Everyday Systems: nosdiet: message 2842 of 3212

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This was recently posted at my other Yahoo group and Barry gave me permissi=
on to forward it. He summarized the topic very well, and it's not one you 
=
hear about in the mainstream press, so I post it for your consideration. 
I=
hope it might help someone who wonders why they aren't losing. Barry also=
doesn't mind getting e-mail directly, if you have questions.=20

Diane

-----Forwarded Message-----
From: Barry Groves <barrygroves@...>
Sent: Feb 7, 2005 5:30 AM
To: 

Here is just a brief resume of some concerns. Soya contains:

=B7 Protease inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzym=
es needed for protein digestion. These inhibitors are not completely deacti=
vated during ordinary cooking. They produce serious gastric distress and 
re=
duce protein digestion to cause chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake. 
=
In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors cause enlargement and 
pat=
hological conditions of the pancreas, including cancer. (Rackis JJ, et al. 
=
The USDA trypsin inhibitor study. I: Background, objectives and procedural 
=
details. In Qualification of Plant Foods in Human Nutrition. vol. 35, 1985.=
)
=B7 Phytic acid, which inhibits the absorption from the gut of several 
i=
mportant minerals, particularly calcium, iron and zinc.
=B7 Phytoestrogens and isoflavones which mimic the female sex hormone, 
o=
estrogen.=20
=B7 Goitregens which inhibit thyroid activity.

This last one is important on this list because soya stops you losing weigh=
t

The thyroid gland produces hormones that have a profound effect on our 
bodi=
es' metabolism -- the rate at which our bodies use energy. This in turn 
has=
implications for the cause and treatment of obesity. It also affects such 
=
seemingly unrelated things as blood cholesterol levels.

In the condition known as hypothyroidism -- underactive thyroid -- the 
=
thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, thyroxin. As this 
co=
ndition progresses, the thyroid may increase in size in an attempt to make 
=
more thyroxin. This produces an unsightly swelling in the neck called a 
goi=
tre. The most important cause of goitre is a lack of iodine and goitres 
are=
endemic in parts of the world that are deficient in iodine. But these are 
=
rare in the West, where other causes of hypothyroidism and goitre are more 
=
prevalent. In the West, it is chemicals that suppress thyroid function -- 
g=
oitregens -- that are more important. One such is fluoride, which will be 
d=
iscussed later in this chapter. But soya also contains goitrogens.

In 1991, Japanese researchers reported that consumption of as little as=
thirty grams -- about two tablespoons ---of soya per day for just one mont=
h caused goitre and hypothyroidism to appear in some of their trial partici=
pants and many complained of constipation, fatigue and lethargy. (Ishizuki 
=
Y, et al. The effects on the thyroid gland of soybeans administered experim=
entally in healthy subjects. Nippon Naibunpi Gakkai Zasshi 1991; 767: 622-6=
29.)
=20
In 1997, researchers from the United States' Food and Drugs Administrat=
ion's National Center for Toxicological Research made the embarrassing 
disc=
overy that the goitrogenic components of soya were the very same isoflavone=
s that were promoted to help women through the menopause. (Divi RL, et al. 
=
Anti-thyroid isoflavones from the soybean. Biochem Pharm 1997; 54: 1087-109=
6.)

When the thyroid gland does not produce sufficient thyroxin, this slows=
down the body's metabolism -- the rate at which it uses energy. For this 
r=
eason, including soya in the forms of flour, powder or milk in your diet 
co=
uld cause weight gain or stop your weight loss.

Unless you want to swap one disease for others, I urge you to stick to 
eati=
ng real food.

Barry Groves, PhD
Author: Eat Fat, Get Thin!
Co-producer: The Perfect Weight Plan: Be slim without dieting. DVD/Video
www.second-opinions.co.uk
www.theperfectweight.com