Lots of people love to eat steaks, hamburgers and sausages but the majority of us don’t realize the affects these foods have on our body’s hormones and our health–long term and even short term.
Nelson Campbell, T. Colin Campbell, PhD and State Representative Tom Riner tried to get the Kentucky State Legislature to pass this statement as a “Finding of Fact” which would have allowed it to be sited in court cases.
“Numerous scientific studies now confirm that a whole foods diet comprised primarily of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and nuts without added oil, sugar and salt is optimal for human health, not only preventing a broad range of diseases and illnesses, but also reversing some of the most dangerous chronic conditions. This finding is of the highest importance to the commonwealth because it communicates the power to save lives.” — Quote from “PlantPure Nation”
Changing what you eat changes your hormones and that affects your cancer risk and some types of pain. Food choices affect your hormones in several different ways. Here’s what happens:
Animal foods contain hormones. When you eat animal foods you are eating the hormones that are in the animal’s tissues. The hormones are not “denatured” by your digestive system; they are absorbed intact and act like your body’s own hormones. That is why you cannot go to the grocery store and buy a package of thyroid glands to cook up for dinner. The overdose of thyroid hormone from the cow or pig would make you very sick. Hormones are found in all animal foods naturally. Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, milk and eggs all contain hormones even if they are organic and raised without added hormones. Hormones are especially concentrated in the organ meats which are put into sausages, hamburger, bologna and other processed meat products.
Eating fat increases hormone levels. When you eat food that is high in fat and low fiber, like a fast food meal, the fat actually increases estrogen and testosterone levels. Even “good” fats have this effect. Most dietary fat comes from animal foods, fried foods and vegetable oils.
Fiber blocks fat absorption and mops up excess hormones. When you eat foods like brown rice, oatmeal and beans, the fiber blocks the absorption of some of the fat you eat, thereby reducing the hormonal effects. The fiber also mops up waste hormones and sweeps them out of the body. Fiber is only found in plant foods, never in animal foods. Unfortunately, it is removed from many of the foods in the standard American diet. The best sources of fiber are whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
More plant foods mean more sex-hormone binding globulin. When you eat a plant foods your body makes more sex-hormone binding globulin which binds with excess estrogen and testosterone and inactivates them until they are needed.
Here are some of the benefits
Reduces cancer risk. One of the reasons that a low fat, pure vegetarian diet reduces the risk of cancer is that it helps restore a proper hormone balance. The types of cancer that are the most responsive to a change in diet are the ones that originate in the digestive organs (esophagus, pancreas, bowel, stomach, liver) and the sex organs (breast, uterus, ovaries, prostate). There are even cases of cancer going into complete remission. Women who are long-time vegetarians have a lower lifetime exposure to estrogen and therefore, a lower risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
May reduce migraine pain. Estrogen is known to influence migraine headaches. That is why women are more likely to suffer from migraines than men. The causes of migraine are complicated and migraine pain may not be completely relieved by a low-fat vegetarian diet, but it is likely to help.
Reduces menstrual pain. Many women experience a reduction in menstrual pain and PMS symptoms within a month of switching to a low-fat, plant-based diet. Not only will the total estrogen level be lower, but the monthly hormonal swings will be smoothed out as well. Complete relief is often achieved within a few months.
There are many other benefits to eating a low-fat, purely vegetarian diet. More information on how to switch to a plant-based diet is in our article “Eat the PalmLeaf Way.”
If you are interested in improving your health through better nutrition, we recommend trying one new food or dish everyday. Find the ones you like and as you eat more and more of the new healthier foods it will crowd out the old unhealthy foods. Focus on all the exciting new flavors, colors and textures and not on any perceived deprivation.
If you don’t cook, just look for the cheeseless pizza next to the regular pizza in the frozen foods aisle. Look for the vegetarian baked beans next to the ones with pork fat. Look for the bean burritos next to the traditional ones. The options are out there and they taste delicious. It works for Ramon and it will work for you too! Here’s to good food and good health!
References:
Foods That Fight Pain by Neal Barnard, MD
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, PCRM.org
Plantpurenation.com
drmcdougall.com
Ramon & Jeanette ‘Jen’ Mascarenas Co-owners of PalmLeaf Massage Clinic. Jen Mascarenas is a vegan and believes in a whole-foods, plant-based diet to promote vitality. She shares vegan recipes and writes abstract research articles for PalmLeaf Massage Clinic. Ramon Mascarenas and his associates have licensed massage therapist who practices Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy and other medical massage modalities. Ramon and his associates promote wellness and help clients with pain management through self-care exercises.
