Prostate Health
	• Prostate PSA Test - Do you Need It Now? • Flomax for Enlarged Prostates • Prostate Cancer and Pomegranate Juice • Healthy Prostate Tips

As guys we tend to not worry about medical problems until it’s late in the game. We’ve all had strange pains and other instances where our bodies were trying to tell us something. And instead of having it checked out, we figured that it would either go away on its own or we’d just walk it off.

 

The prostate is one of those organs that give off subtle signs to let you know things aren’t quite right in the land down under. Problems with urination such as: going too often, straining to go, starting and stopping, increased dripping afterwards and the constant urge to go, can be a sign of an enlarged prostate, (serious but not life-threatening) or can be the first stages of prostate cancer. Or as the American Cancer Society calls it – the second leading cause of cancer death in US men.

Like you, I don’t put too much thought into the health of my prostate. And for many men the symptoms simply aren’t serious enough to warrant a trip to the doctor. But if you don’t want to become another statistic there are things you can do right now to help keep your prostate healthy and possibly keep cancer at bay.

 

Studies are increasingly showing the tremendous benefits that foods rich in antioxidants offer to us. Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidant chemicals that can reduce damage to cell structures and are thought to have cancer-preventing benefits.

 

However the big news is that pomegranate juice appears to slow, and in some cases stop, the growth of tumors in men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. A recent study at UCLA showed that drinking 8 ounces of pomegranate juice a day increased by nearly four times the period during which PSA levels in men who were treated for prostate cancer remained stable.

The study included 50 men who had either surgery or radiation to treat their prostate cancer, but experienced rapid increases in prostate specific antigen (PSA), which is a good measure for the presence of cancer.

 

The researchers measured the doubling time or how long it takes the levels of PSA to double, which signals that the cancer is progressing. Patients who experience short doubling times are more likely to die from their cancer.

 

Drinking the pomegranate juice slowed the growth of tumors so much, that some patients didn’t need surgery or other invasive treatments because of their advanced age. Since prostate cancer is generally slow growing anyway many men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer may be able to live out the rest of their lives without worry that the disease will grow and spread.

 

While the recent studies are promising, doctors are quick to point out that pomegranate juice isn’t a cure for cancer. During the studies none of the subject’s PSA levels dropped to zero. And it needs to be noted that doctors aren’t quite sure why the pomegranate juice affects tumors the way it does. It might just be the antioxidants, which can be found in many other sources.

 

But there’s mounting evidence to suggest that ingesting foods rich in antioxidants on a daily basis can protect against certain types of cancer.

 

You’ve no doubt spent a good deal of time and effort planning your financial future. So, if you’re young and in good health, why not start planning for the future of your health? Start replacing foods high in fat with more sensible choices and eat plenty of fruits and veggies just like your mom always told you to.

 

And if you’re experiencing the warning signs of prostate trouble, get yourself to a doctor and get an exam and PSA test right now before it’s too late.

And while we’re not saying it’s time to dump the brewski’s, pomegranate juice does go down pretty good with a dash of rum.