Men's Health Week: A Healthy Prostate

[Guest guest]

Good Morning!

 

Men's Health Week: A Healthy Prostate

 

The prostate gland is below the base of the bladder of a man's

urogenital tract. This gland is about the size of a walnut and has

the consistency of a water chestnut. While the prostate is considered

a major accessory sex gland, the way it functions is not well-

understood. With younger men, the prostate rarely receives medical

attention except for treatment of infections or cancer screening as

part of a physical exam.

 

As a man ages, the cells that make up the prostate tend to multiply.

The chance of having prostate problems tends to increase equally as a

man ages. For instance, a man who is 50 years old has a 50% chance of

having prostate issues. 60 years old, 60% chance and so on. Besides

age, family history is the only other risk indicator. Throughout a

man's life he produces testosterone and smaller amounts of estrogen.

As a man ages, testosterone levels decrease as estrogen levels

increase. He tends to become more vulnerable to the effects of

certain hormones, including (DHT) dihydrotestosterone, which also

rise.

 

As DHT stimulates cell growth, the cells multiply and cause the gland

to increase in size. This noncancerous growth is called Benign

Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). It becomes a medical issue when the

prostate grows large enough to obstruct the urethra, the canal that

carries urine from the bladder to the tip of the penis.

 

Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) include a frequent

urge to urinate, increased urination during the night, urinary

urgency, difficulty starting urination, trouble with ejaculation and

dribbling at the end of urination. Although annoying, an enlarged

prostate usually is not serious unless it impairs complete emptying

of the bladder. During your routine physical, your doctor will do a

simple digital rectal exam (DRE) and a PSA (Prostate Specific

Antigen) test, which is done to keep a close watch on your prostate.

 

 

Nutritional Advise

 

There has been a direct correlation between obesity, diabetes and

high glucose levels, which contribute to BHP.

 

One of the single most preventatives is a proper diet. Because diet

strongly influences sex hormone production, including testosterone,

it is important to cut back on excess meat consumption (which triples

the risk), full fat, dairy products (which doubles the risk) and a

lack of vegetables and fruits in the diet (which quadruple the

risk).

 

Include legumes in your diet such as beans and peas. Eat healthy

helpings of antioxidant fruits and vegetables such as blueberries,

cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples,

cherries, black plums, avocados and pears. Cooked tomatoes and tomato

sauce are known to have the phytonutrient, lycopene, which has shown

to fight off prostate cancer by 35 to 45 percent in those who eat it

ten times or more a week. Proper absorption is key and that includes

lycopene with some good fat, which tomato sauce has. Ten tablespoons

of spaghetti sauce will do the trick as opposed to 164 raw tomatoes

per week.

 

Supplements

 

With your lycopene, take 200 micrograms of Selenium a day to decrease

your risk of prostate (and other cancers) by 50%. Selenium is a

mineral found in vegetables such as garlic, which absorb selenium

from the soil.

 

Consider Vitamin E, especially mixed tocopherols, which appears to

work in synergy with lycopene to help reduce the risk of prostate

cancer. Take 400 IU daily.

 

Vitamin C works in synergy with Vitamin E and helps increase its

function. Take 600 mg, twice a day.

 

Omega 3 Fatty Acids found in flaxseed and fish oil, appear to help

protect against prostate cancer. Take 3 grams daily.

 

Folate (800 mg daily), a B complex and Zinc (15 mg daily) have shown

to increase fertility and improve sperm motility.

 

Saw Palmetto has been clinically proven to inhibit the enzyme

involved in converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. These

powerful berries from the saw palmetto palm tree, improve urine flow

and decrease inflammation of the prostate gland. Take 160 mg, twice

daily.

 

L-arginine (2 grams daily), an amino acid found in pumpkin seeds and

L-citrulline (500 mg twice daily) may possibly increase nitric oxide

production, which in turn increases blood flow and therefore can

prevent erectile dysfunction and increase sperm count. Foods high in

both these amino acids include pumpkin seeds, almonds, cocoa and real

(dark) chocolate, garbanzo beans, peanuts, salmon, soy and walnuts.

 

 

Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

Peacefulmind.com

Therapies for healing

mind, body, spirit