Industrialized farming

Industrial farming is a form of modern farming that that refers to the industrialized production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. Most of the meat, dairy, eggs, fruits, and vegetables available in supermarkets are produced by industrialized farming. The point of industrialized farming is to lower the cost of products to create a greater productivity thus creating a higher standard of living as measured by available goods and services. There are many benefits to industrialized farming like cheap and plentiful foods, convenience for the consumer, and the contribution to our economy on many levels. However, there are some downsides to industrialized farming. Some of the downsides are environmental and social costs, damage to fisheries, increased health risk from pesticides, and increased ozone pollution and global warming from heavy use of fossil fuels. Industrialized farming has made farming a lot easier and made large scale farming possible. With the machines available today it is a lot easier to grow crops. However, I do not think that industrialized farming is the way to go. Yes there are many benefits, but the downsides greatly outweigh them.

Soy and a healthy diet

There are many benefits my eating soy products, but there are also some risks when it comes to eating soy products. Soy is an excellent source of dietary fiber and protein; it is also rich in vitamin B6 which is important in building amino acids. Soy is also rich in isoflavones, which are plant hormones that have been linked to several health benefits. Isoflavones may help prevent bone loss, lowering the risk of osteoporosis. A soy diet may also play a role in the reduced incidence of menopausal symptoms in Asian women. It may one day replace the use conventional estrogen-replacement therapy. Isoflavones may also reduce the rates of certain types of cancer. Men and women who have eaten soy over an extended period of time reduced their LDL, or “bad” cholesterol.
There are also some drawbacks to soy products. Some people complain that at the first bite it tastes to “beany”. There may soon be soy-based yogurt, pudding, and hot-dogs along with the already soy burgers and soy milk. There are some health problems with soy products like food allergies. Soy is one of eight foods most commonly associated with food allergies in children. There is also concern that eating large amounts of soy can affect thyroid function. There is over 20,000 times the amount of soy in soy-based infant formulas than is found in breast milk. I think that like any food, soy would be a benefit in moderation. There are some health risks, but there are also many benefits. I think as long as you do not consume to many soy products if would be a benefit to you.