The Israeli Health Ministry recently issued a health advisory strongly recommending that soy foods be eaten only in moderation. They also recommended that soy formula be avoided altogether by infants.

A Host of Disorders

There are hundreds of studies linking soy with such disorders as:

• Digestive problems
• Thyroid dysfunction
• ADD and ADHD
• Dementia
• Reproductive disorders
• Cancer

Phytoestrogens are the Culprit

The Israeli Ministry based its advice on the findings of a panel of nutritionists, oncologists, pediatricians and other specialists who spent over a year looking at the available evidence. They concluded that the phytoestrogens in soy (estrogen-like plant hormones) can be harmful. Their recommendations are in accord with those made by the United Kingdom's chief medical officer and the British Dietetic Association.

The panel found that:

• The evidence that soy alleviates menopausal symptoms is inconsistent.
• Soy phytoestrogens increase the risk of breast cancer.
• Soy phytoestrogens can also reduce male fertility.

They also noted that while soy has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, there is no proof that it reduces the risk of heart disease.

The panel concluded that the proven risks of soy foods outweigh the possible benefits.

Mothering August 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

The Israeli Health Ministry has made a wise decision, and I hope the knowledge of the potential dangers posed by uninformed soy use continues to spread.

After an aggressivemarketing campaign from the soy industry, Americans are convinced that soy is a miracle health food. Some 200 million Americans are now eating soy in record amounts and in newly created, highly processed forms like soymilk, soy burgers, soy energy bars, soy ice cream, soy cereal and soy meat.

Meanwhile, thousands of studies link soy foods to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, infertility and a host of other problems.

Millions of Americans feed soy formula to their infants. The estrogens in soy can irreversibly harmyour baby's future sexual development and reproductive health, and can cause many other developmental abnormalities.

Soy formula should never be used as it can damage your infant. It:

• Will adversely affect hormone levels, as it has been associated with reduced testosterone levels.
• Will impair thyroid function through isoflavones present in the formula.
• Increases the risk of behavioral problems.
• Will expose infants to up to 2,000 times higher estrogen content.
• Has potentially high concentrations of aluminum and manganese.

There are some soy productsthat are, in fact, good for you -- but only certain types and in limited quantities. Fermented soy, which includes natto, miso andtempeh,is a health food for most. But soy formula is an abomination that has caused much damage to the children of this country, and it should be immediately banned for sale everywhere.

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