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Why soy is sabotaging your skin

Why soy is sabotaging your skin

Published by Marissa Masterson on Feb 9th 2021

Stop eating soy! 

Wait, what? Soy isn't healthy? No way. Soy has wrongfully been pushed by into the mainstream as a "health food" since the 80's.

It all started with the production of vegetable oil. Most vegetable oil is made primarily from soy; the oils were pressed and protein portion was to be discarded - a cost that soy manufacturers didn't want to deal with. The soy industry decided to market soy as a health food, taking it's "poverty-food" association and turn it into an upscale food, a food that health-conscious people were willing to spend big dollars on. Despite the science that goes back to the 70's with the USDA and honest scientists, soy was still gradually marketed as a health food, to the point that people actually think they should be eating more soy. The science found that Soy protein could be used as animal feed, but if animals are given too much, they get thyroid disease and die much faster. Sound like something we humans should be eating?

It does not prevent or cure disease in any way. It does not lower cholesterol or reduce heart disease. It has not been proven to be safe, however the FDA has allowed a "soy prevents heart disease" claim. This is the same FDA that allows aspartame by the way... so not the most trust-worthy claims. Soy is NOT a miracle food. 

Soy products are present in a huge amount of our food supply. Just look at the back of any packaged food in your cabinet or fridge..... and then please throw them away!

Soy protein is hard to digest

Soy does have a great content of plant protein, but it comes with the enzyme inhibitors "protease inhibitors" that makes it hard to digest and causes pancreatic problems. That's why so many people have trouble digesting it and find it causes increased gas, bloating and discomfort. We all know by now that anything which distrupts digestion will also affect your skin. Soy is far from a beauty food.

It depletes the body of minerals

Soy is a low-mineral food, but also chelates essential minerals out of the body, such as magnesium, iron, and zinc.

soy infant formula

It mimics hormones

Soy contains isoflavones(which are phytoestrogens- or plant estrogens) which are close enough to human estrogens that they can distrupt the body and create endocrine and hormonal problems. They bind with hormone receptor sites which can cause problems in babies that rely on proper hormone function in order to grow and develop properly. Think about all the soy-based baby formulas, a baby's main source of nutrition during a critical programming time - it's scary to think we are essentially playing with a perfect beings hormones. In fact, according to an article by Kimberly Snyder, one day's worth of infant formula is equal to taking 5 birth control pills. 

Infancy, pregnancy, puberty, reproductive years and menopause are the most vulnerable times when soy can have the most serious effects. For example, in the first trimester, the male fetus is producing testosterone. If the mother is eating a lot of soy, that testosterone can be suppressed. The male fetus is extremely vulnerable at this time which is why birth defects with sex organs is more likely with males than with females. It can also lead to infertility in males and decreased libido. 

Baby girls are less effected in regards to genital development however plant estrogens can program a little girl for life-long fertility problems(infertility), early breast development/early puberty and estrogen-dependant cancers like breast cancer. Thyroid disorders and allergies are also common with highly estrogenic individuals.

3 key roles of phytoestrogens

From the 3 contradictions below, it's easy to understand why people are confused about whether or not soy is a health food.

  • pro-estrogens:

Might benefit menopausal women but can contribute to cancer, particularly breast cancer.

  • anti-estrogens:

Could help estrogen-dependant cancers but could contribute to infertility

  • developmetal toxins:

Pregnancy and early infancy could distrupt sexual differentiation. But could possibly protect against environmental estrogens

Soy operates differently on different people at different times. That's why some people praise soy and others don't do well with it. The levels of isoflavones in soy are influenced by many factors and can vary greatly depending on factors like weather, crop year, geographical location, temperature, humidity, fertilizers, pathogens and more. American varieties have high levels of isoflavens than other regions. There's no control.

Think about hormonal acne, if phytoestrogens in soy distrupt your hormones, you better believe they can be a factor in your hormonal acne. If you have hormonal acne, ditch all the soy right now and watch your skin improve.

soybean crops

It's usually GMO and full of pesticides

Over 90% of soy produced in the United States is Genetically Modified(GMO). It is yet to be known what affects GMO food can have on our health in the long term. Unfortunately, GMO seeds are also often "roundup ready", which means they are resistant to herbicides and also means they are heavily sprayed with herbicides. And if they're sprayed with herbicides, they're likely also sprayed with pesticides. I don't want pesticides in any of my food, thanks. Herbicides and Pesticides can cause a wide range of health problems, including cancer, endocrine & hormone distruption, birth defects, nerve irritation, and reproductive issues such as infertility. None of which, make us our most beautiful selves. 

Side note #1: Round up ready seeds often also include corn, canola, alfalfa, sorgum and cotton. Make sure you always buy those products organic. 

Side note #2: Round up ready seeds are terminator seeds, meaning they are sterile and farmers are forced to buy new seed each year from the big bad GMO company Monsanto.

It can cause cancer

We talked above about how soy can promote estrogen-dependant cancer like breast cancer. It can also promote prostate cancer, lung and colon cancer. 

soy tempeh

How to safely eat soy

Avoid 

  • Soy protein isolate, concentrate or hydrolyzed products like soy veggie burgers and fake meat. 
  • Soy Milk
  • Tofu
  • Edamame (soy beans)
  • Soy lechithin
  • Soy infant formula
  • Soy nuts
  • Soybean oil
  • Soy Flour
  • Soy energy and protein bars

Look our for hidden soy in processed/packaged foods like gluten-free breads, sauces, faux meat and faux cheese. 

"Soy’s beneficial properties are only available when a specific mold is grown on the beans in a process called fermentation. Fermentation not only makes nutrients bio-available, it also destroys the toxins present in the beans." - The Delicious Revolution

In moderation (fermented soy products)

  • Natto
  • Miso
  • Tempeh
  • Other fermented soy foods
  • Low sodium tamari sauce vs. soy sauce

No more than a couple times per week and always choose organic.

Look for whole, real, organic, quality foods! 

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References:

http://kimberlysnyder.com/blog/2010/03/08/scary-fa...

http://thedeliciousrevolution.com/cleanse/why-avoi...

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