Can Soy Food Be Dangerous?

Soy foods have been touted as providing many health benefits. If you pop into any supermarket you are bound to see a list of soy products, including milks and cheeses. Undoubtedly you will associate soy foods with many health benefits. But some reports suggest that soy foods may actually be dangerous.

Can soy foods pose a risk to your health? 

Some studies associate soy foods with an increased risk of certain types of cancer. This includes an increased risk of possible breast cancer. This is because soy foods increase the amount of estrogen in the body. Soy foods contain plant chemicals referred to as isoflavones. Isoflavones can be found in many different items including legumes, grains, vegetables and other natural foods. 

Soybeans contain more isoflavones than any other product and thus bind to the body’s estrogen receptors. While soy can have effects in the body that are very similar to estrogen, soy is not as strong or nearly as potent as natural estrogen. Human or naturally produced estrogen is far stronger. 

Isoflavones do have healthy effects on the body. This includes helping to foster new cell growth which can actually work to prevent the growth of cancer in the body. Soy can also help to reduce and regulate cholesterol in the body. Many people that eat soy have a generally healthier diet than other individuals who consume more meat based products. 

Some studies suggest that individuals that eat soy have lower rates of breast cancer. Still other studies suggest that soy is good for the heart, because it can help to lower blood pressure. This is because soy may encourage the body to produce a substance known as nitric oxide, which can promote dilation of the blood vessels. This reduces pressure in the vessel walls, reducing total blood pressure. The risks of eating soy seem to be far less at this point than the benefits of eating soy. As with anything it is always a good idea to consult with a healthcare provider before adopting any diet or health plan.

How to Increase Testosterone Naturally

There are many ways to increase testosterone naturally. Testosterone is a naturally occurring hormone in the body. This hormone helps to regulate reproductive function, and can impact other important factors related to growth including muscle mass, the amount of hair one has and bone density. Testosterone may also regulate the body’s levels of red blood cells, and impact psychological health and well-being. 

Men and women have testosterone in their blood. Women have a much lower amount of testosterone in their blood than men do. There are many ways to ensure that testosterone levels are regulated naturally. Here are a few tips for maintaining healthy testosterone levels: 

· Lose extra weight. Having too much weight on board can interfere with testosterone, and cause you to have too little testosterone. Losing just a few pounds can improve your testosterone levels. Overweight individuals generally have lower testosterone levels.

· Exercise more. Exercise is a simple way to help boost testosterone levels naturally. Short, high-intensity exercise is a great way to boost testosterone levels. Aerobics can help boost testosterone levels, but a better way to boost testosterone levels is by engaging in high intensity exercises. You can combine exercise with intermittent fasting to gain the most benefit by weight loss and high intensity exercise. 

· Supplement with Zinc. Zinc is an incredible mineral that can boost testosterone levels. Zinc is found in foods like fish and meats, and in some raw cheeses and beans. Yogurt may also contain zinc if made from raw milk. Make sure that you consume plenty of zinc in order to boost testosterone levels. If you cook foods this reduces the amount of zinc in them, so when possible try raw foods containing zinc. 

· Try more vitamin D. Vitamin D also helps boost testosterone levels. Vitamin D can be naturally absorbed from the sun, but adding a supplement may dramatically enhance your absorption of this natural testosterone booster.

What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is a hormone the body naturally produces. It provides many benefits, including normal growth in the body and development of male sex organs. It is important for men, in that it produces sperm. Women also have small amounts of testosterone, which is regulated by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. 

Testosterone has many different effects. These can include: 

· Growth and development of the sex organs, including growth and maturation of the prostate gland in men.

· Development of male hair and distribution of hair throughout the body.

· Changes in the amount of muscle mass in the body, and distribution of fat throughout the body.

· Amount of sex drive in the body.

· Maintenance of sexual function in the body.

· Maintenance of bone strength in the body.

The body must work to maintain an adequate production of testosterone to keep all of these systems maintained adequately. Different environmental and emotional factors can have effects on testosterone. For example, when men fall in love their levels of testosterone may decrease, while a woman’s level of testosterone may increase. 

This may be the result of behavioral changes. Some women produce too much testosterone which may result in irregularities in the menstrual cycle, or health conditions including a condition known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Excess testosterone may also cause organ problems including damage to the liver or cysts in the liver and other areas of the body.

Normal testosterone levels come in a reference range, and may depend on the laboratory that an individual gets tested in. This varies from lab to lab. For men the normal testosterone level at one lab may be from 348 to 1197 nanograms per deciliter for total testosterone, which is often how doctors measure testosterone. 

Also important to consider when testing testosterone levels however is the age of the individual being tested and the overall health of the person. Doctors will consider many factors when testing testosterone.

Discover The World’s Most Powerful Antioxidants

Many powerful antioxidants exist. These important nutrients have many health benefits, including boosting the immune system, and helping to fight off cancer and free radical damage. Some of these powerful substances are in some of the most amazing foods, foods that you may cherish, and love to eat.

One of the most powerful antioxidants in the world is packed in a tiny package. Cherries contain anthocyanins, which provide cherries with their incredibly vibrant color. On top of this cherries contain a chemical known as a flavonoid. This powerful substances contains some of the most potent anti-inflammatory and anti-aging benefits available to man.

Cherries are often recommended to individuals suffering from chronic inflammation, including those with arthritis or similar diseases. Cherries contain more anthocyanins than other fruits including blueberries and raspberries, blackberries and even strawberries. That’s quite a powerful statement.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Another powerful antioxidant is Alpha Lipoic Acid, or ALA. This antioxidant helps remove free radicals too, which are nothing more than wastes produced when the body converts food into energy. Unfortunately free radicals can do a lot of damage. They can result in degeneration of cells, and illness.

ALA helps protect certain vitamins, including vitamin C and E, helping these two vitamins in the fight against free radical damage. ALA helps in the fight against high blood pressure, heart disease, hepatitis C, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. That’s quite a powerful antioxidant!


Where can you get this powerful antioxidant?

It is most widely available in natural sources, including from dark leafy vegetables, like spinach, collard greens, and from broccoli. You can also get ALA from meat products including organ meats and beef. One of the best parts of ALA is that it is what is known as a “universal” antioxidant meaning that it can travel to all cells, deactivating free radicals working with all other agents that contain antioxidants.