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THE BETA SWITCH : THE NEW STUBBORN FAT SOLUTION FOR WOMEN
We ’ ve been told for years that soy foods are good for us , however it ’ s now coming to light that over-consumption of soy products can lead to significant hormonal imbalances ( in both women AND men ). This is due to the high levels of phyto-estrogens contained in some soy products .
Many people eat a diet high in soy for the supposed health benefits , but they don ’ t realize that they may be doing much more harm than good .
* Studies have shown that overconsumption of soy blocks the absorption and action of thyroid hormone ( responsible for your metabolism ) and may even induce autoimmune thyroid disease .
Soy products are often one of the main sources of protein for vegetarians . That , combined with the typical vegetarian diet of high carbohydrate and fat consumption , makes it easy to see why many vegetarians have trouble losing body fat .
Personally , I avoid soy like the plague .
** Note that not ALL soy products contribute to excess estrogen . Some fermented products such as soy sauce and tempeh appear to be ok . The fermentation process inhibits the hormonal effect . This is good , because I like my soy sauce .
Environmental ‘ Obesogens ’
Scientists have recently discovered that certain things in our environment can also wreak havoc with our hormones .
Everyday chemicals — particularly those in certain foods , pesticides , canned foods , and plastics — are partially to blame for the obesity epidemic . These estrogenic substances in significant enough amounts can trigger your body to hold on to its stubborn fat stores .
* Reference : Hormonal Balance , Understanding Hormones , Weight and Your Metabolism - Scott Isaacs ( M . D ., F . A . C . P ., F . A . C . E .)
These environmental estrogens mimic hormones and cause all kinds of chaos in your body , including :
• Forcing your pancreas to crank out too much insulin , encouraging your body to store fat
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