Milk Allergy, Lactose Intolerance and Soy Allergy

Posted by admin on January 24, 2012 0 comments
Mercedes Cole asked:




Not all food allergies are the same. Milk and soy allergies are immune disorders. Lactose is a digestive disorder. All allergies require elimination of the cause of the allergy. There are some great recipes that are dairy and soy free.

Milk Allergy

Milk allergy is a reaction of the immune system to one or more milk proteins. The immune system mistakenly creates antibodies to fight the milk proteins. The antibodies create chemicals in the body that can result in skin rashes, headaches, nausea and or wheezing. Lactose intolerance and cow milk allergy are not the same. One most common allergy that children have is milk allergy. In some instances, some that are allergic to cow’s milk may also allergic to goat, sheep, buffalo and soy milk. Milk allergy is most common in cow’s milk. Milk allergies can appear in the first year of life.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the digestive systems inability to digest lactose. Milk allergy is an immune system disorder. If you have lactose intolerance or are allergic to milk it is recommended that you restrict or if possible eliminate dairy products from your diet. Consult with your doctor specialized in lactose intolerance and milk allergy for professional consultation. You can still enjoy your favorite meals but they have to be prepared differently.

Soy Allergy

Soy allergy is a common food allergy in infants and young children. Soy ingredients is common in processed and manufactured products. Soy is a common ingredient in fast food restaurants, infant formula, cereals and salad dressing having soy. Soy allergy is an auto-immune disease that is triggered by the consumption of soy. Soybeans is a legume. The allergy can extend to other foods in the legume family. Legume include navy, kidney, string, black, and pinto beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lentils, carob, licorice, and peanuts. Soybean allergies and peanut allergies are common

Foods to avoid:

- Soy Milk
- Baked Goods containing peanuts, peanut oil and soy flour (bread, crackers, cakes, rolls and pastries)
- Natural and processed cereals containing soy ingredients
- Soy pasta
- Soy beans and soybean sprouts
- Any vegetables or fruits prepared with sauces or breading with soy products
- Any vegetable drink, fruit drink mix, instant coffee, hot cocoa mixes, malt beverages with soy ingredients
- Lunch and deli meat with soy preservatives.
- Margarine and butter substitutes containing soy generally in preservative.
- Any salad dressing, mayonnaise containing soy products
- Heinz

Sunflower Lecithin – An Answer to the Soy Allergic’s Prayers

Posted by admin on January 22, 2012 0 comments
Kathi Jo Robinson asked:




Having a soy allergy in today’s world means a quick trip to the grocery store is only a long forgotten dream. This is because almost all processed food products on the typical grocery store shelves use soy lecithin as one of its main ingredients.

Soy lecithin is an emulsifier. Quite simply, this means it has the capability of improving the texture and consistency of any product it has been added to. Therefore ice cream and puddings become creamier, melted chocolate becomes smoother, packaged dinner entrees heat up more evenly with a better taste and texture. Most of the world’s processed food industry is so reliant on soy lecithin, it is hard to find any packaged products without it.

For greater than 90% of the world’s population this is great. But for the other approximate 10%, which may be sensitive to soy products (soybeans or MSG) or have a full-blown allergy to soy, their choice of selections in a typical store has been severely restricted.

Enter A New Product–Sunflower Lecithin

Sunflower lecithin enters the market with several distinct advantages. These include:

harvesting is handled completely raw with no added chemicals processing is done through a method known as a cold-pressing system which again uses no chemical additives or preservatives raw sunflower is high in choline and essential fatty acids, both of which are beneficial to our health raw sunflower lecithin is 100% GMO-free, unlike soy which can be up to 90% genetically modified organisms(GMO)

Currently its use seems to be predominantly in the health food industry but keep watching those ingredient labels because sunflower lecithin is slowly making its way into more and more mainstream manufacturers products.

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The Health Benefits and Dangers of Soy

Posted by admin on January 22, 2012 0 comments
Marissa Vicario asked:




We consume it in everything from our morning coffee to burger substitutes but products like soy milk and veggie burgers could actually be more dangerous than we think.

Ever since the FDA deemed it heart-healthy, soy and soy-based products have been cropping up all over supermarkets and health food stores. The legume native to East Asia is an ingredient found in 60 percent of processed foods from baby food to ice cream, but lately there has been widespread controversy surrounding the health claims. In fact, some studies claim that soy can accelerate the onset of breast cancer, lower sperm count and decrease libido.

What is at the root of the concerns about soy?

Allergens: One of the top eight allergens, soy is commonly difficult to digest.

Phytoestrogens: Plant hormones that act like female estrogens called phytoestrogens are found in soy. The research is out on whether these compounds can prevent certain cancers, but it is also known that phytoestrogens have the ability to disrupt natural hormone function in the body especially during times such as pregnancy, infancy, puberty, the reproductive years and menopause and may alter sexual development.

Soy Isoflavines: Also questionable are soy isoflavines, a chemical compound derived from the soybean, which also have an estrogenic effect. While they are being studied for their role in relieving symptoms of menopause, cancer prevention, slowing osteoporosis and reducing the risk of heart disease, soy isoflavines are also being investigated for causing hyperthyroidism.

Phytic Acid: All legumes contain some phytic acid but soy contains higher-than-average levels. Phytic acid blocks mineral absorption which can cause zinc and calcium deficiencies.

Genetic Modification and Processing: Finally, over 90 percent of the soy on the market today is genetically modified and most soy products are highly processed. Soy protein isolate, the main ingredient in most soy foods that act as substitutes for meat and dairy as well as fast foods, baked goods and diet beverages is processed at high temperatures using a high pressure extrusion process and then sprayed with nitrates and MSG.

But not all soy is created equal. Organic soy that has been fermented such as miso, tempeh and natto are far safer foods than organic or genetically modified soy foods. Fermentation reduces phytic acid levels in soy making them more nourishing and digestible.

While, the jury is still out on whether the health risks pertaining to soy outweigh the benefits, there are a few rules of thumb that can be helpful:

Read ingredients and avoid processed foods and genetically modified forms of soy. Enjoy old-fashioned soy (miso, natto, tempeh) in moderation Avoid excess soy consumption during key stages of life: pregnancy, infancy, puberty, the reproductive years and menopause Avoid soy if you are taking thyroid medication. Listen to your body and avoid soy in all forms if the body doesn’t agree with it.

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5 Surefire Ways to Increase Your Fertility Now

Posted by admin on January 20, 2012 0 comments
Eddy Kong asked:




There are lots of couples after learning from their doctors that they are suffering from infertility, start to look for ways to increase their fertility. Increase your fertility is often an art and science combined rather than just knowledge alone. Of course, putting into action what you are going to learn of course can increase your fertility naturally with ease.

There are ways to increase your fertility, but what I am going to show you is 5 simple surefire ways to increase your fertility naturally using some common sense and knowledge.

First surefire way is to watch your diet. A healthy diet will ensure that your body is being provided with all the key nutrients, vitamins and minerals it needs. You should aim to have a good balance of protein and carbohydrate foods, with limited fat and sugar, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Of course, take in lots folic acid also helps to synthesize genetic material in every cell of the body and normalize brain function. Taking folic acid before conception reduces the risk of neural-tube defects such as spina bifida.

Another area is to avoid certain food. For women who want to attempt conception is to avoid all soy products. Of course soy has other negative effects on the body, potentially interfering with thyroid hormone production and impairing mineralization of bones.

You should reduce these products such as liver or products such as pate that contain liver, as they contain high levels or vitamin A.

The second surefire way to increase your fertility is stay fit at all times. In fact, both being under-weight and over-weight can play a role in fertility, so achieving a good all round general level of fitness helps.

This goes for your partner too, as their weight can also play a part in successful conception. Keeping your body healthy and fit by having plenty of regular exercise will improve your fitness and have an add-on effect by improving your fertility. Aim to have a minimum of three 20 minute sessions of exercise per week.

The third surefire way to increase your fertility is to kick your smoking and alcohol habit to both men and women. The combination of tobacco and alcohol is particularly harmful to sperm. Men who drink and smoke have significantly lower sperm counts and motility than do men with either habit alone.

Women who smoke should be advised to stop smoking as this improves her fertility and reduces the chances of miscarriage if she does conceive.

There is a lot of evidence about the risks of smoking during pregnancy such as higher mortality, the increased risk of the baby developing serious respiratory infection ,and lower birth weights.

The fourth surefire way to increase your fertility is to have the right conceiving positions. Many experts suspect that the missionary position (man on top) affords the best opportunity for baby-making, though no definitive studies have been done. This position allows for the deepest penetration and, as a result, places sperm closer to the cervix. This position is time proven.

The fifth surefire way is to have a clear and calm mind when trying to conceive. This is because stress triggers a hormone disturbance, making conception more difficult. When you are stressed the body responds by focusing on the “fight or flight” response and suppressing the reproductive and other body systems.

In summary, I hope these surefire ways can give you some insight on how to increase your fertility. With proper planning and action, I am sure you will surely be able to conceive your 1st baby very soon.

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Menopause Diet Recommendations Include Soy, Calcium and Phytoestrogens

Posted by admin on January 17, 2012 0 comments
Patsy Hamilton asked:




A good menopause diet should be well balanced and nutritionally sound. Foods that should be eaten regularly during menopause are “nutrient-dense” foods. Foods to be taken during menopause are the same foods that everyone should eat, in appropriate amounts for their caloric needs, on a daily basis. The problem is that the typical American diet does not include many of these foods, so as a woman nears menopause and begins to notice symptoms, she may need to make changes in her diet, adding foods that she is not in the habit of eating.

According to information supplied by the USDA, “Nutrient-dense foods are those foods that provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals and relatively few calories.” Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat sources of calcium are all nutrient dense foods. Processed foods that have added sugars and oils are not nutrient dense. Alcohol is high in calories, but has no real nutritive value. If hot flashes are a problem for you, then you should avoid alcohol and sugar, as well as caffeine, salt and spicy foods. That covers what should be left out of a menopause diet. Now let’s look at the foods that should be eaten regularly during menopause.

To find foods to be taken during menopause, you need to look at vitamins, minerals and other compounds that are particularly important to women during this time of their life. Calcium, Vitamin A, C, D, E, K, B-complex, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, potassium, fiber, isoflavones and phytoestrogens are all recommended for a menopause diet. Obviously, there is no single food that contains all of these and eating the right foods in the right combination every day can be difficult. Supplementation or a good daily multi-vitamin provides insurance that a menopause diet contains adequate amounts of each of these. The USDA now recommends that anyone over the age of 50 should add B-12 and D supplements, even if they eat a healthy diet.

Calcium rich foods that should be eaten regularly during menopause include skim milk, fat-free cottage cheese and yogurt, spinach, broccoli and seafood. The RDA for calcium ranges from 1000mg per day to 1500 mg per day. If your mother had osteoporosis (porous, brittle bones that fracture easily and is characterized by a loss of height and humped back bone), then a calcium supplement is a good idea, but be sure to take it with a vitamin D supplement or your body cannot easily absorb the calcium. Additionally a recent study has linked inadequate intake of vitamin K to osteoporosis, although the connection is unclear.

Phytoestrogens and isoflavones are plant components found in soy, whole grain cereals and red clover (an herb). Soy is one of the most commonly recommended foods to be taken during menopause, because it is the best known source of isoflavones. Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that have estrogen like effects on the body and can thus reduce the symptoms associated with reduced estrogen production, such as hot flashes. Soy is also a good low fat source of protein, iron and various other nutrients.

No discussion of a menopause diet can be complete without mentioning the importance of regular exercise. Certain things cancel out the positive effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation. One factor that cancels out the effect of calcium is lack of exercise. Women who spend less than four hours a day on their feet are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. Exercise reduces the symptoms of PMS and peri menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and insomnia. Regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, another illness found in many post-menopausal women. Increasing physical activity reduces the likelihood that a woman will be overweight. Overweight and obesity have recently been identified as risk factors for developing cancer and have long been known to increase the risk of heart disease. So, substitute the foods that should be eaten regularly during menopause for the red meat and high sugar, high fat foods that you once ate and increase your level of physical activity.

If you make the necessary lifestyle changes, including adding foods to be taken during menopause to your diet and you still suffer from symptoms related to menopause and peri menopause, a number of natural herbal products may help, including red clover and black cohosh. Additionally, there are some natural remedies that contain adequate amounts of isoflavones that may be helpful if you do not like soy products or are allergic to them. A menopause diet may not provide relief from all of the symptoms you are experiencing at this time, but some of these natural products should.

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Balance Your Hormones Naturally

Posted by admin on January 16, 2012 0 comments
Steve A Johnson asked:




Hormone imbalance is a common happening among most women at some point in their lives. Hormones can’t protect us from everything; the body does crash on occasion. Hormones can get thrown off in even the healthy of women and at any age as long as the woman has hit puberty. Basically, for most women they have a fairly constant hormone balance with glitches that can happen every so often. Hormones help keep Women on a pretty regular menstrual cycle, maintain weight levels, sleep well, look young, and keep full of energy.

Symptoms occur when hormones balances are off. Not everyone will experience symptoms of hormone balance, but for most they will at a few different times of their lives. Often hormones can change in minutes if they are not imbalance. Symptoms of hormone imbalances are most common between the ages of 20 and 40, they tend to increase as the women ages, hence, menopause.

Hormone imbalances include any or some of the following symptoms. Allergy Symptoms, low sex drive, PMS, endometriosis, fibrocystic breasts, urinary tract infections, uterine fibroids, osteoporosis, and wrinkly skin are all signs of hormone imbalances. Some other ones include depression, fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, water retention, bloating, hair loss, and facial hair growth.

There are 2 types of female hormones, progesterone and estrogen. Any symptom of hormone balance can be caused by an incorrect level of one or both of these hormones. It is a very delicate and sensitive balance. Any little variations of there balance have a dramatic effect on health because it causes the symptoms mentioned above. Stress levels, nutrition, exercise, and ovulation all can be factors of how much hormones are produced.

There is 28 days in a healthy women’s menstrual cycle. For the first 10 to 12 days of it there is only estrogen being produced. When ovulation happens progesterone is then produced by the ovaries. On 28 when the menstrual cycle restarts, hormone levels drop, causing menstruation. If by chance the ovulation did not occur the progesterone level never balances out with the estrogen but you still have a period. You have estrogen but your progesterone levels dropped very low. This causes the symptoms of hormone balance to occur.

A few things you can do at home to ensure your hormones stay in balance will help maintain a great balance. Check your diet, are you consuming high carbs, junk foods, processed vegetable oil, fatty foods, stimulants, and soy products. If you are consuming these kinds of foods it will cause a hormone imbalance. Eating a diet high in animal proteins, fish oils, coconut, and fresh veggies and fruits will help keep them balanced. Women who cut grains and other gluten products out of there diet tend to feel better shortly after eliminating them.

Eating non organic dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese, and ice cream can be treated with bovine growth hormone and antibiotics. Both of the steroids and antibiotics tend to stay in the milk cause interferences with female hormones. Organic dairy products were produced in a natural way and do not contain any of those steroids or antibiotics so they are safe to be eaten.

Commercial salad dressings can cause disruption of the natural regulation of hormone production. Cut down on coffee, black tea, chocolate, and soft drinks. They can over stimulate the adrenal gland and can disrupt hormones as well.

To help stabilize your hormones you can get some sunshine. Everyday exposure to full spectrum light will naturally balance your hormones. Celebrating your monthly cycle, recognizing and appreciating your feminine power rather than calling it annoying and a pain in the you know what. Looking at things in positive way will influence your health in a positive way as well. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises will help to protect the women’s biochemistry and can reduce PMS symptoms.

One more thing you could try is taking an herbal supplement. Alternative Health Supplements offers a few products that can help to naturally balance female hormones. Enhance Her is an all natural product that contains lots of herbs that are used for balancing the female hormones. This is an all natural product so it is safe to use and take daily; there are no negative side effects either. Any woman who has passed puberty can take this product. It will help to balance your female hormones naturally and give you a sense of over health and balance.

All of the following herbs can be found in this product. Saw palmetto is an herb used for bladder problems, breast enlargement, frigidity, hormone regulation, and weight regulations. Kava Kava is for urinary tract infections, vaginitis, anxiety, and fatigue. This product also has Dandelion to prevent breast cancer, tumors, organ disorders, PMS symptoms, water retention, yeast infections, age spots and lethargy. Motherwort is for menstrual cramps and pain, and sleeplessness. Wild yam is for miscarriage, morning sickness, nervous tension, and PMS. Blessed thistle is to help with cramps, menstrual headaches, eliminate vaginal discharge, and pregnancy.

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Soy Safe – Soy Dangerous

Posted by admin on January 15, 2012 0 comments
Tina Marian asked:




The story of soy and how went it from a relatively obscure, seldom eaten food to a mainstream $6.6 billion a year industry and growing is a curious one.

In 1913 soy was listed in the USDA’s handbook not as a food but as an industrial by-product. Originally planted in the US extensively in order to extract the soybean oil — which eventually replaced the far healthier tropical oils — the by-product of the process was a massive amount of soy protein.

You’d think that the (already existent) knowledge that soy was not fit food for animals would have led someone to conclude that the same held true for humans. But the temptation to turn a massive problem into a massive opportunity won out.

Through brilliant marketing, intense lobbying with the FDA, and a smear campaign against tropical oils, the soy industry has been highly effective at portraying soy as an ideal protein and an excellent way to lower cholesterol; reduce menopause symptoms; and protect against heart disease. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It seems ironic that soy is so accepted as a health food when Dr. Kaayla Daniel, the author of the most comprehensive book written on this soy deception — “The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America’s Favorite Health Food” states, “thousands of studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility- – even cancer and heart disease.”

After reviewing decades of studies on the health benefits of soy, The Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association found little to no evidence substantiating the above claims — that soy-based foods lower cholesterol, or limit menopausal related symptoms – or that, additionally, soy helps prevents prostate, breast, or uterine cancers.

So, is soy safe? Consider the following — soy contains some potentially harmful components including:

o antinutrients, which contain inhibitors that deter enzymes needed for protein digestion,
o hemaglutinins which cause red blood cells to clump
o goitrogens which can lead to depressed thyroid function
o phytates which prevent the absorption of minerals
o phytoestrogens which block the hormone estrogen
o aluminum
o and toxic levels of manganese, a trace element that we actually need daily in minute quantities, but excess exposure to which can adversely affect the nervous system

And if that isn’t sufficient to give you pause — most soybeans are genetically modified and contaminated with high amounts of pesticides.

Two-thirds of processed foods contain some type of soy, so you may be consuming it and not even know it. Learn how to read food labels, and watch out for soy protein isolate; soybean oil; soy protein concentrate; texturized vegetable protein; and hydrolyzed vegetable protein in the ingredients.

What about soy milk dangers? While soy milk is nothing more than the waste product of the tofu-making process, it continues to increase in popularity as more consumers drink it in place of milk. Did you know that drinking even two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough phytoestrogens to alter a woman’s menstrual cycle?

Furthermore, tofu is not ‘natural,’ but a highly processed form of soybean curd, and it has all of the health risks associated with other highly processed soy food, including potential risks to the brain.

If soy is fermented and non-GM (genetically modified,) soy can be a healthy addition to your diet. Fermented soy products include tempeh, miso, natto and soy sauce or tamari.

Quite frankly, the words “soy” and “health” do not seem to belong in the same phrase –. you would be doing yourself a huge health favor by eliminating all soy from your diet completely.

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Nutrition for Women in Menopause

Posted by admin on January 11, 2012 0 comments
Michelle Van Otten asked:




With all of the news about nutrition for women in menopause, it can become confusing to know where the truth lies. From experts to scientific studies, each seems to conflict with the next. But there are some popular ideas in nutrition for women in menopause that you do need to consider – both for the positive effects and the possible negative effects.

When Nutrition Goes Bad

For many women, busy lifestyles cause them to make poor choices in their diets. This is the most challenging aspect of nutrition for women in menopause as this is simply the outcome of women doing well in their professional lives, but then forgetting to take care of their bodies.

To help fill in the gaps of your diet, you might want to consider a multivitamin supplement to ensure you get the right nutrition each day. This should include plenty of calcium, vitamins, minerals, and iron, if your doctor agrees. Talk with your doctor about the various brands they recommend and then start taking this daily.

Do You Need to Use Herbs?

When you first hear about nutrition for women in menopause, you might think about ways to prevent the purported symptoms of menopause itself. Some people will recommend herbal remedies like Black Cohosh and Evening Primrose, but are they really safe or even effective?

Studies on these supplements are confusing. While some women report that their symptoms are dramatically reduced, others find that they don’t have any changes at all.

There is also some concern that these supplements can interfere with other medications you may be taking, so be sure to talk with your doctor before beginning an herbal regimen.

What About Soy Products?

Most discussions about nutrition for women in menopause will also include some mention of soy products and their healthy benefits for the heart – but this doesn’t seem to be true. True, some studies have indicated that soy can help prevent heart disease, but others studies are hinting that there many be more important effects.

Since soy seems to be similar in composition to the hormone estrogen, there is reason to believe that taking in too many soy products can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. If you have a genetic background of breast cancer, you might want to avoid soy as much as you can.

Though nutrition for women in menopause can be frustrating, the best advice is to choose healthy, low fat foods, and to avoid alcohol. After that, keeping a positive outlook on life is the best advice.

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Eating Foods That Contain Estrogen, Primarily Soy, May Reduce Menopausal Symptoms

Posted by admin on January 7, 2012 0 comments
Patsy Hamilton asked:




Scientific research concerning plant foods that contain estrogen (referred to as phytoestrogens) is still in the preliminary stages. Most research concerning estrogens and red clover isoflavones (a type of phytoestrogen) has been performed using laboratory animals. As with hormone replacement therapy, plant foods that contain estrogen are the subjects of much research and some debate in the scientific community. Here we look at some of the most recent research, on both sides of the debate.

Red clover is a plant that grows throughout the world. It was a food source for humans, at one time, but is primarily grown today to feed livestock. It has many uses in herbal medicine, including the treatment of coughs, bronchitis, eczema, sores, mouth ulcers and sore throats. Isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen or phytoestrogen, isolated from red clover are included in many natural remedies for menopausal symptoms.

Scientific research concerning plant estrogens and red clover is in the preliminary stages. The School of Pharmacy in Messina, Italy recently published two separate studies concerning estrogens and red clover. In both, laboratory animals were studied for the effects of decreased estrogen production after removal of the ovaries, in order to mimic the effects of menopause.

The first focused on osteoporosis, which is bone loss that is often found in menopausal and postmenopausal women. The study found that animals that were fed red clover had less bone loss than animals that ate their normal diet. The researchers’ conclusion: “These findings suggest that red clover isoflavones are effective in reducing bone loss.”

The second study focused on the skin. Many symptoms may accompany menopause and are believed to be associated with decreased estrogen production. The skin tends to become dryer, thinner, has less moisture and less collagen. These skin problems show up in female lab animals, just like they do in women. In this study the researchers concluded, “These findings suggest that red clover isoflavones are effective in reducing skin aging induced by estrogen deprivation.”

Research concerning foods that contain estrogen focuses primarily on soy isoflavones. The health benefits of soy is the subject of some debate, but the majority of the scientific evidence indicates that replacing high fat red meat with soy products is good for the heart, may reduce cholesterol and may prevent some types of cancer. It is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein and carbohydrates.

Soy isoflavones have an estrogen-like effect on the body. On the plus side, this means that isoflavones may relieve some of the symptoms that typically accompany menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats. On the negative side, some experts fear that isoflavones may increase a woman’s chances of developing breast and uterine cancer. These types of cancer are seen more often in women taking hormone replacement or estrogen replacement therapies.

The research results are mixed. One long-term study of Japanese women concluded that women whose diet was high in soy were less likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not eat soy. Of those women eating soy who did develop breast cancer, their survival rate was better. As with most things, genetics apparently plays a role.

Researchers have learned that some women have a genetic predisposition to suffer numerous menopausal symptoms. Likewise, it is clear that certain types of cancer, particularly breast cancer, occur often in some families, but not at all in others. Regretfully, there is no way to predict, with any certainty, how a woman’s body will respond to the changes accompanying menopause, nor to adding plant foods that contain estrogen to the diet. The safest advice for women who have a history of breast cancer in themselves or their family is to avoid estrogen in all its forms, until scientific research can give us better guidelines.

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Soy Candle Making Tips

Posted by admin on December 26, 2011 0 comments
Dave Krigger asked:




A year ago, I never would have thought that I would be so involved in the soy wax candle making business. Just to type this article, I had to finish pouring soy wax into some jars, and wash the wax and scent from my hands. Trust me, soy wax is great, but not so great for keyboards.

I have learned a lot about candle making – shortcuts, dos, don’ts and other guidelines. Here are some tips for making soy candles that should help you get better results. Please note that each manufacturer of soy wax has different temperature requirements. All soy wax is NOT the same.

1 – Get all of your electronic devices – computers, iPods, etc out of the kitchen. Wax and electronics to not mix! Go ahead, do it now – I’ll wait.

2 – 1 pound of soy wax melts to 16 ounces of liquid wax. How many candles you make from a pound of wax will depend on the size of the jars you use.

3 – Measure how much your jars hold with water and write down the ounces on the bottom of the jar. This will help you plan how much wax you will need for a batch of candles. Make sure there is room at the top of your candle for any lids you may have for the jars.

4 – Melt your wax but don’t let it heat above the suggested temperature. Overheating the wax may cause it to not set correctly – it may turn white, the top of the wax won’t be smooth, or it will sink slightly.

5 – Once the wax cools to the specified temperature, add your fragrance. Once your fragrance has been added you should stir the mixture often. Stir well before pouring your candles.

6 – Pour your candles when the wax cools to the suggested pouring temperature or once it starts changing consistency. You will notice that it will cloud up slightly.

7 – You can layer and marble your candles as well. If you layer your candles wait at least 15 minutes for the first layer to set before pouring the next layer. If you want a marble look pour the container