Prevention And Treatment Of Prostate Problems
Prostate problems trouble millions of men.
After the age of 40 or so, the prostate gland begins to enlarge, and so as men age their chance of experiencing difficulty increases. For some lucky men, prostate enlargement appears to pose no particular problem, but for others it is just like twisting a hosepipe, restricting the flow of water — or urine.
It’s thought that as many as 1 in 4 men in their 50’s will develop problems with their prostate, while 1 in 2 men over the age of 60, and 8 in 10 men who reach the age of 80 will experience symptoms.
But what exactly is the prostate gland?
The prostate is a small gland that lies at the base of the bladder, around the tube through which urine passes, the urethra. it’s around the size of a small walnut. Its role is to produce the fluid that contains the semen or sperm.
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate are difficulty in urinating, the urinary stream becoming fitful, as it stops and starts. Usually there is the need to get up frequently during the night in order to urinate, and there is often the feeling that the bladder isn’t really empty. Dribbling is common after passing urine.
Prostatitis is different; it is inflammation of the prostate gland. When it is acute it is usually caused by a bacterial infection that causes pain on urinating. Acute prostatitis can usually be cleared with a course of antibiotics. Chronic prostatitis has been connected to stress and anxiety. In which case you’d be well advised to learn how to better manage these things. Practising relaxation techniques, meditation, self-hypnosis, or listening to a stress-reduction self-hypnosis recording are all excellent ways of doing this.
Many men believe that they must simply accept such problems as part of the aging process and that there is little that can be done about it. Some men are fearful that their symptoms might mean they have something seriously wrong, such as prostate cancer.
But no one needs to suffer prostate problems in silence. It can help to understand exactly what those troublesome symptoms really mean and what you can do about them. The important thing to remember is that treatment is available.
If you are experiencing what appears to be problems with your prostate, then the first thing to do is to visit you doctor for an examination; he may also order a blood test and a scan of the prostate — all of which are quite painless. The most common form of prostate problem in men is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH, and dealing with it doesn’t necessarily mean that an operation is required.
The tests that a doctor performs are designed to rule out the much less common problem of prostate cancer. If there is any doubt, the doctor may refer you on to a specialist.
If you have benign hyperplasia then there are certain lifestyle changes that can greatly improve things. Cutting down on caffeine and alcohol is a good way to start.
Several well-conducted studies have demonstrated that tomatoes can greatly improve prostate health, and research has shown that eating tomatoes may even help to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. This is because of their high proportion of lycopene, which works together with the many other protective phytonutrients found in tomatoes. When tomatoes are cooked or included in a sauce more of their powerful phytonutrients are assimilated.
Also, when we combine tomatoes and broccoli and eat them together, then their separate biologically active compounds work on different pathways, and this produces an even more powerful affect on prostate health. (Though tomatoes are best eaten cooked, broccoli is best eaten a little undercooked in order to protect its valuable properties.)
It is always best to consume the complete vegetable or fruit, choosing organic produce when possible since this contains a greater abundance of the essential nutrients.
When organic tomato ketchup was compared with ordinary tomato ketchup, for example, it was found that the organic kind contained 3 times more lycopene than the regular kind.
Fruits such as pink grapefruit, watermelon, papaya and apricots also contain high levels of protective lycopene and should be eaten as part of the regular diet by anyone experiencing prostate problems. Research has shown that men who frequently ate these vegetables and fruit were more than 80% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who rarely ate them.
Another tried and tested means of helping the prostate is drinking green tea. In one well conducted study men who drank the most green tea had an 86% reduced risk of prostate cancer when compared to men who drank little or none.
Soy beans and products derived from them such as tofu and soya milk have also been shown to improve prostate health and you would be well advised to include these healthy foods in your diet.
If you have been experiencing what might be problems with your prostate, then visit you doctor for a check-up and be sure to include these great foods that will help your prostate to function well.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is provided for general information purposes only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional.
REFERENCES:
Boileau TW, Liao Z, Kim S, Lemeshow S, et al. Prostate carcinogenesis. Journal of the National Institute of Cancer, Nov 2003; Canene-Adams K, Lindshield B.L, Wang S, et al. Combinations of tomato and broccoli enhance anti-tumor activity in prostate adenocarcinomas. Cancer Res. 2007 Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. et al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 Etminan M, Takkouche B, Caamano-Isorna F. The role of tomato products and lycopene in the prevention of prostate cancer: A meta-analysis of studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev.; 2004 Giovannucci E, Rimm E.B, Yan Liu, et al. A Prospective Study of Tomato Products, Lycopene, and Prostate Cancer Risk. Journal of National Institute of Cancer, 2002 Holford. P.. New Optimum Nutrition, Piatkus Books 2004 Ishida BK, Chapman MH. A comparison of carotenoid content and total antioxidant activity in catsup from several commercial sources in the United States. Jnl Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jian L, Lee A.H, Binns C.W. Tea and lycopene protect against prostate cancer. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007
Peter Field produces a range of self hypnosis downloads and CDs. He works as a therapist in the UK: Peter Field UK Hypnotherapy Birmingham Hypnotherapists.
