Good, wholesome nutrition affords serious protection from prostate cancer. Here’s the evidence. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer of men. The number of younger men diagnosed with prostate cancer has increased nearly 6-fold in the last 20 years. The disease is more likely to be aggressive in younger men. A boy being born today has an almost 1 in 7 chance of developing prostate cancer at some point in his life. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in elderly men. How can you or the man in your life reduce his risk? Women often have a part to play.
Dietary Risk Factors
Harvard University research showed that even one glass of cow’s milk per meal can increase the risk for metastatic cancer of the prostate by 40%. One serving of meat per meal increased the risk by 60% and both together synergized to raise the risk up to 200%. This basic finding has been confirmed from France, Australia, and Spain. Other negative factors like obesity, meat-fat intake, and lack of vitamins and trace elements may also be involved in initiation, growth, and spread of this cancer. One study found that men who had the highest body mass index and blood pressure had a 36% and 62% risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to those who had blood pressure within normal range. By activating a protein complex (NF kappa B) that triggers inflammation, a high fat diet can cause cells in the prostate to proliferate, encourage inflammation, and free radical damage. All three of these conditions can lead to an enlarged prostate, inflammation, and cancer of the prostate. Obesity increases the risk for aggressive prostate disease. The fat surrounding the prostate of overweight or obese men with prostate cancer provides a favorable environment that encourages cancer growth. Vitamin D deficiency is common in individuals with various cancers. Prostate cancer has been linked to vitamin D deficiency. Taking vitamin D supplements may slow or even reverse the progression of less aggressive or low-grade prostate cancer.
Nutrition Vital After Diagnosis
Men, with the diagnosis of prostate cancer, who persisted in eating mostly a Western diet (high in red and process meat, dairy fats, refined grains, and desserts) had two and half times the risk of dying from prostate-cancer related problems than those who ate a prudent diet consisting of more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and fish. That is not all. The same study showed that the men who partook of the Western diet increased their risk for dying from any cause by 67% while those who ate the more prudent diet reduced their all-cause mortality risk by 36%.
Building Your Defenses
The good news is that Loma Linda research showed that one glass of soy milk reduces cancer of the prostate by 200% even after adjusting for statistical cofounders. Tomatoes, strawberries, and watermelon all contain the cancer-protective phytochemical lycopene. Men who eat 10 servings of tomato per a week seem to reduce their risk for developing prostate cancer by 18%. Eating soy with tomato seem to provide greater protection. Early evidence indicates that regular consumption of walnuts may protect against prostate cancer. Omega 3-fats may inhibit the growth and spread of prostate cancer. Chia, flaxseeds, walnuts, and whole soy are good sources of alpha-linolenic fatty acid, an omega-3 fat. The effect of eating fish to lower one’s risk is contradictory. A recent study revealed that men who ate a lot of fish, or took fish oil supplements, had a significantly higher risk for high-grade prostate cancer. Indeed, they had a 71% increased risk for high grade prostate cancer. One plausible explanation is that the fatty tissue in fish stores pesticides and environmental toxins. Some of these chemicals disturb the balance within the healthy endocrine system and encourage the development of cancer. Rodent studies show that inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), a component in a high fiber diet, may help to control the progression of prostate cancer in its early development. This phytochemical prevented prostate tumors from making new blood vessels needed to feed the tumor. It also slowed the rate at which the tumors metabolized glucose. Prostate cancer has an almost 100% survival rate if caught early enough. So, men, keep up with your annual exams. If you are a smoker, give it up. There is a direct effect of smoking on the progression of prostate cancer.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is helpful and is educational. It is not the author’s or authors’ or Wildwood Health Institute’s intent to substitute the blog article for diagnosis, counseling, or treatment by a qualified health professional.
Copyright through December 2023. All rights reserved by Wildwood Sanitarium, Inc.
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