The Best Foods For Prostate Health
The prostate gland is an integral part of the male reproductive system. About the size of a walnut, it continues to change and grow during a mans lifetime. Maintaining prostate health should be of maximum importance to all men if they want to lead a long and healthy life.
Lets look at three medical issues that can arise as a result of the prostate gland, and some recommendations for the best foods for prostate health.
How To Treat Enlarged Prostate Naturally At Home: 5 Tips
Enlarged prostate, aka benign prostatic hyperplasia , is the disorder generally impacting males over 50 years old and older. This condition is not similar to prostate cancer.
The prostate is a muscular, small gland featuring with the shape of a walnut in the male reproductive system. It surrounds the urethra, below the urinary bladder and adds fluids to semen to let sperm mobile. Overtime and with age, the cells of the gland start to multiply, resulting in an enlarged prostate. Despite the precise cause of enlarged prostate is not known, changes in male sex hormones with age might be a basic factor.
If left untreated, an enlarged prostate could block the urine flow, resulting in other complications such as UTIs, kidney damage, urinary retention, and bladder stones.
There are a few effective treatments for this condition, containing medications, surgery, and therapies. However, before you go for those treatments, consider using some natural ingredients available in your home to deal with your problem naturally. Here, VKool.com introduces some useful tips on how to treat enlarged prostate naturally at home that you could implement right instantly. Check out now!
The Truth About Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil have become popular treatments for the reduction of prostate enlargement. Pumpkin seeds are packed with nutrition and are proven to support prostate health. This is due to three reasons.
- They are rich in zinc. Normal prostate function relies on optimal zinc levels. For this reason, a handful of pumpkin seeds a 2-3 times a week can improve your prostate health.
- They may limit prostate enlargement. Pumpkin seeds contain phytosterol, which is a protective compound that may be responsible for reducing prostate enlargement.
- They potentially reduce BPH symptoms. BPH stands for benign prostatic hyperplasia. BPH is caused by changes in hormone balance. Pumpkin seed oil can help prevent the multiplication of overstimulated prostate cells, levelling hormones.
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How To Avoid Prostate Problems With Cucurmin
In a series of articles published in the journal Nature and others, Dr. Dorai evaluated the topic thoroughly. The articles mentioned 4 different reasons why curcumin is a potential agent to help avoid prostate problems:
- It induces apoptosis: This is cellular death, which is a natural body response. It is lost in prostate cancer and BPH. But curcumin is capable of increasing the rate of apoptosis in prostate tissue .
- It reduces tyrosine kinase activity: In this regard, it acts similar to a prostate cancer drug called tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This reduces the cell signals that favor prostate overgrowth .
- It inhibits proliferation and angiogenesis: This function of curcumin is particularly important in patients with prostate cancer. Curcumin slows down cell proliferation but also contributes in another aspect. It wont allow cancer to build new blood vessels to keep on growing. This inhibits angiogenesis and prevents more advances in phases in prostate cancer .
- It reduces the rate of bone metastasis: The effect from these foods does not have to do with helping to shrink the prostate gland, but it is very important, too. Prostate cancer cells mimic bone cells and cause bone metastasis. But curcumin interferes with this property and may reduce the rate of bone metastasis .Thats why a 2016 review on the topic revisited each one of these mechanisms and recommended curcumin as a side therapy in patients with prostate cancer and other prostate health issues .
What Foods Should I Avoid During Radiation
Foods to avoid or reduce during radiation therapy include sodium , added sugars, solid fats, and an excess of alcohol. Some salt is needed in all diets. Your doctor or dietitian can recommend how much salt you should consume based on your medical history.
In addition to foods to avoid that are listed above, spicy foods can cause gastrointestinal problems during radiation therapy. While nausea and diarrhea are symptoms of radiation therapy, spicy foods can lead to cramping, and diarrhea.
If you are receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, refrain from consuming foods that may get stuck when swallowing or those that are high in acid which can be irritating.
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Issues Concerning The Prostate Gland
Due to its location the prostate can affect urination and sexual functions.
- Prostatitis is an inflammation or infection which causes burning and pain during urination, the urgent need to urinate, and painful ejaculation.
- BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia is the enlargement of the prostate. Men find it difficult to urinate because the prostate is pressing on the urethra. It is believed 75% of men over 60 suffer with this condition.
Drink Plenty Of Liquids
Hydration is an important aspect of a healthy radiation diet. It is recommended that individuals drink 3-4 quarts of liquids every day. Drinking lots of water is especially important if you experience diarrhea during radiation therapy.
Keep a filled water bottle with you at all times and drink, drink, drink. Jello, pudding, popsicles and juice are additional hydration sources. If you do not care for the taste of water, try sneaking water into soup broths, fruit shakes, and flavored teas.
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How To Reduce Prostate Enlargement Naturally
If you are suffering from the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, then you are more than likely looking for ways to reduce the size of your prostate.
The best way to promote good prostate health is by all-natural methods. Taking simple can have a significant impact on any symptoms of BPH and other prostate problems.
This article will discuss the best ways to help prevent an enlarged prostate and how to reduce prostate swelling and enlargement naturally.
Exercise And Lose Weight
Exercising and losing weight are some of the best things you can do to promote prostate health. Many studies show that moderate or vigorous exercise reduces risk of BPH and urinary tract symptoms and helps with prostatitis as well. Exercise also benefits your cardiovascular health and can help prevent other health and sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction.
If you are overweight, losing weight is one of the most important natural changes you can make in improving your prostate health, whether your concerns are cancer, BPH or prostatitis. A study published in the Journal of Urology found that overweight men, especially men with a high amount of abdominal fat, have an increased risk of BPH. If you are looking to shrink the prostate, losing weight can help you reduce your prostate size and help relieve annoying and frustrating urinary symptoms. On top of that, weight loss can reduce your risk for prostate cancer and help relieve prostatitis, too.
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Tips For Nutrition During Cancer Treatment
- Maintain a healthy weight. For many men, this means avoiding weight loss by getting enough calories on a daily basis. For men who are overweight and are obese, this may mean losing some weight. If you are trying to lose weight, it should be moderate, meaning only about a pound a week.
- Get essential nutrients the body needs, such as protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, such as carotenoids, and water. Not only will your body function better, you will feel better.
- Be as active as you can, such as taking a daily walk. If you sit or sleep too much, you may lose muscle mass and increase your body fat, even if you are not gaining weight.
If you are struggling to eat enough or are eating too much, nutrition counseling may help you get essential nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals into your diet and maintain a healthy body weight. Ask your health care team for a referral to a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Dietitians and other members of the health care team work with people to meet their nutritional needs.
Choose The Mediterranean Diet
A healthy diet for everyone, the Mediterranean diet is especially beneficial for prostate health.
Fresh vegetables, fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil, and fresh fruits, along with whole grains are all heart healthy and prostate healthy. Nuts and avocados are better than carbs and fatty foods, therefore reduce the amount of red meat and processed foods.
One tablespoon of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or Italian dressings reduce insulin levels and inflammations.
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How Is Exercise Good For An Enlarged Prostate
Exercise helps to decrease inflammation in the body7, so could improve symptoms this way. It also helps to maintain a healthy body weight which, again, can reduce inflammation.
Being overweight is a risk factor for developing BPH in the first place, so this could give us an indication of why exercise reduces the chances of experiencing the problem.8
Want to see for yourself how exercise can influence your enlarged prostate symptoms? Visit our Get Active Hub for lots of tips and advice on how you can be more active, or follow our simple exercise video below!
Vitamin D Deficiency: Health Complications
Additionally, vitamin D deficiency can increase cardiovascular risk factors. Some of them increases the risk of BPH. These parameters are inversely related to prostate volume. In other words, as obesity or hypertension becomes worse, the prostate gland tends to increase.
Another vitamin D deficiency risk that causes prostate enlargement is oxidative stress. In an environment with excess free radicals, the structures of the molecules start to change. The prostate tissue undergoes changes as well and starts to grow in response.
Thats why a recent study evaluated all of these associations, and the authors gave their opinion. They suggest that vitamin D deficiency counts as an independent risk factor for BPH. In other words, you can have normal health, but vitamin D deficiency alone will cause BPH. The authors of this study published in the journal Urology recommend vitamin D as a therapeutic target and a potential marker of BPH .
Similarly, other studies have evaluated the effect of vitamin D levels in the incidence of prostate cancer. The authors report that vitamin D levels are lower in patients with BPH. However, they are still lower in patients with prostate cancer. As vitamin D levels were reduced, the Gleason score and the aggressiveness of cancer increased .
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Diet Tips For Prostate Health
Diet Tips for Prostate Health
How To Add More Green Tea To Your Diet
If you like the taste of green tea, start by drinking a cup each morning in place of your regular coffee.
If you prefer to skip caffeine, try a decaffeinated version. If you dont like warm tea, try cooling it in your refrigerator and adding ice for a refreshing beverage.
If you arent a fan of the taste, try using cooled green tea as the liquid in homemade smoothies, or adding green tea powder.
Summary
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Add More Fruit And Veggies To Your Diet
Currently, most of us fall well short of the recommended daily minimum of five servings of fruit and vegetables. To add more to your diet, focus on adding whole foods, as close to their natural state as possible. For example, eat an unpeeled apple instead of drinking apple juice.
Breakfast: Add fresh fruit, seeds, and nuts to your whole grain, low-sugar breakfast cereal .
Lunch: Eat a salad filled with your favorite beans and peas or other combo of veggies. Add lettuce, tomato, and avocado to a whole grain sandwich. Have a side of carrots, sauerkraut, or fruit.
Snacks: Grab an apple or banana on your way out the door. Dip carrots, celery, cucumbers, jicama, and peppers in hummus. Keep trail mix made with nuts and dried fruit on hand.
Dinner: Add fresh or frozen veggies to your favorite pasta sauce or rice dish. Top a baked potato with broccoli, sautéed veggies, or salsa.
Dessert: Choose fruit instead of sugary desserts.
Lower Your Risk With Antioxidants
Plant-based foods are rich in nutrients known as antioxidants that boost your immune system and help protect against cancer cells.
- Diets high in fruit may lower the risk of stomach and lung cancer.
- Eating vegetables containing carotenoids, such as carrots, Brussels sprouts, and squash, may reduce the risk of lung, mouth, pharynx, and larynx cancers.
- Diets high in non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and beans, may help protect against stomach and esophageal cancer.
- Eating oranges, berries, peas, bell peppers, dark leafy greens and other foods high in vitamin C may also protect against esophageal cancer.
- Foods high in lycopene, such as tomatoes, guava, and watermelon, may lower the risk of prostate cancer.
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Alternative Prostate Cancer Treatment
If youre exploring alternative prostate cancer treatment options, youve come to the right place. For over 23 years, weve offered men new treatment options for prostate cancer. And while conventional treatment for prostate cancer usually involves surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, we offer a gentler, less toxic approach.
Our clinic offers a combination of both conventional and alternative treatments for prostate cancer. This combination has been shown to be effective for a variety of cancers over two decades.
We offer a powerful integrative and complementary treatment for prostate cancer. This means we can use conventional approaches as needed but we also use very powerful alternative & holistic cancer treatments as well.
Our treatments are designed to fight cancer, strengthen your immune system and change the underlying conditions of the body so it can muster its full healing potential. We also work on the underlying reasons why your body may have become predisposed in the first place.
Five Foods To Protect Your Prostate
Good news if youre worried about your prostate health: What you eat can make a difference. There is plenty of strong evidence that good nutrition and an active lifestyle can reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer and slow its progression, says Mitchell Sokoloff M.D., Chair of the Department of Urology and Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
There are a few categorical changes you can make to your diet that make a big difference in overall health, as well as prostate health. What you eat can potentially disadvantage your prostate health e.g. foods you might want to avoid or protect the prostate in various ways. The Science of Living Well, Beyond Cancer recommends a diet that is high in colorful vegetables, low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, and moderate in animal-based protein . Some might refer to this as a version of the Mediterranean Diet. PCF-funded epidemiologist Lorelei Mucci, M.P.H., Sc.D., at Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health notes that people in Mediterranean countries not only eat more vegetables and fruits they also eat less fatty foods, processed food, and red meat categories that can increase insulin resistance, increase inflammation, raise cardiovascular risk and be a part of a dietary pattern that may increase obesity, as well.
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How Do You Find The Prostate
Now for the how-to: You can first access the prostate via the perineum, a spot right in between the testicles and the anus. Communication is important during every step. Even before you begin, consider talking to your partner about what feels right for both of you. You can decide on things like how many fingers might feel best. You can agree on whether a firm touch or a lighter touch is in order. Maybe as you talk things through, youll discover you both feel comfortable enough to explore and see what feels right in the moment. That way, even if prostate massage isnt something you regularly want to incorporate into your sex life, youll have explored it in a way that feels safe and fun for everyone involved.
Hyperthermia Therapy Supercharges Treatment
Hyperthermia is the application of heat to parts of the body to increase blood flow and enhance the efficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients. It also super-charges & enhances our low-dose chemotherapy protocol.
For decades weve witnessed the miraculous benefits of I-Therm as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment program cancerous tumors shrink pain is alleviated neurological conditions improve and healing occurs more rapidly.
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