Healthy Lifestyle,
Healthy Prostate
Marci Sadorf R.N. Bayshore
Health Services
Joe is worried. His father and uncle
both had prostate cancer, and Joe is approaching 50, the age
at which his father first developed the disease. "I'm thinking
about it too much," he says. "Isn't there something I can do?"
Joe's concern is valid. Among men, prostate cancer is the most
common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths.
One in six men will develop a growth in their prostate, a
walnut-sized gland at the base of the urinary bladder. The
function of the prostate is to produce a fluid that becomes
part of semen.
Risks for prostate cancer
After age 50, the chance of developing
prostate cancer increases rapidly; by age 80, nearly 70
percent of men develop at least low levels of the disease.
African Americans are at increased risk, as are those with a
family history of prostate cancer.
What man wouldn't want to beat these odds? No one knows what
causes prostate cancer or, definitively, how to prevent it.
Medical authorities have, however, made some educated guesses
based on promising early results from prostate cancer
research. Below are nine recommendations for protecting your
prostate:
Prevention of prostate cancer
-
Physical fitness.
Exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight.
-
Not smoking.
Quitting smoking (or chewing tobacco) can cut your risk of
cancer by up to 40 percent.
-
Screening. Starting at
age 40, contact your health care provider about routine
screening for prostate cancer. Recommendations vary but may
include a digital rectal exam or a blood test for prostatic-specific
antigen (PSA).
-
Low-fat diet. Limit the
fat in your diet, especially animal fat, such as dairy,
eggs, and meat.
-
Fiber. Eat a plant-based
diet with plenty of fiber from whole-grain breads and
cereals, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
-
Vitamin E. Get adequate
amounts of the antioxidant vitamin E. In a study of 29,000
Finnish smokers, men taking 50 mg (about 50 IU) of vitamin E
had a 32 percent reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.
The study's researchers acknowledge the limitations of their
findings due to the narrow scope of the study (Caucasian
male smokers); however, the results are promising. Always
check with your health care provider before taking
supplements, especially if you're on blood thinners or other
medications. The best food sources of vitamin E include
brown rice, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oil.
-
Selenium. Include this
trace mineral in your diet. Results of a ten-year cancer
prevention trial suggest selenium may help reduce the risk
of prostate cancer. Selenium supplements are not currently
recommended because they're toxic in excess amounts. You can
get enough selenium by eating whole grains, fish, and meat.
-
Soybeans. Add soy
products to your diet, such as tofu, tempeh, and soy milk.
New research is looking at how soy foods may help lower
prostate cancer risk.
-
Green tea. Take time for
green tea. Preliminary evidence suggests a plant substance
called EGCG, present in green tea leaves, may prove useful
for prostate cancer prevention. According to early studies,
EGCG may inhibit the growth of cancer cells
www.rx.com
Elizabeth Smoots, M.D., F.A.A.F.P x.com
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