about mushrooms and soy and my Asian & Ukrainian relatives

[Guest guest]

Sorry I keep messing up this post! This is try #3.

I have been noticing a lot of discussion about mushrooms and soy on

the board lately and wanted to share some thoughts.

My dad was Chinese and lived to be almost 92 and my mother is

Ukrainian and runs circles around me at age 87, which makes me wonder

about mushrooms and soy, since both were staples of their diet.

My mother's aunt, an aged Ukrainian lady in Michigan in the 1950's,

would drive her car on the wrong side of the road to joyfully spot

another tasty " mush-a-RRRROOOMA " that she just had to pick to take

home for her family. My father, brother and I were with her on one

of these mushroom-picking adventures, and would get a little nervous

when she crossed the road to find a nice patch of mushrooms. Never

mind oncoming traffic, those mush-a-roomas were worth going after!

All kidding aside, my aunt knew her mushrooms - which ones to pick,

which ones were poison, and how to clean and cook them. No one

worried about " fungus " back then. Everyone ate them and no one ever

got sick. Her children lived to be at least 90. Of course, she knew

what she was doing. I wouldn't dare eat a mushroom growing in my

soggy yard here in Florida.

Now about soy, my father was Chinese and ate soy almost daily. He was

vigorous into his 90's - young at heart, brilliant in mind, glowing

in spirit. He was a mechanical engineer. My dad prepared tofu in so

many tasty ways, mixing it with meat, vegetables, spices and SOY

sauce. He had more strength and energy than ANYONE I ever knew

(except for my mother). You can see a picture of my dad at

http://www.fms-help.com/eulogy.htm

However, when I developed fibro at age 30

http://www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm

I eventually discovered that soy made my muscles ache more. By that

time, I was married and living in another city quite a distance away

from my parents. I almost never ate tofu or mushrooms by then, but

at that time there was a fad about drinking soy smoothies and also

eating miso (fermented soy), soy-burgers, etc.that was supposed to be

healthy. I never associated these foods with my aching muscles. But

when I made the association, I put a tip about NOT eating soy on my

100 Tips for Coping with Fibromyalgia at

http://www.fms-help.com/tips.htm. Later I heard from other

fibromites who also noticed the same problem with soy.

My dad also ate a fermented soy product that we called " bean cake. "

It came in a jar and let's just say a little went a long way.... It

was used more as a salty condiment to eat with rice, rather than

being a meal item in itself.

In the past I have also used soy-based estrogen replacement tablets

that were supposed to be good for you, but they didn't help me at

all. Well, enough rambling comments from me. Just wanted to say

that there are people around the world eating things that don't make

them sick.

Another example is my mother's family from the Ukraine had a cow in

the 1920's and the whole family drank unpasteurized, unhomogenized

milk. No one ever got sick. My mother is a peppy 87, her sister

just died this year at age 94, and my other aunt had a stroke and

lives in a group home, but she is 90. So longevity runs on both

sides of my family. I guess I'm different from my family (and no,

I'm not adopted...I look just like my dad!) But I have a " fibro

body. " A list of things that help me cope (meds, supplements and

lifestyle helps and aids is at

http://www.fms-help.com/what.htm).

No wonder my mother has had a hard time understanding my health

condition, even though I was diagnosed way back in 1982. Just this

year she is finally beginning to accept that something is wrong with

me and I am not " normal. " For years she against the supplements I've

had to take to function, and was very alarmed and often admonishing

me about meds, etc. I have had to find my own way in this fibro

journey. My dear dad knew I was not well, and took me to a Chinese

herb doctor one time in Denver. The doctor made up some round

pellets for me to take that were very inexpensive. Believe it or not,

they helped relieve the pain! But shortley thereafter I moved to

Florida and couldn't get them anymore. The herb doctor said I

had " too much wind in my body. " (They look at illness much different

than western doctors. Or maybe the doctor said I was " long-

winded " .......ha!!!!) Anyway, I better sign off now so you can give

your eyes a rest.

Love to all and Merry Christmas from

Dom