The Risks of Eating "Healthy"

There are some common myths surrounding how to eat healthy. And there are many misleading labels attached to foods these days. Did you know that "all natural" doesn't mean the food is necessarily healthy for you to eat? Did you know "light" foods might not really be all that light on fat, sugar, etc.?

It's wise to learn how to read food labels with an evaluative eye, rather than just buying into the hyped up labels and advertising you may be exposed to. The FDA provides some great information on how to read food labels.

Buy beyond those challenges, eating natural, organic or food thought to be healthy doesn't protect you from food allergies. The reason is because nearly anyone can potentially develop an allergy to any particular food type or ingredient, even organic ones. Of course, there are some foods that are more likely to cause allergy reactions than others (up to 90% of all food allergies), such as:

• peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.)
• eggs
• milk
• fish and shellfish
• soy
• wheat

What I wanted to talk about in this post is soy. Soy has often been heralded as THE new health food. An important substitute for meat, soy is used in all kinds of health and vegetarian foods. It's also used to make a milk that people drink instead of cow's milk. Finally, soy is believed to have health benefits for the heart and bones, may prevent cancer, and lessens some symptoms of menopause.

So, soy is being ingested more and more often by more and more people. And since soy allergies are some of the most common food allergies, more allergic reactions are being noticed.

Common symptoms of food allergies include the following:

• Tingling sensation in the mouth
• Swelling of the tongue and throat
• Difficulty breathing
• Hives
• Vomiting
• Abdomina cramps
• Diarrhea

These symptoms can come on within minutes after eating soy or it may take a couple of hours. Some people are so allergic to soy that severe symptoms such as the following come on almost immediately:

• Drop in blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness
• Severe difficulty breathing

If these symptoms are not treated right away, they can quickly progress and even lead to death.

If you suspect you have a soy allergy, be sure to talk to your doctor right away to find out what actions you'll need to take.

The bottom line is that just because something is labeled as organic, natural or healthy, it doesn't mean it's good for you!