Saturday, December 12, 2009

Soy May Benefit Women with Estrogen-Negative Breast Cancer

Women with estrogen-negative breast cancers, as well as those with estrogen-positive disease, benefit from high soy intake, according to research in China published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Results were based on data from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, a large, population-based cohort study of 5,042 female breast cancer survivors aged 20 to 75 years diagnosed between March 2002 and April 2006. Women were interviewed about their diet at 18, 36, and 60 months after diagnosis. Those with the highest intake of soy had the lowest recurrence rates. No toxic effects of soy were discovered.

Soy contains folate, fiber, and calcium, all of which have been shown to be beneficial in reducing cancer.

I am still going to avoid soy, because one study isn’t enough to convince me. I will continue my diet high in folate, fiber, and calcium and get my cancer fighters there.

Sources of folate, according to the National Institutes of Health, include vegetables, grains, and the innards of animals. (Ick.) Whole grains are a good source of fiber, as are fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The best sources of calcium are dairy products.

1 comment:

Patricia Prijatel said...

Thanks so much, Alena. And welcome to the blog. Let me know if there is anything specific you would like covered. Pat