Is anyone else avoiding soy (and another stupid question)?

Unfortunately, this is where our mind goes.... sad but true. I do not ingest any soy products. But I like soy candles because they seem to burn longer. I guess technically you could absorb some soy by burning the candles, but I really don't know. It's not the same, it would seem to me, as drinking soy milk or something? Maybe a more scientific mind can reply.

Beeswax candles!

Yes, i avoid soy because I think it may be good for some and bad for others. One of the big studies saying soy is ok is from China, and I am not of Chinese decent. Might there be genetically-based differences in metabolism? Or differences due to childhood consumption or other elements in the diet? Also, whole soy foods are probably different from soybean oil or soy protein isolate (in energy bars etc).

https://foodforbreastcancer.com/amp/food-list.php

When I had a hysterectomy years ago due to estrogen-fueled endometrial cancer, I was told to avoid soy protein, but other soy was okay within reason.

I'm assuming soy is thought to fuel estrogen fed bc which would be the reason to not eat it.

The other side of that coin, and one not nearly discussed as often as diet,is the proliferation of products we apply to our bodies on the outside, and their effects, being absorbed into the skin, they might have on us. These products contain so many chemicals, with parabens being one of the more prominent ones that supposedly mimics estrogen and should be avoided. How many oncologists promote this kind of scrutiny? Think of all the things applied to the body, many on a daily basis:

Hand soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, hair color, hair styling products, hairspray, moisturizer, foundation, powder, face makeup, facial masks, sunscreen, hand cream, body lotion, nail polish, polish remover, toothpaste, contact solution, perfume, deodorant, sports cream.....

Yet it's the diet that is always targeted.

jackie thats what I do. I try to avoid processed foods in general , many of which contain the soy protein isolate, but I dont freak out over an occasional snack or something that might have it. The other night I ordered a poke bowl that had a few edamame beans in it...I ate them all, lol. But I stopped buying the protein shake with soy protein that I used to have for breakfast every day. I can enjoy breakfast just fine without it.

I try to be careful with cosmetics too, but again, I dont worry about using a hand lotion or something if Im not in a place where I can check the ingredients. I havent used hair dye since my diagnosis, I still wear wigs, but I just got a new haircut and I might try dyeing my hair again just for fun.

I think of myself as careful but not obsessed.

PS tofu is soy, so vegan or not I wouldnt eat it. I always thought it was gross, anyway. : D

Happy Valentines Day everyone

That's it, JACK5IE and Olma. Set up your life and pantry so it is generally healthy, then relax and enjoy yourself as much as you can.

hey folks! Your local integrative oncology nutritionist here!

There are no clear links directly connecting soy to cancer in humans. This has not been established in any clear cut studies at this time.

That being said, the way Americans ingest soy products in the USA is very very different than in Asian countries. In japan, tofu is added to miso soup in teeny tiny little cubes. They eat natto which is fermented soy beans to help aid digestion and for healthy gut bacteria.

In the USA, people eat tofu like a steak. Like it's the main dish. So many vegetarian alternatives are made with soy isolates and soy proteins. It is NOT soy that is the enemy, it is how we consume it. And that isn't even something that has been proven.

my take on soy is: avoid GMO soy products and mostly stick to fermented soy products which include miso, tamari, natto, tempeh, etc.

It's the highly processed foods (and a lot have soy in them) that are troublesome.

Love,

Philly

9-12; Agreed! All the headlines last week said MILK gives you breast cancer, WTH?, so I went straight to Starbucks for a yummy soy misto! Soy has plant-estrogens that can signal cancer cell growth, although much more weakly than human estrogens, I don't avoid soy in foods but wouldnt take it in a supplement or eat it daily. No idea how your body could pick up plant estrogens from a burning candle!!

I'm vegan and I do not avoid soy.

You aren't eating the candles. Why would you avoid them?

I don't like Soy, so no problem

Soy or not to Soy. I wish there was a clearer answer. For years I've been told that soy as food (tofu, tempeh, beans) are fine, but no soy supplements, no soy oil, and maybe limit soy milk. Several servings week ok as food. Nutrition, the only subject more contentious than religion. I usually eat several servings/week when avoiding/limiting meat. I eat a lot of dairy, eggs which are also on some hit lists. 3 articles seem to have different conclusions, might also depend on if cancer ER+ or ER-. and what drugs a person is taking. https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/soy-may-offer-benefits-for-hr-neg-disease https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/soy-may-turn-on-genes-linked-to-cancerhttps://foodforbreastcancer.com/foods/genistein-and-daidzein

Ibrance and Arimidex. Supplements include Mg, D, biotin, C, Turmeric(Curcumin), Gluchosamine-Chondroitin,BoneUp(multi with Coligen),Thorne (another multi), Melatonine(at night).

2009 ER+ left breast. 52 yrs. Lumpectomy, Sentinel node removal, negative. Radiation 6 weeks, tamoxifen 5 years. Dense lumpy left breast, normal right. Acupuncture offered at facility as part of integrative medicine. It really helped with anxiety/stress during radiation treatment.

2016 ER+ left breast. Probably a new cancer, but unknown. 4 rounds TC Aug-Oct 2016, Bi-lateral (my choice) Nov 2016, no reconstruction. 2 sentinel nodes remove, negative. Cold Capping using Chemo Cold Caps (DIGNICAP not available). Anastrozole 1 mg starting May 2017. Joint issues noticed immediately. Stopped Anastrozole after 3-4 months due to joint stiffness in. After several months of no AIs, fingers were feeling better. Started tamoxifen March 2018

10/2018 noticed stiffness and some trigger finger again. Was eating meat a lot more (daily) than normal. Usually 1-2 /wk. Have cut way back on the meat, seems to help, but one finger still very prone to trigger finger. Trigger finger seemed to be getting better, but now 4/2019 seems worse, is it the break from added turmeric to meals?

6/18/2019 Noticed Swelling in R-arm, opposite side from where lymph nodes removed. . Could have been swelling earlier but wearing long sleeves. Ultra sounds for clots, Trip to urgent care. They did ultrasound, concerned that there might be a clot, there was not. 7/2/2019 lymphatic therapist recognized that there was something very wrong and sent me back to the DR.

8/2019 CT, Breast/chest , neck/thyroid ultra sound

9/2019 DR ordered biopsy, said it could be lymphoma, cancer, benign lymphatic. Biopsy R-axilla. Cancer. Genetic test showed no known markers (20+ looked for)

9/29/2019 PET scan, no indication of spread. Arimidex and Ibrance prescribed to shrink tumor prior to surgery, if needed.

10/2019 – Stopped Tamoxifen. Started Arimidex and Ibrance. Brand name Arimidex so far does not seem to have the SEs that generics did, but stiff/trigger finger on left middle finger returned.

1/2020 CT showed tumor in Axilla shrunk (hooray!!) from 2.3 to 1.1 but picked up something in lower bowel. DR consulted a DR I saw in 2011 who compared it to 2011 image, said they had not grown, but one has changed and was starting to obstruct.

2/14/2020 Happy Valentine's Day. Surgery removed to remove, waiting for pathology. 2/25/2020 – Pathology. Not cancerous. Hooray