To Soy or not to Soy?

Sorry about the title …

This is a short blog about phytoestrogens brought on by reading a very interesting and informative book called The XX Brain by Dr Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist and researcher into the interactions between the female brain and hormones. (She’s also written a book called Brain Food, which I have still to read and looks equally intriguing.)

I have to say, that if you hang out with nutritionists like I do, or have done your research, much of the food chapters are a no-brainer (pun intended): eat less meat/dairy/saturated fats and sugars; consume more veg, low GI and high fibre foods and plenty of nuts/seeds/healthy oils. It’s what we recommend to our patients every day in clinic, whether they’re looking to improve fertility, ease period symptoms or deal with menopause. For men too, all this advice is vital in terms of general and fertility health.

What is new to me, is the impact of hormones on how the brain works … we’ve all heard of, or have experienced, brain fog, pregnancy brain, pre/post-menstrual depression …. and the implications for long term brain health, especially with women being TWO TIMES more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s (as well as strokes, migraines and depression) than men. Dr Mosconi’s research has discovered that many of these conditions are a result of the steep drop off in oestrogen that women undergo during peri-menopause and the menopause proper. Once oestrogen levels drop, the brain literally shrinks and becomes less pliable.

In order to mitigate against this, we can address lifestyle factors such as upping exercise, quitting smoking, drinking alcohol selectively and eating to nourish our brains. With food, we can look to finding ways to mimic or preserve the positive effects of oestrogen. That’s where Phytoestrogens come in. They are plant-based oestrogens (ie oestrogen that comes from a plant) and come in two different types: Isoflavones which are found mostly in soy, and Lignans which come from seeds, whole grains, legumes (beans, peanuts, lentils) and in many fruits and vegetables.

Lignans seem to be uncontroversial but soy has a bad press, with reports of an increased cancer risk with consumption, despite it seemingly being responsible for the very long and healthy lives lived in Japan where soy (in the forms of tofu, natto and miso) is a staple. Of course it’s not black and white: the Okinawans (the area of Japan where the highest levels of longevity are found) have a pretty wholesome diet overall. They get 80% of their calories from veg, fruits and legumes as well as complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, brown rice and sweet potatoes as well as fresh fish. No donuts, lukewarm meat pies or salt n vinegar crisps for them! Because of this, the Okinawan women have either markedly delayed onset, or completely avoid diseases such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer.

In the West the organic (and fermented) soy that the Japanese consume is hard to find and that’s where the negative research findings come in. What are easily available to us are products made up of 90% genetically modified soybeans, contaminated with pesticides and preservatives. Soybean oil, made from this ‘bad’ soy is in all sorts of products - breakfast cereals, ‘health food’ bars and pastas. Just look for ‘Soy Lecithin’ on the ingredients on your foods. Because of the contaminated nature of this type of soy, it can cause hormonal disruption instead of balance as well as inflammation and allergies.

The upshot of this is, if you’re looking for ways to manage menopausal symptoms naturally, balance hormones and generally do good for your brains and bodies (male and female), look for fermented, organic soy and consume in small amounts. A scoop of tofu with a bowl of miso or a cup of edamame beans per day is what Dr Mosconi recommends as being similar to what is consumed in Japan. I order frozen edamame beans so I can easily chuck them into stews, soups and rice dishes but I must confess I hadn’t checked whether or not they are organic. That’s now on the ‘to do’ list. But I have just seen that organic soy beans are available from Real Foods, if you’re in Edinburgh and I’m sure most larger health food shops will source them.

Keep up the good work everyone. Eat well, rest well, work carefully, and supplement knowledgeably! We’ve got some new products for you coming on board soon - Chromium for blood sugar/hormonal balancing, magnesium for endometriosis/muscle cramping, Kelp for everything including thyroid health and some good old Vitamin D. Keep an eye on the website, they shouldn’t be long ….