soy

pnut2

i am allergic to soy. so i can't drink drink soy milk or eat tofu. i drink rice milk (WHICH I LOVE)and i drink whey protein. can someone tell me what i can substitute for tofu? also, i have two more chemo treatments then a breast mri and chest xray. my oncologist will then let me know if a bilateral mastectomy is in my future. please pray for a good outcome. thank you.

Beesie

Did someone tell you that you should be consuming soy? That's contrary to what most breast cancer patients are being told these days. Although the impact of soy on breast cancer prevention is inconclusive, the general guideline for women who've already had breast cancer, particularly if the cancer was ER+, is to avoid excess consumption of soy and tofu because soy is a phytoestrogen, which might promote ER+ breast cancer.

This issue comes up a lot on this board. Here's one of the more recent discussion threads about it:
http://community.breastcancer.org/ubbthr...ge=1#Post503999

Rosemary44

I've become a nutcase whenever I see the word soy. Where ever it's being recommended or promoted, I write a letter to give them the latest in research about it. The soy industry is doing a good job in getting their hexane soy products into everything we can possibly buy out there and otherwise getting good press, and no one is questioning this. It's driving me crazy, but I'll keep on going, one letter at a time, one company at a time.

Mylo, I'll keep you in my thoughts for a good outcome.

pnut2

i was told that by different health food "specialists" and a couple dieticians. thank you for this info, very eye opening indeed.

Poppy

If estrogen fuels your cancer you should stay away from soy. I'll eat tofu in Hot & Sour soup but that's it.

People who have no business giving out "medical" advice should keep their mouths shut! Maybe you can educate these "specialists" about the soy/estrogen connection before they do any more damage.

Hugs!
Erica

Rosemary44

Sorry to say, you can't educate them. AICR is promoting soy to cancer patients on their web site. I wrote them and they sent me years old research in their reply to me. I sent them back up to the minute latest research, no reply. In other words the discussion is closed, soy is good for cancer patients regardless, cause they said so. The soy industry is loving this.

Greenpeace.com has a paper on the denuding of the Amazon rainforest so big industry can plant soy farms. Who's in charge in Brazil?

Someone's in charge afterall:

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/brazilian-government-orders-cl

pnut2

why are these so called researchers so gung ho on promoting soy? i often go to health food stores. i get the "soy is great for breast concer" talk. concerns me that some employees in health food stores should be very careful on what is said to women like me who are looking for a healthier lifestyle.

Beesie

There has been one study (and maybe more) that suggests that if teenage girls and young women eat soy, it may reduce their future risk of breast cancer. This is far from being proven, but the soy industry, and the health food industry who are so gung-ho on soy, have taken this to mean that "soy reduces breast cancer". But an adolescent consuming soy is a totally different situation than a women who's had estrogen-driven breast cancer consuming soy. Although these studies aren't 100% conclusive either, the indication is that soy, being a phytoestrogen, is harmful to women who've had breast cancer. Unfortunately, the soy and health food industries chose to ignore these studies or simply are uneducated about them, and continue to promote soy as a wonder food regardless of the circumstance.

iodine

I have a real problem with the sales people in suppliment stores giving "health" information to people. So many suppliments can cause interactions with medications and these are never addressed or taken into consideration by theses sales people because they are not educated to know about them.

Rosemary44

I can believe that statement about young girls and soy consumption to be true, if they are eating soy in Japan and other Asian countries who process their soy in a gentle manner that leaves the nutrients intact and without hexane residue because they don't use haxane washes.

The FDA has turned a deaf ear, so we're stuck with it. I just hope that cancer orientated web sites get up with the latest research before they promote certain foods that could do more harm then good.

Chelee

Its not until I was DX with her2/neu and er & pr positive that I started reading labels on everything. I USE to read labels...but NOT like I do now. Since I am er & pr positive...I am suppose to stay away from soy...right?!

Well...if I don't cook something from scratch every time...I've noticed that SOY is in EVERYTHING it seems! There is NOT one quick dinner I can throw in the microwave...cans of food in the pantry...just everything has SOME soy in it. I never realized that before. How do you get away from it...seems impossible. I find it frustrating. Sometimes I don't have time to cook.

I even bought these little boxes of "Birds Eye" veggies that have brocolii and carrots in it. Said it had a little herb flavor mixed in. I ate one and thought that tasted pretty good. Then I read it later and EVEN it has SOY in it. ARGH. Can't even buy frozen veggies in a box without soy.

Chelee

sdstarfish

Count me in on the prayers, mylo02. I've also heard that soy is bad for bc. I am having an awful time finding a replacement for soy sauce. Anyone have any ideas?

kidsmom

This has been eye opening. My son is allergic to milk so we have gone soy crazy at our house. I just had my lumpectomy yesterday and am now going to have to do some further investigating on this. It also concerns me that my young daughter should also be limiting her soy intake because the Dr thinks it likely I have the BRAC mutations since I'm only 34 and that means my daughter may have inhereted that. Thanks for the information.

LizM

The soy issue can be confusing. You have to do a lot of research to know what products are OK and which are not. It is only those of us with hormone receptive positive breast cancer that should have some concern. Those who are hormone receptor negative can eat as much soy as they want. There is a lot of controversy on the subject and until it is all sorted out (which may never happen) I choose to avoid most soy products. My hubby won't even go to the store with me anymore because I spend so much time reading labels. It is my understanding the soy sauce, soy oil and soy lectein (which are the ones you find most as additives are OK because they have been processed. Soy supplements are a no no but it seems that a little soy in food once in a while is no big deal. I have the same issue with flaxseed. There are a lot of healthy foods that have estrogenic properties and it is near impossible to avoid them all. I think it is more important to eat a healthy plant based diet with a variety of fruits and veggies than it is to worry about getting a little soy once in a while. I shop in an organic market so you can imagine how many soy products I encounter and it took a year and a meeting with a natural health nutritionist to come up with a health eating plan that I am happy with.

wallycat

I know there is mixed controversy for soy but I personally do not think it is bad. I am er/pr positive and continue to eat it.
I posted a few studies on flax and soy in the food section.
Some studies indicate that flax and soy amplify tamoxifen, especially in those women whose tamoxifen has sort of stopped working for them.
My personal opinion (and from the studies I've read) indicates that both soy and flax work similar to tamoxifen in that they are estrogen "like" and fit the receptors but cannot turn them on to allow the receptor to function.

Just my 2 cents.
www.cancerrd.com is a dietitian who has had 3 cancers and gives speeches on oncology/nutrition if you want a few different opinions.

sdstarfish

I've read several times that ground flax seed specifically fights breast cancer.

figsgirls

I am ER/PR+ and my oncologist told me to avoid soy, flaxseed, and black cohosh.

Rosemary44

Soy sauce is ok to eat, as a matter of fact its high in antioxidants.

Genistein in soy promotes the growth of tumors per this research:

http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/61/13/5045

"For example, prepubertal exposure to genistein appears to be protective against the development of breast cancer, but consumption of the phytoestrogen in either pure form or in soy protein isolate, after development of an estrogen-dependent breast cancer may enhance the growth of that tumor as determined by this study"

They could put an end to all of the mouse sufferings by just doing a human study. I think by now they have enough preliminary information to get one started. Why do they hold back?

brando

I am not doubting anyone's claim that soy is a possible precursor to certain cancers, such as breast cancer; however, if soy were to be a real cause of cancer then why isn't everyone getting cancer?
On a molecular level, it does not seem likely that one item, or one ingredient, namely soy, could be a major cause of cancer. There are many possible factors that cause cancer that may work together, such as stress (the release of stress hormones in the body), diet (poor nutrition, too much fat), lack of exercise, genetics, culture, ect...
Since there is NO proper evidence that soy or any one thing proceeds breast cancer, I try to focus on what evidence there is on most cancers. For example, it is proven (you can read this on NIH's website) that when a person from a country of low cancer rates moves to a country with a high cancer rate, that person's risk of getting cancer goes up. A prime example of this is when a Japanese woman moves from Japan, a country with the smallest percentage of breast cancer in the world, to the United States, a country with a very high percentage of breast cancer, her chance of getting breast cancer increases.
In my understanding, I think there are many factors that go into creating mutant cancer cells. I suppose if you want to spend a lot of time worrying or thinking about every thing you have to do to avoid cancer, that is your way of coping, but I just assume exercise, staying active, proper sleep, and eating right (basic fruits and veggies and whole foods) should help keep your body well. Of course there are alot of pollutants in the world, but if you are going to get cancer despite all your efforts of trying to stay clean, so be it. Nobody gets out alive anyhow...and personally, nobody who has died seems to be clawing to get back here...(it cannot be that bad)...

sdstarfish

Hi, Ladies:
I try to read a lot of research on this sort of thing, as I'm sure many of you do. I must admit I am not up on soy as much as flax. But here are a few articles illustrating the benefits of flax for breast cancer patients:
http://www.cancure.org/flax.htm
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3x_Flaxseed.asp
http://www.abreastinthewest.ca/healthy2.cfm?Num=22
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer-prevention/WO00091
Peace

Rosemary44

None of the research is saying soy is a precursor to cancer, or causes it. It's been found that genistein in soy feeds a cancer under certain circumstances. Another researcher found in his experiments that soy and tamoxifen didn't mix. It negated the effects of tamoxifen. Other researchers got different results.

I'd rather err on the side of caution since we never know when we have a tumor present.

Anyway, they'll be doing this research for another bunch of years, spending money that could be going into other important research, and still coming up with conflicting data. It all comes down to which side of the soy issue gets the better headlines in any given week.

sdstarfish

Good news! I finally found a workable substitute for soy sauce. Have you heard of Marmite? I ordered some online. It's a british spread that is somewhat salty tasting, and the same color as soy. It is made from yeast. The consistency is like honey, so you just thin it out with water. Of course it is not exactly like soy, but I took some with me when I went for sushi last night, and it was good!

saphi

I have been limiting my daughter's soy intake and have tolds her why. One thing you will have to watch out for is the school lunches.  Our school district uses soy substitutes for everything except pork. All the chicken and beef products our school district uses is soy. The ham is actually turkey and the fish is oddly enough fish. If you call the school district they can provide you wil a list of what they serve and what is in it.

saphi

I had not heard that soy is a precursor to cancer, it is just that certain cancers are estrogen fed. These tumors feed off of estrogen and use them to grow even plant estrogen like that found in soy.