found in meat. That I will cover another time. For now, I just wanted to give you something to think about, as well as other resources to peruse.
I must admit, this was a difficult topic on which to find information. I found plenty of articles describing what MSG is, but not much with regards to side effects or health related issues. My usual sources didn't have much to say about it. That's part of the reason it has taken me so long to post.
MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a food additive marketed as a flavor enhancer. It was isolated in 1907 by a Japanese researcher and introduced in the United States in 1947. It was once associated with Chinese food. I remember as a child going into a Chinese restaurant and seeing "no MSG." I had no idea what that meant. I originally thought it was some sort of dye because their pork was always so pink. MSG is now used by fast food chains, processed foods, bouillon cubes, sauces, salad dressings, canned/frozen/dried/prepared foods, snack foods, potato chips, and seasonings just to name a few. I challenge you to read your labels at home to see how many things contain MSG. It is usually listed as monosodium glutamate.
MSG is produced by bacterial fermentation. Now that just sounds gross. It ALWAYS contains contaminants. On the other hand natural occurring glutamic acid has no contaminants. You will find that in things such as unadulterated, unfermented plant and animal proteins.
Before I get into some of the health risks of MSG, I want to share an excellent example I once heard of how MSG affects your body. Think about a time when you've walked into a room or situation where there was very loud music being played. It could be a car, concert, dorm room, etc... After you left that situation, did it not take your ears a while to adjust back to normal? That's what MSG does to your tongue. It turns your taste buds up really loudly. Foods that used to taste fine are now bland. You need more seasoning. Eliminate foods with MSG and it will take some time for your taste buds to return to normal. Your taste buds are replaced about every 11 days.
The biggest health issue related to MSG is MSG sensitivity. Side effects include migraines (most common), aggravated asthma, heart irregularities, panic attacks, drastic mood swings, seizures, weight gain, and obesity. Let me give a disclaimer here. I am not saying that MSG causes these things, but that it can exacerbate the problems. Young people are at an even greater risk. MSG and its compounds can cross the placenta during pregnancy. It can also cross the blood brain barrier in an unregulated manner. To make matters worse, it is in infant formula.
One website that can go into even greater detail is www.truthinlabeling.org. From that website, I was able to read several studies done with regards to MSG and found them to be most disturbing. One study said, "In this country, at this time, potential poisons are not administered to humans in order to determine if they are toxic or safe. Therefore, what we know about the toxic effects of MSG comes from animal studies." That is scary!! MSG is toxic, yet it is being put into our food supply on purpose!
The food industry benefits greatly from the use of MSG. The government hasn't been much help in that area either. Big surprise!
My advice....read labels, read labels, read labels. It may not be possible to completely eliminate MSG from your diet, but I strongly urge you to try. I no longer buy bullion, but make my own stocks to freeze at home. OR I just don't use that particular ingredient in a recipe. It hasn't hurt us any. Homemade stock is so much better anyway. I make and use only homemade salad dressings. My husband still prefers store bought, but I am careful to limit the amount of MSG. Yes, it is more expensive to buy those types of foods, but look at it this way. You are either going to pay the grocery store for it now, or your doctor later. You decide.
For more information on MSG check out Weston A Price.
It seems like forever since I have been able to post. We have had many visitors since January, and I felt compelled to be a good hostess. My blogging got put on the back burner. Since, we are now company free for a while, I can return to my research and blogging.
Today, I want to discuss the topic of beans. I have some excellent resources and recipes to share, as well. Beans are more digestible if soaked for a long period of time before cooking. Soaking them breaks down two starches--farrinose and stachyose, which are complex sugars. Beans are often called the "poor man's meat." Combine with whole grains or a little meat, beans supply the diet with needed protein. They are also rich in B vitamins and minerals such as, folate, potassium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc. They also contain the needed omega3 and omega 6 fatty acids. For those in need of lowering cholesterol, try some beans! If you need some soluble fiber, try some beans!
One nice thing about beans, is that they freeze beautifully! You can cook up a large batch, use what you need, and freeze the rest. That way you don't have to spend hours in the kitchen preparing beans. What about canned beans? In her book Nourishing Traditions, Sally Falon recommends that you use them sparingly. The best way to eat beans is to prepare them yourself. Nourishing Traditions has some great recipes for preparing beans.
One complaint with beans is gas. Good news! The more you eat them, your body adjusts. So start out slow and gradually increase consumption. Beans are a wonderful way to help reduce the amount of money spent on groceries. They are inexpensive---about 20 cents per 1/2 cup.
Check out www.thefamilyhomestead.com for some great bean ideas. Crystal Miller does have a cookbook you can download for $8. I was able to try some of the recipes before they were for sale. The sloppy joes are delicious!! On her website, Crystal says that she often does not soak her beans. However, from all the nutritional information I have read, soaking is the healthiest way to prepare your beans.
If you are looking for nutritional information for beans see http://www2.id.us/bean/nutrition/value.html
If you want monthly recipes see http://americanbean.org, as well as www.beanbible.com
Check out this article for other bean information.
I try to serve beans several times a week. My husband isn't thrilled, but eats them. I make our own personal modifications to the recipes I have collected. If you are making a casserole with ground beef, use 1/2 the amount of beef and replace the other half with beans. Another example is tacos. Use 1/2 the amount of meat and replace the other half with beans. After you have finished cooking the meat, add the beans and mash with a potato masher. Season as you normally do.
I have to share a personal story with you. When Brandt was 9 months old, he had his hemoglobin checked. The doctor said he was slightly anemic. I thought that that might be the case because I made my own baby cereal and did not buy the "iron fortified" commercial baby cereals. She prescribed iron drops for him. After picking them up from the pharmacy, I felt hesitant about giving them to him. The side effects can be extremely unpleasant. I did call my mom, a nurse, to question this. His levels were within normal ranges, but on the low side of normal. I have always run on the low side of normal, so maybe this was hereditary. I did give him a full dose that day and a half dose the following 2 days. After that, I decided that I was going to stop and try to increase his iron naturally. The first thing I did was add mashed beans to his cereal, cottage cheese, and vegetables. He ate them and loved them. I had purchased some organic field peas at the farmer's market. He devoured them as well. I also increased his consumption of iron rich vegetables. In addition to those things, I increased my iron intake because I was still nursing. He needed all he could get. The biggest change though, was adding the beans. When I went back 4 weeks later for a recheck, I decided I wasn't going to say anything to the doctor about not giving him the iron. Well, she asked, so I had to be honest. I must say, she did not look thrilled. I was very respectful in how I explained why I didn't give it to him, as well as what I did to increase his iron. Even if you are anemic and on supplements, you're only going to raise iron levels one point per month anyway. The doctor seemed doubtful that his iron levels would be higher. After they ran the CBC, she came back all smiles. His iron had risen a point and a tenth. Don't get me wrong. I do think there is a need for doctors and medicines, but I also think that medication is over prescribed. I wanted to treat Brandt's "anemia" naturally. That way, he would not suffer the possible side effects from the iron supplement (ie. constipation, stained teeth, etc.) I would prefer a natural treatment to a synthetic one any day.
I would encourage you to try to add some beans to your weekly meal plan. It's a great and cost effective addition to any meal.
I Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (NASB)
Let me just warn you, this will be a rather long post. This is the second major change that we have made, and as you will see, for very good reason.
"Consuming partially hydrogenated oils is like inhaling cigarette smoke. They will kill you-slowly over time, but as surely as you breathe. And in the meantime, they will make you fat." --Eric Armstrong
What is hydrogenation? Hydrogenation occurs when in the process of heating the oil, hydrogen bubbles are passed through it. Fatty acids acquire hydrogen, making it more dense. It is a consistency like butter, but it's cheaper. Think of Crisco. Often time soybean oil is used for hydrogenation. Soybean oil can depress the thyroid, lowers energy levels making one feel less like exercising.
Another name for hydrogenated oils is trans fats. Trans fats are poisons that "interfere with the metabolic process of life by taking the place of a natural substance that performs a critical function." Your body has no defense against these metabolic poisons. There are no safe levels. Partially hydrogenated oils make you consume more food to get the essential fatty acids that you need. On the other hand, foods containing large amounts of polyunsaturated oils such as fish, olives, nuts, and egg yolks fill you up in small quantities. Hydrogenated oils will produce disease over the long term by interfering with the body's ability to utilize good fats.
What can you do? Read labels and avoid foods with hydrogenated oils. Avoid deep fried foods. Hydrogenated oil is used in the food industry to prolong shelf life of processed foods maximizing profits.
This is a staggering statistic: Partially hydrogenated oils are in 40% of foods at the grocery store; almost 50% of cereals (cold and hot); 70% of cake mixes; 75% of chips and salty snacks; 80% of frozen breakfast foods; 95% of cookies. Even "healthy" foods such as granola bars, power bars, low fat cookies and crackers contain hydrogenated oils.
PHO's are linked to Syndrome X (Beer Belly Syndrome). This describes a collection of health problems linked to the cell's inability to process insulin. Resistance to insulin leads to obesity.
This is a HUGE problem in American homes when 1/3 of all calories from food are not prepared at home. Children eat 40% of their meals at fast food restaurants. French fries are cooked in hydrogenated vegetable oil, as well as anything else that is fried (chicken nuggets, fish sticks, apple pies, crispy sandwiches, etc...) Fortunately for us, we rarely eat fast food. The only times we do are when we are traveling and there is nothing else around. Often, I will get a salad and never fried food.
One last note--margarine, often touted as a "health food." After I read how it was made, I gave it up completely. It is not a healthy food. It's natural color is grey which is removed by bleach. Dyes and flavors are added. It is then compressed into blocks or tubs and sold as a health food.
Why in the world would you want to eat something so artificial?
Better choices: extra virgin coconut oil, butter, olive oil (never fry with olive oil), safflower oil. I will discuss the benefits of these oils in a later post. As with most anything, moderation is the key.
For more information: San Fransisco Chronicle--Jan. 30, 2002; Nourishing Traditions, The Maker's Diet, www.treelight.com/health/nutrition;
www. recoverymedicine.com/hydrogenated_oils.htm
Before I moved on to oils, I wanted to address one more "sugary" issue, and that is SODA. I agree, it is delicious. I used to drink Coke, among other sugary drinks, but the more I learned, the quicker I gave it up. Now typically, I drink water or juice. For some people, it's hard to drink water. It is pretty bland. However, I do not have any problems drinking it. I do keep a glass full and sip on it through out the day and with meals to stay hydrated. I feel that I do have more energy when I stay hydrated. Just something to think about.
OK....now to address the downsides of soda. The first reason I would avoid this stuff is all the sugar and artificial sweeteners used. For further information on that, please refer to my entries on sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Secondly, soda contains phosphoric acid. In layman's terms...it's the fizzy. Phosphoric acid blocks the absorption of calcium and magnesium in your bones. Without these two important minerals, you are more susceptible to osteoporosis, impaired immune system, fatigue, and kidney stones. It weakens your bones. Women seem to be more at risk for osteoporosis. Be careful--ladies!
If you don't like plain water, try squeezing a lemon wedge in it for extra flavor. Do not add those water flavoring packets as they are laden with sugar and artificial sweeteners, as well as dyes for color. You don't need those extra ingredients. It negates why you are drinking water in the first place. Our family has taken various approaches to soda. I gave it up completely. I didn't drink that much in the first place, so it wasn't that difficult. My husband on the other hand is working on it. He has cut back considerably and is continuing to make changes. He has to have his caffine shot in the morning. In order to avoid caffine withdrawl, you have to cut back over time. He does not usually drink it throughout the day. I do not see him giving it up completely, but the less he drinks the better. He keeps a water bottle with him at work.
One more thought...soda is one of the worst drinks you can give to growing children, especially if it is diet. It weakens their bones, which they need to grow. Also see the previous entries for the effects of sugar and artificial sweeteners on growing children.
Next time, I will begin discussing hydrogenated oils. It may take one or two entries to cover that topic. Until then...
For further information see The Maker's Diet, Nourishing Traditions. Also check out Team Chiropractic ( http://www.teamchiro.com/) for other helpful wellness ideas. If you are in the Raleigh area and searching for a chiropractor that takes a different approach, you should definitely pay them a visit. They are a Christian practice that encourages pray and Bible reading as part of your healthcare plan. They close their offices during parts of the day to pray. I know they prayed for me during an especially difficult time in my life. Since moving to SC, I really do miss my monthly visit.
This is one of my most favorite desserts. In fact, you can eat it hot. You can eat it cold. You can even eat it for breakfast. I will show you the original version followed by my healthy modifications. Brown rice is an excellent source of whole grains.
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups milk, scalded
1 tablespoon butter
1. Combine ingredients, except nutmeg, and pour into greased, 9x9 baking dish.
2. Place dish inside larger dish. Pour hot water into larger dish so the water comes half way up smaller dish's sides.
3. Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
4. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Modified
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups milk, scalded
1 tablespoon butter
1. Combine ingredients, except nutmeg, and pour into greased, 9x9 baking dish.
2. Place dish inside larger dish. Pour hot water into larger dish so the water comes half way up smaller dish's sides.
3. Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
4. Sprinkle with nutmeg.**Make sure you sprinkle the nutmeg on after it is done baking. Otherwise, it will not set up and take about twice as long to bake. I learned that lesson the hard way. You can also add a little cinnamon too! Yummy!
I have a few other recipes that I will share later. I do want to take some time to move on to my next topic--hydrogenated oils. Until then....
This right here has been the best $43 we ever spent. You can make homemade ice cream without having the mess of rock salt and ice. You simply freeze the base. I am sure there are other brands out there, but we prefer Cuisinart. They are about $50 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but with the 20% off coupon, it's about $43. The machine does come with a recipe book, but I wanted to share some of our favorite more healthy choices. I have altered the amount of some ingredients for our personal preferences. You can adjust as necessary.
Vanilla
2/3 cup heavy cream (not ultra-pasteurized if you can find it)
2 1/3 cup whole milk
2/3 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
Pour all of this in the base while the machine is on and it mixes for you. No need to cook anything!!
Chocolate
Same amounts as before except cut syrup back to 1/2 or 1/3 cup and only 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
8 ounces chocolate chips. We prefer semi-sweet or dark chocolate.
Heat milk and cream in a saucepan until small bubbles appear around the edge. Put chocolate chips, syrup, and vanilla in a blender. Pour heated milk and cream over chips and blend until smooth. Chill before trying to freeze. I usually chill no shorter than 4 hours.
Mocha
Follow the instructions for chocolate ice cream, but add as much or little coffee as you like.
Peppermint Mocha
Follow instructions for chocolate ice cream, adding as much coffee and about 1 teaspoon peppermint extract.
You can also add any type of crunched up candy bar to the vanilla or chocolate recipe while the ice cream is freezing. However, we don't do that too often due to the ingredients in the candy bars. We have used peanut butter cups and chocolate chips.
Enjoy!!
