OESTROGEN FROM PLANTS - SOY ISOFLAVONES

from Higher Nature

What are Soy Isoflavones?

Soya is rarely out of the news these days, and we are presented with more and more food products made from soya. Why?

There's a good reason. People living in Oriental countries who eat a lot of soya foods have a lower incidence of degenerative diseases, such as lung, prostate and breast cancers, heart and cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms. It's an impressive list. If eating soya can do all that, we'd better start eating tofu right away, hadn't we?

The problem is we Westerners don't like soya foods very much. At least not enough to eat 140 grams of tofu, or half a litre of soya milk every day, which is what we would be required to eat to match the reduction in disease found in countries like Japan.

Fortunately soya achieves its remarkable effects because it contains certain unique substances known as isoflavones and saponins, which can now be concentrated so that you can take all the isoflavones you need in a convenient tablet.

Soy isoflavones have now been studied by well known researchers from established research institutions and universities all over the world, and there is an impressive body of scientific literature to show the many benefits these natural soya ingredients can have. Here are some of the results.

Soy isoflavones and bone health

Soy isoflavones are natural plant oestrogens, or phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens have the unique ability to raise the body's oestrogen level safely if it is too low, and to reduce the bodys oestrogen level if it is too high. (They do this by occupying the oestrogen receptor sites in the body and blocking these sites from the more powerful and often toxic oestrogens in our body.) Because soy isoflavones help achieve a balanced oestrogen level they can help maintain bone strength and prevent osteoporosis.

Soy isoflavones and menopausal symptoms

Because of this oestrogenic effect, isoflavones offer a natural alternative to HRT. Women who consume isoflavones have less hot flushes, less headaches and reduced bone loss. Soy isoflavones are ideal to take along with natural progesterone, which also reduces menopausal symptoms and increases bone density. Soy phytoestrogens cannot substitute for progesterone. It is important to try to maintain both these hormones, which work together, in balance.

Soy isoflavones and heart disease

From scientific research, isoflavones seem to be responsible for many of the cardiovascular benefits of soy. Studies show that isoflavones are anti-oxidant and not only help to decrease the 'bad' LDL cholesterol, but increase the 'good' HDL cholesterol.

Soy isoflavones and cancer

Researchers are linking isoflavones to anti-carcinogenic properties, helping to prevent breast, prostate and lung cancer. These are some of the biggest killers in the world.

This article was first produced by Higher Nature