Keeping Your Prostate Healthy

You can find the prostate, which is a gland, between the bladder and the penis. It is an important part of every man’s health, and carries urine from the bladder and adds fluid to sperm before ejaculation.

The only form of cancer more common than prostate cancer is lung cancer. There are approximately 35,000 deaths each year from it alone in the United States. The disease tends to be slow moving, and many men will not realize that they have it. Symptoms include nodules felt on the prostate during an exam, bone pain, and painful urination. A diagnosis can be made by blood test and a digital rectal exam, both which should be done annually.

Enlarged prostate is another problem that affects over half of the men over the age of 50. While it is often painless, it can cause annoyances like increased nighttime urination, decrease of flow, difficulty urinating, burning when urinating, or blood in the urine. You should see your doctor if you have painful urination with lower back pain, fever or pelvic pain; you feel the urge to go but cannot get started; your urine stream is weak; you urinate 2-3 times a night; or your bladder still feels full after urinating.

There are several things that you can do naturally to treat prostate cancer and enlarged prostate. Remember that only a doctor can tell the difference, and no major changes should be made in your routine without consulting your primary care physician.

Several herbs are thought to be helpful, including saw palmetto, pygeum, and stinging nettle. These can often be taken on their own or in conjunction with other therapies.

Some foods may also be helpful. Lycopene has been shown to be able to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by as much as 40 percent. You can find it in watermelon and tomatoes, though you need to eat at least ten servings of tomatoes each week to get the effect. Pumpkin seeds also help to take care of the prostate.

For minerals, zinc has been shown to shrink the prostate and is important for its function. High doses in vitamin C and vitamin E in its Gamma form are also thought to be helpful. Some studies also suggest that the amino acids glycine, alanine, and glutamic acid may also be of some use.

Exercise is thought to be helpful, though bike riding may contribute to an enlarged prostate. If biking, get an oversized cushioned seat to use.

A sitz bath can help with inflammation of the prostate. You should fill the tub with hot water to a point where it will cover your belly button, and then sit down and soak for at least 20 minutes. Afterwards, take a cold bath or shower. You should repeat for a month or until the symptoms are gone.

To help your prostate, you should also avoid alcohol, sugar, starchy foods, caffeine, tobacco, and hydrogenated fats.

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© Information Warehouse 2007
All articles on this site are for information only and should not be treated as medical advice.
If you experience any symptoms, consult a medical professional.