The Beauty Detox Solution (18 page)

Chlorella, a form of green algae, is about 65 percent protein. There are about fifteen grams of protein in a tablespoon. Two tablespoons a day would supply about thirty grams of protein for those of us who are transitioning or want a diet higher in protein. Spirulina, a blue-green algae, is about 60 percent protein, but since it is less dense, we would have
to consume larger quantities of it to get the same grams of protein as in chlorella.

Spirulina and chlorella are both algaes that contain all the essential amino acids and are high in chlorophyll. Both of these algaes are considered a tonic and rejuvenator of the body. They are great to take in powdered or pill form when traveling, when fresh greens are not readily available. They can be helpful in warding of energy slumps and, thanks to their high protein content, they are useful for active athletes.
²⁰
They are also packed with vitamins and minerals. Spirulina is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and enzymes.

If you are an athlete or are on the go, I recommend taking chlorella tablets after a workout or keeping them in your purse or carry-on bag. Chewing these tablets will temporarily satisfy your hunger and provide you with pure protein and necessary minerals. They are perfect on the go, when it is difficult to find high-quality food.

Legumes and beans are an inexpensive protein source that is great for the transitional diet, especially during the Blossoming Beauty phase, and for anyone switching to a vegetarian diet. They have favorable qualities, such as a high protein content and an abundance of certain minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. But unless we consume the raw sprouted varieties instead of the fully cooked ones, I put legumes and beans in fourth place, after the three plant-based protein categories discussed in the preceding pages.

Why? First of all, they are nature's “oops!” in that they contain
both
protein and starch. (I discuss them here, but they could just as easily be classified with the starches.) Because they incorporate both classes of food, they are difficult to digest—which is exactly why they cause bloating, burping, flatulence, abdominal discomfort and a feeling of heaviness. These are signs that a single food can cause a traffic jam! I do not consider beans a beauty enhancing food and I rarely eat them myself.

Still, legumes and beans are great for the transition diet and are okay enjoyed occasionally. Below is a list of some common ones, but there are many other varieties. Be sure to always buy the whole dried varieties and prepare them yourself. They taste better and you will also avoid any potential metals, chemicals and preservatives that are found in canned beans. It is very important to soak beans overnight to help them digest better.

Best Beauty Legumes and Beans

AVOID (MOST) SOY PRODUCTS

Chances are, in some form or another, we have all heard that soy is a “miracle” food that is a great alternative protein source. The growing soy industry would love to have us all believe that. But the truth is soy may
not
be the miracle health food we have all been led to believe it is.

“Wait!” you say. “What about all the healthy Asians that consume soy?” The truth is that Asians do
not
consume the enormous amount of soy that we consume, but rather use soy as a side dish to rice, vegetables, and small quantities of fish and meat. Furthermore, Asians do
not
consume all the highly processed soy protein isolates and concentrates that are most popular in our country today.

Soy protein isolates are common ingredients in protein powders and packaged food and energy bars. These isolates undergo extensive heat processing in large commercial
labs, processing that usually includes acid washing in aluminum tanks and spray drying at high temperatures. To produce textured vegetable protein (TVP), a common ingredient found in processed vegetarian food, high-temperature processing is also necessary. Let's explore some of the major problems with soy:

 

1 The majority of soy in our country is genetically engineered.
²⁶
Genetic engineering greatly alters the nutrient chemistry in certain foods. We want to avoid genetically modified organisms (GMOs)! Genetically engineered soy is reported to have 29 percent less choline, a mineral needed for the development of our nervous system, and 200 percent more lectin, which is associated with food sensitivities.
²⁷
This could be why soy is now one of the top ten allergenic foods in America.

 

2 Soy contains trypsin inhibitors.
Trypsin is an enzyme that is needed to digest and assimilate protein properly. Trypsin inhibitors may reduce protein digestion and amino acid uptake.
²⁸

 

3 Soy depresses our thyroid function.
Soy also contains isoflavones, which are substances that have been shown to depress thyroid function.
²⁹
The thyroid controls the metabolism, among other essential processes in the body, and slowing it down contributes to weight gain. One study showed that genistein in soy foods can cause irreversible damage to enzymes that synthesize thyroid hormones.
³⁰

ABC's
20/20
did an investigative report on the health claims of soy in June 2000.
³¹
As part of the investigation,
20/20
cited a letter by Daniel Doerge and Daniel Sheehan, two of the Food and Drug Administration's experts on soy, who stated that “there is abundant evidence that some of the isoflavones found in soy, including genistein and equol, a metabolize of daidzen, demonstrate toxicity in estrogen sensitive tissues and in the thyroid. This is true for a number of species, including humans.”
³²

 

4 Soy is filled with phytoestrogens.
Phytoestrogens are substances that can mess with our endocrine system and can cause a whole list of hormonal complications.
³³

Soy is not good for infants, either. A study published in the
New Zealand Medical Journal
estimated that the phytoestrogens in one day's worth of soy infant formula are the equivalent (on a body weight basis) of five birth control pills.
³⁴

 

5 Soy is one of the foods most heavily contaminated with pesticides.
When we eat plants sprayed with pesticides, we inevitably ingest the pesticides, too.

Pesticides are neurotoxins designed to kill living creatures. There are many cited negative effects of pesticides on humans, which may include damage to the nervous system, reproductive system and particular organs; immune dysfunction; a disruption of hormone function; and developmental and behavioral abnormalities. The more we avoid pesticide-sprayed crops, the better of we will be!

SOY YOU
CAN
EAT

Fermented organic
soy products, like miso, tempeh and natto, are acceptable to eat. The long process of fermentation (similarly to how fermentation converts grain to alcohol) deactivates the trypsin inhibitors in soy in a way that cooking cannot and makes these products more easily digestible. Nama shoyu can be consumed in moderation, as it is a “raw” unpasteurized soy sauce made of fermented soybeans. However, nama shoyu contains gluten. Low-sodium tamari, which is gluten and wheat free, is also a great alternative. Bragg Liquid Aminos is a gluten-free, certified non-GMO product that is made of unfermented soybeans but
is extremely watered down. For that reason (and because it tastes great!) I do use small amounts of it, as the only real soy product in my diet along with some unpasteurized miso.

Edamame, which are green immature soybeans, contain fewer of the toxins mentioned above, so they can be enjoyed occasionally if you really love them.

For all the reasons cited in the preceding pages, tofu, soy milk, commercial energy bars, soy burgers, soy cheese and other processed products containing soy protein isolates, soy protein concentrate, texturized vegetable protein or hydrolyzed vegetable protein should be avoided! You will be
so
much better of without these products. If you are unsure of a product, check the ingredients list.

THERE IS NOTHING BEAUTIFUL ABOUT DAIRY

I usually stress moderation with all food groups, including fish and other animal protein for those who really want to keep them in their diet. However, this is the one category where there is no room for moderation. No one should eat dairy. Period. We must
all
work to either cut dairy out of our diet immediately or transition it out completely. This is among the first recommendations I make to all my clients that are looking to feel better and become more beautiful. So, in other words…everyone!

You are probably thinking,
Hey, how come I've always heard I should drink milk for calcium? And aren't skim milk and yogurt healthy? Yes,
I would bet that you
have
heard these things because dairy is a big, big business. With hundreds of millions of people consuming dairy every day, there is
a lot
of money to be made by this industry, which in turn also puts a lot of money into guaranteeing that certain health claims are upheld by society, down to providing educational material about the “benefits” of dairy products to children.