Natural Health Care Blog

The prostate gland is an important part of the male reproductive system. The prostate creates a fluid that mixes with sperm and other fluids during ejaculation. These fluids nourish and transport sperm during the process of semen ejaculation during sexual excitement. A normal prostate gland is around the size of a walnut.

Prostate Enlargement is common as a man ages and matures. Medical doctors call this condition of enlarged prostate BPH or “benign prostatic hyperplasia”. As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the prostate gland to press inward against the urethra and restricting the flow, narrowing the space for urine to pass. The bladder wall also becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder starts to contract even when it contains even small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination by the male. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to completely empty itself and urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause a large number of the problems associated with an enlarged prostate. A doctor can determine an enlarged prostate during the dreaded finger prostate exam.

The symptoms of an enlarged prostate can vary, but the most common ones involve changes or problems with urination, such as a hesitant, interrupted, weak stream, urgency and leaking or dribbling, more frequent urination, especially at night. This is often called nocturia. Men who have symptoms of prostate obstruction are much more likely to develop chronic kidney disease. These are troubling and dangerous problems if not found and corrected in time.

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According to a recent medical study, two vitamin E forms appear to reduce prostate cancer risk. High blood levels of either alpha-tocopherol or gamma-tocopherol, both forms of vitamin E, appeared to halve the risk of prostate cancer in a new analysis of the ATBC trial, which supports earlier results showing that the vitamin protects against the cancer, writes Dominique Patton.

Original findings from the ATBC study, which included nearly 30,000 Finnish men, showed that daily supplements of alpha-tocopherol (50mg) reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 32 per cent.

Men with the highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in their blood at baseline were 51 per cent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with the lowest levels, they reported in yesteday’s issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (vol 97, no 5, pp396-399).

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Over the past 40 years, the rate of obesity has been exploding in the United States. A massive 65% of adults in the US were classified as overweight or obese, with a body mass index over the accepted normal of 25. More disturbing is the 31% of children who are classified as overweight or obese. Since 40% of Americans do not exercise regularly, there seems to be little hope of this changing in the near future. This dangerous combination of increased food consumption and decreased physical activity has taken a tragic toll on Americans and has resulted in increased rates of a multitude of diseases, particularly diabetes. It is literally a major health crisis looming over America, adding to an already stained healthcare system. Obesity is also bloating healthcare cost, making healthcare in the US among the most expensive in the world.

Although research has yet to identify the link between obesity and the increased chance of developing prostate cancer remains unclear; there is little question that obesity does have negative effect on disease outcomes. Studies have shown that prostate-specific antigen test results in obese men can be considerable lower despite the presence of disease, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment; recovery from surgery tends to be longer for the obese, and the risk of death from prostate cancer can be much higher.

Whatever nutritional approaches the individual chooses for prostate health, weight management is a must for an overall strategy. Increasing the intake of fresh vegetables can be beneficial, as long as they’re not swimming in high-fat dressings, oils, or sauces. Nuts can be an excellent source of some key nutrients, but they can also be very high in calories and fat. Knowing what to eat is a start, the real step in incorporating good nutrition into your lifestyle.

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New research suggests that green tea may help prevent the spread of prostate cancer. Specifically phytochemicals in green tea, called polyphenols attack growth factors and proteins, interrupting growth processes of tumors, thus preventing them from spreading to other organs. Since earlier studies suggests that the same natural plant substances might also help prevent the start of prostate cancer, researchers indicate that more studies are needed on green tea’s affect on fighting this common cancer. The best way to reduce your risk of prostate cancer still lies in eating a mostly vegetarian diet.

Studies on diet and cancer also show that green tea when tested with mice with an aggressive form of cancer can decrease the spread or metastasis of prostate cancer to liver, bone, and other parts of the body. Additional study of green tea may help develop a treatment to prevent the dormant, non threatening type of prostate cancer many men have in their 70’s & 80’s from becoming aggressive and fatal. Around six cups of green tea per day would contain the equivalent amount of polyphenols for individuals to help block the spread of cancer. Other data shows that the phytochemicals in green tea could inhibit the early phases of prostate cancer development.

The phytochemicals seem to increase the number of enzymes that help convert carcinogens to dormant, harmless forms. Many questions remain about the amount and frequency of green tea necessary to affect the formation of prostate cancer. Black tea has shown similar benefits to green tea, although they appear to have lower levels of the beneficial substances than green tea. Whatever the benefits of green tea, it would be a mistake to rely on tea alone for prevention. Studies suggest a variety of nutritional influences on prostate cancer risk. The use of Vitamin E may offer some protection. The antioxidant mineral selenium also seems protective. Most Americans get adequate amounts of selenium, but these studies used nutrition supplements, so the study participants achieved higher intake levels. It waits to be seen whether men can protect themselves by taking supplements, including multivitamins, with selenium. If total selenium intake exceeds 400 mcg per day, nerve damage and other side effects can occur in the individual.

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