Guest guest Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Hello all! I have been vegetarian for 33 years with some years of being vegan during that time, as well as for the last 4 years. I have always used soy and other beans as a main source of protein. Lately, I've been doing more research about the effects of soy on fertility and being older, I'm wondering if this is a factor. I've had 3 children in 18 years but also 2 miscarriages, one recently. My husband and I want to do what we can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but we just aren't sure what that is, given all of the confusing and conflicting research. Seems that the soy industry says one thing and the dairy industry, another. We are both very healthy with no chronic illnesses and no hint of menopause. Any help trying to sort this out would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks! Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi Shawn, I don't have the study here at hand, but a doctor on another list I'm on has noted that flax has more phytoestrogens (the hormones that are said by some to be a problem with soy) than soy, and that non-organic dairy and meat products have more hormones than anything else in some of our diets. So it makes me think that vegans and vegetarians just have much less to worry about on this all together. :-) I'm back to not limiting soy in our diets. I used to, due to some of the research, but now that I've heard this other side, I think we're fine to eat soy often. Oh, and I forgot to mention that some of the anti-soy writings are coming out of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which is traditionally anti-vegetarian/vegan. And remember that natural health practitioners recommend soy as a way to regulate hormones and women often take soy capsules to keep hormones regulated in menopause and other hormonal change times - so it seems to actually help. Good luck! Lorraine On Behalf Of Shawn C Monday, October 12, 2009 2:04 PM Soy and Fertility Hello all! I have been vegetarian for 33 years with some years of being vegan during that time, as well as for the last 4 years. I have always used soy and other beans as a main source of protein. Lately, I've been doing more research about the effects of soy on fertility and being older, I'm wondering if this is a factor. I've had 3 children in 18 years but also 2 miscarriages, one recently. My husband and I want to do what we can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but we just aren't sure what that is, given all of the confusing and conflicting research. Seems that the soy industry says one thing and the dairy industry, another. We are both very healthy with no chronic illnesses and no hint of menopause. Any help trying to sort this out would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks! Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi- I don't know if anyone else wants to speak to this, but I'd like to say that just about every woman I know has had some sort of pregnancy loss- especially so if they have more than one child. Statistically, this is so, as well- my guess is it's a function of 'playing the pregnancy game' more often. I myself have had 4 kids in 6 years, 1 miscarriage at about 6 weeks in between #s 2 and 3. I was pregnant again before I even got my period back, and had healthy #3 with that pregnancy, no issues whatsoever. I started having kids at 29; I just turned 36, so I'm 'on the old side', at least as far as fertility may be concerned (note the sarcasm; yeah, I feel like I'm just two steps away from needing a walker at 36!). Two miscarriages in 18 years seems way less than what I would consider excessive. I'm with Lorraine on the soy issue; I eat plenty of soy, too. Best of luck! j. ________________________________ Lorraine <ldemi Tue, October 13, 2009 8:57:59 AM RE: Soy and Fertility Hi Shawn, I don't have the study here at hand, but a doctor on another list I'm on has noted that flax has more phytoestrogens (the hormones that are said by some to be a problem with soy) than soy, and that non-organic dairy and meat products have more hormones than anything else in some of our diets. So it makes me think that vegans and vegetarians just have much less to worry about on this all together. :-) I'm back to not limiting soy in our diets. I used to, due to some of the research, but now that I've heard this other side, I think we're fine to eat soy often. Oh, and I forgot to mention that some of the anti-soy writings are coming out of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which is traditionally anti-vegetarian/ vegan. And remember that natural health practitioners recommend soy as a way to regulate hormones and women often take soy capsules to keep hormones regulated in menopause and other hormonal change times - so it seems to actually help. Good luck! Lorraine @gro ups.com [@gro ups.com] On Behalf Of Shawn C Monday, October 12, 2009 2:04 PM @gro ups.com Soy and Fertility Hello all! I have been vegetarian for 33 years with some years of being vegan during that time, as well as for the last 4 years. I have always used soy and other beans as a main source of protein. Lately, I've been doing more research about the effects of soy on fertility and being older, I'm wondering if this is a factor. I've had 3 children in 18 years but also 2 miscarriages, one recently. My husband and I want to do what we can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but we just aren't sure what that is, given all of the confusing and conflicting research. Seems that the soy industry says one thing and the dairy industry, another. We are both very healthy with no chronic illnesses and no hint of menopause. Any help trying to sort this out would be greatly appreciated! !! Thanks! Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I know I have read many times the statistic that 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage (that also takes into account losses that are so early women just assume it's a late, heavy period -- not sure how they estimate that!). I have been eating soy regularly for years (in form of organic soy milk and tofu, sometimes edamame, the occasional veggie burger) and I don't think it's causing any trouble -- I've had three healthy sons with no miscarriages. Heather 2009/10/13 jenni claire garverick <jennigarverick > > > Hi- > I don't know if anyone else wants to speak to this, but I'd like to say > that just about every woman I know has had some sort of pregnancy loss- > especially so if they have more than one child. Statistically, this is so, > as well- my guess is it's a function of 'playing the pregnancy game' more > often. I myself have had 4 kids in 6 years, 1 miscarriage at about 6 weeks > in between #s 2 and 3. I was pregnant again before I even got my period > back, and had healthy #3 with that pregnancy, no issues whatsoever. I > started having kids at 29; I just turned 36, so I'm 'on the old side', at > least as far as fertility may be concerned (note the sarcasm; yeah, I feel > like I'm just two steps away from needing a walker at 36!). Two miscarriages > in 18 years seems way less than what I would consider excessive. I'm with > Lorraine on the soy issue; I eat plenty of soy, too. > Best of luck! > j. > > ________________________________ > Lorraine <ldemi <ldemi%40ucsd.edu>> > <%40> > Tue, October 13, 2009 8:57:59 AM > RE: Soy and Fertility > > > Hi Shawn, > I don't have the study here at hand, but a doctor on another list I'm on > has noted that flax has more phytoestrogens (the hormones that are said > by some to be a problem with soy) than soy, and that non-organic dairy > and meat products have more hormones than anything else in some of our > diets. So it makes me think that vegans and vegetarians just have much > less to worry about on this all together. :-) I'm back to not limiting > soy in our diets. I used to, due to some of the research, but now that > I've heard this other side, I think we're fine to eat soy often. Oh, > and I forgot to mention that some of the anti-soy writings are coming > out of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which is traditionally > anti-vegetarian/ vegan. And remember that natural health practitioners > recommend soy as a way to regulate hormones and women often take soy > capsules to keep hormones regulated in menopause and other hormonal > change times - so it seems to actually help. > Good luck! > Lorraine > > > @gro ups.com [@gro ups.com] On > Behalf Of Shawn C > Monday, October 12, 2009 2:04 PM > @gro ups.com > Soy and Fertility > > Hello all! I have been vegetarian for 33 years with some years of being > vegan during that time, as well as for the last 4 years. I have always > used soy and other beans as a main source of protein. Lately, I've been > doing more research about the effects of soy on fertility and being > older, I'm wondering if this is a factor. I've had 3 children in 18 > years but also 2 miscarriages, one recently. My husband and I want to do > what we can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but we just aren't > sure what that is, given all of the confusing and conflicting research. > Seems that the soy industry says one thing and the dairy industry, > another. We are both very healthy with no chronic illnesses and no hint > of menopause. Any help trying to sort this out would be greatly > appreciated! !! > > Thanks! > Shawn > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I was going to say something similar to Jenni. I was surprised when I first started to get to know other moms (9 years ago I joined a Natural Family Group of parents locally, but at the time I was the only veg) and found out how many women have miscarriages. I had not experienced one myself and it was super easy for me to get pregnant (we were already pregnant when we decided to " try " ). I assumed (falsely I believe now and I never said this to them, of course) that my superior diet was why I never experienced a miscarriage. Then 7 years later I experienced one. Very early on in a pregnancy (many women probably would have not even know they were pregnant) before I accidentally got pregnant with our third child (now 2), I had a miscarriage...it probably would have seemed like an extra hard cycle to many women and I didn't go to the hospital or doctor or anything so it wasn't counted in any stats and I know many women who have gone through the same thing. I now have heard so many stories of miscarriages from so many different moms that I really think it is extremely common. In fact, I only know a handful of moms from a group of over 100 that has not had at least one miscarriage. Many, many factors play into fertility and just because you've had a miscarriage does not mean that there is " something wrong " fertility-wise. Some pregnancies are just not viable for whatever reason. Not that it makes it any easier to go through. I don't think soy is a super food nor do I think it is harmful. I don't think any food is good eaten to excess since we need a variety of foods for optimal nutrition. Also, soy is different from other legumes so I wouldn't lump them all together. I would stick with organic soy made in the US. There are places like Indonesia where the tofu is preserved withformaldehyde! Linda A Marketplace for a Better World (Cruelty-free, Environmentally-Conscious, and Fair Labor Products) http://triballife.net/ http://triballifeinc.blogspot.com/ My personal blogs: http://veganlinda.blogspot.com/ http://cucarfree.blogspot.com/ ________________________________ jenni claire garverick <jennigarverick Tue, October 13, 2009 12:35:07 PM Re: Soy and Fertility Hi- I don't know if anyone else wants to speak to this, but I'd like to say that just about every woman I know has had some sort of pregnancy loss- especially so if they have more than one child. Statistically, this is so, as well- my guess is it's a function of 'playing the pregnancy game' more often. I myself have had 4 kids in 6 years, 1 miscarriage at about 6 weeks in between #s 2 and 3. I was pregnant again before I even got my period back, and had healthy #3 with that pregnancy, no issues whatsoever. I started having kids at 29; I just turned 36, so I'm 'on the old side', at least as far as fertility may be concerned (note the sarcasm; yeah, I feel like I'm just two steps away from needing a walker at 36!). Two miscarriages in 18 years seems way less than what I would consider excessive. I'm with Lorraine on the soy issue; I eat plenty of soy, too. Best of luck! j. ____________ _________ _________ __ Lorraine <ldemi @gro ups.com Tue, October 13, 2009 8:57:59 AM RE: Soy and Fertility Hi Shawn, I don't have the study here at hand, but a doctor on another list I'm on has noted that flax has more phytoestrogens (the hormones that are said by some to be a problem with soy) than soy, and that non-organic dairy and meat products have more hormones than anything else in some of our diets. So it makes me think that vegans and vegetarians just have much less to worry about on this all together. :-) I'm back to not limiting soy in our diets. I used to, due to some of the research, but now that I've heard this other side, I think we're fine to eat soy often. Oh, and I forgot to mention that some of the anti-soy writings are coming out of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which is traditionally anti-vegetarian/ vegan. And remember that natural health practitioners recommend soy as a way to regulate hormones and women often take soy capsules to keep hormones regulated in menopause and other hormonal change times - so it seems to actually help. Good luck! Lorraine @gro ups.com [@ gro ups.com] On Behalf Of Shawn C Monday, October 12, 2009 2:04 PM @gro ups.com Soy and Fertility Hello all! I have been vegetarian for 33 years with some years of being vegan during that time, as well as for the last 4 years. I have always used soy and other beans as a main source of protein. Lately, I've been doing more research about the effects of soy on fertility and being older, I'm wondering if this is a factor. I've had 3 children in 18 years but also 2 miscarriages, one recently. My husband and I want to do what we can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but we just aren't sure what that is, given all of the confusing and conflicting research. Seems that the soy industry says one thing and the dairy industry, another. We are both very healthy with no chronic illnesses and no hint of menopause. Any help trying to sort this out would be greatly appreciated! !! Thanks! Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hi, Yeah, I didn't mention that we had two miscarriages before our son - after being vegetarians for 15 years. I was 34/almost 35 at the first miscarriage and 36 when our son was born. But all that said, I don't think age or diet or soy intake had anything to do with the miscarriages. I read all the same studies - 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage, even more if you count the ones that happen so early that women don't even know they're pregnant yet, and that most of the time it's just a lack of viability, no cause or reason can really be blamed. For fertility issues, I wouldn't focus on soy at all - I'd focus on a healthy, organic diet, good exercise, good rest, lessening stress, lessening exposure to toxins, stopping alcohol and caffeine, increasing vitamins and supplements, making sure your husband is doing all the healthy fertility stuff (avoiding hot tubs, wearing boxers, and doing all the above health stuff, too), and just providing a healthy environment for a pregnancy. And you could talk to a midwife or natural practitioner about herbs and homeopathy for fertility - I took several different tinctures and tablets during fertility treatment our midwife did with us. And she also taught me yoga poses that increase fertility. And something worked as we got pregnant with our lovely son soon after. Best of luck! Lorraine On Behalf Of jenni claire garverick Tuesday, October 13, 2009 10:35 AM Re: Soy and Fertility Hi- I don't know if anyone else wants to speak to this, but I'd like to say that just about every woman I know has had some sort of pregnancy loss- especially so if they have more than one child. Statistically, this is so, as well- my guess is it's a function of 'playing the pregnancy game' more often. I myself have had 4 kids in 6 years, 1 miscarriage at about 6 weeks in between #s 2 and 3. I was pregnant again before I even got my period back, and had healthy #3 with that pregnancy, no issues whatsoever. I started having kids at 29; I just turned 36, so I'm 'on the old side', at least as far as fertility may be concerned (note the sarcasm; yeah, I feel like I'm just two steps away from needing a walker at 36!). Two miscarriages in 18 years seems way less than what I would consider excessive. I'm with Lorraine on the soy issue; I eat plenty of soy, too. Best of luck! j. ________________________________ Lorraine <ldemi <ldemi%40ucsd.edu> > @gro <%40> ups.com Tue, October 13, 2009 8:57:59 AM RE: Soy and Fertility Hi Shawn, I don't have the study here at hand, but a doctor on another list I'm on has noted that flax has more phytoestrogens (the hormones that are said by some to be a problem with soy) than soy, and that non-organic dairy and meat products have more hormones than anything else in some of our diets. So it makes me think that vegans and vegetarians just have much less to worry about on this all together. :-) I'm back to not limiting soy in our diets. I used to, due to some of the research, but now that I've heard this other side, I think we're fine to eat soy often. Oh, and I forgot to mention that some of the anti-soy writings are coming out of the Weston A. Price Foundation, which is traditionally anti-vegetarian/ vegan. And remember that natural health practitioners recommend soy as a way to regulate hormones and women often take soy capsules to keep hormones regulated in menopause and other hormonal change times - so it seems to actually help. Good luck! Lorraine @gro ups.com [@gro ups.com] On Behalf Of Shawn C Monday, October 12, 2009 2:04 PM @gro ups.com Soy and Fertility Hello all! I have been vegetarian for 33 years with some years of being vegan during that time, as well as for the last 4 years. I have always used soy and other beans as a main source of protein. Lately, I've been doing more research about the effects of soy on fertility and being older, I'm wondering if this is a factor. I've had 3 children in 18 years but also 2 miscarriages, one recently. My husband and I want to do what we can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but we just aren't sure what that is, given all of the confusing and conflicting research. Seems that the soy industry says one thing and the dairy industry, another. We are both very healthy with no chronic illnesses and no hint of menopause. Any help trying to sort this out would be greatly appreciated! !! Thanks! Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 , " Shawn C " <loveandpeacemom wrote: > > Hello all! I have been vegetarian for 33 years with some years of being vegan during that time, as well as for the last 4 years. I have always used soy and other beans as a main source of protein. Lately, I've been doing more research about the effects of soy on fertility and being older, I'm wondering if this is a factor. I've had 3 children in 18 years but also 2 miscarriages, one recently. My husband and I want to do what we can to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but we just aren't sure what that is, given all of the confusing and conflicting research. Seems that the soy industry says one thing and the dairy industry, another. We are both very healthy with no chronic illnesses and no hint of menopause. Any help trying to sort this out would be greatly appreciated!!! > > Thanks! > Shawn > Okay I know this is strange but here is a link to get 10 free ovulation test strips or pregnancy tests. http://www.freeopks.com/ Also I had 2 miscarriages when I was a meat eater. As soon as I started really caring about my health and making sure my diet was intune with my body and values I got pregnant and had a great pregnancy. I must admit I eat way more soy than I want to. My BF is a fake meat and potatoes kind of guy Good Luck! Amity P.S. Maybe start taking some prenatal vits. and start preparing your body and mind. Try, but not to hard. I find that if I visualize things but don't obsess it usually goes the way I would like it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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