Diet plays key role in protecting prostate
Prostate enlargement (officially called Benign Hypertrophy), is a fear of many men. It occurs when hormonal changes cause the prostate gland to grow, putting pressure on the bladder and urinary system. Urination can be painful with an accompanying burning sensation. Prostate cancer is an enigmatic disease that affects 40 percent of the male population over 50. The disease can be serious or cause little difficulty at all.
One of the primary methods of preventing prostate cancer is through dietary measures. Avoid high amounts of red meat, mayonnaise, butter and creamy salad dressing. These substances increased the incidence of death from prostate cancer.
Japanese men have a lower incidence of prostate cancer. Not coincidentally, their diets are high in soy products and cold water fish.
Be sure to consume a healthy amount of raw vegetables, fruits, juices, dried beans and brown rice.
Avoid refined foods like enriched flour products (bread, rolls, etc.) coffee, tea and alcohol. Avoid beer because it may encourage the pituitary gland which spawns a chemical reaction in the body that results in an enlarged prostate.
Some supplements that help prostate health include zinc, which has been shown to reduce prostate size; saw palmetto, which has been used to treat conditions of the genitourinary system, especially in males; ginseng, which has actually decreased the size of the prostate in some studies; and prostat, an extract from pollen, which has successfully treated men with prostate enlargement in Europe and Japan.
