One out of five men 50 years old has cancer cells replicating in his prostate; three out of four have palpable inflammation; at 75, three out of five have active prostate cancer. This is the number two cancer killer in men, after lung cancer, and the number two overall cancer in men, behind skin cancer.
The Wellness Rx: 10 Steps for a Healthy Prostate
- Sexual intercourse is good for the prostate, although promiscuity may lead to infections and prostatitis. Three orgasms a week in males is strongly correlated with longevity (and optimal testosterone levels, I'll wager).
- Vitamin E (up to 400 IU) and selenium (200 mcg) is protective; zinc (30 mg) further supports prostate and testicular health, as do the fatty acids in flaxseed, pumpkin seed, and walnuts.
- Lycopenes, found in tomatoes, watermelons and pink grapefruit, are anti-oxidant phytonutrients and are prostate-supportive.
- DHT can be kept low by taking herbs that are "5-alpha reductase inhibitors," such as saw palmetto and nettles.
- Palmetto and nettles are also "anti-aromatases," thereby inhibiting the conversion of androgens to estrogens. Chrysin ("flavone X") and DIM/indole-3 carbinol from broccoli does this as well.
- Exposure to outside estrogens can be kept down by drinking pure water, and cutting down on meats. The "bad" estrogens can be maintained with the cruciferous vegetables (cabbage; cauliflower; broccoli and Brussels sprouts; collards; kale; rutabaga; turnips; and turnip greens), which help your liver detoxify them.
- Patients should eat lots of phytoestrogens, which are plant foods that contain weak estrogens, such as soy products; beans; legumes; apples; alfalfa; flaxseeds; and whole grains. These plant estrogens take up the receptor sites (think of these as parking spaces) for the more powerful "bad" estrogens.
- Progesterone should be enhanced if it is below 25 pg/ml in saliva. Progesterone products may have female-sounding names, but men need just as much progesterone as postmenopausal females do!
- Exercise has been shown to decrease the risk of prostate cancer by 25 percent!
- Once past 50, have yearly DREs (digital rectal exams) and PSAs (prostate-specific antigen blood tests).
Click here for previous articles by John Maher, DC, DCBCN, BCIM.