Medscape’s focus this week is on breast cancer prevention. It is good to see the ideas of prevention being pushed on the site, which is geared towards the MD. But it makes me seriously annoyed – no, incensed – that they speak about preventing breast cancer without mentioning the most simple and readily available breast cancer prevention “drug” – miso soup.
Many, many studies have been done, such as this one published by the National Cancer Institute, https://great-eastern-sun.com/files/JNCI_J_Natl_Cancer_Inst_2003_Yamamoto_906_13.pdf that clearly show that daily intake of miso soup cuts breast cancer in half. There is no grey area about this, no voodoo, nothing. It is just simply that the fermented soy isoflavone works, specifically it appears to be the genistein component. There is no reason why this should not be common knowledge, and on the front page of Medscape. It is a disservice that it is not.
About 75% of breast cancers are estrogen receptor positive, which means they grow in response to estrogen. The soy isoflavone is said to mimic estrogen – but it manages to become a healthy form of estrogen rather than a form with negative impact.
Along with this simple addition to our routine, we can take additional steps. There are anti-neoplastic herbal combinations that can be taken that target the breast. Keeping down inflammation overall is an additional step to take.
I think we are going to see a push for breast cancer chemoprevention in the world of Western pharmaceuticals. I don’t know if these drugs are good or bad. But I do know that there are simple and easy ways available to us. I would bet that a container of miso paste is a lot cheaper than a lifetime of pharmaceutical prescription.
2 responses to “Breast health – prophylaxis – It’s time!”
I would LOVE to tell my S-I-L to have miso as she is high risk for breast cancer. THe problem is she is allergic to soy. Is there anything else that would be good for her?!
Monika – yes. First of all though it is important/good to know what her specific genetics are, as there are various types of breast cancer. In general though the components of soy that appear to create benefit target the beta estrogen receptors – which are considered anti-tumor. Other plants that target these beta estrogen receptors will provide similar benefit – phytoestrogens. Black cohosh, damiana, evening primrose, flax, fenugreek, oats, vitex, dang gui. A note however that these may diminish the body’s natural estrogenic effect, so a balance must be found in using these phytoestrogens as prevention in women who are still of childbearing age.