THE HEALTHY BENEFIT OF SOY
Even though the healthy benefit of eating soy beans and its derivative foods has now been scientifically proven and recognized, many people, including medical professionals, still do not used it or recommend it. My aim here today would be to introduce you to the benefits of this wonderful food called soy beans, and expose the pros and cons of its use as an adjunctive therapeutic diet.
Soy beans are considered sacred by Asians, and many foods made from soy beans have been eaten for thousands of years in China, South Korea, Japan, and other places. Soy beans are considered one of the most important foods that men have discovered from Mother Nature. Soy beans are not only an important source of high quality protein, but also a source of many other substances including phytoestrogens that have been found to promote health by protecting us from cardiovascular degenerative illnesses, certain cancers, and other diseases.
Existing data shows that one out of three people presently alive in the United States will ultimately develop cancer. In the West, the most used cancer treatments are surgery, synthetic chemotherapy, and radiation. Even though other forms of treatments are also available, cancer patients in the West are essentially treated with these so called "conventional therapies". Interestingly, the data indicates that while our understanding about what causes cancer and cancer cell behavior has considerably enhanced in the past fifty years, the incidence of cancer and the survival rate have not significantly changed with the sole used of chemotherapy and or radiation. Most improvements have been in early diagnostic and prevention.
It is known that many types of cancers are diet-related. Evidence shows that some foods increase the likelihood of developing cancer, while others reduce the likelihood of developing cancer. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, diet is considered to be a major factor in cancer prevention and treatment. Many foods such as soy beans, green tea, etc., have been tested scientifically and found to contain anti-cancer agents. Soy beans and soy derivative foodstuffs are among the most interesting anti-cancer foods. The most popular are soy milk and tofu. Many tofu-based dishes are often marinated with garlic, onion, ginger, sesame, or soy sauce. Soy products can be prepared into noodles and breads, and are also great substitutes or enhancers for meat, chicken, cow's milk, and eggs.
Asian people have long recognized that soy foods promote health and longevity. However, in the West, people are only recently beginning to eat soy. After medical researchers pointed out that cases of breast cancer and prostate cancer are significantly lower in Asian countries than in Western countries, and they attribute this fact to a diet high in soy; and when it was further revealed that Western women who consume soy foods have a fifty-percent lower incidence of cancer than women who don't eat soy, many scientists in the West decided to investigate these phenomena.
Scientific researches so far have revealed that soy beans contain at least five known anti-cancer agents, including protease inhibitors, genistein, phytoestrogens, and saponins. It has been known that soy beans contain protease inhibitors, but it was assumed that protease inhibitors interfered with proper digestion, so they were actually removed from soy products produced in the United States. Now we know that protease inhibitors are valuable anti-cancers that inhibit tumor growth by inhibiting the action of certain enzymes that promote tumor growth.
With perhaps a few exceptions, Genistein was unheard of before Dr. Herman Adlercreutz's research on prostate cancer was cited in the Wall Street Journal, 1993. Genistein, a type of phytoestrogen, blocks the signal that triggers normal cells to become cancer cells, and is extremely effective in stopping the growth and spread of prostate cancer and other forms of cancer. Some scientists also believe that genistein may even be used as a standard cancer treatment. Even thought more than three hundred plants contain phytoestrogens, genistein has been found only in soy beans.
Phytoestrogens from soybeans seem to create a favorable hormonal environment which prevents certain cancers from developing. Phytoestrogens from soybeans have a similar chemical structure to the estrogen produced by the body, but soy phytoestrogens are considered to be a weaker form of estrogen than the body's natural estrogen. The body's natural "strong" estrogens which bind to the body's estrogen receptors are recognized as being a triggering mechanism in the development of breast cancer.
Women in Western countries are not only affected by their naturally-produced estrogen, but also from a wide range of toxins, improper diet, and certain pharmaceutical drugs that exacerbate the levels of strong estrogens. It is believed that when soybeans foods are consumed, the natural form of estrogen in the soy binds with the body's estrogen receptors, thus leaving fewer estrogen receptors available for the risky, "strong estrogen" which is then discharged safely from the body.
While there is still controversy as to whether isolated genistein is actually harmful or beneficial to breast cancer patients, consuming genistein in naturally formed compound phytoestrogens rich foods from soy, has not been found harmful to cancer patients. Evidence also shows a clear healthy benefit in pre-menopause and menopause female population, as well as a lower incidence of prostate cancer in middle-age and older males with a regular intake of soy foods.
In whether to recommend a high intake of soy foods, I rely on the bio-energetic yin and yang evaluation (a useful clinical parameter of Traditional Chinese Medicine). Like estrogens, phytoestrogens are considered bio-energetically yin foods which are good to add in the treatment of patients .presenting signs of yin deficiency or excess of yang such as high levels of testosterone, prostate cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, etc. Since phytoestrogens are bio-energetically strong yin, I do not recommend high intake of soy foods for patients with breast cancer, and patients presenting sings of excess of yin or deficiency of yang.
When there is osteoporosis with clinical signs of yin and yang deficiency, a diet high in soy foods along will not suffice, as the body also needs yang energy to retain calcium in the bones. Therefore a strong supplement of vitamin D (especially if the patient remains extremely unexposed to sunlight) is considered to be beneficial to restore health in the bones.
I am happy that people in Western countries have finally discovered the "sacred beans" and recognize its healthy benefits, especially when used appropriately. Since there are now a variety of soy products available in the markets, it is wise to know that some of them are richer in phytoestrogens than others. I recommend that you purchase organically-grown soy beans products whenever possible, and learn to make your own dishes.
Some people complain of having gases after drinking soymilk. In such cases, I recommend to boil the soymilk before drinking it plain. The gas-causing effect would disappear with this procedure.
Soymilk is not only healthy, but it is also a delicious drink that can be used in virtually any other way cow milk is consumed. For example: plain milk, milk for cereal, milkshakes, milk for cooking, milk and coffee (Caf?con leche, capucino, caf?late, etc.). Tofu (soy bean curd) can also be used in so many ways. Here are some recipe examples:
Cut tofu in cubes and stir fried it or steam it with sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, green onions, ginger, and peppers (Eastern flavor). Or sliced tofu and stir fried it or baked it with olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil (or cilantro), and salt (Western flavor). Tofu (soy bean curd) is good into chicken soup, beef soup, vegetable soups, etc. And, it can also be eaten seasoned in salads.
Try to prepare food your own way, since cooking is an art open for imaginations. But love your mind and body, eat smart and enjoy your food. Eating well is important for health and longevity.
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