Hormones a la mode

April 12, 2014

in Health

The Shape of Things to Come

After gaining more than 90 pounds on a diet following the guidelines of the American Heart Association and the United States Department of Agriculture it was obvious that either they were in the pockets of the food industry or were totally ignorant of the subject. I’m inclined to think it is a combination of both.

Research quickly led me to ban soy from my table. More recently I have eliminated wheat. Many of the recipes that abjure wheat include flax. I have some in my pantry that I have not yet used. Most gluten-free items at the store include a mixture of starches. That is acceptable only for those wishing to gain weight quickly and risk diabetes.

I have not had much success yet in finding sources of food that are grown naturally for an affordable price. My research continues.

The following article is from alternet.org by Martha Rosenberg. Now that I have discovered her work, I wonder that I was not already familiar with such an accomplished, prolific author and journalist. I reference a book of hers below.

It is no secret that our bodies and our environment are swimming in estrogen. Puberty is occurring as early as eight years old in children and recently babies in China have developed breasts. Frogs and fish are becoming “intersex” and losing their male characteristics from excreted estrogens in the environment and waterways. In England, the Daily Mail ran a feature on the phenomenon of women’s bra cup sizes increasing independent of their weights, likely because of environmental and livestock chemicals. The website Green Prophet speculated that women in the Middle East are not yet experiencing cup inflation because their environments have not become similarly estrogenized.

While many people are fans of big boobs, the larger issue of feminized women, men and wildlife should be a wakeup call. Estrogen is blamed for everything from breast and prostate cancer and other hormone-linked conditions to obesity, sexual dysfunction, dropping sperm counts and depression and mood disorders. In studies of women given prescribed hormone drugs, estrogen was linked to lung cancer, ovarian cancer, skin cancer, gall bladder cancer, cataracts urinary incontinence and joint degeneration.

Most of us know we unwittingly get synthetic estrogens (endocrine disrupters) from plastics like BPA, petroleum based products, detergents, cosmetics, furniture, carpeting, thermal receipts and on our food from agriculture chemicals like pesticides, herbicides and fungicides (a good reason to buy organic). But we also get a lot of “natural” estrogens from foods we may eat every day. While these “phytoestrogens” are not as bad as synthetic chemicals, women who are plagued with PMS, fibrocystic disease and water retention, or who are at risk for breast cancer and men who do not want to be feminized may want to use them moderately.

Here are some “good” and “bad” foods that have more estrogen than you may realize—or want.

1. Flax

Flax and especially flax meal has the image of being a healthy superfood. But when you look at a list of the top phytoestrogen-containing foods, flax and flax products are at the very top. A hundred grams of flax packs an astounding 379,380 micrograms of estrogen compared with 2.9 micrograms for a fruit like watermelon. Flax is now widely found in baked goods like bread, bagels and muffins, snack foods, cereals, pasta, drink mixes and used in poultry, swine, beef and dairy cow feed.

It became a popular alternative to fish oil which had been promoted to improve mood, the immune systems and to prevent heart attacks and strokes, especially as concerns about mercury risks in some fish surfaced. A tablespoon of flaxseed oil, which contains alpha-linolenic acid (also found in walnuts and some oils) is “worth” about 700 milligrams of the omega-3 found in fish oil says the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. Flax also provides fiber, a substance lacking in our over-processed diets. But there is another reason it may not be the superfood it appears besides its estrogen wallop. Like so many edible plants today, genetically modified versions of flax are rampant, spreading and rarely labeled. Buyer beware.

2. Soy

Jack BoobsWhat is the second highest phytoestrogen-containing food in most lists? Soy, which packs 103,920 micrograms of estrogen per 100 grams. Low in calories and with no cholesterol, soy has been a mainstay protein of many cultures for centuries and is considered nature’s perfect alternative to meat by many vegetarians and vegans. It has been hailed as a “good” estrogen that could prevent breast cancer and serve as an alternative for hormone replacement therapy, traditionally made from pregnant mare urine.

Yet the bloom has partially fallen off soy’s rose. Its possible cancer prevention properties were called into question after some animal studies and groups like the American Cancer Society found themselves defending its moderate use. Like flax, unlabeled GMO soybeans dominate the market and have been linked to sterility and infant death in hamsters.

3. Other Legumes and Common Health Foods

Other “healthy” foods like flax and soy may have more estrogen than you think. Legumes like chickpeas (garbanzo beans) red beans, black-eyed peas, green peas and split peas are also estrogenic and black beans pack 5,330 micrograms of estrogen per 100 grams. Hummus (from chickpeas) has 993 micrograms of estrogen per 100 grams. How about the “healthful” seeds we think of as mingled in trailmix? Sesame and sunflower seeds are among the highest of all estrogenic foods. While their seeds are not a staple of most people’s diets, their oils are widely used in processed and prepared foods. A site for women suffering from the estrogen-linked endometriosis advises against sunflower oil as well as safflower, cottonseed and canola oils and recommends only olive or grapeseed oil.

Other ingredients that can amount to a side dish of estrogen are alfalfa sprouts, licorice and the flavorings red clover and fennel, sometimes found in teas. Food ingredients in personal care products can also have estrogenic effects. Tea tree oil found in some shampoos, soaps and lotions can enlarge the breasts of boys reported ABC news. And sore and tender breasts have also been reported from using a shampoo with pomegranate.

4. Animal Products

On most lists of products containing estrogen, animal products like milk and beef are at the very bottom. Milk, for example, is said to provide 1.2 micrograms of estrogen per 100 grams. Unfortunately, most “research” that assures the public that hormones used in meat production or milk production (like Monsanto’s  rBGH) result in less estrogen are funded by Big Ag. Two features betray the Big Ag-funded research —it claims there is no difference between hormones that occur “naturally” in the human body and synthetic hormones, and it claims there are no residues of the latter. If synthetic hormones are so safe, why would we mind residues? The European Union disagrees about the dangers and boycotts US beef, which is swimming in the hormones oestradiol-17, trenbolone acetate, zeranol and melengestrol.

As for “no residues,” a scientific paper called “Detection of Six Zeranol Residues in Animal-derived Food by HPLC-MS/MS,” disputes the claim. Zeranol, an estrogen-like drug widely used in US livestock production is especially controversial. “Our laboratory has reported that long-term exposure to either Z [zeranol] or E2 [estradiol-17β] can induce transformation of human breast epithelial MCF-10A cells,” says a 2009 paper in Anticancer Research. Translation: it can contribute to breast cancer: “The proper evaluation of the safety of Z [zeranol] is of both public health and economic  importance.”Another paper reports “breast irritation” in people exposed to nothing but the clothing of those working around zeranol. This is an ingredient used in US meat?

A paper which appeared in Science of the Total Environment examines the outbreak of precocious puberty and breast development of children in Italy and Puerto Rico in the late 1970s and 1980s and attributes the symptoms to zeranol-like “anabolic estrogens in animal foods.” In both occurrences, the symptoms disappeared when the hormone-laced food was removed. Zeranol is found in meat, eggs and dairy products “through deliberate introduction of zeranol into livestock to enhance meat production,” says the paper. It is “banned for use in animal husbandry in the European Union and other countries, but is still widely used in the US. Surprisingly, little is known about the health effects of these mycoestrogens, including their impact on puberty in girls, a period highly sensitive to estrogenic stimulation.”

Martha Rosenberg is an investigative health reporter and the author of Born With a Junk Food Deficiency: How Flaks, Quacks and Hacks Pimp The Public Health (Random House).

If you found this educational, edifying, interesting or otherwise worth your time, this geezer would appreciate a little supplement to those Social Security checks, They forgot to factor in the cost of publishing a blog. I would like to continue being able to afford my daily cup of coffee and pound of caviar.

[wpedon id=”2927″]

Many thanks,

Crawford Harris.

.bre

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

75 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Brendan

Fastidious replies in return of this question with firm arguments and explaining all concerning that.

Shelton Forth

This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and i am genuinely
pleassant to read everthing at alone place.

Corine Beamon

Im not really that a good deal of online reader actually yet your sites very nice,
keep it up! I’ll just bookmark your website to come back down the line.
Cheers

검증사이트

This site truly has all the information and facts I needed concerning
this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

tow company san jose ca

Hello i am kavin, its my first occasion to commenting anyplace, when i read this paragraph
i thought i could also create comment due to this sensible paragraph.

Micheline

Hurrah, that’s what I was exploring for, what a data! present here at this website,
thanks admin of this website.

Laundrymen

Hi! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone!

Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog
and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the excellent work!

Sam Molnar

These are really impressive ideas in concerning blogging.

You have touched some good factors here. Any way keep up wrinting.

Josephine Gerrity

What’s up, I log on to your new stuff daily. Your writing style is awesome, keep
up the good work!

Essie Talley

Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found
that it is really informative. I’m going to watch out for
brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future.
Lots of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

Suzette Sandlin

This design is wicked! You definitely know how to keep a reader entertained.

Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job.
I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.
Too cool!

Finn Dye

Your style is so unique in comparison to other people I’ve read stuff from.
Many thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess
I’ll just bookmark this site.

Anne Oliver

Oh my goodness! Impressive article dude! Many
thanks, However I am experiencing issues with your RSS. I don’t know
the reason why I am unable to join it. Is there anybody else
getting the same RSS problems? Anyone that knows the
answer can you kindly respond? Thanks!!

Moises Martinovich

Howdy outstanding website! Does running a blog such as this require a massive amount work?
I’ve virtually no understanding of computer programming however I had been hoping to start my own blog soon. Anyway, if you have
any ideas or techniques for new blog owners please share.
I know this is off topic nevertheless I simply needed to ask.
Cheers!

Sarah Sligo

Thanks in favor of sharing such a nice idea, article is good, thats why i have read it fully

Gabriella Darden

Good write-up. I certainly love this website. Stick with it!

Brenna

Hey very nice blog!

먹튀사이트

I like the valuable info you provide in your articles.
I’ll bookmark your weblog and check again here regularly.
I’m quite certain I will learn plenty of new stuff right here!

Good luck for the next!

السياحة في طرابزون

Excellent blog you have here but I was curious about if you knew of any message boards that cover the
same topics discussed in this article? I’d really like to be a part
of online community where I can get opinions from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest.
If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Thank you!

Sadie Minton

I blog quite often and I truly thank you for your information. This great
article has truly peaked my interest. I will book mark your
blog and keep checking for new details about once per week.

I subscribed to your Feed as well.

Bill

Does your site have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it
but, I’d like to shoot you an e-mail. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing.

Either way, great site and I look forward to seeing it improve over time.

Sabine Seabolt

This is very attention-grabbing, You are an overly professional blogger.

I’ve joined your rss feed and sit up for in search of more of your magnificent post.
Also, I’ve shared your website in my social networks

Bianca Westall

Amazing! Its really awesome article, I have got much clear idea about from this piece of writing.

Francesco

Having read this I believed it was extremely informative.
I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put this information together.

I once again find myself spending a lot of time both reading and leaving comments.
But so what, it was still worthwhile!

Houston Bernard

Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told was once a entertainment account it.
Glance complex to far delivered agreeable from you! However,
how can we be in contact?

선물옵션

Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished
to say that I have truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts.
After all I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write
again very soon!

Joanne

Your method of describing all in this post is
truly good, every one can easily understand it, Thanks a lot.

Teodoro Stark

When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now
each time a comment is added I get three emails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Thank you!

Shanice McCann

continuously i used to read smaller articles or reviews which also clear
their motive, and that is also happening with this post which I am
reading here.

Roxanna Sisco

Just desire to say your article is as surprising.
The clearness in your post is simply cool and i can assume you’re an expert on this subject.

Fine with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to
keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the rewarding
work.

Rafael

Wow, marvelous weblog format! How lengthy have you ever been blogging for?
you make running a blog look easy. The total
look of your site is excellent, let alone the content material!

June

Paragraph writing is also a excitement, if you be acquainted with afterward you can write otherwise it is complex
to write.

Shauna Eller

We absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for.
Do you offer guest writers to write content to suit your needs?

I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on a few of
the subjects you write with regards to here.
Again, awesome site!

Joleen Dolling

It’s actually a cool and helpful piece of info. I’m happy that you shared this helpful info with us.
Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for
sharing.

Zoila Caudle

I believe that is one of the most important information for me.

And i’m satisfied reading your article. However want to statement on few normal issues, The web
site style is wonderful, the articles is really great : D. Just right activity, cheers

Iola Montagu

I am really enjoying the theme/design of your web site.
Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility issues?
A number of my blog visitors have complained about my
blog not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Safari.
Do you have any advice to help fix this problem?

Loreen Leane

I am in fact grateful to the holder of this site who has
shared this wonderful post at here.

Erma Pickens

Hello to every one, as I am truly eager of reading this weblog’s post to be updated
daily. It consists of fastidious stuff.

Scott Scheffel

My brother recommended I might like this website. He was totally right.

This post truly made my day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this
information! Thanks!

zante

Hello I am so thrilled I found your blog, I really found you by mistake,
while I was searching on Google for something else, Anyhow I am here now and would just like to say thanks for a fantastic post and
a all round enjoyable blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to browse it all at the minute
but I have bookmarked it and also included your
RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great
deal more, Please do keep up the fantastic work.

Berry Flannery

Marvelous, what a web site it is! This web site provides valuable data to us, keep it up.

Ingrid

If some one needs expert view on the topic of blogging and site-building after that i recommend him/her to visit this website, Keep up the pleasant job.

Preston

I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up!
I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back later on. Many thanks

Matilda Briley

Everything is very open with a precise clarification of the challenges.
It was definitely informative. Your site is very useful.

Thanks for sharing!

Monroe Viera

Hi there colleagues, pleasant article and nice arguments commented here, I am
genuinely enjoying by these.

Rene Vergara

I think this is among the most vital info for me.
And i am glad reading your article. But want to remark on some general things, The web site style is great, the articles is really excellent :
D. Good job, cheers

Edythe Beacham

Magnificent beat ! I would like to apprentice even as you amend your website,
how could i subscribe for a weblog website? The account helped me a acceptable deal.
I were tiny bit familiar of this your broadcast offered brilliant transparent concept

먹튀검증커뮤니티

Hi i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anywhere, when i
read this paragraph i thought i could also create comment due to this good paragraph.

먹튀사이트

After looking into a handful of the blog articles on your web site, I
really like your way of blogging. I book marked it to my bookmark site list and will
be checking back in the near future. Please check out my web site too and let me
know what you think.

Yeley

Thank you ever so for you article post.Really thank you! Fantastic.

Previous post:

Next post: