| helps us by supplying many vital micronutrients | | | | pathways. |
| such as vitamins and minerals. Your genetic | | | | - Increases levels of transforming growth |
| composition can make you susceptible to some | | | | factor-beta' that inhibits the growth of tumor cells. |
| types of cancer. Your way of eating plays a | | | | - Inhibits the growth of wide range of both |
| major role in increasing or reducing the risk of | | | | hormone-dependent and hormone-independent |
| cancer. | | | | cancer cells. |
| Phytochemicals are non-nutritive substances found | | | | Decreased rates of breast, uterus and prostate |
| in plants. They protect us against diseases when | | | | cancers are associated with Soya consumption |
| they are in our body. Isoflavones and Lycopene | | | | because of its antiestrogenic action. |
| are phytochemicals. Isoflavones decrease the risk | | | | Lycopenes: |
| of breast cancer for premenopausal women, while | | | | Tomatoes, watermelon and other orange-to-red |
| Lycopene decreases the prostate cancer risk in | | | | colored vegetables and fruits like paprika, |
| middle aged men. | | | | rose-hips etc. contain abundant lycopenes. A |
| Soya is a great source of Isoflavones like | | | | better level of Lycopene is produced from |
| genisteinm and daidzein. Although isoflavones are | | | | tomatoes when they cooked with olive or canola |
| weak estrogens, the established hypothesis has | | | | oil. |
| been that isoflavones exert antiestrogenic effects | | | | Lycopenes are natural carotenoids that act as |
| when placed in a high-estrogen environment | | | | antioxidants. They also block the conversion of |
| (pre-menopausal women) and estrogenic effects | | | | food mutagens found in fried, cooked meats and |
| when in a low-estrogen environment, | | | | fish in the form of heterocyclic amines. |
| (post-menopausal women). | | | | Lycopenes are good inhibitors of cell proliferation |
| Daidzein was found to inhibit the growth of cancer | | | | and lower the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol thus |
| cells in many studies. | | | | minimizing the heart disease risk. |
| Genistein: | | | | Lycopenes reduce the risk for stomach, breast, |
| - Reduces the protective mechanisms of cancer | | | | colon, lung and prostate cancer. Both raw and |
| cells. | | | | cooked tomatoes have same amount of cancer |
| - Acts as an antioxidant. | | | | fighting power. Lycopenes stimulate the enzymes |
| - Inhibits several enzymes in cellular signaling | | | | that block the carcinogenic damage to the cell. |