Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Diet changes
• Method 2 of 3: Other lifestyle changes
• Method 3 of 3: Taking Medical Precautions
• A warning

The prostate is a small gland in men located near the bladder. Many men face prostate-related problems, and as they age, it is necessary to pay attention to the appearance of signs of prostate cancer.According to the American Cancer Society, one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and it is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. In 2015, 27,540 deaths due to prostate cancer are predicted. However, there are a number of preventive measures a man can take to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, including important dietary and lifestyle changes and studying his inheritance.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Diet changes

1. 1 Consume whole grains and more fruits and vegetables. Replace white bread and pasta with whole grain bread and pasta. Make sure to consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Include foods like red peppers and tomatoes that contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.Lycopene is the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their red tinge and has been proven to be a cancer-fighting ingredient. In general, the richer and brighter the color of your products, the better.
   • There are currently no rules as to how much lycopene should be consumed daily. However, studies on lycopene show that you will need to eat lycopene-laden foods throughout the day to reach your target.
   • Families of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, and collard greens are also good for preventing cancer. Several case studies have found an association between increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables and a reduced risk of prostate cancer, although the evidence is only associative at this time.
2. 2 Be more selective in your protein intake. Reduce the amount of red meat you eat, including beef, pork, lamb, and goat meat. It would also be good to limit the consumption of meat-containing foods such as meat sandwiches and hot dogs.
   • Replace red meat with fish that are high in omega-3 fats, including salmon and tuna. These foods are good for the prostate as well as the heart and immune system. Research on the relationship between dietary intake of fish and prevention of prostate cancer is largely based on correlation data, namely the fact that there are very few cases of prostate cancer among the Japanese, yet they consume large amounts of fish. The existence of a causal relationship is still under discussion.
   • Beans, chicken, and eggs are also good sources of protein.
3. 3 Increase the amount of soy in your diet. One of the properties of soy, which is found in many vegetarian dishes, is cancer fighting. Sources of soy can include tofu, soy nuts, soy flour, and soy powders. Replacing cow's milk with soy milk when added to cereals and coffee may be one way to include soy in your diet.
   • Note that recent research has shown that soybeans and certain other specific foods such as tofu can be preventive in the fight against prostate cancer. However, this cannot be extrapolated to all soy products, including milk. There is also no evidence to recommend the amount of soy needed for dietary intake.
4. 4 Continue to eat healthy fats and get rid of unhealthy ones. Limit your intake of saturated animal fats and dairy products, and instead go for foods with healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Animal foods that are high in fat, such as meat, butter, and lard, have been linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
   • Avoid fast food and overly fried foods.They often contain partially hydrogenated fats (trans fats), which are extremely unhealthy.
5. 5 Limit your intake of alcohol, caffeine, and sugar. While you don't need to cut out caffeine entirely, try to limit your portions. For example, reduce your coffee consumption to one cup a day. The same goes for alcohol; treat it as a treatment and stick to a few small glasses a week.
   • Avoid sugary (sometimes also caffeinated) drinks such as soda and fruit juices. They have almost zero nutrient content.
6. 6 Cut back on salt. The best way to reduce sodium intake is to include fresh foods, meat, dairy products in the diet, and avoiding packaged, canned and frozen foods. Salt is often used as a preservative and is thus present in large quantities in prepackaged foods.
   • When shopping, stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store as much as possible. In most cases, fresh produce is concentrated there, while boxes, cans and other packaging are in the central aisles.
   • Take the time to read and compare the labels. Basically, all food labels should list the amount of sodium and its percentage of the recommended daily intake.
   • The American Heart Association recommends eating less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

Method 2 of 3: Other lifestyle changes

1. 1 Take nutritional supplements. Cancer researchers have noted the importance of getting nutrients from food, rather than vitamin supplements, as much as possible. However, there are times when supplements can be the best option. Do not be afraid to talk to your doctor about any supplements you are using or that you are just thinking of starting to drink.
   • Take zinc supplements. Most men don't get enough zinc from their diet, and supplements can help keep their prostate healthy. Studies have shown that zinc deficiency can lead to an enlarged prostate as well as the growth of malignant cells in the prostate gland. You can start drinking 50 to 100 (or even up to 200) mg tablets per day to reduce the risk of enlarged prostate.
   • Try to start taking co-saw palmetto berries harvested from saw palmetto. This supplement has received mixed reviews from users in the medical field, so talk to your doctor before trying them. Some researchers suggest that it may help in determining the cytotoxicity (cell death) of human prostate cancer cells.
   • Note that some research suggests that taking certain supplements, such as vitamin E, may even increase your risk of prostate cancer. Other studies have shown that taking many (that is, more than 7) supplements at once, even those who are already at risk of developing prostate cancer, can increase this risk.
2. 2 Do not smoke. Although the relationship between prostate cancer and smoking has long been debated, tobacco use is believed to cause oxidative damage to body cells by free radicals, making the link between cancer and smoking plausible. In a meta-analysis of 24 studies, researchers found that smoking actually increases the risk of prostate cancer.
3. 3 Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, diet and follow an exercise plan that will help you get back to normal. Overweight and obesity are measured using body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat. BMI is defined as a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by the square of the person's height in meters (m).A BMI of 25-29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI over 30 is considered obese.
   • Reduce the number of calories you consume and increase your physical activity. This is the secret to weight loss.
   • Watch your portion sizes and make an effort to eat slowly, enjoy the food and chew it well, stop eating when you are no longer hungry. Remember, you just need to feel full, not overwhelmed.
4. 4 Exercise regularly. Regular exercise not only lowers the risk of certain types of cancer, but also prevents other potential health problems, including depression, heart disease, and stroke. While a causal relationship between exercise and prostate health remains unconfirmed, studies that have been conducted to date show that exercise is beneficial in maintaining your prostate health.
   • You should aim to do 30 minutes of moderate workout and go to vigorous workout for several days a week. However, even a moderate-to-low pace of exercise, such as walking fast, is beneficial for prostate health. If you are new to sports, start using the stairs rather than the elevator when you go to work, and do so every day. Move on to more intense aerobic exercise such as cycling, swimming, or running.
5. 5 Do Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises are performed by contracting the internal muscles of the pelvis (as if you were trying to stop urination). Tighten them for a short period and then relax. Doing these exercises regularly will help strengthen and tighten your lower pelvic muscles. You can do Kegel exercises anywhere because they don't require any special equipment!
   • Tighten the muscles around your scrotum and anus for a few seconds, then relax. Do this exercise 10 sets 3-4 times a day to improve the condition of your prostate. Try to hold out for 10 seconds.
   • You can also do Kegel exercises while lying on your back with your pelvis up and your buttocks contracted. Hold for 30 seconds, then release. Do this at five-minute intervals, three times a day.
6. 6 Frequent ejaculation. Although researchers have long believed that frequent ejaculation during sex, masturbation, or even sleep increases the risk of prostate cancer in men, new research has shown that frequent ejaculation may actually "protect" the prostate. Researchers hypothesize that ejaculation may help flush out carcinogens in the prostate gland, as well as help speed up the circulation of fluids in the prostate, which also reduces the risk of cancer. In addition, regular ejaculation can also help reduce mental stress, which can slow the growth of cancer cells.
   • However, this research is still in its early stages, and scientists said it is too early to provide formal guidance on male sexual habits. It is unclear, for example, how often a man must ejaculate to experience these benefits. However, researchers suspect that frequency of ejaculation accompanies other indicators of a healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition and regular exercise.

Method 3 of 3: Taking Medical Precautions

1. 1 Study your family history. Having immediate family members (such as a father or brother) with prostate cancer significantly increases the risk of developing cancer. In fact, the risk is more than double that! It is important to tell your doctor any family history of prostate cancer so that you can work together to build an overall prevention program.
   • Note that the risk is higher for men who have a brother, not a father, with prostate cancer.In addition, the risk is increased for those men who have several relatives with prostate cancer, especially if these relatives were diagnosed at a young age (for example, before the age of 40).
2. 2 Check out the potential symptoms of prostate problems. These include erectile dysfunction, blood in your urine, pain when urinating or having sex, pain in your hips or lower back, or feeling like you always want to go to the toilet.
   • However, prostate cancer is often asymptomatic, at least until it has spread to other parts of the body, such as the bones. Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer rarely report the aforementioned symptoms: urinary incontinence, blood in the urine, impotence, and so on.
3. 3 See your doctor regularly. The American Cancer Society recommends getting screened for prostate cancer over the age of 50 (or 45 if you have any risk factors for prostate cancer). Screening involves a prostate-specific blood antigen (PSA) test. PSA is a substance that is present both in a normal state and in the presence of cancer cells, in the prostate gland they are found in small quantities. Most men have a PSA level of 4 nanograms per milliliter (ng / ml) of blood, and the higher the PSA level, the higher the chance of developing cancer. The gap between readings depends on the results of this test. Men who have a PSA of less than 2.5 ng / ml need to be retested every 2 years, while men with higher PSA levels need to be tested annually.
   • Rectal examination (DRE) may also be included in screening. In this test, the health care provider may find a nodule on the back of the prostate.
   • Neither PSA nor DRE is a definitive conclusion. You will most likely need a biopsy to diagnose prostate cancer.
   • The American Cancer Society is now recommending that these men make a general decision on prostate screening after detailed discussion with their primary care physician. Screening can help detect early cancers, but there is no definitive conclusion that screening saves lives. Early detection of cancer is known to increase the chances of successful treatment.

A warning

• Make sure you don't ignore prostate problems. If an enlarged prostate is left untreated, it can lead to more serious problems, including urologic infections, infections and kidney stones, and other kidney and bladder problems.