Guest guest Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Ilse: I recall that article in Mothering. http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/food/soy_story.html I have to say that that article was the beginning of the end of my subscription to Mothering. I found the article alarmist, sensationalistic and somewhat pseudoscientific. That is not to say that there was no validity to the author's position; I just felt that the tone and the way that the information was presented felt forced and made me suspicious. (Over time, I also started to notice that other subjects were similarly treated in that magazine, and I let my subscription lapse. Funny, a friend of mine also stopped reading it because she felt that it had become increasingly judgmental and closeminded). The responses to the articles are also online and are interesting. But regarding soy...I use soy formula with my toddler and have for over a year. I had breastfeeding problems that I could not overcome and had to supplement. Since my husband and I and my older child all have problems with dairy, I chose not to risk milk formula with my son. To date, we have had no apparent problems with it. We also use meat substitutes from time to time. I just don't worry about it too much. The other day I read that a study was completed that found that sons of mothers who consumed a lot of beef during pregnancy had more fertility issues that boys whose mothers did not consume a lot of beef. This was a tiny, little article buried in our newspaper. Obviously, soy does not have the monopoly on potential ill effects, but it does not have the lobbying power of the meat industry, apparently. I also read recently that baby boys who were bathed in products containing tea tree oil and lavender were found to have breast development. Yikes! You could lose your mind! Hope it helps to know that you are not alone, Jen - Ilse Knecht Friday, April 20, 2007 11:14 PM introduction and help with 17 mo old. Hi all, I'm Ilse and I've been vegetarian for most of my life. I fell off the wagon a bit in college but have been vegetarian solidly for almost 20 years now. My husband is vegetarian also, for almost 14 years. WE have a 17 mo old son that we are raising veggie. I have several " issues " right now that I am trying to work through. I hope folks can provide advice. Our diet does consist of a lot of meat substitutes. Boca, Morningstar farms, Quorn, etc. i've been able to help my husband be vegetarian by figuring out how to make meals the resemble " typical " American meals (tacos or burritos with " beef " , etc.) and Greek foods (his heritage) as well. My son has been eating lots of these substitutes as well. He hates tofu! He has a big thing about texture ( as do I) and is not very interested in fruits and veggies (argh). We are working on normalizing fruits and veggies in their pure form for him (he will eat them pureed). He doesn't seem to like complicated foods either. He likes one or two ingredients at the most. Casseroles are not a hit. I constantly do put a variety of foods in front of him but he never eats them, and I don't pressure. Anyway, I read an article in Mothering about how bad processed soy foods are generally, and how soy can be detrimental to boys reproductive and other development. It seemed a little alarmist but now I am freaking out. My son does also drink soy milk because at one year, he was lactose intolerant. So, he is getting a ton of soy. I guess my first question is, what are people's thoughts on the claims about (processed) soy? Am I worrying needlessly? Is it still better than meat? And my second is, how can I make a shift to cooking less with processed foods? I'm concerned for my son's health, and ours. Many thanks in advance for your ideas. Ilse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 I read part of the original article about soy and infants. My son was on soy formula for over a year because he's allergic to milk - that's why I keep very little " real " milk in the house (he'll drink at least a half gallon and then is sick afterwards). I don't know why some people are so anti-soy. Yes, I'm sure in some people it causes problems, but there's a reason *why* doctors prescribe it for so many infants. If it was truly causing that many problems, they wouldn't do it. (Note: I worked for several years in the Arkansas Department of Health WIC program, so I learned a lot about the different issues with formula when a child couldn't or wouldn't nurse.) On Behalf Of j.steward Monday, April 23, 2007 1:17 PM Mothering article re soy Ilse: I recall that article in Mothering. http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/food/soy_story.html I have to say that that article was the beginning of the end of my subscription to Mothering. I found the article alarmist, sensationalistic and somewhat pseudoscientific. That is not to say that there was no validity to the author's position; I just felt that the tone and the way that the information was presented felt forced and made me suspicious. (Over time, I also started to notice that other subjects were similarly treated in that magazine, and I let my subscription lapse. Funny, a friend of mine also stopped reading it because she felt that it had become increasingly judgmental and closeminded). The responses to the articles are also online and are interesting. But regarding soy...I use soy formula with my toddler and have for over a year. I had breastfeeding problems that I could not overcome and had to supplement. Since my husband and I and my older child all have problems with dairy, I chose not to risk milk formula with my son. To date, we have had no apparent problems with it. We also use meat substitutes from time to time. I just don't worry about it too much. The other day I read that a study was completed that found that sons of mothers who consumed a lot of beef during pregnancy had more fertility issues that boys whose mothers did not consume a lot of beef. This was a tiny, little article buried in our newspaper. Obviously, soy does not have the monopoly on potential ill effects, but it does not have the lobbying power of the meat industry, apparently. I also read recently that baby boys who were bathed in products containing tea tree oil and lavender were found to have breast development. Yikes! You could lose your mind! Hope it helps to know that you are not alone, Jen - Ilse Knecht Friday, April 20, 2007 11:14 PM introduction and help with 17 mo old. Hi all, I'm Ilse and I've been vegetarian for most of my life. I fell off the wagon a bit in college but have been vegetarian solidly for almost 20 years now. My husband is vegetarian also, for almost 14 years. WE have a 17 mo old son that we are raising veggie. I have several " issues " right now that I am trying to work through. I hope folks can provide advice. Our diet does consist of a lot of meat substitutes. Boca, Morningstar farms, Quorn, etc. i've been able to help my husband be vegetarian by figuring out how to make meals the resemble " typical " American meals (tacos or burritos with " beef " , etc.) and Greek foods (his heritage) as well. My son has been eating lots of these substitutes as well. He hates tofu! He has a big thing about texture ( as do I) and is not very interested in fruits and veggies (argh). We are working on normalizing fruits and veggies in their pure form for him (he will eat them pureed). He doesn't seem to like complicated foods either. He likes one or two ingredients at the most. Casseroles are not a hit. I constantly do put a variety of foods in front of him but he never eats them, and I don't pressure. Anyway, I read an article in Mothering about how bad processed soy foods are generally, and how soy can be detrimental to boys reproductive and other development. It seemed a little alarmist but now I am freaking out. My son does also drink soy milk because at one year, he was lactose intolerant. So, he is getting a ton of soy. I guess my first question is, what are people's thoughts on the claims about (processed) soy? Am I worrying needlessly? Is it still better than meat? And my second is, how can I make a shift to cooking less with processed foods? I'm concerned for my son's health, and ours. Many thanks in advance for your ideas. Ilse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Thanks Jen, I definately felt the article was alarmist and was pretty shocked to see it in Mothering. I've been concerned prior to this article that my son gets too much processed food. So, this was a good kick in the pants to make change, but I certainly am not giving up my soy! Ilse >>> j.steward 04/23/07 2:17 PM >>> Ilse: I recall that article in Mothering. http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/food/soy_story.html I have to say that that article was the beginning of the end of my subscription to Mothering. I found the article alarmist, sensationalistic and somewhat pseudoscientific. That is not to say that there was no validity to the author's position; I just felt that the tone and the way that the information was presented felt forced and made me suspicious. (Over time, I also started to notice that other subjects were similarly treated in that magazine, and I let my subscription lapse. Funny, a friend of mine also stopped reading it because she felt that it had become increasingly judgmental and closeminded). The responses to the articles are also online and are interesting. But regarding soy...I use soy formula with my toddler and have for over a year. I had breastfeeding problems that I could not overcome and had to supplement. Since my husband and I and my older child all have problems with dairy, I chose not to risk milk formula with my son. To date, we have had no apparent problems with it. We also use meat substitutes from time to time. I just don't worry about it too much. The other day I read that a study was completed that found that sons of mothers who consumed a lot of beef during pregnancy had more fertility issues that boys whose mothers did not consume a lot of beef. This was a tiny, little article buried in our newspaper. Obviously, soy does not have the monopoly on potential ill effects, but it does not have the lobbying power of the meat industry, apparently. I also read recently that baby boys who were bathed in products containing tea tree oil and lavender were found to have breast development. Yikes! You could lose your mind! Hope it helps to know that you are not alone, Jen - Ilse Knecht Friday, April 20, 2007 11:14 PM introduction and help with 17 mo old. Hi all, I'm Ilse and I've been vegetarian for most of my life. I fell off the wagon a bit in college but have been vegetarian solidly for almost 20 years now. My husband is vegetarian also, for almost 14 years. WE have a 17 mo old son that we are raising veggie. I have several " issues " right now that I am trying to work through. I hope folks can provide advice. Our diet does consist of a lot of meat substitutes. Boca, Morningstar farms, Quorn, etc. i've been able to help my husband be vegetarian by figuring out how to make meals the resemble " typical " American meals (tacos or burritos with " beef " , etc.) and Greek foods (his heritage) as well. My son has been eating lots of these substitutes as well. He hates tofu! He has a big thing about texture ( as do I) and is not very interested in fruits and veggies (argh). We are working on normalizing fruits and veggies in their pure form for him (he will eat them pureed). He doesn't seem to like complicated foods either. He likes one or two ingredients at the most. Casseroles are not a hit. I constantly do put a variety of foods in front of him but he never eats them, and I don't pressure. Anyway, I read an article in Mothering about how bad processed soy foods are generally, and how soy can be detrimental to boys reproductive and other development. It seemed a little alarmist but now I am freaking out. My son does also drink soy milk because at one year, he was lactose intolerant. So, he is getting a ton of soy. I guess my first question is, what are people's thoughts on the claims about (processed) soy? Am I worrying needlessly? Is it still better than meat? And my second is, how can I make a shift to cooking less with processed foods? I'm concerned for my son's health, and ours. Many thanks in advance for your ideas. Ilse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Hi. I have an 11 month old daughter. I too, had problems breast feeding, I had to stop after just 3 weeks. She was on the preemie formula and was constantly spitting at least half of it up. I kept telling the ped that I wanted to try soy formula and he was adamant that preemies need more calcium (uh..yeah soy has it). Soooo, I switched her without telling the doc, amazing, she kept ALL of her food down and thrived! She was two months premature and now has caught up to the full term growth chart. I would say the soy formula is safe! She has recently started with solids. It is so hard to find baby food " entrees " with no meat! So, I make her food. She eats all fruits and veggies, has 4 oz of organic yogurt everyday at lunch mixed with a fruit and cereal and has about half a soy burger for dinner along with her veggies. Even adults don't need alot of protien so a little soy shouldn't hurt anyone. I would however, feel better about my kids eating processed soy food than the flesh that is being sold. That, in my opinion is a COMPLETE nightmare. For the soy milk, rice milk or almond milk is DELICIOUS, your son may like it better than soy too. As veggie Moms, we have a hard shell and just have to trust our instincts. Our pockets aren't padded based on food choices. I don't know if I helped at all....Ahhh, sorry to ramble... Stephanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 I guess that just goes to prove that doctors don't always know everything. Good for you Stephanie!! Lynne Stephanie <stargazerlily72 wrote: Hi. I have an 11 month old daughter. I too, had problems breast feeding, I had to stop after just 3 weeks. She was on the preemie formula and was constantly spitting at least half of it up. I kept telling the ped that I wanted to try soy formula and he was adamant that preemies need more calcium (uh..yeah soy has it). Soooo, I switched her without telling the doc, amazing, she kept ALL of her food down and thrived! She was two months premature and now has caught up to the full term growth chart. I would say the soy formula is safe! She has recently started with solids. It is so hard to find baby food " entrees " with no meat! So, I make her food. She eats all fruits and veggies, has 4 oz of organic yogurt everyday at lunch mixed with a fruit and cereal and has about half a soy burger for dinner along with her veggies. Even adults don't need alot of protien so a little soy shouldn't hurt anyone. I would however, feel better about my kids eating processed soy food than the flesh that is being sold. That, in my opinion is a COMPLETE nightmare. For the soy milk, rice milk or almond milk is DELICIOUS, your son may like it better than soy too. As veggie Moms, we have a hard shell and just have to trust our instincts. Our pockets aren't padded based on food choices. I don't know if I helped at all....Ahhh, sorry to ramble... Stephanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Soy milk has an enormous amount of estrogen in it. This alone would stop me from giving it to children, especially boys. It has been linked to aggressive behavior, attention disorders and disciplines problems. In older people tofu and soy milk have been linked to early onset and rapid progression of Alzheimer's disease. It scares me! I don't eat it. Although I would imagine that a little bit isn't going to hurt anyone. Katie Penny <pennytilotson wrote: I read part of the original article about soy and infants. My son was on soy formula for over a year because he's allergic to milk - that's why I keep very little " real " milk in the house (he'll drink at least a half gallon and then is sick afterwards). I don't know why some people are so anti-soy. Yes, I'm sure in some people it causes problems, but there's a reason *why* doctors prescribe it for so many infants. If it was truly causing that many problems, they wouldn't do it. (Note: I worked for several years in the Arkansas Department of Health WIC program, so I learned a lot about the different issues with formula when a child couldn't or wouldn't nurse.) On Behalf Of j.steward Monday, April 23, 2007 1:17 PM Mothering article re soy Ilse: I recall that article in Mothering. http://www.mothering.com/articles/growing_child/food/soy_story.html I have to say that that article was the beginning of the end of my subscription to Mothering. I found the article alarmist, sensationalistic and somewhat pseudoscientific. That is not to say that there was no validity to the author's position; I just felt that the tone and the way that the information was presented felt forced and made me suspicious. (Over time, I also started to notice that other subjects were similarly treated in that magazine, and I let my subscription lapse. Funny, a friend of mine also stopped reading it because she felt that it had become increasingly judgmental and closeminded). The responses to the articles are also online and are interesting. But regarding soy...I use soy formula with my toddler and have for over a year. I had breastfeeding problems that I could not overcome and had to supplement. Since my husband and I and my older child all have problems with dairy, I chose not to risk milk formula with my son. To date, we have had no apparent problems with it. We also use meat substitutes from time to time. I just don't worry about it too much. The other day I read that a study was completed that found that sons of mothers who consumed a lot of beef during pregnancy had more fertility issues that boys whose mothers did not consume a lot of beef. This was a tiny, little article buried in our newspaper. Obviously, soy does not have the monopoly on potential ill effects, but it does not have the lobbying power of the meat industry, apparently. I also read recently that baby boys who were bathed in products containing tea tree oil and lavender were found to have breast development. Yikes! You could lose your mind! Hope it helps to know that you are not alone, Jen - Ilse Knecht Friday, April 20, 2007 11:14 PM introduction and help with 17 mo old. Hi all, I'm Ilse and I've been vegetarian for most of my life. I fell off the wagon a bit in college but have been vegetarian solidly for almost 20 years now. My husband is vegetarian also, for almost 14 years. WE have a 17 mo old son that we are raising veggie. I have several " issues " right now that I am trying to work through. I hope folks can provide advice. Our diet does consist of a lot of meat substitutes. Boca, Morningstar farms, Quorn, etc. i've been able to help my husband be vegetarian by figuring out how to make meals the resemble " typical " American meals (tacos or burritos with " beef " , etc.) and Greek foods (his heritage) as well. My son has been eating lots of these substitutes as well. He hates tofu! He has a big thing about texture ( as do I) and is not very interested in fruits and veggies (argh). We are working on normalizing fruits and veggies in their pure form for him (he will eat them pureed). He doesn't seem to like complicated foods either. He likes one or two ingredients at the most. Casseroles are not a hit. I constantly do put a variety of foods in front of him but he never eats them, and I don't pressure. Anyway, I read an article in Mothering about how bad processed soy foods are generally, and how soy can be detrimental to boys reproductive and other development. It seemed a little alarmist but now I am freaking out. My son does also drink soy milk because at one year, he was lactose intolerant. So, he is getting a ton of soy. I guess my first question is, what are people's thoughts on the claims about (processed) soy? Am I worrying needlessly? Is it still better than meat? And my second is, how can I make a shift to cooking less with processed foods? I'm concerned for my son's health, and ours. Many thanks in advance for your ideas. Ilse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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