Worldwide, October is celebrated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The theme conveys awareness of the disease that cause so much misery among women and sometimes men. What better ways to be aware than finding a way to keep it off your life.

Breast Cancer rates are skyrocketing but survival rates are dramatically increasing. Thanks, to advances in treatment. But prevention, as they say is still better than cure. A change in lifestyle can do much to prevent breast cancer. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day. And every day, don’t forget to consume five to ten servings of veggies and fruit.
To make your meals varied and interesting, think of soy. Soy is a functional food that can help you prevent breast cancer.

Little History

The exact origin of soy isn’t known. It was found in China some 5000 years ago as one of their staple foods together with barley, wheat, millet and rice.
Soy fixes atmospheric nitrogen into the soil and enriches soil quality like fertilizer. It became widely eaten when fermentation techniques were used.

Soy Products

Soy is prepared into many products through a variety of processes. You’ll easily find tofu and soy milk in your local grocery store. In Asia, such as Japan, China and Korea miso soup is a usual accompaniment of any meal. Soy sauce, a dark fermented salty condiment enhances the flavor of Asian dishes. It is used in almost any Asian meal. Just come drops of the flavorful sauce enhance the taste of vegetables and meat.
Tofu is a unique ingredient. It absorbs the flavor of any food mixed with it. Mix it with your meal and you won’t have the tendency to overeat. Tofu is protein rich, a good meat substitute and fills you up.
Asians eat and an average of 40-60 grams of soy products daily. While we here in the West just consume a gram a day.

The Best Time for Optimum Prevention

Soy provides awesome protection against breast cancer when eaten before girls reach adulthood. The teen years are the perfect time to avail of soy’s protection too. However, the effect doesn’t wane in adulthood. Soy controls angiogenesis and the proliferation process of cancer.
To get the most from this functional food eat like the Asians do. Season your veggies with soy sauce, slurp miso with your salmon and rice, and enjoy your soy milk.