Just for Her: Soy Wonder
This simple bean packs incredible health benefits
By Enrique Cortez, MD
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Cascade Valley Women's Health
(now Cascade Valley Arlington Women's Health)
Interest in health maintenance is rising. We are becoming more informed about healthy choices, exercising, choosing proper nutrition, and avoiding smoking and other harmful activities. As part of this involvement we are making health a personal, rather than a medical, issue.
A consequence of this has been a rise in the use of alternative methods to preserve health. More than 40% of the people in one survey indicated they use alternative medical approaches. The use of plants as a natural hormone source is a primary example of these methods.
Five easy ways to add soy to your diet:
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Estrogen is an important female hormone. It plays an essential role in growth, reproduction, formation and preservation of strong bones, and preservation of a healthy cardiovascular system. As we age, estrogen levels decline. While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helps reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis - some are not able to take hormones. For these women, a new area of research is looking at foods that have estrogen like compounds in them.
The food that holds the greatest interest is the soybean and products made form it. Phytoestrogens in soy, called isoflavones, may help decrease the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
Phytoestrogens are very important nutrients. In cultures such as China and Japan, millions of people rely on soy as their main source of protein. As a result, they enjoy lower risks of a variety of age-related diseases compared to Westerners, who get protein mostly from meat and dairy. Here is how the research stacks up in soy's favor for three age-related conditions.
Cancer
There is statistical evidence that the cancer rate is much lower when phytoestrogens are abundant in the diet. There is also laboratory evidence that phytoestrogens retard the growth of prostate and breast cancer cells grown in tissue cultures.
Heart Disease
Studies show a reduction of cholesterol and low density lipoproteins (risk factors for cardiovascular disease), and an increase in HDL (the "good" lipid,) when women consume 40 grams a day of soy protein. Studies also show that phytoestrogens inhibit the clumping of platelets in the blood, which reduces the tendency for clots to form inside blood vessels.
Osteporosis
Lack of estrogen leads to a weakening of the bones. When postmenopausal women take 40 grams a day of soy, some improvement of bone mineral density is observed.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It should not replace a visit with your health care professional. Call your doctor if you need more information or have additional questions.