Help! Reintroducing Soy

[healinginprogress]

I know it seems like a silly or very simple question, but I wanted to head to the grocery store before work and was planning on buying tofu, and then looked up tofu ingredients, and it's not just soy(beans) or soy and water.

I know it's supposed to be in it's pure form, so should I eat soybeans (edamame)?

I just want to do this right, it's easy to feel very lost in all of this. Thanks for humoring me

(PS: I'm trying it tomorrow, so I'm hoping to buy something today)

[IrishHeart]

I know it seems like a silly or very simple question, but I wanted to head to the grocery store before work and was planning on buying tofu, and then looked up tofu ingredients, and it's not just soy(beans) or soy and water.

I know it's supposed to be in it's pure form, so should I eat soybeans (edamame)?

I just want to do this right, it's easy to feel very lost in all of this. Thanks for humoring me

(PS: I'm trying it tomorrow, so I'm hoping to buy something today)

I'd go with the plain soybeans. That will keep the experiment pure.

I face this "reintroduction" down the road, too...so keep us posted LOL (P>S> I don't even like tofu, but soy is in everything, so hopefully, I'll be able to tolerate again at some point)

[healinginprogress]

(P>S> I don't even like tofu, but soy is in everything, so hopefully, I'll be able to tolerate again at some point)

LOL same here...I rarely eat tofu itself, but soy IS in everything, that's also why I am hoping I can tolerate it! Especially soy lecithin, it's everywhere!

So I'll go with some soy beans. I also just read a bit about tempeh which is fermented whole soybeans, which is apparently more pure of a soy product than tofu, but I think sticking to the actual whole food is the best bet to ensure I'm not reacting to anything else

And I will keep you updated, thanks for the advice!

[IrishHeart]

LOL same here...I rarely eat tofu itself, but soy IS in everything, that's also why I am hoping I can tolerate it! Especially soy lecithin, it's everywhere!

So I'll go with some soy beans. I also just read a bit about tempeh which is fermented whole soybeans, which is apparently more pure of a soy product than tofu, but I think sticking to the actual whole food is the best bet to ensure I'm not reacting to anything else

And I will keep you updated, thanks for the advice!

Yes, I have tried elimination diets and screw them up with trying too many items at once LOL

It would be nice to have mayo once more....

Good luck!! let me know!!

[GlutenFreeManna]

Try the edamame first, but with soy you might also want to test different forms of it (spaced one week apart of course). Some people don't have any reaction to soybean oil (AKA vegetable oil) or soy lectin. I have found my symptoms are different depending on what form of soy I have. With soybean oil I get an instant headache. With soy lectin I get fatigue but only if I eat it a lot. With soy flour, soy milk or edamame my stomach hurts and I bloat like crazy.

[IrishHeart]

Try the edamame first, but with soy you might also want to test different forms of it (spaced one week apart of course). Some people don't have any reaction to soybean oil (AKA vegetable oil) or soy lectin. I have found my symptoms are different depending on what form of soy I have. With soybean oil I get an instant headache. With soy lectin I get fatigue but only if I eat it a lot. With soy flour, soy milk or edamame my stomach hurts and I bloat like crazy.

That is interesting how each form causes a different reaction! Thanks for sharing.

I didn't even know I HAD a problem with soybean--in any form--until an MD tested me in Jan. 2010 for IgG food antibodies and SOY registered as SEVERE. So, I cut it out entirely. I never felt any better. In fact, I got worse.

But that was only because I was still consuming GLUTEN and DAIRY (He told me I DID NOT HAVE to cut those out because gluten didn't register as an issue. I had been gluten-free/DF for months before the test. I had no idea he was going to run them when I went in for the consult) I asked him repeatedly, are you sure? He --and the gastro's NP--both yelled at me "yes, you're fine... eat gluten!!" (yup, they were wrong)

So, I ate gluten in my rotation/elimination diet for nearly a year and kept getting sicker and sicker and "foggier in the head', etc.....yeah, I know...sigh...

LOOOONG story short, I still have no idea if I have a soybean problem, but since my PC doc verified I MUST be gluten-free and DF in Jan., I am too afraid to try soy again LOL

I have had mayo (lightly) on a sandwich and didn't notice anything new. Another time, I ate some chocolate with soy lecithin in it and felt okay...just a bit, tho....hey, it was Christmas!! LOL

frankly, I have soooo many symptoms, how the heck can I even tell?? I'll wait a few more months.

(after reading the book "the Whole Soy Story", and knowing what it does to the thyroid, etc...I don't ever care to eat that much of it anyway) but, mayo once a while would be nice.

I do want to hear how you make out, though!Good luck with your "test".

[thleensd]

In your tests, make sure to separately test tamari (wheat-free soy sauce), as it is fermented. Some people can handle fermented soy but not fresh.

[GlutenFreeManna]

That is interesting how each form causes a different reaction! Thanks for sharing.

I didn't even know I HAD a problem with soybean--in any form--until an MD tested me in Jan. 2010 for IgG food antibodies and SOY registered as SEVERE. So, I cut it out entirely. I never felt any better. In fact, I got worse.

But that was only because I was still consuming GLUTEN and DAIRY (He told me I DID NOT HAVE to cut those out because gluten didn't register as an issue. I had been gluten-free/DF for months before the test. I had no idea he was going to run them when I went in for the consult) I asked him repeatedly, are you sure? He --and the gastro's NP--both yelled at me "yes, you're fine... eat gluten!!" (yup, they were wrong)

So, I ate gluten in my rotation/elimination diet for nearly a year and kept getting sicker and sicker and "foggier in the head', etc.....yeah, I know...sigh...

LOOOONG story short, I still have no idea if I have a soybean problem, but since my PC doc verified I MUST be gluten-free and DF in Jan., I am too afraid to try soy again LOL

I have had mayo (lightly) on a sandwich and didn't notice anything new. Another time, I ate some chocolate with soy lecithin in it and felt okay...just a bit, tho....hey, it was Christmas!! LOL

frankly, I have soooo many symptoms, how the heck can I even tell?? I'll wait a few more months.

(after reading the book "the Whole Soy Story", and knowing what it does to the thyroid, etc...I don't ever care to eat that much of it anyway) but, mayo once a while would be nice.

I do want to hear how you make out, though!Good luck with your "test".

If you are still doing an elimiantion diet and adding things you might try soybean oil first. I never had any allergy testing for soy so I consider my reactions to be an intolerance and I also avoid it because thyroid problems run in my family. I have read, however, that some people with soy allergies can have the oil because it does not have the soy protein in it. Usually the allery is an allergy to the protein part of the soybean. So anything that says "Soy protein isolate" or any products using the whole soybean (soy flour, soy protein powder, soy milk, etc) might be the worst for you.

[IrishHeart]

If you are still doing an elimiantion diet and adding things you might try soybean oil first. I never had any allergy testing for soy so I consider my reactions to be an intolerance and I also avoid it because thyroid problems run in my family. I have read, however, that some people with soy allergies can have the oil because it does not have the soy protein in it. Usually the allery is an allergy to the protein part of the soybean. So anything that says "Soy protein isolate" or any products using the whole soybean (soy flour, soy protein powder, soy milk, etc) might be the worst for you.

I am thinking that is the case for me. That the soybean oil--like in mayo-- is okay, but the protein is not. The IgG testing is for antibodies to the protein.

The skin prick and ELISA allergy test to soybean showed absolutely no reaction whatsoever!!

This stuff is confusing and I am glad I can read so I can at least try and make sense of it all. LOL LOL

Thanks for your thoughts !

[GFinDC]

If you can buy Hellman's mayo where you live, they have a version called Hellman's cholesterol free canola oil mayo that is soy free.

[healinginprogress]

OKAY.............

I didn't know whether I should share my experience by continuing this post, so I started a new one in "pre-diagnosis" before realizing this thread is still active, so I'll just share here

I don't think I'm okay with soy

BUT after reading the new posts here, I still have hope that maybe soy lecithin will be okay, if I test it out a different week (though I'm not sure how to isolate it in purest form?).

Here's what happened: had a bowl of edamame at 11:15, by 12:15 I had D, a bit of nausea, and my stomach hurts quite a bit.

So disappointing!!!

Should I still have it again later?

[mushroom]

I have been able to add soy lecithin back into my diet, but would not consider soy again - at least not for a long, long while. I use Hellman's mayonnaise (I know, it's made with canola oil which I try to avoid) but I eat so little mayonnaise that that little bit of canola won't matter. I also have found a mayo made with rice bran oil.

[IrishHeart]

Hi guys, I tried the canola oil mayo and did not like it one bit YUCK. (JMHO)

[IrishHeart]

OKAY.............

I didn't know whether I should share my experience by continuing this post, so I started a new one in "pre-diagnosis" before realizing this thread is still active, so I'll just share here

I don't think I'm okay with soy

BUT after reading the new posts here, I still have hope that maybe soy lecithin will be okay, if I test it out a different week (though I'm not sure how to isolate it in purest form?).

Here's what happened: had a bowl of edamame at 11:15, by 12:15 I had D, a bit of nausea, and my stomach hurts quite a bit.

So disappointing!!!

Should I still have it again later?

Sure sounds like it bothered you--sorry!!Bummer

How LONG did you avoid it before trying it again?? My doctor said 3-6 mos.

[healinginprogress]

Sure sounds like it bothered you--sorry!!Bummer

How LONG did you avoid it before trying it again?? My doctor said 3-6 mos.

Well I only was just told to go gluten-free because of a very positive blood test, but I was still getting sick, so I thought I'd try the elimination diet and see if I have sensitivities to anything else. So I guess soy is probably a no-no for now, but maybe I could try reintroducing it again in 3-6 months.

This is all so frustrating...I LOVE FOOD! But hey, my life and quality of life depends on it, really.

[IrishHeart]

Well I only was just told to go gluten-free because of a very positive blood test, but I was still getting sick, so I thought I'd try the elimination diet and see if I have sensitivities to anything else. So I guess soy is probably a no-no for now, but maybe I could try reintroducing it again in 3-6 months.

This is all so frustrating...I LOVE FOOD! But hey, my life and quality of life depends on it, really.

I know, I agree-- it is very frustrating!! I used to love food, and I showed it LOL...I was "robust"....until I got sick. Now, I am making myself eat. (my weight plummeted 90 lbs. quickly and we did not know why )

Yeah, they tell us "just don't eat gluten" (no! Really, I wouldn't have guessed that!) ... but NOTHING else...well, MY doc said no dairy for 6 months.

We need a handbook. I may have to write one.

How long have you been gluten-free?? Maybe it is still too early to tell what's what...

[healinginprogress]

I guess I'm probably jumping the gun a bit. I just want answers and to not be sick all the time. I've only been gluten-free for 4 weeks. I started the elimination diet last Friday, and on Saturday I finally felt relief and went on a cleaning spree LOL. Sunday I felt great, too. Yesterday I felt more tired and a little off, but still better than usual. Then today I tried soybeans and got sick. I don't really know what to do My elimination diet has consisted of (forgive me if I already listed this, my memory has been terrible): rice, yams, chicken, lamb, spinach, apples, pears, green grapes, cucumber, a small amount of carrots, olive oil, and salt & pepper. I was planning on continuing on this diet and trying dairy in 4-7 days, then corn in another week, and then eggs.

[IrishHeart]

I guess I'm probably jumping the gun a bit. I just want answers and to not be sick all the time. I've only been gluten-free for 4 weeks. I started the elimination diet last Friday, and on Saturday I finally felt relief and went on a cleaning spree LOL. Sunday I felt great, too. Yesterday I felt more tired and a little off, but still better than usual. Then today I tried soybeans and got sick. I don't really know what to do My elimination diet has consisted of (forgive me if I already listed this, my memory has been terrible): rice, yams, chicken, lamb, spinach, apples, pears, green grapes, cucumber, a small amount of carrots, olive oil, and salt & pepper. I was planning on continuing on this diet and trying dairy in 4-7 days, then corn in another week, and then eggs.

Join the club--short term memory issues made me nuts! That's improving, although some of 2009-2010 is a blur

Your diet sure sound like a "clean" one. I hope it works out for you!!!

I finally bagged the elimination diet. I just rotate foods for now, write down what I eat, see what happens.. and obviously, no dairy, soy or the bad boy, G. No packaged foods or junk or anything "fun" LOL

I feel better most days (2 months in) but sometimes, something bites me on the butt and I have to examine what it may have been. This house is gluten-free all the way. I sometimes think it is just the healing process and NOT any other foods. I am avoiding high salicylates for now as was suggested by YOLO. I overdid it on the supplements from a Naturopath for 3 years (they are high in SA) and some foods that are high in SA and I think they are making me feel like I am in a histamine response all the time.

If you saw a DIRECT, strong reaction like that from the soy, I would say AVOID it for now. At least now, you know! You may be able to eat it later down the road.

My cousin can eat anything now that she's gluten-free. (LUCKY!!)But it took her a few years.

Hang in there!!

[GFinDC]

I guess I'm probably jumping the gun a bit. I just want answers and to not be sick all the time. I've only been gluten-free for 4 weeks. I started the elimination diet last Friday, and on Saturday I finally felt relief and went on a cleaning spree LOL. Sunday I felt great, too. Yesterday I felt more tired and a little off, but still better than usual. Then today I tried soybeans and got sick. I don't really know what to do My elimination diet has consisted of (forgive me if I already listed this, my memory has been terrible): rice, yams, chicken, lamb, spinach, apples, pears, green grapes, cucumber, a small amount of carrots, olive oil, and salt & pepper. I was planning on continuing on this diet and trying dairy in 4-7 days, then corn in another week, and then eggs.

I suggest you give it a couple weeks before you start adding suspect foods. You want to be at least somewhat healed and feeling as good as you can before you throw a possible poison down your gullet. Plus if you are feeling better you are more likely to notice/detect the negative reactions from a food. Your system needs time to adjust and settle down after a problem food is thrown at it. Not a minute, or a day or two, but a week or so at least. Don't rush the elimination diet and cheat yourself of it's benefits.