From Tragedy to Enlightenment with Bodybuilder Champion & Vegan Geoff Palmer

Geoff-Palmer-Vegan-Life-Coach-Podcast

Some stories are so powerful and extraordinary they must be shared. And today’s podcast guest is no exception… Vegan Geoff Palmer takes us on his journey from tragedy to enlightenment.

vegan bodybuider

A veteran vegan of 35 years, Geoff Palmer, is natural bodybuilding and physique masters champion. He’s the owner of Clean Machine, plant-based fitness nutrition, vegan patent holder, and NEXTY winner for best supplement of the year in 2016 and 2018.

Geoff is also an author, national lecturer, and was selected number 40 of the top 100 most influential vegans by plant-based news.

Geoff created the first 100% vegan bodybuilding competition in the world. And on top of that, his company, Clean Machine, donates 10% of sales every quarter to organizations that promote a plant based lifestyle. 

His accomplishments are impressive. But it is the incredible story of his journey from tragedy to enlightenment that will leave listeners inspired. 

Geoff-Palmer vegan fitnessIncluding, how & why Geoff became a vegan 35 years ago. The life events and tremendous amount of suffering that sent him looking for change.  And how from that experience, Geoff gave away his possessions, traveled to 48 countries, and the journey that led him to where he is today. 

While his story is sure to inspire, it is Geoff and my discussion about the importance of being open to the world around you, and how to release patterns in your life that hold you back that will empower you to take action in your life.

We also discuss benefits of supplements, including why they are beneficial to our diets. As well as,  the part that permaculture, biodynamic farming, and veganic farming play in it.

This is a conversation not to be missed. 

Be sure to stick around for the light-hearted, and fun, Sprint Round at the end of the episode where I ask Geoff five questions and Geoff answers with whatever comes to mind. 

Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better then when you know better, do better.” Geoff Palmer helps people both know better and then know how to do better. 


LISTEN/WATCH

Subscribe: Apple Podcast | Stitcher | Spotify |  YouTube


MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

 https://cleanmachineonline.com/

https://www.facebook.com/geoff.palmer.351

https://www.instagram.com/cleanmachinefit/

[email protected]


CONNECT WITH US!

Grab the valuable gift we have for you HERE.

Have a question you’d like us to answer? Leave us a voice (or written) message HERE.

Interested in receiving a free coaching session to air on an upcoming episode? Apply HERE.

Top 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Bones on a Vegan Diet

strong-bones-on-a-vegan-diet

For ages the dairy industry did a killer (pun intended) job preventing people from thinking you cannot strengthen your bones on a vegan diet.

We heard it all the time growing up, “Finish your milk! You need it to grow strong bones.” And if you’re like me, I had to come up with ways to choke it down. I found that if I followed these steps I managed to get the job done. First I held my nose tight. Then I chugged the entire glass without breathing. Next, before taking a breath, I chased it with another drink like orange juice. Only then could I release my nose without gagging.

Well, times have changed and the cat is out of the bag. Dairy actually has been shown to have the opposite effect on bones than the USDA has led us to believe is true. Those on a plant-based diet actually have less of a risk for developing osteoporosis than dairy-drinkers.

So to help jump start you into a bone-healthy vegan diet plan, Kei Nishida gives us 5 awesome ways to promote strong bones with plant-based eating… Here they are:

Tofu and Soy ProductsTofu Tempeh Soy

Aside from calcium, protein is one of the most important ingredients in building strong bones and overall healthiness. Consider soy especially in forms like tofu which is high in protein and has so many other beneficial nutrients. With 10 grams of protein per serving as well as tons of calcium, tofu is a great way to fill your daily protein needs and keep your bones strong. This goes for other soy products like soy milk, too, with beans in general being a great way to eat your protein.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are packed with tons of great vitamins and minerals, many of which support bone health. While you can’t go wrong when choosing to add mushrooms to your food, whether they’re raw or cooked, one of the best varieties to use when looking to strengthen your bones is the shiitake mushroom.

Shiitake have the highest concentration of copper of any mushroom species, an essential element in creating the enzymes that help our bones, skin, joints, and blood vessels stay healthy and repair themselves. In fact, one serving of shiitake mushrooms provides about 65% of your daily recommended amount of copper while also being high in zinc, another key ingredient in building regulating your bones.

Broccolibroccoli for strong bones

As one of the best dark leafy greens you can eat, it’s no surprise broccoli is loaded with vitamins and minerals that assist in bone growth. A major source of vitamin K, iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, eating broccoli is one of the best things you can do if you want healthy bones, teeth, and nails.

Vitamin K, especially, is important for bone health, as more and more research begins to suggest it may play a more crucial role in building strong bones than even calcium. Given that a single cup of broccoli supplies almost 300% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin K, it would be a good idea to eat plenty of it to ensure your bones stay in peak condition. It can also help prevent and treat bone diseases like osteoporosis, making it great for those looking to rebuild bone strength in addition to those preserving it.

Nettles

While it’s probably not your first choice when thinking of plants to increase the strength of your bones, the stinging nettle is a great source for tons of different nutrients related to bone health. Stinging nettles are natural sources of calcium and magnesium, key ingredients in healthy bone construction and bone metabolism regulation. Other key nutrients include boron and silica, as well as vitamins C, D, and K.

There are many ways to ingest it, too. Properly prepared stinging nettles can be a component in thick and hearty soups, fresh salads (after steaming), or potentially even used in teas. Just be careful when handling them raw, as their tiny needles can prick you and cause skin irritation.

Green-Tea-for strong bones

Japanese Green Tea

Green tea is one of the most popular drinks and flavors in Japan, and for good reason. Among its many health benefits include bone strengthening. Japanese green tea, as opposed to other types of tea, is especially good for bone health due to not being fermented or oxidized, as well as its high levels of polyphenols that help to reduce inflammation and bone breakdown, as well as normalize bone mineral makeup and assist with calcium uptake. It can also help to activate enzymes responsible for bone growth, overall making Japanese green tea one of the best bone strengtheners available.

As recommended by Doctor David B. Samadi, drinking three cups of green tea a day can help significantly reduce the likelihood of bone breaks and other injuries, as well as treat the symptoms of and potentially prevent the onset of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. If you happen to be worried about the caffeine content of green tea (as high amounts of caffeine can lessen bone density), there are decaffeinated green teas available for purchase.

Final Thoughts

These are only a few of the many plant-based bone strengtheners available for vegan consumers. If you want to ensure your body is running at maximum efficiency while keeping your bones healthy and strong, try any or all of these recommended items and see the results for yourself.

 

Top 5 Superfoods and Their Beauty Benefits

superfoods-for-beauty

There is a well-known saying ‘you are what you eat’, and luckily, more and more people are turning to healthy (not to mention cruelty free, vegetarian and vegan) nutrition, eating more superfoods, and reaping the beauty benefits.superfood-to-make-you-beautiful

It does not only do wonders for your overall fitness and health, but healthy nutrition also has amazing benefits when it comes to beauty. The saying that beauty comes from within has never been more true and evident.

Healthy body, glowing skin – what is there not to love? And this could all be yours if you just include the following five superfoods into your daily nutrition. Once you go super, you will never look back.

Leaves for Life

By going green, we do not only mean recycling and being careful with your waste, but literally taking the green route when it comes to your nutrition. From green tea to spinach, any green foliage will do. Antioxidants and fatty acids found in green foods can help you hydrate and protect your skin from free-radicals and harmful molecules, reduce skin inflammation and slow the aging process by stimulating collagen production.
Speaking of green, let us not forget about algae, especially spirulina, which helps with detoxification, cleaning and cell renewal, and combats acne on top of everything else.

The Greenest of Them All

plants-that-are-good-for-beautyLet us talk about the wonder that is matcha. Matcha is a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea. In terms of its antioxidant and nutritional content, it holds the equivalent of ten cups of regular green tea. Apart from this, matcha contains chlorophyll, catechins, vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, protein and calcium. All of these serve as powerful tools in skincare.

The best part – it transcends nutrition and has become an active ingredient of organic skincare products used by many cosmetics powerhouses. It is amazing how cosmetics and skincare companies have realized the value of natural ingredients and are catering to the needs of those who wish to look beautiful, but who are also conscious about the environment and mindful of the ingredients they allow to touch their face.

Very Berryblueberries-for-beauty

Sure, you have heard of the amazing health benefits of blueberries, but are you familiar with goji berries? First off, these amazing berries are loaded with vitamin C that has antioxidant properties, which is especially important when combating premature skin-aging. Aside from vitamin C, this magical exotic berry is also important because of the fatty acids it contains, helping the skin be hydrated and rejuvenated.

Therefore, the next time you make a killer smoothie, be sure to hunt down this berry and pop it into your blender, but also look for skin products, especially natural anti-aging creams, that contain this berriest of all the berries out there.

Bring on the SeedSuper-Seeds-for-Beauty

We realize that flax seeds, chia seeds and seeds in general are great for our metabolism and the well-being of our digestive flora, but did you know that they work wonders for the well-being and hydration of your skin as well? These little things are loaded with omega 3 – healthy fatty acids that guarantee full hydration and incredible silkiness of your skin.

 

Nut About Coconut (Oil)coconuts-for-beauty

So, in case you were wondering, no, they are not just a great part of your nutrition, but they are amazing for skincare. We suggest you go browsing for your next chia-based skin elixir or oil now.

Coconut oil has taken the beauty and health world by storm seemingly overnight, and everyone is jumping on the coconut bandwagon for a great reason. It is not only great for food preparation, thanks to its numerous advantages over many other conventional oils, but the craze for it in the beauty community is almost unbelievable. It serves as a great natural substitute for body lotions, and it can be used as a hair mask to get that extra silk and shine you have been coveting.
Aside from that, it is a gentle yet powerful, not to mention nutritive makeup remover as well as lip balm, and it has at least twenty useful beauty roles.

Now that you are all caught up with this super trend, which one of these gifts of nature are you going to put to the test first?

12 Easy Additions To Complete Your Diet

Vegan Diet Additions

You have heard it your entire life: you are what you eat… so eat your Brussels sprouts if you want to grow big and strong!

It’s true, when you eat well and take in all the proper nutrients your skin looks better, your bones are stronger, your eyesight is keener, your brain works faster and so forth. A balanced diet is important to all aspects of life and taking in all the essential nutrients are paramount for health.

There are other nutrients, though, besides those with recommended daily allowances by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can help you to live a healthier life. Following are 12 herbs and other plant-foods that you might find beneficial as part of your daily routine:herbs11

  • Cranberry

While cranberry has a variety of vitamins and nutrients that make it very good for you, most people know it for its clinically proven, natural ability to fight off urinary tract infections in both men and women.

  • Ginger

Ginger is not only a delicious addition to pumpkin pie and gingerbread, but this little root is very healthful. Ginger is known to settle upset stomachs and prevent motion sickness, has been shown to have cancer blocking properties, treat migraines, stop heartburn, reduce morning sickness in pregnant women and more. Ginger can be taken as a supplement or by grinding the root into recipes or tea.

  • Acai Berry

This berry is a known, powerful antioxidant that promotes healing, health looking skin, energy and more.

  • Garlic

Garlic has natural immune system boosting powers. Preliminary studies suggest it could also help to fight cancer, promote weight loss, fight free radicals and so much more. But unless you want to eat a ton of pizza or live with garlic breath, bulk vitamins are your best bet with this one.

  • Linden flowers

Most often taken as a tea, linden flowers are extremely effective in reducing free radicals that, when left unchecked, can damage DNA replication.

  • Green Tea

Green tea is both healthful and delicious. Among its many health benefits are making a positive impact on digestion, helping create healthful looking skin, and purging toxins from the body. Green tea can be taken as bulk vitamins or in actual tea form.

  • Black cohosh

This plant was used by Native Americans for generations. While little research exists yet to prove its benefit, many have found that it helps to induce labor by encouraging oxytocin production, help with the side affects of menopause, reduce the pain and inflammation from arthritis, and more.

  • Gingko Biloba

This plant extract has been used by humans for various health benefits from thousands of years. Today much research surrounds its use as a memory enhancer for people every day and possibly the ability to improve the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer disease.

  • Elder flower

Elder flower has been used in traditional and all natural medicine for generations as a natural pain reliever, antiseptic and inflammation reducer. It may also help with occasional constipation and preventing cancer.

  • Astragalus

This plant – root and all – has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine. Among the potential benefits are promoting digestive health, lessoning the negative side effects of modern cancer treatments, and increasing white blood cell count.

  • Milk Thistle

While research is still being conducted, many believe that milk thistle helps liver function, can help manage blood sugar levels and more. It is important to note that it is a member of the ragweed family, so beware of allergy issues.

  •  Soy

Soy is a type of little round bean used to make a variety of foods. People drink soy milk, supplement drinks with soy powder, create soy based foods like tofu or soy burgers, and more. Soy beans are very high in protein and have a variety of nutrients. They also help to lower cholesterol, promote healthy bone growth, improve heart health and much more.

Always remember that many supplements and nutritional products are not regulated by the FDA. While all of the foods above are found in nature and generally healthful, there are potentials of allergies, interactions or overdosing, so talk to your doctor about the supplements and herbs you are taking.

Delicious Super Food Shake for Super Human Health

Powerootz-Superfood-Shake

Recently, I was lucky enough to get an email from Lisa Hunt, founder of FedUp Foods, asking if I’d like to try a sample of her new Powerootz Superfood Nutritional Shake.

I’m a sucker for trying new plant-based protein and nutrition shakes even though I’m super picky about the flavor, taste, and texture of these powders. I usually end up trying them once and never again.

I seem to always return to my favorite shake I make myself with whole foods. I make it with unsweetened flax milk, frozen banana, almond or peanut butter, flax meal, amla powder (a super food) and sometimes a couple dates and/or vanilla extract. I love the flavor, taste, and texture. Wow, my mouth waters just thinking about it!Drinking vegan protein shake

I couldn’t imagine having this same feeling about ANY protein powder…. until the day the sample of Powerootz Superfood Nutritional Shake came in the mail. I blended it with the same flax milk and frozen banana and poured it in my glass. When I took that first sip I couldn’t have been more delighted and surprised! It actually tasted as delicious and satisfying as my favorite recipe, and it didn’t scream, “I’m a powder!” PLUS it has a ton of superfoods that the shake I make doesn’t contain (AND it contains the amla powder I use).

I was thrilled to learn more about the ingredients of the Powerootz shake. It’s made with a bunch of powerful raw superfoods. In her blog post that gives a thorough account of the superfoods her shake contains, Lisa says, “I went on a hunt for the most powerful and possibly superhumanizing superfoods on the planet and you might be shocked by what I found! I researched the top 15 most powerful superfoods and I think there might be something more than coincidence going on here… Could plants actually make you perform beyond your current capacities? Were herbs, roots, and plants designed specifically to heal, empower, and restore us?”

Powerootz superfoods

In addition to the 1500 mg of raw superfood blend, it also contains detoxifying minerals, has 23 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, and only 3 grams of sugar and 4 grams of fat.

Powerootz Nutritional Label

It comes in the flavors Peanut Butter Bliss and Chocolate Peanut Butter Madness, both of which are fantastic. I get the Peanut Butter Bliss knowing I can always add some raw cacao powder if I’m in the mood for chocolate.

Check out Lisa’s website, awesome blog, and of course order some Powerootz shakes for yourself! All Sexy Fit Vegan fans get 20% off your order… just use code “ELLA” at checkout and you will be hooked up 🙂Powerootz-10-percent-off-Coupon

Let me know what you think!

 

Essential Fats for a Healthy Vegan Diet Plan

omega-fatty-acids

We hear conflicting information about “good fats,” “bad fats,” and the amount of fat we should consume as part of a healthy diet all the time… so what are the facts?

Believe it or not, our bodies can synthesize almost all of the fat it needs. Saturated, monounsaturated, and trans fat (including cholesterol) do not need to be consumed through the diet. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are the only two which the body cannot synthesize and therefore they are considered “essential fats”. This article will focus on the facts on essential fats so you can make food choices that will meet your body’s essential fat needs.

The Omega-6 that needs to be obtained from the diet is called Linoleic acid (LA). Technically, only one kind of omega-3 needs to be obtained through our diet: Alpha-lenolenic acid (ALA). ALA has the ability to produce other omega-3 fatty acids in the body such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, this conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA within our bodies is relatively limited, and it is therefore often recommended that EPA and DHA be consumed through the diet as well, either through food sources or supplements. For information on supplementation click HERE

Infographic-Omega-3

How much omega-3 and omega-6 do we need to consume in the diet?

ALA (omega-3) and LA (omega-6) compete for metabolism, which means too much of either one will reduce the metabolism of the other. This is one of the reasons a recommended ratio of 1 (or about 2:1) for omega-6 to omega-3 was developed (1). Unfortunately most Americans consume excessive amounts of omega-6 and are deficient in omega-3, with an average ratio of 16:1!

Both omega-3 and omega-6 play essential roles in brain function, normal growth and development. The high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, however, promotes the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases (3). Omega-3 (a low omega-6/omega-3 ratio), on the other hand, has been shown to prevent against these major diseases and also help control lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis (2).

The high ratio of omega-6 can be attributed to grain fed animals (including the meat, dairy, and eggs that come from them), mayo-based foods, and the increased vegetable oil consumption: safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils, coming from processed foods and cooking methods.

Remember, the idea is that both of these fatty acids are essential for proper health and play a  role in the prevention of many diseases. The key is balance between the two. It’s very easy to consume omega-6 in our diet, and a bit tricker to get those omega-3’s. Here are the top plant sources of omega-3 (which also have low ratio of omega6/3):

  • Flax seeds*
  • Hemp seeds*
  • Chia seeds
  • Algae/seaweed
  • Beans, leafy greens, squash-help meet the RDA (4)
  • Supplements for ALA, DHA, or EPA

*Including their oils.

And here is a chart showing the omega 6 and omega 3 content of common oils (5):

efacontentoils

  1. https://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/The-importance-of-omega-3-and-omega-6-fatty-acids/
  2. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/omega-3-fats/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909
  4. https://plenteousveg.com/vegan-sources-omega-3/
  5. https://chriskresser.com/how-too-much-omega-6-and-not-enough-omega-3-is-making-us-sick/

Please let me know if you have any comments or questions!

Fed Up Documentary Review

Fed Up Documentary

I just watched the documentary “Fed Up” and it PISSED ME OFF, which is exactly why I think it is so great!

The documentary is about why America and other modernized parts of the world are so fat! Way too fat! The statistics are unreal. 2/3’s of Americans are overweight. In 20 years if things don’t change 90-95% of Americans will be overweight. 90-95%!!! Do you know why?? One word…..SUGAR, and the food industry is solely responsible! They have been manipulating and lying just so they can make more money and they are killing people and ruining lives without any concern whatsoever.

The film shows the lives of a few different overweight children and how they are trying to lose weight, which they are unsuccessful with until they finally understand HOW TO EAT. It’s not about a diet. It’s not about exercise. It’s a way of life and a majority of people have NO IDEA how amazing it feels to live it because people are so addicted to sugar and it’s done on purpose. Why? Because the food industry execs want to keep the dollars rolling in, so they hide sugar in everything and anything just to make it more appealing, to make it taste better, to make you want more of it. I was aware that processed foods are terrible but I had no idea how much sugar they are putting in everything, including “health food”. It’s disgusting!

Basically anything that comes in a package is going to make you fat if you are not careful, but why on earth would anyone knowingly put poison into their bodies??? THEY WOULDN’T! That’s why when you look at the nutrition labels on your food, you will notice that they don’t include the daily percentage of sugar per serving. Why?? Well because if you are on a diet and you read the label on a “healthy” item and you see that the daily percentage of sugar for one serving is upwards of 200% then you probably wouldn’t buy it. FOR ONE SERVING. Think about a whole day….this is why people are fat and don’t have any clue how to fix it. They are being poisoned. It’s unfair and I’m pissed about it and I can’t understand how it’s legal!

This film is great and I highly encourage you to watch it! You will probably get pissed too, you definitely will learn something and hopefully you will share what you learn and encourage the people around you to start  educating themselves….especially those of you with children. High five to Katie Couric who is an executive producer and narrator of the film, for a job well done! 

I took this photo yesterday of the nutrition label on my kale… where is the daily percentage of sugar? 

photo

Why Vegan? Get the Facts Here…

nutritionfacts.org

If you are thinking about going vegan for your health, or are already vegan and want to promote the lifestyle, it’s important to understand the science behind the benefits of a vegan diet plan. I’m writing this post to introduce you to one of the most informative, easy to navigate websites that exists… NutritionFacts.org. The founder, Dr. Michael Greger, is a physician, author, and speaker who scours the world’s nutrition research to bring us free daily videos and articles, helping answer the popular question, “Why Vegan?”. He presents the information in a way that’s easy to understand, unbiased, and even entertaining! Plus, all the proceeds from his books, DVDs, and speaking goes to charity. His website and work is definitely worth your while to explore and support. Here are some links to must-see videos to get you started…

Is Milk Good for our Bones?

Canned Beans or Cooked Beans?

BRCA, Breast Cancer, Genes, and Soy

Does Coconut Oil Clog Arteries?

Now you can find simple answers to your important nutrition questions on one, trusted site. Enjoy!

 

Fighting Chronic Inflammation

anti-inflammatory-foods to fight chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation can be one of the main underlying causes of illness and disease. It can also cause premature aging and weight gain.

The truth of the matter is, reducing inflammation in your body can literally save your life.

The good news is that there are some simple ways to prevent and treat inflammation. In a nutshell, eating a whole-foods, fiber rich, nutrient-dense vegan diet is synonymous with an anti-inflammatory diet!

Unhealthy Eating, Chronic Inflammation Cartoon

Let’s first look at the top inflammation-causing foods that we need to eliminate from our diets. Chicken and eggs are the top sources of arachidonic acid in the diet, an omega 6 fatty acid involved in our body’s inflammatory response. Trans and Saturated fats, found in meats, especially deli meats, highly processed oils such as canola, safflower,  and corn oils, some margarines are among the top culprits of inflammation. Dairy products cause an inflammatory response in the body, as do processed sugars and grains, table salt, and alcohol.

Eating a variety of vegetables and fruits is the best way to fight inflammation in our bodies. Here is a list of some of the foods that have been found to have particularly strong anti-inflammatory effects:

    • Chia seeds (crushed to make them more bioavailable (easier for your body to use))
    • Avocado
    • Walnuts
    • Cooked white mushrooms
    • Kelp
    • Cruciferous Vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower)
    • Blueberries
    • Turmeric
    • Green Tea
    • Garlic
    • Ginger
    • Sweet potatoes

It is also important to avoid allergens in order to reduce inflammation. Gluten, dairy, and peanuts are a few common allergen examples.

Finally, regular exercise is important to ward off inflammation.

Check out the Sexy Fit Vegan Guidelines and download your free copy of the Sexy Fit Vegan Sample Meal Plan to help you get started on your anti-inflammatory diet today!

Straight Talk About Consuming Soy

consuming soy beans

In the last few years we have all heard a ton of conflicting recommendations on consuming soy. So what’s the real deal with soy?

Well first of all, there is good soy and bad soy. Consider soy that is genetically modified, moderately/highly processed, and/or not organic, to be “bad soy.” The effects of these types of soy products are unclear, but we do know that they do not offer the same benefits as good soy. “Good soy” is that which is organic and unprocessed (whole soy beans) or minimally processed (tempeh and tofu). Also, keep in mind that we are discussing a moderate intake of soy (3-4 servings/day). A healthy vegan diet involves consuming a wide variety of legumes, vegetables, fruit, seeds, nuts, and whole grains. More than 3 servings of soy per day, for most people, means that you will not be getting enough of a variety of other foods with important nutrients our bodies need to be healthy. Another tip is that I recommend using non-soy milks such as almond or coconut to “save” your soy servings for edamame, tofu, and tempeh so you are getting unprocessed soy with all the fiber and protein in tact!

That being said, let’s address the common concerns in regards to GOOD soy, based on the latest, most conclusive findings on consuming soy.

One question that’s simple to answer is, “Are soybeans really a quality protein source?” The answer is YES! Soybeans contain a Consuming soy in the forms of Tofu and Tempehlarge amount of high quality protein. They are also a complete protein, meaning they contain all the essential amino acids we need to build muscle. The great thing about soybeans is that you can consume the protein without the cholesterol that you get with meat.

Getting a bit more complicated and controversial is the question, “Does soy contain estrogen that could cause breast cancer in women and have adverse side effects on men?” Simply put, soybeans contain isoflavones, a class of “phytoestrogen” that has been found to have some meaningful health benefits to humans. For a more detailed explanation of the physiological effects of phytoestrogen in the human body click HERE. A majority of studies have shown that phytoestrogen from soybeans act as a protective factor for breast cancer as well as increase one’s chance for survival from breast cancer. In addition, it appears that consuming soy may reduce the risk of other cancers, particularly prostate and colon cancers.

Another common concern is the belief that soy will cause thyroid dysfunction. Based on the available research, this is not the case. The issue comes only with people who have an existing thyroid condition for which they take medication. Soy can alter how some thyroid medications are absorbed in the intestines and  it is therefore important to discuss your soy intake with the doctor upon being prescribed such medication.

Last, you may be wondering if consuming soy is good for your heart. It seems that soy does have a positive effect on heart health. The isoflavones in soy have a dilating effect on our blood vessels, reducing blood pressure. Soy is also high in fiber, which is a protective factor for heart disease.

So there you have it… the simple, condensed answers to your common consuming soy-related questions and concerns. The verdict, for most people, a moderate intake of organic, unprocessed soy is a healthful choice, although you certainly don’t NEED to be consuming soy in order to maintain a healthy, balanced plant-based diet.

I am providing a few solid resources that go into more detail on the latest research if you are interested in learning specifics.

www.diseaseproof.com

nutritionfacts.org/video/breast-cancer-survival-and-soy/

nutritionfacts.org/video/how-much-soy-is-too-much/

pcrm.org/health/cancer-resources/ask/ask-the-expert-soy

www.doctoroz.com/videos/soy-good-bad-and-best