For years I have wanted to be a vegetarian but my body rebelled on me as I just did not have the same energy and satiety level while eating soy, beans, lentils and other nutritious non-animal food sources (I also struggled more with my weight because I always seemed hungry). While I still include many vegetarian foods in my overall food plan I consume only organic soy based products sparingly because of some of the vigorous arguments I hear against the genetically modified versions of these particular foods.
I’ve questioned genetically modified foods in general, based on what I learned in nutrition school (not much of it was positive information) as well as the information researched by the holistic doctor, Dr. Mercola who usually uses reputable good resources to back up his claims. (Note: soy baby formula in particular has been in the hot seat lately.)
So, readers this time I’m asking, what are all your thoughts on soy products, particularly genetically modified ones? Here are some links on the subject:
http://www.westonaprice.org/Experts-Dispute-Soy-Formula-Safety. htmlhttp://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/08/01/genetically-modifiedorganisms-are-a-looming-threat.aspx
http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/
(For more information in general about genetically modified foods read any of the books listed here. You will be surprised at what you will learn.)
(For more information in general about genetically modified foods read any of the books listed here. You will be surprised at what you will learn.)
When my twin & I were born, we were apparently allergic to cow's milk and the doctor recommended Similiac, which I think was the first soy-based baby formula. Fortunately, our parents were poor, and we we weaned pretty quickly. Somehow, though, I developed an allergy to soy (unknown to me) while my twin did not. In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, it wasn't uncommon for fast foods to be "fortified" with TVP (textured vegetable protein/soy). Often, I could not get out of the restaurant before I had to rush to the restroom with severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea. In the late 70s, I went to work at a Seventh Day Adventist hospital where no meat was served in the cafeteria. My cramps and diarrhea became a daily occurrence. My doctor was SDA, and he quickly diagnosed me as being allergic to soy; according to him, as many as 40% to 45% of people are allergic to soy and don't know it. They assume things like a mild case of food poisoning or irritable bowel syndrome. When I stopped eating soy, my problem cleared up.
ReplyDeleteI only recently learned about soy being genetically modifed. You think with it being associated with whole foods, vegetarian lifestyle, etc., that it's just naturally organic. I would suggest to people that if they are having any GI issues at all, they eliminate soy from their diet and see what happens.
Hi Ellen,
ReplyDeleteAnd, it doesn't even have to be an allergy, it can be a food sensitivity which can be even harder to detect especially in Western medicine. Soy is one of the most allergic foods out there actually and a lot of people just do not realize it. Thank you for your sharing!-Elaine