Breast Cancer 2
Other foods
besides soy products contain phytoestrogens. The best source without
a doubt is soy. Flaxseed is a strong second. Studies are lacking in
support for getting your phytoestrogens from a pill. Food sources
are absolutely your best bet.
How can you start incorporating soy into your diet? Do not look to
soy sauce or soybean oil for the benefits associated with breast
cancer risk reduction. These products may be made from soy, but they
contain none of the beneficial phytoestrogens and no soy protein.
Below is a list of soy products and the amount in milligrams (mg) of
the beneficial phytoestrogens contained per each serving size
listed. To reap soy's benefits, I recommend that you try to include
30 to 60 mg per day.
1/2 cup fresh or frozen soybeans 70 mg
1 cup soy milk 20 mg
1/4 cup soy nuts, roasted 84 mg
4 ounces tofu 38 mg
1/4 cup soy powder 60 mg
Fresh or frozen soybeans, sometimes called edamame, are mild,
sweet-tasting green beans. Boil them for 15 to 20 minutes and get
ready for a real treat!
Soy nuts are dried soybeans that have been roasted and usually
salted. They make a good alternative to peanuts with half the fat
and a lower price tag.
Don't like soy milk straight?
Strawberry-Banana Shake:
In a blender, place 1 ripe banana,
1/2 cup frozen strawberries,
1 cup soy milk,
1/3 cup soy protein powder,
and 1 TBSP honey.
Blend until thick and creamy.
[100 mg phytoestrogens]
Let's put everything into perspective:
Here is a list identifying "cancer protectors":
* Fruits and Vegetables, especially those dark in color, aim for 5-9
servings/day
* Fiber, especially for colon cancer, aim for 25-35 grams per day
* Antioxidants, such as carotenes and vitamins C & E (get carotenes
through your diet, not a pill !!)
* Selenium, especially for prostate cancer, do not take more than
800 mcg/day as a supplement
* Calcium, aim for 1200-1500 mg per day
* Omega-3 fatty acids (from fish oil), try to include fish in your
diet at least 1 to 2 times per week
* Soy, aim for 1 to 2 servings of soy products per day
* Tea (black or green), aim for 3 to 5 servings per day
* Exercise, aim for 30 minutes most days of the week
Here is a list identifying cancer promoters:
* Overweight, limit weight gain in adulthood to 10 pounds or less
* Dietary fat, try to use canola and olive oil in cooking
* Red meat, especially colon cancer, limit to 1-2 times per week - 3
oz. serving size
* Burned food, avoid charred foods when possible
* Nitrates and nitrites, avoid cured meats when possible
* Alcohol, MEN: Limit to 2 drinks or less/day, WOMEN: Limit to 1
drink or less/day
"The Best Overall Anticancer Diet"
(Source: Environmental Nutrition/vol.22/no.10):
* Eat a diet that is largely vegetarian (certainly low in red
meats), centering on legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
* Eat fish once or twice a week.
* Eat five to nine servings a day of fruits and vegetables. Include
citrus fruits or other foods rich in vitamin C, dark leafy greens,
high-fiber produce and cruciferous vegetables.
* Limit fat intake to mostly monounsaturated and omega-3 fats (from
olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and seeds).
* Choose whole grains (whole wheat, oatmeal, brown rice) over
refined grains.
* Include a source of calcium (from diet or supplement).
* Include soy and flaxseed in your diet.
* Relax with a few cups of tea a day.
* Exercise regularly.
Exercise
What role does exercise play in fighting cancer?
Regular exercise (30 minutes or more on most days of the week) helps
protect against colon cancer and possibly breast and lung cancers.
In addition, exercise helps reduce the cancer risk associated with
obesity by helping you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Below is an easy solution for those of you who are too busy to fit
in a good workout on most days.
Squeezing in what has been coined as "fit bits" of physical activity
(activity for short as a minute or two spread throughout the day)
can keep you healthy and fit. The Cooper Institute for Aerobics
Research in Dallas demonstrated that subjects who performed
lifestyle fitness lost as much weight as a group doing a 20 to 60
minute aerobic session 3 to 5 times per week. They also increased
their aerobic endurance, although not as much as the control group.
So, what does that mean? Got a minute, do something physical. Below
is a list for you to gauge calories burned per activity. The amount
you burn will vary, but this serves as a guide. The calories shown
are based on a 140 pound woman.
* Sweep for 5 minutes = 20 calories
* Push a stroller a half-mile in 10 minutes = 50 calories
* Garden for 15 minutes = 55 calories
* Play ACTIVELY with the children for 15 minutes = 60 calories
* Park in far corner of parking lot at work.
Walk 5 minutes briskly to desk = 25 calories
* Walk briskly back to car, when leaving work, 5 min. = 25 calories
* Four flight of stairs both ways = 40 calories
* Walk briskly to store and then back in 8 minutes = 35 calories
* Here is a quick way to rack up calories burned:
Jump rope for 15 minutes = 150 calories!
Written by Laura S. Garrett, RD, LD, Fitness Trainer, & Owner of www.NutrActive.com - Nutrition & Active Lifestyle Center **Weight Loss, Fitness, and Diabetes Programs** Contact via e-mail: Laura.RD@NutrActive.com ( mailto:laura.rd@nutractive.com ) Subscribe to one or ALL of NutrActive's FREE weekly e-zines for tips on how to lose weight, tone muscle, prevent disease, & cook healthy: Click Here to Subscribe Now!
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