When it comes to our health, it can
sometimes seem as though we're constantly being told what not to do. This is particularly true when it comes to combating
cancer, which involves avoiding all kinds
of things – many of which we probably used to enjoy.
But it's not just about what you avoid, it's also about what
you do indulge in. And when it comes
to protecting your prostate from cancer specifically, recent research is
unveiling a number of different superfoods that can help a great deal to keep
us safe.
In this post, we'll be looking at six things you definitely should eat – and why.
A Little Background on Your Prostate
Before we dive into our superfoods, let's first take a
moment to consider precisely what the role of the prostate is in the body, how
it operates and what we can do to keep it healthy. Knowledge is power and this
is never truer than when we're trying to take care of our bodies and maximize
our health.
So, the prostate...
A man's prostate is part of his reproductive
system. It is roughly the size of a walnut and is situated just between the
rectum and bladder, wrapped around the urethra. It is partially responsible for
producing semen and during orgasm, the muscles squeeze this fluid into the
urethra allowing us to ejaculate.
As we get older, we become increasingly likely to develop an
enlarged prostate. This is technically known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
(BPH) and the main symptom is that it can squeeze the urethra and place
pressure on the bladder. This can make it hard for men to urinate and cause
other symptoms including:
● Straining
to urinate
● Urgency
● A
feeling of not having completely emptied the bladder
●
Weak urine stream
Surgery can relieve these symptoms and it is estimated that
35% of men over 80 will have undergone such surgery.
More worrying, of course, is prostate cancer. Prostate
cancer develops due to genetic mutations in the cells which lead to growths.
Many of the symptoms of prostate cancer are very similar to those of benign
prostatic hyperplasia, as both conditions cause the prostate to grow unusually
large.
However, prostate cancer can also trigger other symptoms, which include:
● Burning
or pain during urination
● Difficulty
urinating
● Urgency
– and especially during the night
● Loss
of bladder control
● Decreased
flow
●
Hematuria (blood in the urine)
Prostate cancer is no joke. This is actually the most common
form of cancer in men and the second most common cause of cancer death. This is
why it's incredibly important for you to not only look after your prostate but
also to get regular checks to ensure it is healthy. This is especially true if you notice any of the
symptoms we've described.
The problem is that screening can be a little embarrassing
for some men, as it will often involve a digital rectal exam. Don't let pride
get in the way though – a few minutes of
embarrassment is well worth it if you are preventing yourself from an early
grave. In some case, the screening will instead involve a blood test known as a
prostate-specific antigen.
For those men who are diagnosed with the condition, there
are a large number of treatment options which include surgery to remove the
cancerous lumps, radiation therapy, hormone therapy or any combination of those
methods.
Of course,a prevention is better than a cure, however, so
let's take a look at how superfoods can help to prevent the formation of
cancerous cells in the prostate and at which superfoods specifically are the
best choices in that regard:
Superfood 1: Green Tea
Attention was recently drawn to the ability of superfoods to
fight prostate cancer thanks to one groundbreaking study. In this study,
participants who had previously been treated for prostate cancer using
radiotherapy were given a capsule containing pomegranate, green tea,broccoli and turmeric. Read more here.
It was found that after six months of using the supplement,
those participants saw a 63% drop in PSA levels (PSA being a protein that
indicates the presence of prostate cancer). Other studies have similarly shown
that such foods that are high in polyphenols can help to combat a range of
other forms of cancer and even many other conditions – including dementia, high
cholesterol, arthritis, heart disease and more!
Green tea is a particularly good choice as it is also
generally high in antioxidants. Antioxidants, of course, are compounds found in
foods that combat the effects of free radicals – which are also known to
increase cancer risk by damaging cell walls and DNA.
As though this wasn't enough reason to drink green tea, it
can also have an amazing impact on your cognitive performance. This is
particularly true of Yerba Mate tea, which contains an ideal blend of xanthines
to provide 'genius on demand' (according to author Tim Ferriss, anyway).
Green tea is essentially an all-round
superfood that is packed with nutrients and is also great for your general
health. It's convenient to consume in large quantities and won't add any
calories to your diet – so why not start drinking a little more?
Other foods high in polyphenols include the others used in
the study, as well as cloves, cocoa powder, celery seed, dark chocolate,
oregano and others.
Superfood 2: Berries
Okay, let's go a little deeper into what antioxidants are
and how they help us.
Free radicals are compounds in our body that are 'reactive'
and when they come into contact with our cell walls, they can actually damage
them. While this damage is microscopic and not something we would ever notice,
it can nevertheless build-up over time. This is one reason that we show visible
signs of ageing – as damage to our skin
cells begins to show as wrinkles and 'age spots'. The problem comes when free
radicals manage to break all the way through the cells to the nucleus where our
DNA is housed. This can cause our genetic code to be corrupted and when that
cell splits and divides (i.e. replicates via mitosis),this then copies over
that faulty DNA code as well. This is how a cancerous tumor begins to form and
then spreads rapidly through the affected region.
Free radicals prevent this from happening by neutralizing
the free radicals. This then prevents damage to the
Vitamin C is one of the most potent antioxidants available
in our diet. It is water soluble (meaning it's impossible to overdose on it)
and it also helps to strengthen our immune system in other ways, thereby
preventing us from becoming ill and helping our bodies to identify and
neutralize bacteria, infections and even – you guessed – cancerous cells.
So we're adding berries to this list thanks to their massive
vitamin C content. A cup of strawberries will net you around 90 milligrams of vitamin C, which just so
happens to be the recommended daily allowance for men!
Superfood 3: Red Grapes
While we're on the topic of antioxidants, consider getting
some red grapes in your diet too.
Red grapes are the best source of a very interesting
nutrient called 'resveratrol', which acts as both an energy booster and a brilliant tool for combating
oxidative damage. One study found that mice consuming
resveratrol would live longer than those that did not and that it would also
improve their general health.
Resveratrol supplements are not fully backed by science, as
it is uncertain whether the quantities therein are high enough to compare with
the relatively very large doses (per
body weight) given to mice. However, it's also useful to keep in mind that we
don't need the same relative
quantities to see the same effects (as the animal gets bigger,the dose becomes smaller).
Either way though, red
grapes are also high in polyphenols – so get them in your diet! As a great
added bonus, they also taste amazing with dark chocolate…
Superfood 4: Fatty Fish
Omega 3 is another incredible ingredient that can do amazing
things for our health. Omega 3 fatty acid is well-known for boosting brain
power thanks to its ability to enhance 'cell membrane permeability'. This means
that it can improve the communication between brain cells by allowing nutrients
and neurochemicals to pass through.
Omega 3 also helps to combat inflammation, by reducing the
amount of omega 6 fatty acid. The more you increase one type of fatty acid, the
more you decrease the other – and
seeing as most of us have too much omega 6, this is good news!
But we're interested in it right now because it has been
shown to boost prostate health directly and even
potentially lower the risk of prostate cancer. Adults
should aim to consume around two servings of oily fish a week – but be careful
to avoid sources high in mercury (such as tuna).
Superfood 5: Tomatoes
Lending credence to the popular 'Mediterranean Diet',
tomatoes are packed with antioxidants as
well as one more exciting cancer-fighting ingredient: lycopene. This is found
in the skins of the tomatoes and has been shown in studies to reduce the
progression of BPH.
Superfood 6: Brazil Nuts
Finally, nuts are another source of omega 3 fatty acid, as
well as being high in a range of important nutrients including vitamin E,
calcium, magnesium and more. They're great for testosterone production and are
generally a great health panacea for men in particular.
More importantly, one single
Brazil nut is packed with over 100% of your RDI for selenium. One study suggests that this might help to
combat prostate cancer. Do be careful
though: high doses of selenium can be toxic. Don't overindulge! The other way
that nuts directly aid the prostate is via the fiber content which is well
known to promote prostate health.
And if you're not a fan of Brazil nuts? Then pecans,walnuts and almonds are also highly nutritious.
Conclusions
As you can see then, there are numerous foods that can help
to improve prostate health and specifically
prevent prostate cancer. Each of these items deserves a place in your diet
and the younger you are, the sooner you can start fortifying yourself.
Of course, a balanced diet is still no substitute for
medical treatment if you are unfortunate enough to be diagnosed with cancer,
always listen to your doctor.
Author Bio:
Dr.Vidhi Jain has over 7 years of experience as a Physiotherapist. She has a Masters in Physiotherapy in Orthopedics and is currently practicing at Vinayak Physiotherapy in Noida as HOD of the Physiotherapy Department. She has been nominated as 'Best Physiotherapy Consultant' in Noida & firmly believes in health care that is based on a personal commitment to meet patient needs with compassion and care.
She also writes for Medlife International Private Limited, an online pharmacy storeoperating in India offering home delivery of authentic prescription medicines at discounted prices.
Author Bio:
Dr.Vidhi Jain has over 7 years of experience as a Physiotherapist. She has a Masters in Physiotherapy in Orthopedics and is currently practicing at Vinayak Physiotherapy in Noida as HOD of the Physiotherapy Department. She has been nominated as 'Best Physiotherapy Consultant' in Noida & firmly believes in health care that is based on a personal commitment to meet patient needs with compassion and care.
She also writes for Medlife International Private Limited, an online pharmacy storeoperating in India offering home delivery of authentic prescription medicines at discounted prices.
