Prostate cancer affects more men in North America than any other cancer type. Among men over the age of eighty, 80% of them will be affected by prostate cancer.
Your risk of developing cancer increases with age. An unhealthy lifestyle can also increase your risk. If any blood relatives have developed prostate cancer, your chances of developing it are higher as well.
Prevention
Studies have proven that diet and lifestyle can affect your likelihood of developing prostate cancer. In particular, vitamin D has been shown to boost resistance to it.
Low fat dairy products are a good source of vitamin D. So too is direct sunlight.
Red wine in moderate amounts is also helpful, although excessive alcohol use should be avoided.
Some attribute the benefits of wine drinking with the chemical resveratrol found in grapes.
To help avoid high fat foods like meats and cheese, try substituting with soy products.
Oysters, nuts and beans are good sources of zinc. So too are pumpkin seeds. Make sure you get the seeds still in the shell.
Tuna, eggs, shellfish, onions, garlic, mushrooms, wheat germ, herring, kelp, Brazil nuts, sesame and sunflower seeds and cashews are all good sources of selenium, a chemical that helps boost your immunities.
Anti-oxidants which help fortify the immune system are found in blueberries and broccoli. Fruits and vegetables in general carry high concentrations of anti-oxidants.
Just as some foods may help you avoid prostate cancer, some unhealthy foods may jeopardize your efforts.
Prostate Exam
If you're a man over 50, you should speak to your doctor about prostate cancer and get checked. A digital prostate exam takes just a few minutes and can help your doctor catch any problems early. Early detection increases your chances of surviving prostate cancer markedly.
Another test your doctor can do is to have your blood checked for PSA or Prostate Specific Antigen. This can determine very early whether your prostate has been infected with cancer.
In addition, there are a number of symptoms you should be on the lookout for.
If you have been diagnosed positively, consider alternative prostate cancer treatments other than surgery and radiotherapy. High Intensity Focused Ultrasound or HIFU is often recommended as a first treatment for patients where their cancer is confined to the prostate gland and has not yet grown beyond it.
With fewer and less harmful side effects than traditional treatments, you can survive cancer of the prostate - especially if it is diagnosed early on and is organ confined. The key to treating cancer is to get it in the early stages, making early screening crucial for men over 50.
Your risk of developing cancer increases with age. An unhealthy lifestyle can also increase your risk. If any blood relatives have developed prostate cancer, your chances of developing it are higher as well.
Prevention
Studies have proven that diet and lifestyle can affect your likelihood of developing prostate cancer. In particular, vitamin D has been shown to boost resistance to it.
Low fat dairy products are a good source of vitamin D. So too is direct sunlight.
Red wine in moderate amounts is also helpful, although excessive alcohol use should be avoided.
Some attribute the benefits of wine drinking with the chemical resveratrol found in grapes.
To help avoid high fat foods like meats and cheese, try substituting with soy products.
Oysters, nuts and beans are good sources of zinc. So too are pumpkin seeds. Make sure you get the seeds still in the shell.
Tuna, eggs, shellfish, onions, garlic, mushrooms, wheat germ, herring, kelp, Brazil nuts, sesame and sunflower seeds and cashews are all good sources of selenium, a chemical that helps boost your immunities.
Anti-oxidants which help fortify the immune system are found in blueberries and broccoli. Fruits and vegetables in general carry high concentrations of anti-oxidants.
Just as some foods may help you avoid prostate cancer, some unhealthy foods may jeopardize your efforts.
- Foods high in fat, like meats and dairy
- Red meat
- Processed sugars and fatty foods
Prostate Exam
If you're a man over 50, you should speak to your doctor about prostate cancer and get checked. A digital prostate exam takes just a few minutes and can help your doctor catch any problems early. Early detection increases your chances of surviving prostate cancer markedly.
Another test your doctor can do is to have your blood checked for PSA or Prostate Specific Antigen. This can determine very early whether your prostate has been infected with cancer.
In addition, there are a number of symptoms you should be on the lookout for.
- Frequent urination, especially at night
- Intense need to urinate
- Difficulty starting or difficulty stopping urine flow
- Sometimes you cannot urinate at all
- Weak flow of urine
- Bladder not completely empty after urination
- Pain or a burning sensation while urinating
- Pain occurring during orgasm
- Blood in urine or semen
If you have been diagnosed positively, consider alternative prostate cancer treatments other than surgery and radiotherapy. High Intensity Focused Ultrasound or HIFU is often recommended as a first treatment for patients where their cancer is confined to the prostate gland and has not yet grown beyond it.
With fewer and less harmful side effects than traditional treatments, you can survive cancer of the prostate - especially if it is diagnosed early on and is organ confined. The key to treating cancer is to get it in the early stages, making early screening crucial for men over 50.
