LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Soy

Soy components improve cholesterol – (02-08-01)

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Soy isoflavones improve lipids in normal & mildly hypercholesterolemia

Soy is believed to act through several mechanisms (most centered on the liver) to lower cholesterol levels. The effect in this study was mild, but, as with any functional approach, with added exercise, lowering of refined carbs (high insulin will stimulate HMG-CoA reductase..the enzyme that makes cholesterol), nutrients designed to stimulate healthy liver and gall bladder function (to aid in the elimination of cholesterol through the feces) and avoidance of saturated fat and I’m the effect is no longer mild.

AJCN — Abstracts: Wangen et al. 73 (2): 225 http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/73/2/225

Flaxseed alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women – (02-16-04)

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Flaxseed alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women greater than supplementation with an equal amount of soy

I am a big fan of both flaxseed supplementation and soy products (NOT supplements) as part of healthy lifestyle. However, I usually recommend grinding your own flaxseed which most patients find difficult to do on regular basis. Remember that the lignans are not present in the oil supplements. So, just because this study suggests that flax may be better than soy as it relates to estrogen metabolism, both have additional health benefits unrelated to their effects on estrogen metabolism and both should be part of a healthy lifestyle.

AJCN — Abstracts: Brooks et al. 79 (2): 318 –

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EFFECT OF PLANT LIGNANS ON CVD AND CANCER – (05-29-03)

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Risk of CVD–Related, All-Cause Death & Serum Enterolactone.

There is much evidence suggesting a protective effect of plant lignans (found in whole grains, flaxseed, soy…) on many diseases including CVD and breast and endometrial cancer. However, many of these studies are not raising a fundamental question. Lignans are converted by intestinal bacterial to enterolactone. What impact does the widespread destruction of normal flora with antibiotics have on this conversion rate?

Arch Intern Med — Abstracts: Vanharanta et al. 163 (9): 1099 –

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FACTORS TO DETERMINE EFFECT OF PROTEINS ON SHORT TERM FOOD INTAKE – (11-21-04)

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Protein Source, Quantity, and Time of Consumption Determine the Effect of Proteins on Short-Term Food Intake

This is an interesting article that begins to fill in some of the details of healthy lifestyles. We all know that we HAVE to eat breakfast. But, some will not eat right away, or will not always choose the healthiest items to eat.

This study found that eating earlier (by 9:10 AM) was much more effective at suppressing appetite than eating a little later. Also, soy and whey protein was much more effective, while egg albumin actually increased caloric intake. So the old eggs for breakfast may not be the best option.

Protein Source, Quantity, and Time of Consumption Determine the Effect of Proteins on Short-Term Food Intake in Young Men — ..

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Role of isoflavones on estrogen metabolism in premenopausal women – (03-28-02)

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Role of isoflavones on estrogen metabolism in premenopausal women

The author of this study concludes that soy products may be an important tool for breast cancer reduction. Remember, however, that nature gave us soy with all the varying components intake, and the isolation, purification and mass production of individual compounds that we think are the most important may not yield similar results. Soy is just one component of a healthy lifestyle.

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Allergy to soy and extensively hydrolyzed whey formula in infants – (03-28-02)

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Allergy to soy and extensively hydrolyzed whey formula in infants

As much as I am against dairy, I am not strongly in support of soy formula for infants either. Breastfeeding is unquestionably the best source of nutrition for infants and every effort should be made to keep infants breastfeeding. Too often I hear of patients who stopped breastfeeding due to thrush or GI complaints in the infants. Most if not all of these side effects can be fixed by changing the maternal diet. If formula is needed, I strongly support a hydrolyzed formula. I don’t care whether an infant is given cow’s milk or soy formula–that much exposure to a developing GI tract is not good. The hydrolyzed formula has less proteins for the infant to react to.

Journal of Pediatrics Online

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SOY INTAKE IS PROTECTIVE FOR THE BONE – (05-15-06)

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Cooperative effects of isoflavones and exercise on bone and lipid metabolism in postmenopausal Japanese women

The study strongly illustrates the brilliant orchestra that is our physiology and how, unless researchers understand this dynamic, the wrong message can make it to the public. The isoflavones in soy have been found to be protective for bone, but not in every study. As it turns out, the isoflavones in soy have to been acted on the correct bacteria in the gut to produce equol. Equol is the compound that has consistently been found to protect bone. So, while soy may be protective to bone, this benefit may be reduced in those patients who have ever been on antibiotics or have a disturbed bacterial flora.

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HEALTHY USE OF SOY – (05-29-06)

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Soy protein intake by active young adult men raises plasma antioxidant capacity without altering plasma testosterone

I remember an article in one of my trade journals a few years back. The author of an article on soy was blasting soy as harmful. I wrote a letter to the editor noting that this attitude flies in the face of much current literature. The editor allowed her to rebut. She (a registered dietician) gave about 7 or 8 articles to support her position. After tracking down these references, I almost had to laugh. Most were in support of soy being good for us!! She was obviously just regurgitating what someone else had told her and had little original thought.

This is yet another article supporting the healthy use of soy. Now, that being said, I am against the trend to “soy” everything. I truly do not feel that Mother Nature intended for soy to be mutated into a tofurkey to be eating day in and day out and taken in supplements to top it all off.

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