Discover Your Nutritional Style. Holli Thompson

that could harm my clients. I suggest that all my female patients of any age eat soy foods only in moderation. If they have a history of thyroid problems, estrogen-sensitive breast cancer, or any other female cancer, I suggest actively avoiding soy foods. The exception would be small amounts of naturally fermented soy sauce or miso used for cooking.

      I suggest that all my female patients of any age eat soy foods only in moderation.

      But what about those reports from Asian countries that women who eat a lot of soy have lower rates of breast cancer and osteoporosis? Asian women eat soy mostly as soy sauce and fermented soy products, such as tempeh, miso, and natto. They do eat tofu in moderation, but they don’t eat soy practically every day in the form of an additive to processed foods. They don’t drink soy milk, much less eat soy cheese, soy ice cream, and soy burgers. When we look more closely at the claims that Asian women have less breast cancer and osteoporosis because of soy in the diet, they don’t really hold up.

      The bottom line on this Bad Boy is that he’s powerful and carries a hormonal punch. If he’s on your love list, make sure the soy you eat is organic, and enjoy it in its whole form, such as edamame (immature soy beans still in the pod) or organic tofu, only now and then. Use organic soy sauce and avoid excess processed soy, including soy milk (try almond or hemp milk instead). If you’re avoiding soy on a doctor’s recommendation, you must read every label on every item you add to your shopping cart, because soy is commonly found in many packaged foods—even in chocolate bars, candy, breakfast cereals, soups, and condiments.

      Sugar

      Look out, girl: This Bad Boy is highly addictive and will make you his love slave. This deadly Bad Boy has created an epidemic of obesity in unheard of proportions. It’s in everything—80 percent of all processed foods have added sugar. Our palates have been so manipulated to crave sweetness that we Americans need it all day long.

      Sugar is being force-fed to our children, disguised in cereal boxes and “healthy” drinks and energy bars. Because it’s so addictive, if you need it, you need it bad, and that makes this Bad Boy really difficult to give up.