Wellness Guide

Diet to Avoid Prostate Cancer

Canadian researchers have found that a diet consisting of red meat, organ meats, soft drink and bottled water increased the risk of getting prostate cancer. They compared the diets of 80 men with prostate cancer, and 334 healthy men, and the diet mentioned above more than doubled the risk of developing prostate cancer.

So, which diet can reduce the chances of prostate cancer? Another set of Swedish researchers examined the diet of 1499 men with prostate cancer and 1130 men who were healthy, and they published their findings in the Cancer Causes and Control journal. The findings revealed that eating foods rich in phytoestrogens reduced the risk of prostate cancer.

Phytoestrogens are plant molecules that have a weak estrogenic effect. They are converted in the intestines from plant precursors by bacteria as they digest food. They are taken up by the same parts of the body that process the hormone estrogen.

One of the treatments for prostate cancer by doctors involves using estrogens to reduce the level of testosterone in men with advanced prostate cancer. Estrogens indirectly, affect the hypothalamus, as less luteinizing hormone releasing hormone is produced by the hypothalamus. This means less luteinizing hormone is released by the body, which suppresses the production of testosterone.

But a word of caution, high doses of estrogens for men can lead to cardiovascular complications. But phytoestrogens obtained from diet are in lesser quantities than in drugs, and have a milder effect. And researchers don’t yet know what exactly causes phytoestrogens to have such a protective effect, whether it is similar to that of the estrogen treatment for advanced prostate cancers.

So what phytoestrogen foods can be included in a diet for a healthy prostate? Soy beans and nuts are a good source. Soy and nuts contain a type of phytoestrogen called isoflavones, whilst berries and seeds contain lignans. Foods could include peanuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and berries.

Another important mineral to consider for men is zinc. Zinc is used by men’s bodies to make some of the male hormones, and for general prostate health. Zinc deficiency can lead to problems with the testicles, the prostate, and the health of the sperm. Foods that are great sources of zinc include seeds like pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower; nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews and walnuts; and foods like lettuce, oats and onions.

Pomegranate Juice for a Healthy Heart & Prostate

Everyone must have heard of the health benefits of pomegranate. Of lately pomegranate juice is increasingly seen on shelves of markets which attests to it’s popularity.

The health benefits are manifold. Researches have shown that a daily glass of pomegranate juice can avoid prostate cancer and could even prevent fatalities in men suffering from prostate cancer.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin showed that pomegranate juice dramatically slows down prostate cancer in mice. Prostate cancer patients who have short doubling times (the time taken for the tumour to double in size) are more likely to die from their illness, and the average doubling time for the disease is about 15 months. But consuming pomegranate juice extended this period to 54 months – an almost four-fold increase.

For the normally healthy people pomengranates contain more anti-oxidants than any other fruit and 3 times the anti-oxidant power of green tea or red wine. Studies on heart disease patients showed that taking the juice every day increased blood flow to the heart. It also helps in lowering cholesterol and is a rich source of vitamin C and folic acid.