Avoid Prostate Cancer

I know how it is. Your prostate is the last thing you want to think about. You have more important things on your mind. Things like: career, family, finances plus all of the daily crap that piles up often gets more attention than your health does.

But consider these statistics that were published by the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, a continuing project of the National Cancer Institute.

• Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among men.
• The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimated that in 2006 there were about 234,460 new cases of prostate cancer in American men.
• The ACS also estimates that approximately 27,350 deaths from prostate cancer will occur in the US alone. This makes it the second leading cause of cancer death in men.
• While prostate problems generally come with age, all men are susceptible to getting prostate cancer.
• Black men have nearly a 60% higher incidence of prostate cancer than Caucasian men and nearly twice the mortality rate.

But Can Prostate Cancer be Prevented?

While the ACS states that there aren’t any guarantees, because it’s so difficult to know the exact causes of prostate cancer, there are plenty of steps you can take to decrease your chances of getting the disease.

Diet

Go easy on the red meat. We guys gravitate towards steaks, burgers, sausage and other fatty meats, but try cutting down on your consumption of these and instead eat more fish like salmon, mackerel or cod.

The amount of fruits, vegetables and grains you eat can lower your risk of getting prostate cancer. The ACS recommends that you eat 5 or more servings of fruit and veggies every day . Fruits like tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon are rich in lycopenes, which help prevent damage to your DNA and can lower your risk of cancer.

Don’t want to pack a tomato in your lunch? How about a bowl of tomato soup? Remember, it doesn’t matter what form your fruits and veggies come in, just be sure to get them into you.

Consider that Asian men who eat diets rich in kelp have much lower rates of prostate cancer than do American men.

Watch Your Supplements Intake

Sometimes guys overdo the vitamins and other supplements. It’s easy to think that you’ve got to be packing in pills by the pound to keep your body functioning, but it’s a good idea to check with your doctor to see what you actually need to be taking and what you can do without.

Some studies say that taking vitamin E every day can help lower the risk of prostate cancer, but other studies find vitamin E having no impact on cancer and go on to suggest that it might actually raise the risk of heart disease.

It’s also thought that vitamin A actually increases your risk of developing prostate cancer. So, before you head to GNC and stock up on all those wonderful pills to keep you fit, check with your physician first.

Try Tea

You’ve heard about the benefits of drinking plenty of water and you should try to get in at least 8 glasses a day. However, you might want to consider adding tea (either hot or cold) to your diet as well. Tea is proving itself to be a ‘wonder drug’ as new health benefits are being learned all the time.

Tea (especially green tea) is rich in antioxidants, which are known to help ward off cancer and protect your cells from damage. And you can get most varieties of tea free of caffeine in case you’re worried about getting the jitters.

Get Checked

The good news about prostate cancer is that it’s generally curable if caught early enough. And the only way to catch it in time is to have regular exams by your doctor. Your doctor can either do a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test or a DRE (digital rectal exam).

Talk to your doctor so he can help determine your risk factor and whether you need to be tested or not. The ACS says that men who are at high risk should start being tested at around age 45. Men who don’t have any major medical problems and who are expected to live at least 10 more years can start getting tested at around 50.

The bottom line is that you should start talking to your doctor about your prostate health as soon as possible. Tell him your family history and anything else that might help him determine if you’re at risk for developing the disease.

And if he suggests that you get regular testing – DO IT!