Endometriosis + Soy

Soy.  It is supposed to be one of the healthiest things in the world for humans to consume.  Few are allergic to it.  The health benefits from it are boundless.  People are often heard raving about how it is the best food one can eat. 

Growing up, I was raised on soy milk.  I was allergic to milk and after many attempts at other versions of milk on me as a baby, they wound up using soy milk which was still a new thing during that time in the 70's.  I drank soy milk until I was about 13 when I decided that taking baby formula with me to sleepovers was just not cool anymore.  At the time "Silk" and the like soy products did not exist, it could only be found in the baby aisle offered by Isomil. 

Fast forward to last year when I find out, despite a lack of any family history, that I have endometriosis.  I did a lot of researching and one thing kept coming up - that soy especially given to a child at a young age - may cause endometriosis later in life.  I was floored.  Growing up I drank soy milk like most kids drink milk.  ALL the time!  My mom subsituted my soy in things that would ask for milk in the food (i.e. macaroni and cheese).  It was everywhere and in everything for a solid 13 years of my life.  We all thought that it was the HEALTHY option for me.  Who knew?

My next visit to my GYN I asked him about this and if the articles I found online had any truth to them.  I really thought up until this point that it was just internet gossip.  However, he said that they are still doing studies on it, but from what he's seen, yes it looks to be one of the causes of endometriosis.  He went on further to warn me that I need to watch my soy intake if and when I go off the pill because the hormones in the pill will not be there to even out the effect on my system and it is very possible that my condition to exacerbate.  Even on the pill I still need to be careful! 

As a woman that wants to have children someday this came as such a shock, but I am SO glad that I found out.  I had no idea about this connection but now that I do I feel that I at least have one small bit of control over such an uncontrollable disease.  I hope that maybe one person reading this learns something too and can take this with them!