Middle aged men have a lot of concern about their prostate. They complain of symptoms of prostate trouble like difficulty in urinating or recurrent urinary tract infections. When this happens, they start thinking, “Is it prostate cancer, or is it just a benign case of hypertrophy of the prostate?” Don’t panic, see things objectively and cooperate with your doctor.
Prostate enlargement usually begins around 50 years of age. If prostate cancer has put its influence in your life there is a lot you can do.
A diet chock full of phytochemicals and other naturally occurring antioxidants can beat the odds. These are none other than vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Antioxidants inhibit the growth of cancer cells and check the tendency of cancer cells to suck the life out of the surrounding cells. If unchecked, they continually grow and invade other cells. Prostate cancer spreads foremost to the skeletal system and then pain occurs.
To avoid this, you should eat two-thirds plateful of vegetables. Broccoli and tomatoes have a lot of prostate cancer fighting chemicals. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, kohlrabi, mustard, bok choy, beets, artichokes, turnips, rutabaga, arugula, radish, horseradish, watercress, wasabi and others contain isothiocyanites such as sulphoranes that eliminate cancer cells in the body. The Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State University found out they enhance tumor suppressor proteins that effectively kill cancer cells. Spinach, lettuce, bitter melon and other green colored leafy vegetables are also excellent sources of anti-oxidants. Colorful vegetables have a higher concentration of flavonoids that retard growth of cancer cells , for eg., purple colored cabbage varieties, red colored tomatoes, orange yellow squash and carrots.
Doesn’t anybody love fruits? Grapes, apples, acai berries, cranberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, Sour sop, cantaloupe melon, plums, pomegranate, papaya, pineapple, watermelon and other colorful fruits have unique antioxidants called polyphenols that are powerful enough to help you fight cancer.
Whole grain foods too benefit your prostate. Include soy products; they contain genistein that regulates hormones. Ginger, onions, oregano, cinnamon and turmeric all support prostate health.
The more natural your foods are, the better are your chances to fight cancer cells and prevent debilitating complications. So avoid highly refined foods such as white bread, sugary foods and sodas concocted from refined white sugar.
Obesity is one cause of cancer as well. A vegetables and fruits diet is full of fibers and natural vitamins needed by your body to enable you to lose that weight. So by all means eat more vegetables to lose weight. With a lot of vegetables and fruit on your plate you wouldn’t be tempted to binge on sugary foods.
You might say that a diet of vegetables, fruits and whole grains are difficult for you to stick to. Start Motivating yourself. Visualize yourself living to a hundred. So, get started!