It’s not surprising then that, as many people have become more aware of the risks, men want to know what they can do now in order to prevent or at least reduce their chances of getting prostate cancer. Cancer that forms in tissues of the prostate (a gland in the male reproductive system found below the bladder and in front of the rectum). Prostate cancer usually occurs in older men.
Prostate cancer develops in a man’s prostate, the walnut-sized gland just below the bladder that produces some of the fluid in semen. It’s the most common cancer in men after skin cancer. Prostate cancer often grows very slowly and may not cause significant harm. But some types are more aggressive and can spread quickly without treatment.
“There’s no overwhelming evidence on lifestyle changes or dietary things you can do that are definitively proven to help your prostate,” he says. However, many of the habits some experts suggest for a healthy prostate pay off in other healthful ways, he says, so they can’t hurt.
While there is no guaranteed strategy to prevent prostate cancer, there are some things you can do to help lower your risk, which are also beneficial to your overall health.
Symptoms of Prostate Cancer
In the early stages, men may have no symptoms. Later, symptoms can include:
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Difficulty starting or stopping urination
- Weak or interrupted urinary stream
- Painful or burning sensation during urination or ejaculation
Tips for lowering your risk of prostate cancer
We don’t know how to prevent prostate cancer, but a healthy diet and lifestyle may be important. Eating healthily and being active can help you stay a healthy weight. This may mean that you are less likely to be diagnosed with aggressive or advanced prostate cancer. A healthy lifestyle can also improve your general wellbeing and reduce your risk of other health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and some other cancers.
In 2013, researchers at Harvard University reported that they have identified six healthy habits that seem to keep deadly prostate cancer away:
- Not smoking (or not smoking for the past 10 years);
- Exercising three or more hours per week at a vigorous pace, or walking seven or more hours at a more moderate pace per week;
- Eating four or more servings of tomato sauce a week (for the lycopene);
- Eating less than three servings of processed red meat (and other animal products) a week.
Based on more than 45,000 men, the study found those with at least four of the healthy habits slashed their risk of dying from prostate cancer by more than half.
Which foods may lower my risk of prostate cancer?
There are some specific foods which might be important in helping to prevent prostate cancer. You might want to eat more of these foods, listed below.
Soy foods and pulses. Soy foods include soy milk, tofu, soy beans (you can buy these frozen), soy yoghurt, miso and tempeh. Pulses include beans, peas and lentils.
Green tea. You need to drink around six cups of green tea a day for it to have an effect, and brew the tea for 5 minutes to release the protective nutrients. Try drinking it instead of your usual hot drinks.
The most important prostate cancer risk factors are age, ethnicity, genetic factors and potentially some dietary factors. For now, here’s what men (and their caregivers) should know about their risk.
- Age: Prostate cancer, like many other cancers, is more common with age. A clinical diagnosis of prostate cancer is rare before the age of 40. Most men are age 50 or older when diagnosed.
- Ethnicity/race: African American men have a higher risk for prostate cancer, and the age of onset tends to be earlier than in other groups.
- Obesity and other factors: It’s hard to tell from studies the extent to which obesity modifies the chances of developing prostate cancer, but a diet high in animal fat and low in vegetables may increase risk. There also may be a connection between obesity and aggressiveness of the cancer once it develops, so sustaining a leaner, healthy body weight seems best — for prostate health and beyond.
Take the next steps
- Regardless of what the research shows or doesn’t show, talk to your doctor about your prostate cancer risk. With clear-cut information about your medical history, you and your doctor can better assess your risk.
- If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, explore your options and find a solution that works best in your individual case. Guidelines sometimes speak better to populations than to individuals.
- Finally, consider growing a moustache — or encouraging someone you know to do so — during the month of November. Really. A global movement to raise awareness and money for prostate and testicular cancer, Movember encourages men to grow moustache for the entire month of November. As the moustache grows, people notice and donate to the cause.
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