The Soy Story

Soy is not a health food. In fact, nearly all soy products are highly detrimental to our bodies. Soy beans are a fairly recent addition to the human diet. They began to be cultivated roughly 3,000 years ago in China, at first being utilized as a crop fertilizer. It took the Chinese an additional 1,000 years before they were able to domesticate this bean into a viable food source. By nature, the soy bean is a very inaccessible source of nutrition. True, it is high in protein and calcium, but these nutrients, along with all of the other minerals and co-factors, are bound up in the bean by an anti-nutrient called phytic acid. All legumes and grains contain this substance, though soy beans top the charts. Phytic acid inhibits the absorption of minerals including calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. For those relying on soy as a staple food in their diet, this phytic acid can restrict these important minerals and cause big time deficiencies.

There are indeed ways to greatly reduce phytic acid levels in soy beans and other legumes through various processes including soaking, sprouting, cooking, or in soy’s case, FERMENTING. By fermenting soy products, phytates are greatly reduced and the minerals and amino acids become bio-available, meaning we can actually absorb and utilize the nutrients. This is traditionally how soy foods were consumed in China. Soy does much more harm than good to your body when consumed in its unfermented state. Products such as soy milk, tofu, soy protein isolates, soy burgers, edamame, and every other soy product that has not undergone fermentation should be avoided. It is simply not designed for human consumption.

And what are some common fermented soy foods you ask? Well, there’s tempeh, which is a fermented soybean cake, much like tofu. Soy sauce and miso are also fermented soy products, often used in Japanese cuisine. As you can see, there really aren’t many popular fermented soy products sold here in North America, compared to the seemingly endless amount of unfermented soy foods. It is also important to note that of these soy ferments, none could really be classified as a “staple” food substance. This is where we Westerners have really messed up. Traditionally, soy was consumed as a CONDIMENT, not a staple. Today, it is not the least bit uncommon to find people who base the majority of their diets around soy products. A glass of soy milk in the morning, soy burger or tofu at lunch, and soy ice cream for dessert! A true recipe for disaster if you ask me. This type of diet is completely unnatural and has never been practiced anywhere else in the world throughout history.

It is common practice amongst the vegetarian community to rely heavily on soy products as a “meat replacement”, and their primary source of protein. Unfortunately, this logic has serious flaws. Again, when soy is not fermented, its nutrients become “locked up”, including much of the amino acids, aka protein. The protein is denatured as the soybeans undergo extensive processing. In other words, much of the protein becomes useless through the high-temperature processing and oxidation that all soy products undergo. As well, soybeans contain enzyme inhibitors that are resistant to processing techniques. These inhibitors do exactly what their name entails: they inhibit the enzymes in soy from functioning, one of those functions being to digest protein. There are far better vegetarian protein sources available these days, including hemp seeds, kefir, and spirulina.

As is quite evident, there are more than enough problems associated with unfermented soy consumption. But the list goes on! And these next points apply to not only unfermented soy products, but their fermented counterparts as well. Over 90% of soy sold today has been genetically modified. There is still much to learn regarding the effects of GMO foods on our health, though much of what has been discovered so far is nothing but bad news. Soybeans are now genetically modified to withstand massive levels of potent herbicides, which naturally, would kill the soy plant. In turn, we consume this chemical-laden soy whenever we purchase non-organic, GMO soy products.

My last point, but definitely not least, is the effect soy has on hormonal balance. All soy foods contain phytoestrogens which are basically plant compounds that mimic the female estrogen hormone. The levels of phytoestrogens found in soy are amongst the highest of all foods. When we ingest foods containing these compounds, we are essentially receiving a massive dose of estrogen. Whether male or female, our bodies are not designed to function properly on excessive estrogen. This is clearly evident by the list of problems it creates within our bodies, whether you’re a man or woman. For men, increased estrogen is very feminizing and has a highly detrimental effect upon our reproductive systems, including enlargement of the prostate gland, decreased sperm count, and significant testicle cell death. For women, excessive soy products have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. I will elaborate upon this topic of food-based hormones in a future post.

With its great abundance of negative attributes, I am hard-pressed to consider soy as a health-promoting food. Steer clear of unfermented soy products as much as possible. Soy is a condiment, not a staple.

More Than Just H2O

All water is not equal. In fact, water is vastly differential from one source to another. I’m not just talking about comparing salt water to fresh water, or tap water to purified water. But perhaps the most fascinating thing about water is its structure. All water is the same in its molecular form, composed of two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. It is here where conventional water perspectives end, yet these are far from the complete picture.

All water has a structure that is unique to the circumstances and environment from whence it came or which it is exposed to. Here’s another amazing attribute: water has a memory. Everything that water comes into contact with and every place where it has been is recorded and preserved within this memory. I could expand on this and go into much greater detail, as there is so much to say, but for the sake of space and relevancy, I shall keep these points brief. (To get an amazing in-depth look and explanation about water, check out the documentary titled, “Water – The Great Mystery” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5wN0qGu1gI).

I believe that water has been greatly undermined and misunderstood, especially with regards to its role in our health and vitality. Even in the nutrition industry do I see this disregard for the importance of consuming pure, natural, unadulterated, structured water. Focus tends to be on which foods to consume, what exercises to do, or which supplements to take, but it is WATER that comprises our life force. For we can live weeks without food, but mere days without water. Our earth is made up of 70% water, while our bodies range anywhere from 55-80% water. When we drink a glass of water, within minutes, that water is assimilated into our bloodstream. Now, I don’t know about you, but if this water is literally composing my life blood, I’m going to find and drink the best water available. So what is the best water available you ask? Well, I’d like to build up to that by first discussing some of the less-than-ideal waters that are commonly consumed in this day and age.

Municipal Tap Water: Can’t get much further to the bottom of the barrel than this. Tap water is essentially dead water. It is contaminated with faeces, urine, pharmaceuticals, pollutants, chemicals, and heavy metals. It is heat-treated, filtered, chlorinated, fluoridated, and sent through corroding pipes with un-natural 90 degree angles (for natural water never flows like this). Filtering can remove many of the harmful particles and bacteria, yet the memory of water retains all of those disgusting substances it has been exposed to. Chlorine is a toxic disinfectant that not only kills bacteria, but kills us too. It has been associated with contributing to a number of different cancers, including colon and bladder. Fluoride is equally as harmful, having a detrimental effect on both the brain and the skeletal system. In fact, the idea of adding fluorine to our water supply was perpetuated during World War II in Germany, when chemists utilized sodium fluoride with the means of “medicating” the water to make prisoners “stupid and docile” (http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=14949). So, with all that being said, do yourself a favour and stop consuming tap water.

Filtered Water: There are a number of different types of water filtration systems, ranging from fairly useless to quite beneficial. However, most of these filtered waters are at least a step up from tap water. Common water filters such as Brita or built-in refrigerator filters remove much of the chlorine and various metals such as copper, lead, and mercury. However, they cannot remove everything, most notably, the memory of this water, and they do not restructure this water back to its natural crystalline formation. Reverse osmosis water filtration systems are fairly common as well, and do a better job of removing impurities in the water than cheaper filters. Again, the water is still unstructured and lifeless, which is not the water we want to flow through us.

Bottled water: As harmful as plastic bottled water is to the environment, it is equally harmful to your health. Water is a solvent, the universal solvent, meaning it is capable of dissolving whatever it comes into contact with. In the case of plastic water bottles, a VERY soluble material, water will, over time, leech this plastic into the water. Essentially, the water turns into a “plastic tea”. Is plastic really that harmful to us? Most definitely! We were not designed to consume plastic. Besides the various chemical components of plastic, one particularly dangerous chemical common in most plastics, bisphenol A or BPA, mimics the female estrogen hormone when it enters our bodies. This estrogen contributes to low sperm count in males, early onset of puberty, breast cancer, and diabetes. Even in the trace amounts we absorb from a bottle of water, the cumulative effects of consuming this type of water day after day is downright toxic. Once these plastics are in your system, it is extremely hard to eliminate them. My advice, steer clear of plastic bottled water. And don’t be fooled by the marketing gimmickry of exotic-sounding waters like Fiji Artesian Well Water or Glacial Spring Water from Whistler. Though they may come from a quality source, after sitting in plastic for months, the water is lifeless and toxic.

Spring water: The cream of the crop: natural spring water. And no, this is not the “spring water” sold in stores in plastic bottles or jugs. I’m referring to water coming directly from a natural spring, deep from within the Earth’s aquifers, fresh, energized, structured, ancient, untainted, unpolluted, uncorrupted water. This is the water we were meant to consume. This is the water you want to flow through your veins. I’ve learned some fascinating things recently about spring water, especially from water/nutrition extraordinaire Daniel Vitalis. I highly recommend you check some of his lectures and articles out on YouTube or from his website (http://www.danielvitalis.com/). Spring water is ancient water, coming from deep within the earth’s aquifers. Pollution has not tainted it, which is reason enough to value this water so highly. So how do we get our hands on this stuff? Well, it’s a lot easier than you might think. Living in Ontario, there are an abundance of natural springs bursting forth all over the province. Take a hike in a forest and you just might come across one! If, however, you’re not feeling so optimistic, there is a great online resource listing the locations of hundreds of natural springs all throughout North America at http://www.findaspring.com/. Big ups to the people responsible for creating that site. Ideally, you’re going to want to store your water in glass vessels, kept as cold as possible and away from light sources. The best things in life are free, and spring water is definitely one of those things. Hands down, it’s one of the most beneficial and effective things you can do for your health and vitality. So my recommendation for all is to go and find a spring! Take advantage of this amazing, sacred, healing substance.

Taking it Back

As far as we have strayed, and disconnected as we have become from natural foods, things are not utterly hopeless. We all have the capability to take steps towards a more nourishing and sustainable diet. Even just by adding simple things in, rather than attempting to restrict and cut things out of your current diet, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favour. To complement my last post, here are some fairly easy (and affordable) foods to consider for this time of year.

Fruits: Local apples and pears can still be found at certain markets. Organic is always a wise choice, though I’d much rather buy local, non-organic produce than organic produce from Mexico or California. Berries are a great local fruit as well. In the summer months, they can be found growing all over the place, from parks to people’s yards. Wild fruit is much more mineralized and lower in sugar than cultivated fruits, and it’s free, so take advantage of it when you can. Berries tolerate freezing well, which is a good way to preserve fruit over the winter. Drying fruit is another technique that will retain much of its nutrients. In my opinion, berries are some of the most ideal fruits to buy from a supermarket, as they tend to be the least hybridized, low sugar, and nutrient dense. Strawberries are known for being loaded with pesticides, however.

Vegetables: We could all use more fresh vegetables in our diet, especially the green leafys. Most of the vegetables in our markets are grown locally during the summer and fall months. Local, organic farmers markets are abundant during this time as well, and are the next best thing to growing your own veg, or picking it wild. During the winter months, most of the vegetables in supermarkets are shipped from the south or greenhouse grown. Locally grown sweet potatoes, squash, beets, carrots, and other root vegetables are often available into the winter, as well as local cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and collards.

Herbs: Herbs can be grown in planter boxes indoors throughout the winter and are a more potent source of nutrition than common cultivated vegetables. Most are close to their wild state, thus retaining much of their alkaloids, aka the bitter-tasting medicinal compounds. Mint, cilantro, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, basil, oregano, stevia, hemp,... all are grand. Better yet, go forage for your own. Wild herbs can be found literally everywhere. Dandelions, for example, grow everywhere, all throughout the year. The whole plant can be eaten: root, leaves, and flower. Replace some salad greens with dandelion leaves for immensely more nutrition. The best food on earth is free.

Dairy: Not everyone tolerates dairy products well, and for that reason many have switched to milk substitutes such as soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk. I believe that one of the primary reasons why many have irritable reactions to dairy is because of the pasteurization process. Pasteurizing kills bacteria, but also destroys much of the vitamin and mineral content of the milk, as well as the enzymes which are so vital to aiding in the digestion process of dairy products. Many people tolerate goat’s milk products better than cow’s milk. Unfortunately, it is illegal to sell raw milk in Ontario at this time, so finding unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk is pretty tough. The next best thing would be to find a local, organic, GRASS-FED, unhomogenized goat or cow milk stored in glass. Even though it is pasteurized, it’s far better than the glow-in-the-dark milk from large dairy corporations.

Grains: Here is a food group where the majority of western people are going way overboard with. Refined grains are the big one, literally, turning us into a society of dough-boys. Even “whole wheat” products are far from ideal foods for nourishing us. Common cereal crops such as wheat and corn have been hybridized and genetically modified to the max. Many of us have developed a gluten intolerance, gluten being a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, and therefore must find other options in the world of grains. Some of the most ideal and nutrient-dense grains available are quinoa, millet, amaranth, and buckwheat. Though not locally grown, these can be purchased organically, in bulk for a reasonable price. If you’re a bread junkie, sprouted grain bread with minimal ingredients is one of the wisest ways to go.

Flesh: I heard a good line recently, stating that “One should not eat meat that they could not face slaughtering and butchering themselves.” Good point. It’s a pretty cowardly and ignorant act to eat a steak from a cow you could not face killing yourself, or at least witnessing the process. That being said, it is always best to eat the flesh of wild animals. Living on their natural diet, their flesh is far more mineralized than farmed animals living on corn, soy, and antibiotics. Most natural food stores now stock local, grass-fed, free-range flesh, which is the next best choice. In my opinion, it is better to avoid meat altogether than to eat the crap they sell at the supermarket.

So there ya have it, some wiser choices we can all afford to make for common foods. There is so much more to elaborate upon for each of these food groups, and I intend to do so in upcoming posts. Until then, hope this educates and inspires...

How Far We've Come (or Gone)

The standard North American diet today is a trip. Un-natural, un-sustainable, and most definitely un-healthy. Here's my general overview on the degression of our diets...

Before, we foraged for wild fruit, or grew our own fruit, picking and eating it fresh, and eating in accordance with what the seasons provided. Now, we eat mangoes and bananas year-round, grown in Central America, sprayed with herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, picked far before ripeness and nutritional peak, shipped hundreds of miles by plane, train, or truck, and finally, displayed for us in our local supermarket amidst the myriad of other produce items sourced from all over the world. But it's fruit, and fruit is good for us, and we need 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, so our Food Guides tell us, yes?

Before, we drank milk from cows, goats, and sheep that ate their natural diet of grasses and greens, and were free to roam out in the sunshine and fresh air. We drank this milk fresh, unpasteurized, unhomogenized, and often fermented! Now, we drink milk that has come from hundreds of different factory-farmed, never-see-the-light-of-day, antibiotic-pumped, diseased, supersized, overcrowded, corn-eating cows all across the country, combined into one big vat, pasteurized, homogenized, and packaged in estrogen-leaching plastic.

Before, we ate bread made from fresh-picked, stone-ground whole wheat and rye kernels. Now, we eat bleached white bread made from genetically modified, hybridized, allergenic wheat that has been refined to the point of providing literally zero nutrition.

Before, we ate meat of wild game or fish, living in a clean environment and eating their natural diet. We did not just eat select cuts of muscle meats, but rather, utilized nearly every part of the animal for food, tools, or clothing. Now, we eat meat from dumb, overweight, diseased pigs, cows, and chickens that are fed antibiotic-laced corn and soy, packed like sardines into factory-barns, wallowing amongst their own faeces.

Before, we drank water fresh from natural springs or artesian wells coming from aquifers deep within the earth. Now, we drink beverages made from chlorinated, fluoridated, metallic tap water, filtered from the same source that our toilets flush to.

How far we’ve come!

Welcome Wagon

Greetings everybody! And welcome to my blog. Sowahh I shall cut right to the chase. Never was a big fan of starting my own blog. The idea of preaching and publishing my daily happenings, feelings, personal views, complaints, etc. just ain't my thing. However, I do believe in the value of posting something useful, something informative, and something to motivate and inspire change, all the while keeping it fairly entertaining and interesting. And that is how I intend to publish this blog.

That being said, twould be wise now to inform you of my focus for this blog. As the title suggests, my passion is nature, and everything that can be gained and learned from nature. Specifially, but definitely not limited to, NUTRITION will be my primary area of concern. I am an avid researcher of nutrition, and have saturated myself with a wide array of books, films, lectures, audio, and web material over the past few years. I've experimented vastly with my own diet and continue to do so as I learn more and more each day. I most definitely do not consider myself any sort of authority on nutrition, and I hate to include a silly disclaimer, but all that I publish is for informational purposes only, NOT medical advice, and is merely my findings and personal opinions.

My postings will likely be quite varied in both topic and length, ranging from personal rants to referenced material. I shall do my best to maintain frequency in my posts. That is all. Boy, I feel as though I've rambled too much already... Stay tuned.