Soy & Thyroid-Cause for Concern?

Soy! Myths vs. Facts

Myth 02: Soy Causes Thyroid Problems 

The thyroid gland is located below the Adam's apple in the lower part of the neck and wraps around the windpipe (trachea). 

The thyroid is a small gland in your neck that makes and stores hormones that help regulate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and the rate your body uses energy from food.

So even though this little butterfly shaped glad is small, it is large with responsibility!

Just like the rest of our body, our thyroid gland performs best when we get enough sleep, eat well, stress less, and exercise several times per week.  There are however thyroid conditions and diseases that seem to be on the rise.  If you have a concern about your thyroid or want to learn more, click link below~

Is Your Thyroid Abnormal?

It's hard to tell if you have thyroid abnormalities. You might feel run down and tired, or have what is known as "brain fog." You may be gaining weight, pregnant, or experiencing hair loss. Others may feel "hyper," anxious, or sweat a lot more than usual. All of these are common symptoms of thyroid disorders. The thyroid gland regulates many processes within the body, and women are particularly likely to have disorders that affect the function of this essential gland. Recognizing and treating these conditions is critical for optimum health and preventing long-term health problems.

Where did all this negative hype come from anyway?

According to Dr. Mark Hyman and his article, How Soy Can Kill You and Save Your Life

So what about Soy & Thyroid? think this claim makes a mountain out of a molehill. Yes, there’s no doubt that soy can affect your thyroid gland — the real question is, how much does it take? If you’ve read that soy is bad for your thyroid, you’re probably reading claims based on a few poorly-designed studies that have been blown out of proportion.

Instead, consider this: A review of the research found no significant effects of soy on the thyroid except in people who are iodine deficient — a condition that is rare in this country.

Another well-designed study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (iii) studied the effect of realistic amounts of soy protein on hormones, including thyroid hormone. It found that soy had no significant effects on these hormones.

Based on my assessment of this and other research, I am convinced that normal amounts of traditional soy foods pose no risk to thyroid function.

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So to recap, many clinical studies that have confirmed that consuming soy foods like tofu, soy protein, and soy isoflavones absolutely safe!

Soy: The Real Deal~Myths Vs Facts

What's the deal with soy?

      Its Good                                                             Its Evil

      It Causes Cancer                           It Decreases Breast Cancer
  It Causes thyroid problems                      Its Good for the Heart
       Men should not consume soy-makes you more feminine 


Yikes!  Reading those headlines, it's no wonder people are confused about soy.

Unfortunately, a lot of misinformation can be found on the internet about soy. Finding accurate and relevant facts to make an informed decision can be difficult-at best.  I hope the following (several) posts shed light on the rumors and falsehoods to help you navigate between the myths and the actual benefits of soy.



Did you know?
Soybeans are a complete protein, rich in many nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The Soybean comes from a very large extended legume family. Black beans, Navy beans Lentiles, Peanuts, Fava Beans and Snow peas are also in the legume family. Legumes offer a whole-host of health benefits including; good source of Vitamin B, Iron, Fiber, and Potassium, in addition, they also help keep our heart, gut and colon healthy. Now these are not their only health benefits, but those sure are some great ones!

So, why all the scary headlines about this little legume?
There are actually only a few, "soy bashers" who are the main instigators in the war on soy.  These anti-soy enthusiasts happen to be very vocal, and they're shouting most loudly about the effects of isoflavones, a group of naturally occurring, estrogen-like (read: estrogen-like NOT estrogen) plant chemicals found in soybeans.

But, really, almost all of the negative reports about soy stems from studies that involve rodents.  And here's the thing, rodents metabolize soy much differently than humans, so using these studies as a scientific model for how soy foods affect humans isn't all that helpful. So let's take a look at human data~shall we:

Humans & Soy
Other than those who are allergic to soy (less than 8%) the vast majority of the medical and scientific communities agrees that people should consume soy foods! Numerous scientific results obtained from human data, population studies, and clinical research all validate a variety of health benefits as well as the safety of regular consumption of soy foods.  In fact, there are strong indications that soy foods offer significant health benefits including reducing the risk of osteoporosis, some cancers, and heart disease.

To learn more about soy myths vs. facts, please follow along over the next several posts as I offer truthful tips, clinical studies and proven information about the health benefits of soy.

Coming Up~
Myth 01:  Consuming soy can increase the risk of breast cancer
Myth 02:  Soy causes thyroid problems
Myth 03:  Men & Boys shouldn't consume soy
Myth 04:  There's no evidence of the health benefits of soy

Soy in Love:

Shaklee Energizing Soy Protein

Already a soy advocate and looking for a high-quality, non-GMO soy product?  I've used the Shaklee soy products for over 25 years. I absolutely love the energy boost and how yummy it tastes! I also enjoy knowing there are absolutely no artificial ingredients and I've learned that Shaklee uses a cold water wash on their soybeans, no heat or alcohol in the cleaning& processing.

Be well~
Denise Gaskell
Gaskell Healthy Solutions
Offering Tips & Tools for Optimal Health