It’s curious why soy has such a bad reputation when so much is grown for animal feed. In fact, soy has amazing nutritional and healing abilities. However, not all soy products are equal. Far from it.

It goes without saying that genetically modified soy is unhealthy, dangerous even. Sadly, that’s the bulk of the animal feed. And that isn’t just for the herbivores. You’ll find it in commercial cat and dog food. For carnivores?

You can also find it in soy for human consumption that isn’t certified organic.

The contradictory ideas about soy come from the different ways of producing it. Traditional Japanese soy is fermented. Typical western soy is not. Yet it’s the fermented soy that has all the nutritional benefits, which can lead to so much healing. These fermented products include miso, tempeh and natto. Not soy milk, yoghurt or tofu, although these can still be beneficial especially when organically grown.

People are fairly familiar with miso and tempeh. Less so natto. They are all traditional Japanese food.

We can learn so much from others - other cultures, other beings.

As with miso and tempeh, natto can challenge taste buds unfamiliar to it. It has an ammonia smell. And the texture is sticky, stringy and gooey. So it tends not to excite and stimulate! However, the taste is much better than it looks or smells. It is easily digested and assimilated even for those who have problems digesting legumes.

For those who like to be dazzled by facts

And one of its greatest healing abilities, which is currently very topical, is heart issues. It has the capacity to help heal heart disease, arteriosclerosis and that seems to include breaking down spike protein.

Although natto is traditionally made from soy beans, you can also make it from black beans, kidney beans, adzuki beans and sunflower seeds. However the important bacteria that is used to ferment it, thrives best on soy beans. So you get a richer benefit.

Nattokinase is also available as a supplement. It is isolated from the natto, meaning the supplement lacks the complexity and benefits of the whole food.

The benefits of natto seem to be exceptional, with high nutrition that is easily digested and absorbed, with so many healing abilities.

However, it’s high in calories and high in protein, so it’s best to consume in moderation. Too much protein can lead to kidney stones and bone density loss, so common in the western cultures where protein is consumed in excess.

For those who like a challenge, it is possible to make your own natto. Purchasing certified organic soy is key to harness its amazing nutritional and healing abilities. Both soaking the beans and cooking them takes many hours, but the end product is likely to be superior, when you become skilled at it.

Natto can now be purchased in health food stores both on and off line.

It’s best to avoid the highly processed soy protein isolates (very common in packaged food), soy oils and the faux meats.

Edamame is the fresh soy bean that can be consumed as with any other bean. Soy yoghurts and soy milk won’t have the same benefits as the fermented soy, but can still be beneficial when made with certified organic beans and minimally processed.

This recipe looks enticing and is likely to disguise any unpleasant looks or smells!

Consuming whole foods gives so much more health benefits than the easy but deficient diets so common in the current western culture.

‘Let they food be thy medicine’ is considered to having been said by the Greek founder of medicine Hippocrates, but is more likely that he just espoused it. It came from an original Greek oath that means “I will apply dietetic and lifestyle measures to help the sick to my best ability and judgment; I will protect them from harm and injustice.”

Hmmm, can we have that back, please?

Soy has amazing nutritional and healing abilities when you use the right products and avoid the wrong ones. This is so true in every aspect of life. The products, along with the amounts, are important. Get those wrong and the exact opposite of what you want can ensue.

Combining a healthy diet with homeopathic health care offers you the most effective way to achieve vibrant health.