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The Bad Bean, A Research Paper


The Bad Bean

A Science Research Paper by Rose MacPherson

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In C. S. Lewis’ well-loved book The Silver Chair, Jill Pole expresses her delight at the delicious breakfast she was treated to at the end of the story, and her relief that it would not contain soybeans. “Jill [could]... smell... sausages, and more, and more, and more sausages. And not wretched sausages half full of bread and Soya Bean either, but real meaty, spicey ones, fat and piping hot and burst and just the tiniest bit burnt” (203). Though Jill is only an imaginary character in a mere children’s book, she was on to something. I do not believe that soy should be used as food. I will begin by giving several facts about soy and agriculture. I will continue by revealing the many food products in which soy is found. I will explain the numerous health problems that soy consumption will cause. I will conclude by identifying the proper uses for soy.


First, let’s examine soy as a crop. “Soya is a very big business, particularly in the USA” (Campbell 112). In fact, soy is the third leading crop in the United States, most of it being grown in Iowa and Illinois (Harper 683). America grows “more soybeans than any other country,” almost 70% of the world’s soy (683). Most soy is genetically modified and sprayed with many pesticides, making it an extremely inexpensive product (Campbell-McBride 112-113). One source claims that “the soybean is one of the world’s most useful...sources of protein” (Harper 683). However, this “usefulness” is because of its low cost, not because soy is a nutritious food, as you will discover. Even so, the prices are rising! “Soy foods are now nearly as expensive as meat and pricier than dairy” (30). Those are a few facts about soy, one of America’s biggest crops.


Second, very many – if not most – processed foods contain soy. “Up to 60% of processed foods... contain [soy protein isolate]” (Campbell-McBride 113). Please note that this percentage does not include other kinds of soy. “Soy proteins have been hiding in chopped meat mixes such as preformed hamburger patties, readymade meat loaves, spaghetti sauces and even some brands of fresh ground beef for years” (Daniel 87). One source mentions that soy is made into pseudo cheese, burgers, hot dogs, “chicken” nuggets, ice cream, and yogurt (Perlmutter 253). Besides these items, soy “can be found in many processed foods, margarines [sic], salad dressings and sauces, breads, biscuits, pizza, baby food, children’s snacks, sweets, cakes, vegetarian products, dairy replacements, infant milk formulas, etc” (Campbell-McBride 113). In addition, “most [protein bars] are soy based” (Allison and Barrett 136). Most farm animals are fed a diet quite high in soy (Perlmutter 89). This would include farm-raised fish (Allison and Barrett 177). When people eat the beef, pork, and fish from animals fed in this manner, they are practically eating soy. “Most commercial breads today contain small amounts of soy flour, even though they are not labeled as soy products” (Daniel 81). Forms of soy are sometimes added to orange juice (96). Those are only a few of the many examples of food – processed or otherwise – in which soy can be found. Now that I have revealed the many processed foods in which soy is found, let’s next discover what harm soy has the potential to cause. Soy can cause cancer, block minerals and inhibit enzymes, make for intestinal problems and growth retardation, lead to autoimmune thyroid disease, and be the cause of protein assimilation problems. In fact, soy is included in the Food and Drug Administration’s “Poisonous Plant Database” (31). Let’s take a look at some of these risks.


Soy protein isolate will cause cancer because it is contaminated with aluminum, which is carcinogenic. Aluminum, which is also a brain toxin, links soy consumption with dementia (Bollinger 477). Just how is this soy protein isolate made? “After removing the fibre with an alkaline solution the soybeans are put into large aluminium tanks with and acid wash. Acid makes the soybeans absorb aluminium, which will remain in the end product. ...After the aluminium-acid wash the beans are treated with many other chemicals including nitreates, which have been implicated in cancer development” (Campbell-McBride 113). Even before soy is processed in this manner, it is already carcinogenic. Soy contains phytates, phytoestrogens, and enzyme inhibitors, which are themselves cancer-causing (Fallon 29). Trypsin inhibitors are also quite plentiful in soy. These nasty little things make the digestion of protein almost impossible, and they are also carcinogenic. “Soy isoflavones [another name for phytoestrogens] cause breast cancer cells to grow” (Bollinger 467)! In summary, phytoestrogens, trypsin inhibitors, and aluminum are all found in soy, putting those who eat soy at a high risk for cancer. Another concern about soy is the fact that it contains high levels of phytates. Phytates are substances that block the absorption of micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals. “Soybeans have some of the highest phytate levels” (Allison and Barrett 10). These phytates, which are also called phytic acid, make it extremely difficult – if not impossible – for the body to absorb the minerals calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc (Bollinger 467). Many other foods, such as nuts, beans, lentils, and grain, also contain phytic acid; however, these phytates can be – and are – broken down by processes such as soaking, sprouting, and cooking. The phytates in soy, on the other hand, are much more harmful because they do not respond to these methods of elimination. The phytic acid found in soybeans are “only deactivated by fermentation and not by ordinary cooking” (Fallon 62). Because of these frightful phytates, soy consumption will lead to mineral deficiencies. Sadly, “soy protein blocks iron absorption even when all the phytic acid has been removed” (Nagel 60).


As mentioned earlier, many people argue that the soybean is one of the world’s most useful sources of protein. But is this really true? “Animal protein is our only source of complete protein” (Fallon 26), although some sources also count quinoa as a complete protein (Nischwitz 130). Some people are under the impression that soy, too, is a complete protein, as it technically contains all of the essential amino acids; however, “it is so low in two [of these] that it cannot serve as a complete protein” (496). Amino acids are the substances of which protein is built up of. Eight of the twenty-two amino acids are essential, by which is meant that the body cannot produce them. “If just one essential amino acid is low or missing, the body is unable to synthesize the other proteins it needs, even when overall protein intake is high” (26). In soy, two of the essential amino acids are quite low. These are called methionine and cystine (Bollinger 477). That is why I do not believe that the aforementioned claim – that the soybean is one of the world’s most useful sources of protein – is accurate. As Nourishing Traditions says, “health cannot be maintained on a diet that omits animal protein” (496).


Chemicals are yet another issue with soy. Soybeans are heavily sprayed by fungicides and insecticides (Harper 962). “Most soy is genetically modified” (Allison and Barrett 10). One would also wonder if soybeans, which grow along the highways, are exposed to the pollution caused by traffic at any hour of the day or night. And all this takes place even before the soy is processed! The dangers of aluminum contamination have already been covered. In addition, “food manufacturers are now using a toxic chemical called hexane to process soy” (Bollinger 478). Because of all of these ways in which soy is exposed to chemicals, it is quite toxic. “Soy is generally not recommended,” says Dr. Dominik Nischwitz, a naturopath and holistic dentist from Germany and international speaker (130). “This deadly ‘food’ belongs in the toxic waste dump,” one source is bold enough to proclaim (Bollinger 479). I can’t say I disagree.


Because of those many concerns – that this food can cause cancer, thyroid problems, and intestinal problems and also block minerals, vitamins, and nutrients – it is best to avoid “questionable foods like soy” (Fallon 58).


Although up until now I have only mentioned the terrible troubles that soybeans will cause you, there are actually many good uses for soy as well. When God made the earth and all vegetation, He “saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:12). Even though the world is now corrupted, soy can still be used for good. Soybeans can be useful for many non-food items. For instance, my planner has been printed using soy-based ink. “Soy meal is... used in manufacturing such products as... fire extinguisher fluid, insect sprays, and paint” (Harper 690). Adhesive tape, leather softeners, and carbon paper are often made from soybean oil (691). Soybean oil has also been used to light lamps (Daniel 14). The soy hot dog has been called a “rubbery concoction,” and it is very bouncy (86). We should be making bouncy balls out of this stuff, not eating it! Soy oil can also be used in the production of paint and soap (104). I find it fascinating to know that “Most soybean meal was used as fertilizer until the mid-1930’s” (Harper 692). Soybeans were originally not cultivated as a food source, but as a way to put nitrogen back into the soil (Fallon 201). “Spun soy protein fibers are not much different from plastic fibers” (Daniel 95). This gives soybeans the potential to be useful in the manufacturing of many useful items, although it also contributes to the evidence that soy is quite detrimental to one’s health. The most interesting use for soy is in the manufacturing of automobiles. In 1937, Henry Ford designed and built a “soymobile,” although he never made more than one. The plastic produced from the soybeans turned out to be stronger than steel (Daniel 18). With all of these excellent, health-preserving uses for soy, why would anyone bother to eat it?


Many studies show that if soy is fermented, on the other hand, it is not so harmful. While many researchers have identified “its negative effects, there are some studies that show the opposite” – once it has been fermented, that is (Allison and Barrett 10-11). “Soybeans should be eaten only after they have been fermented” (Fallon 495). The process of fermentation breaks down the phytates, which makes for easier absorption of nutrients – especially zinc (248). “The Chinese had learned to ferment soy beans to make them edible” (201). It is interesting to note that one source defines soy as “a sauce made from soybeans fermented in brine” (Merriam-Webster 686, emphasis added). Fermented soy products, such as Miso, can be a good source of probiotics, or healthy bacteria (Sonnenburg 107). Miso, along with egg yolks and greens, is a good source of vitamin K (Fallon 39). “Soybeans must... only [be used] as fermented products like miso, natto and tempeh” (62). However, these benefits do not apply to modern soy sauce, even though it claims to be fermented. “Traditional soy sauce is made by a fermentation process that takes six to eight months to complete” (Fallon 147). It only takes two days for the modern kind. “Fermented soy products, such as special fermented soy drinks (not available in the store), natural soy sauce, miso and tempeh can be acceptable. However, use fermented soy with care and awareness” (Nagel 85). Although fermented soy has no phytates, please remember that the phytoestrogens still remain (Fallon 62). “Natto (special fermented soybeans) or the enzyme from natto, nattokinase increases blood circulation and can help reduce infections” [sic] (144). Another benefit of natto is the “extremely powerful” probiotic Bacillus subtilis. This strain of healthy bacteria is proven to be excellent for the strengthening of the immune system (Axe 121). “Miso... [is] believed to stimulate the digestive system and energize the body for the day ahead. The fermentation process produces a rich, complex flavor” (Axe 122). So you see, soybeans can actually be beneficial to one’s health after undergoing a long period of fermentation.


We have now looked at several facts about soy and agriculture, realized how many food products soy is found in, discussed the numerous health problems that soy consumption will cause, and discovered the proper uses for soy. I am sure you can agree with me that soybeans should not be used as food. We can all say, along with Jill, that we would much rather not have soybeans in our sausages.

 

Works Cited:

  • Allison, Serene and Barrett, Pearl. Trim Healthy Mama. Perfec Type: Nashville, TN 2012.
  • All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version.
  • Axe, Josh. Eat Dirt. Harper Wave: New York, NY 2016.
  • Bollinger, Ty M. Cancer – Step Outside the Box. Infinity 5105 Partners: USA 2014.
  • Campbell-McBride, Natasha. Gut and Psychology Syndrome. Medinform Publishing: York, Pennsylvania 2010.
  • Daniel, Kaayla T. PhD, CCN. The Whole Soy Story. NewTrends Publishing: Washington, D. C. 2005.
  • Fallon, Sally. Nourishing Traditions. NewTrends Publishing: Washington, D. C. 2001.
  • Harper, J. E. “Soybean.” The World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 18. Chicago: 1990.
  • Lewis, C. S. The Silver Chair. Collier Books: New York: 1978.
  • Nagel, Ramiel. Cure Tooth Decay. Golden Child Publishing: Los Gatos, CA 2011.
  • Nischwitz, Dominik. It’s All in Your Mouth. Chelsea Green Publishing: White River Junction, VT, 2020.
  • Perlmutter, David MD. Grain Brain. Little, Brown Spark: New York, NY 2018.
  • Sonnenburg, Justin and Erica, PhDs. The Good Gut. Penguin Press: New York, NY 2015.
  • The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated: Springfield, Massachusetts 2016.

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Book Review: I Do Not Consent, by Simone Gold, M.D., J.D


Reviewed by Rose MacPhersonus supreme court building ge3689cd5c 1920

Thesis

We should not always believe what the CDC and the government say, because they do not always have our best interests in mind.

Unique Points

• “I have to over-test, over-treat, over-order, overcompensate, under-think, under-feel, and under-serve just to get past the rules that well-intentioned but inflexible bureaucrats have put in place to ‘protect’ the patient” (11).
• We should not care whether or not our political leaders are the party we want; we should care whether or not they protect our freedom.
• Many doctors are forbidden to use hydroxychloroquine to treat patients suffering from Covid-19. “Never mind that the treatment’s safe and effective use has been
voluminously documented in leading medical journals over sixty-five years” (12). “Prior to March 2020, every doctor all over the world knew HCQ was safe” (19).
• There is no evidence that children’s risk of infection increases when they attend school (73).
• “The public therefore was at best confused, or at worst relying on junk science” (16).

 

Worldview

Dr. Gold is Jewish. Some of what she says on the subject of religion is true, such as her comment that “we often fall short of the ideal God sets before us” (63). This is similar to the verse in Romans 3:23 which says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” But, she is missing the point – that we need a Savior and we have a Savior. She speaks of “bearing witness to God’s truth,” although as a Jew she doesn’t know and believe the truth of Christ crucified.
Also, other things she says about her religion do not quite make sense to me. She says, “I don’t consider myself a devout person” (63). If this is true, than why would she go on for several sentences and tell us about how important her religion is to her? In addition, Dr. Gold mentions “the transcendent
truth only religion can provide” (63), speaking vaguely of religion in general. However, only orthodox Christianity is truth, and other religions are full of lies and deception.

Dr. Gold did not write a whole lot on the subjects of worldview and religion, but what she did say seemed to me to be largely irrelevant to her topic of doctors and disease.


Recommendations

• Always keep in mind “how easily governments and the scientific community could do the wrong thing” (27).
• Don’t trust newspapers, cable TV, or social media. They are generally filled with propaganda instead of facts.
• Take supplemental zinc. “The lower the zinc levels, the easier it is for COVID-19 to reproduce itself inside a host” (8).

 

Compare/Contrast

Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD and Andrew W. Saul, PhD’s book Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone, in proving the safety and efficacy of vitamin and mineral supplements, stated that hundreds of people die each year from overdose of Tylenol, even though this drug is considered “safe.” I Do Not Consent agrees with this (53), and says that hydroxychloroquine is much safer.

 

The Truth About Covid-19, by Joseph Mercola, while it agrees with Simone Gold about how the government isn’t always correct, offers suggestions of supplements and healthy diet. On the other hand, Dr. Gold says little of the many ways immunity can be improved and infection prevented, instead recommending HCQ as a cure.


My Critique

HCQ may have only very rare and very mild side affects, but it is still a drug. I think that it is better to use more natural means to improve immunity, and minimize the need for even safe medicines such as hydroxychloroquine, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. I am thankful, though, that God has created doctors and scientists to invent these drugs for when they are necessary.

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Book Review: Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone, by Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD, and Andrew W. Saul, PhD


Review by Rose M. MacPherson

Note: The following information is not intended as medical advice, but simply a distillation of the recommendations given in the book which has been reviewed.

Thesis


Orthomolecular nutrition, or vitamin therapy, is “the basis for effective medical practice” (1).

 

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Unique Points


• Vitamin C, because it destroys histamine, can effectively prevent and remove swelling from insect bites. High amounts of vitamin C also lessen fevers, destroy cancer, and offer protection from radiation.
• Honey harvested in the fall is much healthier, as bees are quite often fed sucrose syrup all winter. This honey is just as bad as eating sugar, while fall honey can be nutritious in small amounts.
• In all of recorded history, only about three deaths were reported that might possibly have been from vitamin overdose. On the other hand, acetaminophen alone killed 147 people in just one year.


Worldview

Sadly, the authors of this book are clearly not Christians. I noticed at least six references to Evolution. These included “millions of years” as well as our “animal ancestors.”

Recommendations

• Take as much vitamin C as you can.
• A little too much of a vitamin is much, much better for a person than a little too little.


Compare/Contrast with Other Books


This book reminds me a lot of Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition in that it emphasizes the importance of taking vitamin and mineral supplements. Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone says that food must be “nourishing and palatable” (216). This is similar to Nourishing Traditions, which says, “To make us healthy, our food must taste good; it must be digestible, and it must be eaten in peace” (73).


My Critique


A few parts of this book were a little bit too hard for me to understand, but I like that it included stories of real people who were helped or healed by orthomolecular medicine. I was a little confused, though, why the front cover would advertise “5 rules for healthy eating” when the book only lists two – the avoidance of junk food, and the avoidance of foods one is allergic to. “The longer a food is stored, the less nutritious it becomes,” is another claim made by this book (22). But, I thought, what about fermented foods? The process of fermentation enhances the nutrition of a food by increasing the vitamins and adding probiotics. While I am quite sure that freshly harvested vegetables are healthier than vegetables which sat in the refrigerator for two weeks after being shipped in from halfway across the country, I do not believe that this claim is universally true.

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Book Review: Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition by Marilyn M. Shannon


Reviewed by Rose MacPherson

Thesis salad gfe8ae6c3c 1920

“The main purpose of this book is to offer suggestions on how to assist the natural fertility processes to function normally through self care, especially better nutrition” (97).

Unique Points

“Raising your own eggs, meat, and milk” is recommended as an enjoyable and economical method of obtaining nutritious food (36).
“Take your vitamins with breakfast and lunch, when you will appreciate the energy boost later in the day” (56).

Worldview

“Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition... has an inherently Catholic outlook... Whether or not you are Catholic or Christian, you will still find it a gentle, encouraging, and practical book, whether you are using it to overcome irregular cycles or to increase your chances of having a baby” (xii). Each chapter begins with a Bible verse concerning either food or the blessing of children, with the exception of one, which instead has a quotation from Sirach – part of the Apocrypha.

Recommendations

Eat one serving of protein, three servings of whole grain, five servings of fruit and vegetables, and three servings of dairy and eggs each day (6-7).
“Caffeine is a good slave but a bad master” (19).
“Proper diet is a higher health priority than supplementation” (61).
“Have a protein-rich snack before bedtime if you are prone to wake up during the night” (67).

Compare/Contrast with Other Books

  • Several times, Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition recommends the microwave as an easy way to prepare food (22, 23, 25, 28). On the other hand, Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, calls for avoidance of the microwave “at all costs” (68). Her extreme caution is due to the fact that some studies suggest microwaves may kill vitamins and cause cancer.
  • Mrs. Shannon says that babies, beginning at six months, should be fed small pieces of cooked vegetables but never be spoon-fed (26). Again, Nourishing Traditions disagrees, stating that babies should be fed “an egg yolk per day, beginning at four months” (600).
  • Most drastic of all, Fertility, Cycles, & Nutrition refers to canola oil as “healthy” because it is not a trans fat (303). Nourishing Traditions declares this item “unsuited to human consumption” and asserts that processed canola oil contains “trans fat” (19).

My Critique

I appreciated the simple saying, “Caffeine is a good slave but a bad master” because many other books I have read contain conflicting ideas about coffee consumption. Some say to have none, while others strongly encourage it! Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition rests comfortably between these two extremes. I also enjoyed reading the true stories of how others have benefited from improved nutrition and supplementation.

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Book Review- Vaccines: A Reappraisal by Richard Moskowitz, MD


Reviewed by Rose MacPhersonmedical g7d3c44bed 1920

Thesis


“The essence of my position is simply that vaccines by their very nature have a major downside that has largely been ignored, so that it is reckless in the extreme to continue mandating them – and indeed more and more of them without limit or restraint – until these dangers are taken seriously, understood in a broader context, and assessed in a more careful and systematic fashion” (3). “Vaccination is essentially an artifice, designed to trick the immune mechanism into providing a semblance or counterfeit of immunity that is partial, defective, and temporary at best” (6).


Unique Points


Vaccines can harm pets, too! The account of a prized English bulldog receiving routine shots was mentioned in this book. Afterwards, the dog had anaphylactic shock (54). Also, tests were done on dogs that proved vaccines to have the potential to cause diseases (170).


Worldview


Page 200 refers to “uncounted generations of adaptive evolution.” It was unclear to me whether the author was referring to micro evolution, which could be acceptable, or to macro evolution, which would probably make the author an atheist. At the end of the book, under a subheading entitled What I Believe, Dr. Moskowitz states, “The discipline I try to be worthy of is... simple, ...wholesome, and ...satisfying[:] offering the relevant science... to enhance [the patient’s] own innate self-healing capacity. Religion or not, that is the profession I would live by” (252-253). If he were a Christian, I don’t think that he would call being a doctor a “religion,” and he might also mention that the “innate self-healing capacity” is God-given.


Recommendations


Don’t trust the studies that prove vaccines safe and effective. “The lead investigator’s main assignment is to do whatever is necessary to ensure that the results of such trials conform to the company’s predetermined agenda of advertising the product to be as safe and effective as possible” (33). Dr. Moskowitz explains again and again that vaccine studies are deceptive at best and fraudulent at worst. Dr. Moskowitz quotes Dr. Robert Mendelsohn as saying, “Parents are better than doctors at managing their children’s health. ...[Parents] are willing to give [their] children the time and attention, and your doctor isn’t. ...In most instances, all [the doctor’s] tests, shots, and X-rays are no substitute for the common-sense care that an informed parent can provide” (46).


Compare/Contrast


Vaccines: A Reappraisal argues that, because vaccines have the potential for side effects, parents should have the right to choose whether or how many vaccines their children should receive (50). Jabbed, by Brett Wilcox, takes a stronger stance, saying that “all vaccines result in harm to a
greater or lesser extent” (xxi). Vaccines: A Reappraisal, much like Jabbed, calls vaccines a “religion” (199).

My Critique

Dr. Moskowitz says that he is “pro-choice” for vaccines. I think that he should have found a different word or phrase, one that does not carry a negative connotation. While I found much of this book to be understandable, some parts would be better suited for someone who knows much about medicine and science. For instance, Dr. Moskowitz says, “These vaccines are bioengineered, and therefore need aluminum-salt adjuvants to achieve significant antigenicity” (221), and I am not entirely sure what he is talking about. Other than a few places such as that one, I enjoyed the book and was able to learn quite a bit from it.

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