The Truth About Prostate Cancer and Diet Might Not Be What You Think

One​ ​company​ ​that​ ​is​ ​promoting​ ​the​ ​message​ ​to​ ​men​ ​about​ ​prostate​ ​cancer​ ​is Naturals2go​,​ ​a​ ​vending​ ​food​ ​company​ ​that​ ​is​ ​raising​ ​awareness​ ​during​ ​prostate​ ​cancer month.

The​ ​role​ ​food​ ​plays​ ​in​ ​staving​ ​off​ ​the​ ​disease​ ​and​ ​treating​ ​advanced​ ​forms​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cancer is​ ​also​ ​highlighted​ ​in​ ​the​ ​book​ ​“The​ ​Definitive​ ​Guide​ ​to​ ​Prostate​ ​Cancer”;​ ​recommended by​ ​​University​ ​of​ ​Michigan​ ​Comprehensive​ ​Cancer​ ​Center.

Chowing​ ​down​ ​on​ ​the​ ​go​ ​isn’t​ ​the​ ​healthiest​ ​option​ ​especially​ ​when​ ​you​ ​consider calories​ ​from​ ​fast​ ​and​ ​vending​ ​machine​ ​foods.​ ​Making​ ​the​ ​right​ ​food​ ​choices​ ​is important​ ​for​ ​good,​ ​well-studied​ ​reasons.

Men​ ​who​ ​are​ ​overweight​ ​or​ ​obese​ ​are​ ​more​ ​likely​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​prostate​ ​cancer​.

Other​ ​risks​ ​for​ ​the​ ​disease​ ​include:

• Family​ ​history
• African​ ​American​ ​descent
• Consuming​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​red​ ​meat​ ​and​ ​dairy
• Skimping​ ​on​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​grain​ ​and​ ​vegetable​ ​foods
• Not​ ​getting​ ​enough​ ​exercise
• Being​ ​over​ ​age​ ​50
• Not​ ​getting​ ​enough​ ​sunshine​ ​and​ ​vitamin​ ​D

You​ ​can’t​ ​control​ ​their​ ​race,​ ​age​ ​and​ ​family​ ​history.​ ​But​ ​you​ ​can​ ​control​ ​what​ ​you​ ​eat​ ​to keep​ ​prostate​ ​cancer​ ​at​ ​bay​ ​with​ ​an​ ​anti-prostate​ ​cancer​ ​diet.

What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​anti-prostate​ ​cancer​ ​diet?

Here​ ​are​ ​four ​things​ ​we​ ​know​ ​for​ ​sure.

1. Prostate​ ​cancer​ ​screening​ ​is​ ​important.
2. There​ ​really​ ​are​ ​foods​ ​that​ ​possibly​ ​could​ ​keep​ ​cancer​ ​of​ ​the​ ​prostate​ ​from happening​ ​and​ ​from​ ​coming​ ​back.

3. Men​ ​can​ ​prevent​ ​the​ ​prevalent​ ​cancer​ ​by​ ​a​ ​whopping​ ​35​ ​to​ ​37​ ​percent​​ ​just​ ​by staying​ ​away​ ​from​ ​fried​ ​foods​ ​and​ ​doughnuts​ ​-​ ​except​ ​for​ ​once​ ​a​ ​month,​ ​so​ ​don’t be​ ​​ ​completely​ ​dismayed).

4. Fried​ ​foods​ ​are​ ​high​ ​in​ ​calorie​ ​content​ ​and​ ​they​ ​are​ ​also​ ​bad​ ​for​ ​the​ ​heart. Keeping​ ​your​ ​heart​ ​healthy​ ​can​ ​also​ ​ensure​ ​prostate​ ​health.

Some​ ​information​ ​suggests​ ​that​ ​an​ ​anti-prostate​ ​cancer​ ​diet​ ​is​ ​one​ ​that​ ​includes​ ​nuts, veggies;​ ​especially​ ​broccoli:​ ​fish,​ ​green​ ​tea​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​peppers​ ​​ ​and​ ​maybe​ ​the juice​ ​of​ ​one​ ​special​ ​little​ ​fruit.

Here​ ​is​ ​what​ ​you​ ​should​ ​eat,​ ​why​ ​and​ ​how​ ​much​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​diagnosed​ ​with​ ​or​ ​trying​ ​to prevent​ ​prostate​ ​cancer.

Nuts​ ​are​ ​healthy,​ ​but​ ​maybe​ ​not​ ​for​ ​prostate​ ​health.​ ​It​ ​may​ ​be​ ​best​ ​to​ ​take​ ​such​ ​claims lightly​ ​for​ ​now.

Studies​ ​link​ ​lower​ ​incidences​ ​of​ ​prostate​ ​cancer​ ​among​ ​countries​ ​where​ ​selenium​ ​intake is​ ​highest.​ ​Nuts​ ​are​ ​high​ ​in​ ​selenium,​ ​for​ ​one.

It’s​ ​important​ ​to​ ​know​ ​that​ ​​studies​ ​about​ ​selenium​​ ​and​ ​prostate​ ​cancer​ ​are​ ​mixed​ ​and mostly​ ​observational.

Nuts​ ​also​ ​contain​ ​vitamin​ ​E​ ​and​ ​​ ​zinc​ ​and​ ​again,​ ​​some​ ​studies​ ​​suggest​ ​the​ ​legumes might​ ​do​ ​more​ ​harm​ ​than​ ​good.

For​ ​men’s​ ​health,​ ​the​ ​best​ ​choice​ ​of​ ​nuts​ ​is​ ​probably​ ​soy,​ ​based​ ​on​ ​a​ ​finding​ ​published in​ ​the​ ​American​ ​Journal​ ​of​ ​Clinical​ ​Nutrition.

Men​ ​should​ ​also​ ​avoid​ ​dairy​ ​to​ ​cut​ ​prostate​ ​cancer​ ​risk​ ​and​ ​soy​ ​milk​ ​is​ ​an​ ​excellent replacement.

Broccoli​ ​also​ ​might​ ​not​ ​be​ ​as​ ​effective​ ​as​ ​touted​ ​for​ ​prostate​ ​health.​ ​Studies​ ​are inconclusive.​ ​In​ ​2011​ ​headlines​ ​were​ ​all​ ​over​ ​the​ ​media​ ​about​ ​a​ ​type​ ​of​ ​super-broccoli developed​ ​by​ ​scientists​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Institute​ ​of​ ​Food​ ​Research​ ​and​ ​the John​ ​Innes​ ​Center​ ​in​ ​the​ ​UK,​ ​sold​ ​as​ ​​ ​‘Beneforté’​ ​that​ ​could​ ​fight​ ​cancer.

The​ ​study​​ ​fell​ ​flat​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​research​ ​methods​ ​used.

There​ ​isn’t​ ​much​ ​doubt​ ​that​ ​cruciferous​ ​vegetables​ ​are​ ​healthy​ ​however.

So,​ ​eating​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​greens​ ​shouldn’t​ ​cause​ ​harm​ ​and​ ​will​ ​keep​ ​other​ ​unhealthy, inflammatory​ ​foods​ ​off​ ​the​ ​table​ ​-​ ​and​ ​they​ ​will​ ​keep​ ​your​ ​heart​ ​healthy.

Fish​ ​is​ ​a​ ​definite​ ​healthy​ ​eating​ ​addition​ ​for​ ​avoiding​ ​prostate​ ​cancer.​ ​The​ ​omega-3​ ​fatty acids​ ​and​ ​lean​ ​protein​ ​combined​ ​with​ ​no​ ​saturated​ ​fat​ ​is​ ​recommended​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Academy of​ ​Nutrition​ ​and​ ​Dietetics​ ​as​ ​an​ ​anti-prostate​ ​cancer​ ​food.

Green​ ​Tea​ ​should​ ​also​ ​be​ ​enjoyed​ ​by​ ​anyone​ ​looking​ ​to​ ​reduce​ ​their​ ​risk​ ​of​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of cancer​ ​types,​ ​Including​ ​prostate​ ​cancer.

The​ ​popular​ ​brew​ ​has​ ​been​ ​studied​ ​repeatedly​ ​and​ ​rates​ ​high​ ​on​ ​the​ ​list​ ​of​ ​antioxidant and​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​beverages,​ ​​highlighted​ ​in​ ​a​ ​review​ ​of​ ​studies​ ​conducted​ ​this​ ​year​.

An​ ​important​ ​part​ ​of​ ​your​ ​diet​ ​is​ ​also​ ​whole​ ​grains.​ ​Enjoy​ ​whole​ ​grain​ ​cereals​ ​and breads​ ​and​ ​try​ ​to​ ​skip​ ​the​ ​sugary​ ​cereal​ ​options​ ​and​ ​white​ ​bread.

Another​ ​drink​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​is​ ​pomegranate​ ​juice.​ ​Aim​ ​for​ ​an​ ​8​ ​ounce​ ​glass​ ​a​ ​day,​ ​but speak​ ​with​ ​your​ ​doctor​ ​first.​ ​The​ ​juice​ ​can​ ​interfere​ ​with​ ​blood​ ​thinners.​ ​It’s​ ​also​ ​high​ ​in calories,​ ​a​ ​special​ ​note​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​lose​ ​weight.​ ​(1)

Understanding how diet can thwart and, in some instances, promote prostate cancer is still under research.

Suggestions are that some foods might help, but the truth about how diet affects prostate cancer is still the subject of much study. For now, keep a balance of whole grains, vegetables and lean protein on your plate until we know more;. Get plenty of exercise, vitamin D and make sure your weight is within normal limits.

Reference:
(1) Pantuck​ ​AJ,​ ​Zomorodian​ ​N,​ ​Rettig​ ​M,​ ​et​ ​al.​ ​Long-term​ ​Follow-Up​ ​of​ ​Phase​ ​2 Study​ ​of​ ​Pomegranate​ ​Juice​ ​for​ ​Men​ ​with​ ​Prostate​ ​Cancer​ ​Shows​ ​Durable Prolongation​ ​of​ ​PSA​ ​Doubling​ ​Time.​ ​Journal​ ​of​ ​Urology​ ​2009;181(4​ ​Suppl): abstract​ ​826.