Lately, you can’t turn on the TV or flip through a magazine without hearing the praises of soy. It’s in everything from diet foods, health foods, to desserts. Many health gurus sing its praises and encourage large amounts of consumption of soy products. Many times, it is considered a good meat substitute for vegetarians. However, the truth is soy is not good for you and should be avoided as much as possible outside of fermented soy such as soy sauce and perhaps occasional use as a condiment.
Many people will point to the use of Soy by Asians but the truth is, soy is not eaten at high levels in Asia as it is in the USA. They typically eat less than 8 grams of soy per day. Whereas in America that amount is growing rapidly to totally, replace animal proteins. Asians did not eat unfermented soy products because soybeans are impossible to digest properly and cause many digestive upsets. Today, studies have shown soy to be an estrogen, which causes cancer in test animals.
In addition, soy also has a substance that causes red blood cells to clot called haemagglutinin, which can increase the chances of contracting dangerous flu as well as contribute to stroke and heart attack. Also, soy is known to actually block the body from absorbing certain nutrients like protein, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. The fermentation process helps avoid these issues to a point, but the other factor is that 99% of soy is genetically modified and very contaminated with pesticides.
Products containing such ingredients as soy protein isolate are highly processed foods. To be healthy humans need to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible and soy protein isolate is not something that can be made easily. A highly detailed chemical process has to take place to produce soy protein isolate. This ingredient, unfortunately, found in baby food, many health foods, school lunch programs and snacks is quite dangerous since it blocks absorption of vitamin and minerals. Unfortunately, marketing and the greed for money is at work in making soy into the so-called health food that it is perceived as today. You may agree or disagree with this article, but I invite you to look at the research regarding soy products and determine for yourself what is healthy for you and your family.
You probably read about smoothies all the time. They’re the new super health foods! Actually, they’re quite old, and the ones you buy in the store can be very unhealthy full of high fructose corn syrup, soy and other additives. The best smoothies are the ones you make at home from scratch with organic unprocessed whole foods. There is no reason to use protein powders, or freeze dried foods, or unhealthy sugars in your diet. Whole fruits and vegetables taste great all on their own. If you want to add sweetener choose wholesome disease and bacteria fighting honey!
Smoothies with antioxidants from berries and probiotics protein and calcium from Greek yogurt and enzymes from leafy greens are the anti-aging miracles that you are looking for. You’ll lose weight, feel energetic and even feel and actually be smarter. The following one serving recipes offer many benefits include them in your diet for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Anti-Aging Super Smoothie
Ingredients:
- ½-cup organic blueberries
- ½-cup organic spinach
- ½-cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½-cup filtered water
- ½-cup crushed ice
- ¼-cup honey (optional)
Place water first then all the other ingredients in a high-speed blender, blend until smooth.
Variations:
| Strawberry Dream
|
Orangesicle
|
| Replace honey with a packet or two of stevia
Replace spinach & berries with equal amount of strawberries
Replace yogurt with soy free Almond Milk
|
Replace water with 1-cup fresh squeezed orange juice
Eliminate blue berries
Eliminate spinach
Add seeds of one vanilla bean
Add 1-Tablespoon ground flax seed
|
| Banana Fofanna |
I like Pina Colada’s Smoothie |
| Eliminate spinach
Eliminate blueberries
Add 1 large very ripe banana
Add 1-cup soy free almond milk
Reduce to Two tablespoons raw honey
Add 1 tablespoon ground flax seed |
Eliminate Spinach
Eliminate blueberries
Add 1 cup frozen pineapple
Add 1 frozen banana
Replace water with Coconut water
¼ cup pineapple juice |
Use these as a starting point and create your own smoothie recipes. Remember to use organically grown, fresh, not canned ingredients. You can use pre-frozen organic ingredients but fresh is always best. Also use a very high speed blender such as a Vita Mix or Health Master.
Studies are showing, more every day, that massage is the best cure and treatment for low back pain. Low back pain is one of the most common ailments with age that causes people to miss work. Low back pain is worse most of the time than any type of menopausal symptoms that you might have even hot flashes. The reason is that low back pain can be so debilitating that you cannot go to work, or even fully participate in your life. The other factor regarding massage is that no massage machine matches the magic of human touch to make you feel better.
The great thing is that aside from alleviating back pain massage can assist with overcoming and dealing with other issues related to menopause such as diminished sex drive, up and down moods, tension and more. Ask your massage therapist to pay special attention to your lower back and your lower abdomen. A side benefit of massage is that regardless of your current physical shape, massage makes women feel better about herself. A really awesome side benefit is that massage also aids in weight loss by lowering stress hormones like cortisol.
In addition to lowering stress hormones like cortisol, you will experience improved circulation, less physical pain post exercise (which will make you want to exercise more) and improved posture. Massage has also been proved to help eliminate fat deposits and cellulite improving body contour. What can be better than that, better body contour, weight loss and relaxation, while making you feel younger due to relieving menopausal symptoms.
A certified massage therapist can also give you tips on how to improve your diet, exercise regimen and how to show yourself more love. There are different types of message that are helpful with dealing with menopause symptoms making you feel more youthful. You can get deep tissue massage, Chinese massage that includes compression, pushing, vibration, slapping (not too hard!) friction, joint manipulation and more to get your blood circulating better. Be sure that your massage therapist is certified in whatever type of massage they are performing. To get deep tissue or hard massages by someone who is not knowledgeable about the human body you can damage your liver or other internal organs.
