Not only do more Amercian women develop breast cancer, they are more likely to die once they have developed it. Why the vast difference between East and West? Scientist and healthcare providers have been studying and pondering this very question.

When comparing the breast health of Asian and American women, these scientists detected revealing information linking the consumption of cultured soy and sea vegetables to overall breast health and hormone balance. Separate research on a variety of nutrients and botanicals has identified substances that nourish and protect the breasts and promote optimal hormone balance. From all these studies we have learned there are many dietary and lifestyle choices women can make that will help to protect and nurture the health of their breasts.

The average American woman has a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer. That is a staggering statistic particularly in comparison to Asian countries. In the U.S in 1994, approximately 110 women per 100,000 developed breast cancer. In Japan the figures were 22 of 100,000; in China 21 of 100,000; and in Korea 7 of 100,000.

Not only do more Amercian women develop breast cancer, they are more likely to die once they have developed it. Why the vast difference between East and West? Scientist and healthcare providers have been studying and pondering this very question. There are no simple answers. We do know it is not genetics. If Asian women move to this country and begin consuming the average American diet, their breast cancer rates quickly rise to match those of their adopted country. We also know that many breast cancers, like prostate and colon cancer, are hormone-sensitive-estrogen encourages and supports their development. High levels of estrogen in the body create a greater risk as do low levels of progesterone (a hormone that balances estrogen). Therefore, keeping these two hormones in balance with one another helps reduce the risk of breast cancer.

This is actually good news because the preponderance of research indicates that diet and lifestyle choices and the complex interactions between them are significant factors in maintaining a healthy ratio between estrogen and progesterone. In fact, at least 50% of all hormone-sensitive cancers are preventable (i.e., related to diet and lifestyle choices). This information gives women a powerful tool to nurture and guard their own health. To better understand the choices women can make to protect themselves, let's review what we know. The factors influencing hormone levels and cancer risk are easily grouped into three categories: diet; environmental factors; and body/mind.

Diet
There is no question that the average American diet and lifestyle greatly increase our risk of developing many kinds of cancer. Diets high in animal protein and fats (red meat, poultry, dairy), processed foods, sugar and alcohol and low in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, essential fats and legumes (particularly soy) lead to a myriad of health problems. It is in this area that American women differ most dramatically from Asian women. For a variety of reasons, our heavy consumption of animal fat and protein put us at greater risk for hormone-based cancers.

Other lifestyle factors also contribute to our level of risk. Believe it or not, your grandmother was right! Age old wisdom is a useful guideline in this circumstance. Adequate rest and regular physical activity are very important. So is sunlight! Our bodies synthesize vitamin D from sunlight and studies have revealed that a vitamin D deficiency puts us at greater risk for breast cancer. You don't need much-about 15 minutes a day without sunscreen. The companionship and warmth of friends and family, quiet time for contemplation, meditation or prayer and leisure activities you love all nurture your health.

Environmental Factors
Fifty or one hundred years ago, the average woman was exposed to maybe fifty chemicals a day. Today, our exposure is about five thousand! We breathe them; we eat them; we clean with them; we bathe in them; we drink them; we put them on our skin. The chemical cocktail that permeates every area of our existence is a continual threat to our health. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic and no one really understands the compounded effect the mixture of them all has on our bodies. We do know that our bodies have the overwhelming task of cleansing these toxins from our systems before they cause health problems. A monumental task in and of itself; and when the body is not receiving the support it needs to do the job, virtually impossible. In addition to being carcinogens, many of these chemicals are also xenoestrogenic. This means they mimic estrogen in the body thus increasing the risk of estrogen-based cancers.

Body/Mind
The effect of stress on our bodies is very real and measurable. A high stress lifestyle actually physiologically compromises and depresses our immune system while altering the balance of hormones circulating in our blood. Fortunately, in addition to relaxing, there are things we can do to help reduce these impacts.

Diet, lifestyle, environmental toxins and stress factors effect the body in a variety of ways. They compromise the immune system; create oxidative stress (free-radicals); and disrupt estrogen levels. For example, emotional stress suppresses our immune system and stresses our adrenal glands. Because the adrenals are involved in progesterone production, this may result in lower progesterone and elevated estrogen levels. A diet high in red meat creates oxidative stress, suppresses the immune system (due to the saturated fats) and increases estrogen levels. Exposure to particular chemicals will cause oxidative stress and increase estrogen levels. All of these effects weave together and describe our level of risk.

If we imagine the body to be a pie, we can divide that pie into these three "areas of effects": oxidative stress, immune health, and estrogen levels. If one of these areas is stressed or compromised, but the other two are functioning optimally, our overall risk level for breast cancer will be diminished. If, however, all three areas become stressed, our risk increases. Imagine that a woman experiences fairly high levels of estrogen in her body, for genetic reasons, but her diet and lifestyle habits are healthy. Consequently, her immune system is functioning well and her oxidative stress is low. Although her estrogen levels are high, her overall risk will be lower. Let's suppose, however, this same woman enters a period of increased lifestyle stress. As she becomes more stressed, she begins to compromise her diet and lifestyle habits until they resemble those of the average American. These changes lead to increased oxidative stress in her body and a depression of her immune system. Subsequently, her overall risk has increased because all three "areas of effect" are now compromised. Nurturing breast health requires that we be mindful of all three "areas of effect" and protect our health in each of them.

The Soy and Seaweed Connection
Asian women have stress; Asian women live in an environment almost as toxic as ours-so why are their rates of breast cancer so much lower? In large part the answer to that question is probably diet. When researchers began to study this question, they realized there are profound differences between the Asian diet and the American diet. Most significantly, Asian women eat diets rich in cultured soyfoods, seaweeds and fish and low in animal proteins. It is on these controllable factors that scientists have focused a great deal of attention, and the results of their studies have been very illuminating.

One of the most compelling and promising findings is that consuming "a couple of servings" (approximately 50 grams) of soy a day may reduce our risk of developing cancer by 50%! Why? Soy is very rich in chemoprotective isoflavones. One of these isoflavones, genistin, has captured the most attention. Like the toxic chemicals in our environment, these isoflavones are xenoestrogenic (phytoestrogens). Researchers are not yet certain why phytoestrogen isoflavones help protect against cancer while chemical xenoestrogens actually promote it. They hypothesize that the cell wall is similar to a jigsaw puzzle and estrogen is a "piece" of the puzzle. Estrogen is a specifically shaped "piece"; and there is one site, or hole in the puzzle where the estrogen "piece" fits. When the estrogen "piece" slips into place, the cell becomes activated and begins to proliferate. Both estrogen and many toxic xenoestrogens are a perfect fit-they slide in and the cell becomes active. The phytoestrogens in soy, however, are not a perfect fit. They are close enough to slide into place, but enough different that they won't activate the cell if there is enough real estrogen circulating in the system. As when you are working a puzzle, as long as the slightly wrong piece sits in the site, you are unable to place the right piece. The phytoestrogens in soy block the real estrogen, or toxic xenoestrogens, from occupying the receptor site. If estrogen, or xenoestrogens, are not occupying the receptor site, they can't activate proliferation. The effect is to protect the cells from estrogen, or xenoestrogens, that would promote the growth of cancer cells. Soy also has an anti-angiogenic effect-it blocks the supply of blood and nutrients to tumors that may have already formed. It is important to remember that soy foods are actually a complex mixture of many isoflavones. While the research has tended to focus on genistin because that is what scientists do, it is very likely that the combined isoflavone complexes are much more beneficial than one isolated component.

An important distinction to keep in mind when considering soy is that it was actually cultured soy products many of these studies tested. The reason for this is simple. The isoflavone genistin, for example, is not actually a phytoestrogen. It must be converted to the form of genistein before it becomes an active phytoestrogen. When consuming uncultured soy, such as tofu, soy milk or isolated soy protein, "friendly flora" in the gut must accomplish this conversion. As we all know, however, beans are notoriously difficult to digest. If the digestive tract is not functioning optimally, and many people's are not, this conversion can not take place. It is for this reason that cultured soy products such as natto, tempeh, miso and tamari are more effective. During culturing, friendly bacteria cleave the beta-glycosal bonds in genistin and transform it to the bioavailable, genistein, before it is consumed. Uncultured soy products have a greater quantity of isoflavones but most are in the form of the difficult-to-assimilate, genistin. The cultured products have fewer total isoflavones and they are in the highly bioavailable form, genistein. Studies have documented that, despite the difference in isoflavone quantity, the body actually absorbs far more genistein from activated, cultured soy products than it does from uncultured soy.

The Japanese diet also includes an abundance of seaweed, specifically Laminaria. Here again, ours does not. Most Americans never consume seaweed. This is unfortunate since researchers believe there is also a connection between the consumption of Laminaria and low breast cancer rates. Like cultured soy, we are not yet certain how exactly it protects against cancer; but there does seem to be a direct relationship. Actually, current research is exploring the possibility that it is the combination of seaweed and cultured soy that strengthens the body's defenses against cancer. Although we may not yet understand the precise reason for the relationship between Laminaria consumption and low breast cancer rates, we do understand, very well, the enormous health benefits of eating sea vegetables.

Laminaria is an unparalleled source of essential trace nutrients, particularly iodine. No other food contains the wide array of nutrients Laminaria offers. It is also a rich source of non-digestible fiber. This encourages the prompt elimination of toxins from the bowel and reduces the amount of time these toxins are actually in our bodies. The benefit here is obvious. Studies also suggest that Laminaria has a positive effect on the balance of healthy flora in the intestinal tract. Interestingly, it seems to effect both the composition and activity of the flora. These intestinal floras not only produce beneficial nutrients our bodies need, they also protect it from pathogens and toxins. Additionally, several studies have documented Laminaria's ability to actively destroy cancer cells as well as stimulate T-cell production in our immune systems. Even more remarkable, after World War II, numerous researchers and health care providers discovered Laminaria's ability to bind with radioactive isotopes in the body, thus allowing them to be safely excreted. In all likelihood it is probably the combination of all these actions that create Laminaria's protective effect in the body. Whatever the case may be, it certainly seems as if Laminaria may be an important addition in preventative self-care.

Because the Japanese understand and value the benefits of sea vegetables, they know that the source and quality of the Laminaria is very important. For health's sake it is advisable to be choosy. Select sea vegetables wildcrafted from pure, pristine areas and verify that the wildcrafters have taken care to avoid contaminating the Laminaria with gasoline and marine paints. Sea vegetables are also classed or graded according to quality. Select the highest grade available to insure you receive the greatest benefit.

The Nutrient Connection
In addition to cultured soy and sea vegetables, there are several antioxidant nutrients that are particularly important in nurturing breast health and protecting ourselves from cancer. When considering nutrients, it is always advisable to recognize that scientific literature often makes a distinction between the antioxidants found in whole foods and whole food supplements, and the conventional isolated USP nutrients found in most dietary supplements. There is strong sentiment in the research community that whole foods, on the table or in a tablet, deliver antioxidants in their safest, most biologically available and effective form.

Beta Carotene
Beta Carotene is a perfect example of the advantage whole food based nutrients offer. Beta Caro