Can you healthfully become a vegetarian while eating limited amounts of soy?!

Can you healthfully become a vegetarian while eating limited amounts of soy?

I want to become a vegetarian, but my mother and I, who are both at very high risks of getting breast cancer one day, have recently learned that soy products are linked to estrogen production and can provoke breast cancer.

Uh oh. Where's GreenGhost <VBG> :P

A lot of soy products are highly processed so you want to avoid them probably anyway. You don't need soy for protein. it's in all vegetables and grains. Beans are good source and there are a ton of ways to fix them. If you're getting enough calories every day you are probably not going to be deficient in protein. Soy makes some things easier in the transition from omnivore to vegan - soy cheese, soy dressings, soy ice cream. Rice versions can be found for cheese and ice cream (or try sorbet - even better) and the amount of soy in most dressings is so little I don't worry about it. I am a vegetarian who eats QUITE well and I have eliminated 95% of the soy from my diet. It's mostly junk food that has soy anyway. I've never been a huge fan of tofu and I like almond and rice milk better than soy. I like Sunshine Burgers or GardenBurgers over Boca ANY day. Don't sweat it. You can easily be a vegetarian without soy.

I have read both sides of the soy arguement. It's all rather confusing as to who to believe. I prefer not to take any chances. I don't think my life is any worse because I don't eat much soy.