The prostate is a chestnut shaped gland that is located below the bladder and wraps around the urethra. The only function that the prostate has in the urinary system is to close the urethra after ejection. The prostate is essential for ejaculation. Over 200,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year and more than 30,000 will die from the disease.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. It is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it is asymptomatic – at first. Prostate cancer has no early symptoms, and the ones that due begin such as difficulty urinating and painful ejaculation are also symptoms associated with common non cancerous changes to the prostate with age.
When it comes to mens bodies they are often quick to do the things that will benefit them in building up their bodies and maintaining a good physique and often do not take the steps necessary to maintain good health for their inner bodies. This is one of the reasons that men can get cancers and other diseases that may have been preventable with a little knowledge. We want to review a few things that men can do to maintain good prostate health.
Exercise
Maintaining a good level of physical fitness and doing regular exercise each day has been shown by researchers to greatly lower the risk of cancer, especially prostate cancer. Men in the U.S. that maintain a daily exercise schedule have 75% lower rates of cancer and heart disease than men who do not participate in regular exercise.
Exercise can increase blood flow to the organs and help keep everything healthier by increasing the exchange of nutrients and waste products from body cells and tissues. It also keeps the level of body fat (weight) under control and further reduces the risk of some cancers. Good fitness has been shown to reduce the risks of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Stronger muscles promote better blood flow and circulation to all organs and tissues.
Diet and Nutrition
A healthy diet rich in vegetables and low in saturated fat has been shown to reduce the risk of various types of cancers. Don’t overindulge in red meat or fatty foods. It has been shown that men who eat diets high in red meat tend to have high rates of prostate cancer. It is not clear why this is true. Some scientists feel that red meat may contain fats that may be harmful to the prostate while others feel that there may be certain chemicals produced by grilling that may be responsible. Still others feel that increased meat consumption reduces the amounts of fruits and vegetables in their diets.
It is suggested that men eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. It has been shown that men who do this have lower rates of cancers than men who consume less servings. Tomatoes and tomatoes based products are particularly beneficial due to the high concentration of Lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant that reduces the number of free radicals in the body that have been shown to convert normal cells into cancerous cells. While consuming this many servings of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis may be difficult for most people supplementation is also a viable alternative.
Receive Regular Screening
Speak to your doctor about the benefits of prostate screening. Screening means looking for signs of a disease before symptoms are present. This is the time when treatment will probably be most effective.
Your physician can explain the factors that increase the risk of prostate cancer, such as family history or race, and suggest a screening schedule that is tailored to your particular situation.