Prostate Health Guide

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The prostate is a gland that surrounds the urinary passage at the end of the bladder of males. Typically small among babies, this gland grows as the child goes through the process of puberty as a response to the production of more testosterone, the male hormone. This said gland functions primarily to produce secretions that add up to the total amount of seminal fluid, promoting healthier sperm cells by protecting them from the acidic environment of the vagina. Additionally, the prostate gland also secretes an enzyme called prostatic specific antigen (PSA), where an elevation in the said enzyme might indicate some prostatic problems such as benign enlargement of the prostate and prostate cancer.

As more males indulge into unhealthy lifestyles and vices such as cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol drinking, the homeostasis of the body gets compromised, and that certain disorders involving the various parts of the body becomes more prevalent. Prostatitis, the inflammation of the prostate gland and the most common disorder among young males, would be one of the prevailing disorders of the prostate these days, and this said disease is often associated to bacterial infections and other underlying health conditions. Benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, on the other hand, are often related to the inevitable process of aging, as a result of free radical accumulation from food and cell destruction from the wear-and-tear process of the body.

As the male ages, his prostate gland, goes through an unavoidable degenerative process. As such, the gland loses its integrity; thus the start of some prostatic disorders, which are often classified into three common types. First in line would be prostatitis. As the term suggests, this problem is often associated to bacterial infection or sometimes, to an underlying or pre-existing health condition. On the contrary, benign prostatic hyperplasia and the dreaded prostate cancer are age-related by nature. Alongside with unhealthy lifestyle and vices like cigarette smoking, these disorders are basically attributed to the long-term effects of aging and cellular damage. On this note, it is therefore advised that males, especially for those whose ages would be from 40 and above, to go through a diagnostic procedure called digital rectal examination (DRE) to assess impending abnormal tissue growth that might indicate prostate problems.

Since diet, along with stress, participates as one of the chief reasons for prostate problems like prostate cancer, it is crucial that males become aware of the foods that are encouraged to be taken and advised to be avoided. Among the various recommended foods that should be taken would include natural food sources like fruits and vegetables. Additionally, fresh fish that are enriched with fatty acids are also very helpful. On the other hand, meat products that are rich in fats and salty foods are two of the foods that you should eliminate in your diet. The foods rich in hydrogenated oils such as donuts, cakes, cookies and margarine, and other processed foods are among the additional things you should also consider removing from your diet list to help promote a healthy prostate gland.

The treatment of prostate cancer will basically be based on certain factors such as age, the total health status of the person and the extent of tumor. For tumors that are found inside the prostate gland, radiation therapy and the use of radical prostatectomy are two of the most common alternative treatments. Additionally, a treatment called "watchful waiting", where no treatment is introduced until the tumor enlarges, is another option. This said approach is considered by many as the best choice especially for older men, since they have a greater risk of dying from something else other than the cancer of the prostate itself. Hormone therapy is a yet another option for treating prostate cancer.

Powered by Blogger.