Soy Safe Breasts

We disagree with the American Heart Association's (AHA) conclusions on soy. It's not that they're wrong or that their statements are incorrect. The AHA conclusions are misleading. Our newest associate editor accused us of trying to kill him because we fed him vegetables. He claims he's allergic to vegetables, jokingly. The American Heart Association (AHA) will later conclude that soy is not bad for you. We think that's not strong enough in support of soy.

"AHA Comments to FDA on Soy Protein and Coronary Heart Disease Health Claim - at this time the totality of evidence linking soy protein consumption with reduced risk of coronary heart disease is not sufficient to meet the standards of significant scientific agreement (SSA). Thus, AHA strongly recommends that FDA revoke the soy protein and CHD health claim. We understand that if the FDA decides to revoke this SSA health claim, the Agency could consider allowing its use as a qualified health claim. We urge FDA not to do so. Consumer research conducted by AHA, FDA, and others has repeatedly shown that despite the presence of qualifying language, consumers do not understand qualified health claims and do not understand that they are based on limited and varying degrees of evidence. Therefore, AHA does not support the use of qualified health claims; only health claims meeting the SSA standard should be permitted." - American Heart Association (May 1, 2008)

Headlines don't help and the news reports you read or view don't have the time to accurately explain the research results. The American Heart Association (AHA) is accurate saying that soy protein doesn't prevent cancer. Neither does beef or pork prevent cancer or heart disease. If you have to eat a soy burger, hamburger or pork chop you'll be better off eating the soy than any of the alternatives. While soy protein might not be heart healthy processed soy is better than processed meat as an alternative. It might not make you live forever it would be better if you ate tofu, cooked soy beans with your unprocessed soy milk that you made yourself. That's more likely to keep you alive than any of the processed alternatives.

"Effect of soy isoflavones on breast cancer recurrence and death for patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy - Of the original 524 patients, we were able to contact 508 directly for follow-up in July 2008. Among the 16 patients who could not be contacted directly, the mortality registry revealed 10 deaths. For six patients there was no match in the registry, and we assumed that they were still living. The total number of deaths was 154, and 132 of these were due to breast cancer. The other causes of death were cardiovascular disease (12 patients), respiratory disease (5), other cancers (2) and other causes (3)." - Canadian Medical Association Journal (October 18, 2010)

How can soy be good for you two (2) years ago but good for you now? The answer is in the processing of food as compared to unprocessed food. Soy protein is processed soy isoflavones is unprocessed and actually part of the waste product from processing soy. It's like comparing apples to cinnamon sweeten applesauce. It's not all soy and soy is better and healthier for you than any meat alternatives. Soy is as a vegetables the lowest in fats. Meats can't compete.

"In this study, high dietary intake of soy isoflavones was associated with reduced risk of recurrence of disease among postmenopausal patients with estrogen- and progesterone-receptor positive breast cancer and those who were receiving anastrozole as endocrine therapy. This finding is potentially important in terms of recommendations for intake of soy isoflavones in conjunction with endocrine therapy. Large multicentre clinical trials and other observational epidemiologic studies are needed to confirm these findings." - Canadian Medical Association Journal (October 18, 2010)

While the American Heart Association (AHA) may not be convinced we think there is more than ample evidence that soy is heart smart and healthy. While this might not apply to all soy processed products we maintain that the research is clear and getting clearer all the time. There were earlier stories that indicated the contrary but again those stories results often contradicted the studies. For instance the evidence might not have made soy the superfood that on its own was miraculous. We think soy in combination with the basics recommendations of the AHA was more healthful than previously thought.

"Dietary Soy and Increased Risk of Bladder Cancer, the Singapore Chinese Health Study - We caution that our novel finding of a positive association between soy and bladder cancer risk is based on a relatively short period of follow-up and a modest number of cancer cases. If this provocative observation is confirmed by others, laboratory studies to delineate possible mechanisms will be needed. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (December 2002)

There are other items in nature and health that if you don't want to be bothered with soy have been scientifically effective. We're convinced of the effectiveness of soy but can understand if you aren't convinced. You don't need to take our word or the word of the above mentioned organizations and institutions. Just because an institution isn't based in the United States of America doesn't mean their facts or rather research should be ignored. Often the off-shore universities work in cooperation and collusion with US institutions of higher learning to share methods and methodologies.

Bitter Melon Extract Attacks Breast Cancer Cells - Early Research Points to Promising Area of Research - The extract from a vegetable that is common in India and China shows promise in triggering a chain of events that kills breast cancer cells and prevents them from multiplying, a Saint Louis University researcher has found. Ratna Ray, Ph.D., professor in the department of pathology at Saint Louis University and lead researcher, said she was surprised that the extract from the bitter melon she cooks in stir fries inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells. "To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the effect of bitter melon extract on cancer cells," Ray said. "Our result was encouraging. We have shown that bitter melon extract significantly induced death in breast cancer cells and decreased their growth and spread." - Saint Louis University (February 23, 2010)

One of the weaknesses in much of the research is in the reporting to researchers. The individuals reported their behavior to researchers. While this might be significant in a small study history has shown the success of soy in both animals and human trials. While much of the research has centered on breast cancer research specifically in girls and women soy has other benefits as well. You might not trust soy be we're soy believers. We think that more unprocessed soy is digested the more effective its health benefits would be felt on the human body.

"A New Frontier in Soy Bioactive Peptides that May Prevent Age-related Chronic Diseases - Soybean proteins can be a source of bioactive peptides with diverse and unique health benefits that can be used in the prevention of age-related chronic disorders such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, and decreased immune function. Bioactive peptides are released from proteins by either food processing or by GI digestion. Indirect evidence also suggests that these peptides can be absorbed by the GI system thus exerting their action on specific target organs. Other peptides do not need to be absorbed and act at the intestinal level. However, understanding whether digestion of food proteins in vivo releases the same peptide fragments as the ones in vitro experiments is an important question. Also, the effective plasma levels of bioactive peptides are unknown and need to be determined. In comparison with milk, research on bioactive peptides from soybean is far from complete." - Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (November 20, 2006)

If we didn't convince you - you just might want to try soy and we looked for the specifics in the research that we might personally duplicate for better health. Well try anything as long as its not exercise. We're not allergic to exercise we just remember the quote from Mark Twain. "Whenever we feel the urge to exercise we lie down until it goes away." Since that kind of thinking can lead to an early death we look for foods we can consume to keep death at bay. We look to soy and all the soy research that leads us to that conclusion.

"Soy Peptide Lunasin Has Anti-Cancer, Anti-Inflammatory Properties - "We confirmed lunasin's bioavailability in the human body by doing a third study in which men consumed 50 grams of soy protein--one soy milk shake and a serving of soy chili daily--for five days. Significant levels of the peptide in the participants' blood give us confidence that lunasin-rich soy foods can be important in providing these health benefits," said Elvira de Mejia, a U of I professor of food science and human nutrition." - University of Illinois and the Champaign-Urbana (December 2, 2009)

Our focus because of PearlieMae has been breast cancer. Soy's benefits aren't new neither are results that say its so. We wish that more of the bigger more familiar institutions of higher learning we more in the research of soy. We will admit that many of the smaller, meaning less trust worthy institutions are sources for much of the information. We don't admit that their research is any less trust worthy only that when you think of the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico you don't immediately think of as scientific worthy of award and acclaim.

"Children’s Hospital Oakland Scientists Discover Soy Component May be Key to Fighting Colon Cancer - Soy has long been touted as protective against colon cancer, but Dr. Saba’s team made the groundbreaking discovery that SDs naturally found in soy may underlie the benefits of soy products. Dr. Saba and her team first identified SDs in the fruit fly, an organism that is sometimes used to study the genetics of human diseases. Further investigation indicated that elevated SDs actually induced the death of mutant cells in the fly, revealing SDs to be cytotoxic compounds (toxic to cells). Preventative colon cancer strategies often focus on cell death—a normal process the body uses to remove unhealthy or mutant cells, like cancer cells. Coupling this discovery with the finding that soy is a rich source of SDs, researchers made an innovative connection." - Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland (November 24,2009)

We aren't fruit flies and again this is the only study on soy and cancer. We still think its better to eat your way to health than sweat your way to health. We don't deny the benefits from exercise. We're just reminded of the TV commercials for the Biggest Loser and the woman contestant who said that her workout "was harder than giving birth." TV trainers who proclaim: "You thought the other person was hard you ain't seen nothing yet." We imagine passing out from the sweat and strain of working out. That's before we even begin to exercise.

"Diet Can Provide Protection against Development of Certain Cancers, New Studies Show - With cancer, researchers don't believe "you are what you eat" -- that disease is always a direct result of what is, or what isn't, on your dinner plate. But studies into the association between diet and cancer show that food can have an impact in preventing cancer, or in reducing the aggressiveness of the disease. At the American Association for Cancer Research's Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research meeting, investigators have found that eating fish regularly as an adult, or soy as a young girl, or using a specific vitamin if you are a smoker, can help to protect against development of certain cancers. Another study found that blood cholesterol, some of which comes from eating animal fats, doesn't control whether a man develops prostate cancer, but lower levels of these lipids may help protect against aggressive forms of the disease. The researchers say these studies provide some of the strongest links found to date between diet and cancer."  - American Association for Cancer Research (November 14, 2006)

The implication from this earlier research are clear. While later conclusions are that you can't eat your way to good health it appears from earlier research is that to survive the leading indicators of death requires a proper diet as well as exercise. We tend to place our focus on food rather than work. We'd rather add soy and "gold pepper" to our diet with the proper supplements to intensify the effectiveness of all than to grunt and strain under the watchful eye of a scowling trainer. However it is better to workout with a buddy than alone. We support that as well. Soy and a buddy for better breast health.

Salt Like Behavior

We have no scientific evidence to support our suggestions which we'll share with you later. Ever since we were young our elders have encouraged use to first taste our food before adding salt. We knew they were trying to reduce our salt and sugar intake even as children so we automatically went into repair mode because our food was communally prepared. What our high blood pressure having big cousins ate wasn't going to be satisfying to us. Out came the salt/sugar adding arm before taking the first bite.

Exactly what the effect are and what they could provide us was not known or rather scientifically verified until now. Not only what we could do but how much we should do and what were its effect on us physically and financially. This information is too hard to ignore. We'll put our suggestions in "couch potato" form and you can take it as you will. From the University of California - San Francisco we learned:

"Even a small dietary reduction in salt could mean fewer heart attacks, strokes and deaths - Reducing salt in the American diet by as little as one-half teaspoon (or three grams) per day could prevent nearly 100,000 heart attacks and 92,000 deaths each year, according to a new study. Such benefits are on par with the benefits from reductions in smoking and could save the United States about $24 billion in healthcare costs, the researchers add." (USCF)

The Stanford University Medical Center and Columbia University Medical Center helped developed the hows, whats and the whys:

"...were derived from the Coronary Heart Disease Policy Model, found that reducing dietary salt by three grams per day (about 1200 mg of sodium or about ½ teaspoon) would result in 11 percent fewer cases of new heart disease, 13 percent fewer heart attacks, 8 percent fewer strokes, and 4 percent fewer deaths. For African Americans, who researchers believe are more likely to have high blood pressure and may be more sensitive to salt, this degree of salt reduction could reduce new cases of heart disease by 16 percent and heart attacks by 19 percent.

“Reducing dietary salt is one of those rare interventions that has a huge health benefit and actually saves large amounts of money. At a time when so much public debate has focused on the costs of health care for the sick, here is a simple remedy, already proven to be feasible in other countries,” said Lee Goldman, MD, MPH, senior author, executive vice president for health and biomedical sciences and dean of the faculties of health sciences and medicine at Columbia University." (UCSF)

Our family tried adding rice to the salt shaker which just made us shake harder but what they didn't try was to add other seasoning to our shaker. When they hid the shaker we'd go to the cabinet and shake right from box. When we "box shake" we always added to much salt. What didn't work for us may work for you, if not try this. Here is a suggestion made by the American Heart Association:

There is a rich world of creative and flavorful alternatives to salt. Get started with this guide to spices, herbs and flavorings and the food items with which they are a particularly good flavor match. Then get creative and experiment! - American Heart Association (AHA)

We won't know how successful this bait and switch will be until we put it into action but if we start now we might be able to create an environment where alternative flavors might interests us and our families. Pearlie Mae felt that she didn't have to change because she was at an age where it didn't really matter. It mattered to us whether she lived or died. Since we were responsible for the foods Pearlie Mae ate and were prepared for her we didn't and should have to make major changes.

Public health interventions are often controversial. There is a common misperception that only certain people should reduce their salt intake and that for the vast majority of the population salt reduction is unnecessary. The opposite is true. Elevated blood pressure is a huge public health problem. Approximately one third of adults have hypertension, and another third have prehypertension. For adults who reach the age of 50 years, the lifetime risk that hypertension will develop is 90%. Furthermore, the benefits of salt reduction probably extend to children and young adults. Salt reduction in children has been shown to lower blood pressure, and blood pressure is directly associated with the earliest stages of atherosclerotic disease, even at young ages. (New England Journal of Medicine)

Changes only have to ten (10) to twenty (20) percent in lifestyle. There is hope through chemistry. Science is offering us hope for some additional alternatives.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator Charles S. Zuker and his colleagues have pinpointed the receptor molecules in the tongue that tell the brain whether a substance is sweet, bitter, sour, or savory (the taste also known as umami)." (HHMI)

We think flavorful alternatives are the solution - partially. Rice to the salt wasn't the solution for us but white pepper or some other white seasoning of other varying flavors might be the solution. For us we had to see the crystals on top of our food before we'd stop shaking. Whether or not that'll work for you we don't know. It's not scientific, we know and we disclaim our suggestions with that proviso. All you have to have is a quarter teaspoon worth of success.