A New Wrinkle On Beans
Beans, and when I say beans, I am referring to freshly prepared dry or fresh beans, not canned beans. Virtually all beans contain isoflavones, in fact they contain combinations of different isoflavones. And listen up! Isoflavones have been found to combat wrinkles!! The Green Pharmacy Guide to Healing Foods says that isoflavones, especially the combination of those found in soybeans, can help to reduce facial wrinkles, and that you can benefit from them by adding them to your diet and to your facial routine. In fact, one eight week Japanese study found that men and women who ate 40 mg of aglycone, a soy isoflavone, each day, saw improvement in their skin elasticity in comparison to women who ate no soy. And after 12 weeks, the participants eating soy also had a noticeable reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
Soy must be consumed in traditional WHOLE soybean foods though, such as tempeh, tofu, cooked black, green (edamame), or yellow soybeans, and miso. So called "soy products", especially concentrated soy products and fillers, are not a good food choice. Read product labels carefully. Soy is used as a concentrated filler in many "health food products" available commercially in health food stores. Many soybean products such as soy milks have sugar added, avoid those entirely. And always be sure to use organic soybeans, because if they are not organic, chances are very high that they have been genetically engineered, and someday we will all find out the real truth about how harmful genetic engineering is for us and for our beautiful and delicately balanced planet. OR, stick with us, as we use NO commercial health food "products" or genetically engineered foods at all in our cooking!
Yellow soybeans are a seasonal fall bean and are the type of soybean used to make tempeh. And despite the heat outside, September is the approach to fall. And remember, isoflavones are found in all beans, so the mung beans contain a healthy variety of them also, even though soybeans seem to receive all the press!!
Anything good for your body internally, can also be applied topically and will produce amazingly similar results, such as the many topical compresses and plasters that we use and recommend in oriental healing, but again, read product labels carefully and follow the same guidelines as above when using food based topical applications.
Yellow soybeans are a seasonal fall bean and are the type of soybean used to make tempeh. And despite the heat outside, September is the approach to fall. And remember, isoflavones are found in all beans, so the mung beans contain a healthy variety of them also, even though soybeans seem to receive all the press!!
Anything good for your body internally, can also be applied topically and will produce amazingly similar results, such as the many topical compresses and plasters that we use and recommend in oriental healing, but again, read product labels carefully and follow the same guidelines as above when using food based topical applications.
Other natural foods are also natural wrinkle fighters. All foods that are high in vitamin A for instance such as carrots and butternut / kabocha squash, vitamin E and omega fatty acid rich nuts, seeds, and wild fish, and even anti oxidant rich natural carob are excellent for the skin. Have fun eating these foods, or try blending them and applying them as a safe and natural face mask as well!
Please always remember though that no amount of external treatment can ever replace / make-up for a poor internal diet.
In health as always.
Gayle and Jaime
Please always remember though that no amount of external treatment can ever replace / make-up for a poor internal diet.
In health as always.
Gayle and Jaime