FDA soyling its reputation

[Guest guest]

" WC Douglass " <realhealth

 

 

Daily Dose - A deadline more important than tax day

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 06:59:00 -0500

 

 

Daily Dose

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April 01, 2005

 

 

Keep the FDA from further " soyling " its reputation

 

If you've been a reader of mine for any length of time at all, you no

doubt know how I feel about soy. If you don't, here's a brief summary

of it: soy should be outlawed.

 

Despite its status as darling of the vegetarian " meat martyrs, " soy is

NOT a health food. In fact, it's neither healthy nor is it food, if

your definition of that word includes some measure of actual

nourishment. And it isn't merely worthless as a food, it's downright

harmful. Hundreds of studies have linked soy proteins and derivatives to:

 

* Heart disease

* Cancer, especially of the breast

* Allergies and reduced immunity

* Thyroid dysfunction

* Malnutrition and digestive problems

* Nutrient deficiencies, including calcium (vital for the

prevention of osteoporosis)

* Reproductive disorders, cognitive and mental decline, and more

 

And these are just the NATURAL side effects of soy foodstuffs. I

shudder to think of how many other ills we're risking by ingesting the

residues of the acid and alkaline baths, petroleum solvents, and God

knows how many other hazardous chemicals involved in the manufacture

of some of the most common soy variants...

 

These facts notwithstanding, soy byproducts and proteins have found

their way into just about everything - usually in the place of truly

healthy animal-based fats: Milk and milk substitutes, cheeses,

yogurts, desserts, breakfast foods, and even many burger patties have

some degree of soy content nowadays. In fact, it's estimated that 60%

of the refined foods on store shelves and sold in fast-food joints

have some kind of harmful soy protein in them.

 

And if those madcaps over at the Food and Drug Administration have it

their way, the amount of soy Americans are consuming will likely

double in the very near future. Why? Because they're about to allow

the manufacturers of every Twinkie, breakfast cereal, veggie burger,

energy bar, milk substitute, and every other doggone thing under the

sun with harmful soy protein or byproduct in it to claim that it

PREVENTS CANCER.

 

Yep, you read that right. Despite the findings of stacks of bona-fide

research, the FDA is about to buckle yet again to the Big Food

business (like it did with that Food Pyramid farce) and let them claim

their soy- and sugar-saturated junk as the key to dodging cancer.

 

That is, they will unless YOU do something about it. Keep reading...

 

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Absurd as the notion is, the FDA is about to give a big rubber stamp

to refined-food makers that says " Prevents Cancer " on it. This,

despite the fact that many toxicology texts list the plant estrogens

found in soy protein products as CARCINOGENS. How can this happen, you

ask? As usual, it's all about money. This move will mean billions in

the pockets of American food makers, and who knows how many needless

corpses in American morgues...

 

What really kills me is that the FDA doesn't think we're smart enough

to see how shamelessly profit-driven this shenanigan is. Think about

it: There are lots of safe, natural substances out there that REALLY

DO prevent cancer. But does the FDA allow makers of these things to

make that claim?

 

Of course not. The supplement and natural foods industries represent

an insignificant source of income for the government next to the food

business. Besides, people might stop taking those expensive drugs if

they knew about the benefits of vitamins, herbs, minerals, and truly

healthy foods - that would mean less money in the Feds' pockets in

taxes and drug application and approval fees. But since the food

industry will flood the government with corporate tax revenues

generated by the sale of soy-inclusive products, they get to claim

these foods prevent cancer.

 

You see, it doesn't matter if it's true, as long as it's truly profitable.

 

As you know, I don't often try to rally my readers to action. With a

couple of notable exceptions in the past, I prefer to inform and

expose, then let folks decide for themselves whether or not to get

involved. But this time, I'm urging anyone who cares about not only

their health, but their rights to unbiased government oversight of big

business to take action now - because the clock is ticking...

 

The FDA must hear from Americans in sufficient numbers to make them

think twice about giving the food industry carte blanche to bill their

junk foods as the " magic bullet " for cancer. But you have to hurry -

the deadline for input on the topic is Monday, April 11th, 2005. To

let your voice be heard, do one of the following things, according to

the Weston A. Price foundation (a leading crusader in the soy skirmish):

 

1) Submit your letter electronically via the following FDA website.

 

http://en.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker & cmd=track & j=25

145505 & u=227955

 

The specific FDA Docket number is: 2004Q-0151 - Qualified Health

Claim: Soy Protein and Cancer. Attachments are permitted.

 

2) Or, send your letter in the body of an e-mail addressed to:

fdadockets

 

In the subject line of your e-mail, please insert the following:

Docket: 2004Q-0151 - Qualified Health Claim: Soy Protein and Cancer.

This phrase MUST APPEAR in the subject line.

 

3) I also suggest you send a duplicate of your letter to the FDA. Mail

it to:

 

Division of Dockets Management Docket: 2004Q-0151 - Qualified Health

Claim: Soy Protein and Cancer Food and Drug Administration 5630

Fishers Lane, Room 1061 (HFA-305) Rockville, MD, 20852

 

Your correspondence, in whatever form you choose, must reach the FDA

no later than Monday, April 11, 2005.

 

Please take a few minutes to let them know how you feel. It may be the

only way to prevent a health travesty of mammoth proportions.

 

On the FDA's docket - but never in their pocket,

 

William Campbell Douglass II, MD