Re: Regarding soy - Oy!

You will also find a lot of good ol' boys in mainstream medicine and science who favor statins, vaccinations of all sorts, bone drugs, GMO crops (of which soy is one of the top three in the world along with corn and canola) and any other number of items that you won't support for around here.  A few years ago you would also have been able to find a lot of the same folks extolling the benefits of Vioxx and a few decades ago, respected doctors and scientists were regularly trotted out to testify in favor of cigarettes.  Today we see that same network telling us of the dangers of vitamins and the lack of benefits of fruit and vegetables.  In other words, quoting mainstream support does not hold much water in this neck of the woods.   Those people by and large follow the money and what they have been taught.  The soy industry is a huge multi-billion industry and their lobby and propagana machine is formidable.

In actuality there have been a number of studies and respected doctors, scientists and other health figures who have warned about the dangers of soy.  Like those who favor vitamins, minerals, and herbs over unnatural mainstream drugs, their voices have been far overshadowed by the soy machine.   Those who are speaking out against soy products, use extensive data and research reports. They also do not have monetary gain as a motive for putting out the information.

On the other hand, those promoting soy show an obvious lack of scientific study and research. Information promoting soy products often refers back to the Asian people's dietary habits and their health records. Soy advocates also do not share critical information about the conditions in which the soy plant is grown, which can greatly change the chemical structure of the plant, causing the soy plant to have antiestrogenic effects, rather than estrogenic effects. Stress, fungus, and other environmental and growth conditions can change the types and amounts of phytochemicals responsible for soy's touted health benefits or risks.

When it comes to the Japanese, it is worth noting that much of their soy consumption is fermented soy, such as miso, tempeh and natto.  In addition, the Japanese consume lots of healthy fish and have other habits which may help offset some of the less healthy things they do, much like the healthy food items and lifestyle of those who eat a mediterranean diet contribute to their lack of heart disease and other health problems.  According to the Okinawan Study:

"Some of the most important factors that may protect against those cancers include low caloric intake, high vegetables/fruits consumption, higher intake of good fats (omega-3, mono-unsaturated fat), high fiber diet, high flavonoid intake, low body fat level, and high level of physical activity."

Similarly, you may well lead a healthy enough lifestyle and have an otherwise healthy enough diet to enable you to receive benefits from your soy and hopefully not end up with any of the detriments linked to the consumption of unfermented soy.

In regards to longevity, Okinawa is the only population of longest lived peoples who consume significant amounts of soy.  Other long lived populations, such as those in Sardinia, those in an area of Nova Scoti and the Seventh Day Adventists in California consume very little soy.  What they and the Okinawans all share is a much healthier lifestyle which includes a good amount of physical activity, less stress and a cleaner environment.   It is worth noting that Okinawans under 50 years old, which were excluded from the Okinawan study, continue to eat lots of soy but have also adapted much of the American SADs diet and lifestyle.  Their life expectancy has now fallen behind that of the Japanese mainland.  And just for the record, the 7th Day Adventists in California hold the actual title of longest lived people.

The longest study on soy products began in Hawaii in 1965 with 8,006 Japanese-American men. It questioned the men about 27 foods and drinks. Over the years the men were monitored, questioned, and studied. The study shows a significant statistical relationship between two or more servings of tofu a week and "accelerated brain aging" and even an association with Alzheimer's disease,  It is worth noting that the Japanese and other Asian peoples have the highest rates of Alzheimer's in the world.

Regardless of any benefits soy may have in breast and other cancers, soy has been strongly linked with stomach cancers.  Japan has one of the highest incidences of stomach cancer in the world.  Futhermore, it has been observed that the stomach cancer rates in northern Africa were almost non-existent prior to the introduction of soy.  Since then the rates have sky-rocketed.

Studies have also indicated soy dangers for infants and young children, including brain damage, premature aging, early onset of puberty, asthma, allergies and disorders such as ADHD.

My suggestion is that, regardless of how you have fared thus far, the risks of soy are not worth the benefits and perhaps you should strongly consider ditching the tofu and soy milk in favor of perhaps whey and raw goats milk and get some of your lignans from flaxseed instead.  And opt for only fermented soy products for the beneficial items in soy.  If you can, try to make sure they come from non-GMO soy.