November is Men's Health Month, so I wanted to write about a number of foods (and a couple supplements) that are extremely beneficial for men's health, especially in regards to prostate cancer prevention. Nearly 300,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year and the American Cancer Society estimates that one in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
Thankfully, Prostate cancer is one of the most curable cancers, but it's still something to be avoided if possible (and early detection is key, so don't forget your yearly checkup). There are quite a few delicious foods that have shown in research to help with lowering your cancer risk when eaten regularly as part of a healthy diet, though in general, a diet higher in fresh fruits and vegetables and lower in meat (especially processed meats) can help to reduce cancer risk.
Walnuts have been found to help reduce cancer risk when eaten regularly, and have also been shown in scientific studies to be able to both inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells as well as reduce the size of prostate tumors. In older men, walnut intake was associated with improved biomarkers related to both prostate and vascular health. Walnuts are a good source of healthy fats that are also linked to improved heart health, so eating a handful a day of unsalted walnuts is definitely a good idea.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are wonderfully healthy for you when eaten regularly, and are especially beneficial for prostate cancer prevention. Men who ate high amounts of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables were found to have a 40% lower risk of invasive prostate cancer as well as a reduced overall cancer risk. There are lots of great ways to eat broccoli and cauliflower, so making a point to add them as a regular part of your diet can go a long way to help not only with cancer prevention, but they’re also very nutrient-dense and can help with reducing inflammation in the body.
Tomatoes are the main dietary source of lycopene, a nutrient well known for prostate cancer prevention. Lycopene has been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in scientific research, and higher levels of lycopene in the body are associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. For the lycopene in tomatoes to be absorbed the best, tomatoes need to be cooked, so cooked tomatoes or tomato sauces are ideal ways of upping your lycopene from food, especially when cooked tomatoes are combined with a healthy fat like olive oil. Lycopene can also help with heart health and kidney function and is a fantastic antioxidant. Lycopene is also available in supplement form.
The antioxidants found in green tea, known as catechins, have been shown to have many different benefits, especially with cancer prevention. One clinical trial found that green tea catechins were 90% effective in preventing prostate cancer in men with pre-malignant lesions on their prostate. The people in the trial were given 200mg of green tea catechins three times a day. Research has also shown benefits for men with prostate cancer as a complementary therapy to conventional treatment, significantly improving outcomes. I’d particularly recommend using matcha green tea powder in a smoothie as the easiest way to get the benefits of green tea, especially if you aren’t a fan of drinking brewed green tea .
Vitamin D has had a lot of press in the past couple of years for its benefits to the immune system, but vitamin D has also been shown to help with a cancer risk prevention of up to 50% for people with higher levels of vitamin D. People with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood have also been found to have a much lower incidence of lethal prostate cancer. Vitamin D is made in our skin when it’s exposed to sunlight, but vitamin D levels usually drop significantly in the colder months when we’re stuck inside the majority of the day. Vitamin D is a small, inexpensive pill, so adding it to your daily regimen is a simple thing to do- vitamin D is also great for healthy bones.
The other main prostate issue men experience other than cancer is benign prostate enlargement, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. Enlarged prostate is very common, especially as men age- it’s been estimated that 80% of men at age 80 have BPH. Common symptoms of untreated BPH are frequent urination, an inability to empty the bladder completely, and incontinence; though without treatment it may even damage kidney function.
The most recommended supplement for BPH is saw palmetto, which has been shown in research to be as effective as the prescription finasteride for symptoms of benign prostate enlargement. The dosage matters, however, with a total of 320mg per day as the recommended effective dose.
There are prostate supplement blends available, which usually combine saw palmetto with other herbs beneficial for prostate health, though it's important to look at what the recommended dose is on the back of the bottle, since usually a prostate blend will be several pills a day. There are saw palmetto products in a one a day formula available as well, which most men find more convenient (just make sure that it contains the recommended 320mg per pill).
Please stop by Pass Health Foods if you have any questions, we’re at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights.