Too much of a good thing

I'm cranky tonight. Cranky and disillusioned. I've got this whole thing about soy going through my brain...yet, I'm upset over a friend's break-up. I never thought that emotional cheating was really cheating until it happened to me this fall. And now I hear that that's what happened to her. It brings back some painful memories. When it happened to me, I was stressed out with a class I didn't like, group project members that I wasn't comfortable with, a tendency to not share the emotionally difficult things in my life and a liking for the chocolate. I suppose the liking of the chocolate wouldn't have been so bad if I had been working out at the time. Luckily, winter break was around the corner and I was able to get back to a few boxing classes and punch and kick the shit out of the heavy bags and people. Time. That was the only thing that really helped. Time and emotional distance. And crying, a lot of crying. I wish I could take all of that hurt from my friend and feel it for her. Oh, I know she's strong and can handle whatever comes her way. I just don't want for her to have to be so strong.

And, now, to abruptly and noticeably change the subject. Soy. Wonder food or evil bastard?? Well, it's all in how you use it. Use? Yes, use. Our bodies use food like a car uses gas. Well, not exactly like a car uses gas, but you get the point. Food actually does sooooo much more for us than just provide energy. If it was just fuel, we could just go out and buy little wafers in a variety of different colors...just remember not to eat the green ones. In the immortal words of Charlton Heston, 'Soylent Green is people!' Anyway, back to actual soy. So what's my problem with soy?? It's not tofu, I can tell you that. I've got no issue tofu. I don't particularly like it and choose not to each much of it, but I've got no real issue with it.

Food is not only our fuel, it's a social binder, it's an art, it's a science, it's an experience, and an adventure. And it's the science part that both thrills and terrifies me. Here's the thing with soy, it's cheap (like corn), it processes well into other 'foods' (like corn), it's genetically modified (like corn) and it's got isoflavones (like, wait a minute!)...What's an isoflavone? An isoflavone is a plant substance that is so similar to estrogen that it can mimic the actions of estrogen in our bodies. Guys, do you really want a whole bunch of extra isoflavones running around in your body acting like estrogen?? Ladies, do you??

Here's the thing, our bodies know how to make estrogen in the correct amounts and at the correct times. What our bodies don't know is what to do with a sudden deposit of 5 times the correct amount of something that acts like estrogen. So what does our body do with it? Well, it gives men boobs and promotes abnormal cell growth in women who are postmenopausal and/or at risk for breast cancer. Use of natural soy, eating tofu, is fine. What's not fine is topping off our normal tofu intake with isoflavone-filled processed foods so that estrogen can run wild in our bodies.

Don't get me wrong, soy is good for us. It's an excellent source of protein, has omega-3s, iron and magnesium. All good things. However, there's such a thing as too much.

Not only did I run out of cereal, but I forgot to bring my own fruit...so, oatmeal, an egg and berries with pineapple. And just so you know, pineapple (and other tropical fruits) are quite high in sugar. Five servings a week are quite enough.

I forgot my snacks too....carrots and a very unappetizing hummus. It's pretty difficult to mess up a hummus, but these folks did. Not bad flavor, but the consistency wasn't right.

Buying lunch out today was wonderful!!! Salad bar at Fresh City: lettuce, mixed greens, tomato, cukes, carrots, purple cabbage, egg, and zucchini with approximately 1 TBS balsamic vinaigrette. Mushroom and barley soup with carrots and celery, and a roll.

Taco dinner!!! Flour tortillas, ground beef with taco seasoning, cheese, lettuce, low fat sour cream, tomato and chipotle salsa. This photo is a bit misleading, I made three tacos...

And then popcorn for a snack. One of these nights, I'll give up the popcorn...