The Soy Debate

What the research says ⬇️

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds in foods that mimic estrogen. They include:

✔️ Isoflavones in soy

✔️ Lignans in flax seeds

✔️ Resveratrol in wine

Research shows that eating more phytoestrogens is correlated with a lower risk of breast cancer in women before menopause and a lower risk of breast cancer recurrence in women after menopause (PMID 35241506 and 38070485).

How much?

The most risk reduction was in women who ate about 60 mg of soy isoflavones per day, or 2-3 servings of soy.

One caveat is that soy is a common allergen, often genetically engineered, and highly processed 😬

So look for organic soy products that are minimally processed—like tofu, tempeh, miso, and edamame.

If you don’t want to make sense of all this by yourself and want a personalized assessment and plan for hormonal health, we are here to help!

🔗 Follow the link in our bio to get started!

REFERENCES:

-Boutas I, Kontogeorgi A, Dimitrakakis C, Kalantaridou SN. Soy Isoflavones and Breast Cancer Risk: A Meta-analysis. In Vivo. 2022;36(2):556-562. [link]

-Desmawati D, Sulastri D. Phytoestrogens and Their Health Effect. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2019;7(3):495-499. [link]
-van Die MD, Bone KM, Visvanathan K, et al. Phytonutrients and outcomes following breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2024;8(1). [link]

Nutrients Missing from Low-Carb Diets?

💥 🗞️ New Study!!

When compared with diets not restricting carbohydrates, low-carb diets may lead to nutrient depletions—especially of some B vitamins and magnesium.

This recent study found that some of the nutrient requirements not being met by low-carb diets included thiamine (vitamin B1), iron, calcium, magnesium, and selenium.

Red blood cell levels of thiamine were lower and low levels of magnesium were more common in people following a low-carb diet.

This is not medical advice.

This is just something to be aware of if you have chosen to follow a low-carb diet.

It is always best to make dietary changes under the guidance of a practitioner who understands nutrition, metabolism, and supplementation.

This is our specialty.

🌱 Get started at our practice through the link in our bio!

REFERENCE:
Churuangsuk C, Catchpole A, Talwar D, et al. Low thiamine status in adults following low-carbohydrate / ketogenic diets: a cross-sectional comparative study of micronutrient intake and status. Eur J Nutr. Published online July 5, 2024. [link]

What’s for Lunch??

Try these for lunch! 🍎

🥣 Quinoa Salad Bowl

Toss cooked quinoa with olive oil, lemon juice, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, chickpeas, and chicken or cheese as you please!

🌯Mediterranean Wrap

Spread some hummus on a wrap and pile in chicken, lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, and feta cheese.

🍗 Chicken Salad

Get creative by tossing leftover chicken with a bit of mayo, celery, grapes, sunflower seeds, or avocados.

🫐 Greek Yogurt Parfait

Layer greek yogurt with fresh berries, granola, and chia seeds or hemp hearts.

What do you think? Will you try one of these?

Tired of Talking About Food? Try These Things.

For anyone wanting better blood sugar regulation ➡️

While foods have a big effect on blood sugar, so do other lifestyle choices! Here are 5 non-food-related ways to support healthy blood sugar balance:

✅ Daily Movement 🤸‍♀️

✅ Walks After Meals 🚶‍♀️

✅ 7+ Hours of Sleep 😴

✅ Plenty of Water 💧

✅ Stress Management 🧘‍♀️

Nothing happens in isolation.

That’s why we always take a whole-body, whole-person, and whole-life approach to healing.

📲Tag a friend in the comments who might want to hear this!

A Simple Boost for Healthy Aging 👉

🧐 Check this out ➡️ The first study to look at the long-term effects of protein consumption during midlife!!

Protein is essential for bone and muscle health, both of which can decline with age.

But the results of this study say that “protein intake was significantly associated with higher odds of healthy aging.”

🙌🙌🙌

Plant-based protein was also associated with good mental health status and a lower risk of limitations in physical function.

This was based on data from 48,762 women younger than age 60 who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study.

Want some simple ways to boost protein intake?

🔹 Grab nuts instead of chips.

🔹 Toss chickpeas on your salad.

🔹 Add a high-quality protein powder to your smoothie.

🔹 Spread nut butter on fruit

If you want to see more posts like this on research-backed ways to optimize your health,

Like this post ❤️ and be sure to tap FOLLOW!

Reference

Ardisson Korat AV, Shea MK, Jacques PF, et al. Dietary protein intake in midlife in relation to healthy aging – results from the prospective Nurses’ Health Study cohort. Am J Clin Nut. 2024. Published 2024 Jan 17. [link]