Foods to eat to prevent prostate issues
Your diet can significantly affect your health, including that of your prostate. By adding healthy, prostate-friendly foods to your diet, you may be able to reduce your risk of prostate problems, including prostate cancer. Diets high in fat and sugar, in other words a Western diet may contribute to increased rates of prostate cancer. Alcohol and meat are a big factor in increasing inflammation in the prostate. A plant-based diet is highly recommended if problems are beginning to flag up. Also Avoid dairy, gluten and processed meats.
Some studies have associated both diets high in dairy products and high total calcium intake through food and supplements to a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
Foods to include daily-
1. Tomatoes
Certain fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene. Some research suggests that a diet high in lycopene may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer Lycopene may decrease cell damage and slow cancer cell production. It’s an antioxidant, meaning it protects cells from damage
Because lycopene is tightly bound to the cell walls of raw tomatoes, your body has trouble extracting it. Cooked or puréed tomato products may be better options, such as the following products:
tomato paste
spaghetti sauce
sun-dried tomatoes
tomato juice
Drinking plain tomato juice in the morning is another good option. Just make sure to pick a low sodium variety.
2. Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable that contains many complex compounds that may help protect some people from cancer. It is the phytochemicals in these vegetables — including sulforaphane, which broccoli sprouts contain concentrated amounts of — selectively target and kill cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected. Other cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
3. Green tea
People have been using green tea for its health benefits for thousands of years. Evidence suggests that special compounds in green tea may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by influencing tumor growth, cell death, and hormone signalling.
The following compounds could explain the health benefits of green tea
xanthine derivatives
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
epicatechin
DRINK 4-6 CUPS PER DAY!!
4. Legumes and soybeans
Legumes are a food group that includes beans, peanuts, and lentils. Legumes contain biologically active plant compounds known as phytoestrogens. Isoflavones are one such phytoestrogen. The cancer-fighting effects of phytoestrogens may come from their antioxidant properties and effects on hormone regulation and cell death. Eat one portion every day!
5. Pomegranate juice
Like green tea, pomegranates are a rich source of antioxidants. Pomegranate juice has a reputation as a super fruit due to its high levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants may help prevent chronic diseases related to oxidative stress. The NCI says that pomegranate juice and some of its bioactive components may help inhibit the proliferation of prostate cancer cells
6. Good oils
Polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3s and omega-6s, are essential fatty acids found exclusively in the diet. They are not synthesized by the body. The traditional Western diet has a lot of omega-6 fatty acids but not many omega-3s. Having a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is linked to better health outcomes.
Several reviews have reported that while there may be a link between higher omega-3 fat consumption and a lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer and prostate cancer mortality.
Fatty fish have plenty of other health benefits. Try eating fatty fish found in cold waters to increase your omega-3 intake. These include:
salmon
herring
mackerel
sardines
trout
Comments