6 Tips for Healthy Prostate

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men per the American Cancer Society. As men age they should focus on these six tips to reduce the risk of prostate problems; wine, healthy foods, limit dairy, don’t smoke, exercise and prevention.

Prevention is always the best place to start in taking care of the body. For the prostate it’s recommended to have a baseline PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test done at age 50 or age 45 if family history risk. Typically as men age the prostate gradually grows larger. While some growth is considered normal, excessive enlargement squeezes the urethra resulting in difficult urination especially at night. Also note that a PSA test result increase over time is more indicative of a problem than just a single test result.

6 Tips for Healthy Prostate

1. Wine – drink at least one glass of red wine per week to lower the risk of prostate cancer by 6%. Doctors speculate the flavonoids and resveratrol antioxidant properties counterbalance androgens, the male hormones that stimulate the prostate.
2. Healthy Foods – two vegetables known for their cancer-fighting properties are broccoli and tomatoes have shown to be effective against prostate cancer when consumed together as part of a daily diet. The healthy fat in avocados has also been shown to decrease BPH benefitting in fewer nighttime awakenings to urinate.
3. Limit Dairy – studies have shown men who drink milk have double the risk for developing prostate cancer. Milk in particular has low levels of insulin-like growth factors which can stimulate certain cancers.
4. Don’t Smoke – quit smoking is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. Men with prostate cancer who smoke were more likely to die from the disease than men with this disease who didn’t smoke.
5. Exercise – regularly exercise 3 times or more a week plus maintain a healthy weight as you age will lower your risk of developing prostate problems.
6. Prevention – recommend having a PSA baseline test done at age 50 to help identify prostate problems. Accuracy of test results can be affected by; urinary infection, bike riding, sex, and medication including over the counter products.

Statistics about Prostate Cancer from Cancer.org

• About 238,590 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed
• About 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime
• Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in American men behind lung cancer
• Nearly 2/3’s are diagnosed with prostate cancer in men aged 65 or older
• More than 2.5 million men in America diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today

[ilink style=”info”]List of resources, all worth checking out.[/ilink]

8 Ways to Lower Your Prostate Cancer Risk from EverydayHealth.com

Tips for a Healthy Prostate from MensFitness.com

Prostate Cancer Prevention: Ways to Reduce Your Risk from MayoClinic.com

What Are the Key Statistics About Prostate Cancer? From Cancer.org

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Cheers to a Healthy Day!