The Ellis Exclusive: 5 Easy Changes To Make Today For a Healthier Prostate

Hello everyone! September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and I would like to share some info on this often overlooked illness.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), prostate cancer is the second-most common type of cancer in men in the US. Studies show that 1 in 7 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Additionally, an estimated 34,500 men in the United States will die from prostate cancer in 2022.

Despite the prevalence of this illness, many men face shame and stigma over prostate cancer and its effects. With this avoidance, they often don’t discuss urinary problems or regularly schedule their medical exams.

However, I’m here to tell you it’s essential to prioritize your prostate health by routinely visiting your doctor, and monitoring for and discussing symptoms. Furthermore, there are other lifestyle changes you can make today to reduce your risk of developing prostate-related diseases.

Types of Prostate Disease

With the risk of prostate disease increasing with age, it is important for men to be more vigilant about prostate health as they get older.

Though the prostate enlarges with age, it doesn’t necessarily cause a problem for all men – some have extremely large prostates and don’t suffer any ill effects or symptoms.

Others with a slightly enlarged prostate experience bothersome symptoms, such as difficulty urinating, weak urine stream, and the need to urinate frequently (sometimes multiple times after going to bed).

There are 3 types of prostate disease that can occur in men with age:

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland. It affects at least half of all men at some time during their lives; however, it doesn’t increase the risk of developing another prostate disease. There are 4 types of prostatitis: acute bacterial, chronic bacterial, chronic, and asymptomatic prostatitis.

Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate, is a noncancerous condition that is common in men over the age of 50. The cause of this condition is not known, but may be related to hormonal changes as men grow older. Men often experience an elevated PSA level.

Prostate cancer occurs when normal cells in the prostate start to grow uncontrollably. A cancerous (malignant) tumor consists of cancer cells that can grow into nearby tissue and destroy it.

Cancer cells can grow for years without causing symptoms, while some patients develop symptoms early on. These can include difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, and pain in the back, pelvis or hips.

In its earliest and most treatable stages, prostate cancer usually doesn’t show any symptoms. Testing is available to help determine how aggressive the prostate cancer is, and to help individualize treatment options.

Risk Factors of Prostate Cancer

Now that we know the different types of prostate disease which can occur, let’s dive into what can specifically cause the development of prostate cancer. These factors include:

• Age: As mentioned earlier, the risk of prostate cancer increases with age. According to the ACS, around 60% of prostate cancer diagnoses happen in men older than 65.
• Family History: While most prostate cancers occur in men without a family history of it, having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing it.
• Race: Though the reasons for this difference is not clear, African-American men and other men of African ancestry have the highest prostate cancer incidence rate in the world, with both the diagnoses and mortality rate being more than twice as high as that of any other ethnic group.
• Exposure to Chemicals: Men with exposure to specific chemicals, including pesticides and herbicides, appear to be at increased risk of prostate cancer. For example, veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange may have a greater risk. Recent research also suggests that firefighters are at increased risk for developing prostate cancer.
• Lifestyle: Studies indicate that there may be a link between a high fat diet, inactive lifestyle, obesity and prostate cancer.

If you feel you may have an increased risk due to any of these factors, please feel free to contact us so we can discuss it further.

Keeping a Healthy Prostate

Although some preexisting conditions can increase the risk for prostate diseases, there are actionable steps you can take to manage a healthy prostate and reduce the chances of prostatitis and prostate cancer. Here are five natural ways to get started.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Eating a balanced diet is essential to taking care of your prostate, maintaining a normal weight, and improving your overall health.

Regions of the world with lower prostate cancer rates commonly have certain components in their diet – oily fish that are high in omega-3, such as salmon, and plant-based sources of protein, like lentils, nuts, and seeds.

Try to also include as many fruits and vegetables, such as avocados, pomegranates, and berries, which are full of antioxidants that help your cells stay healthy. Other beneficial foods include olives, whole grains, and beans and legumes.

You can also choose caffeine-free sources of tea, such as green tea and hibiscus tea which both contain powerful antioxidants. Studies have shown that green tea can benefit men with BPH and prostatitis, can help prevent prostate cancer from forming, and may also slow the growth of aggressive prostate cancer.

The easiest way to incorporate many of these foods into your lifestyle is to switch to a Mediterranean diet. However, if you’re unable to consistently maintain such a diet, or regularly eat certain foods, you can also take daily supplements to help manage better prostate health.

Foods To Avoid

As part of maintaining a healthy diet, it’s also important to monitor what not to eat. To promote prostate health and your overall well-being, your diet should be low in saturated fats, processed foods, sugar, and salt.

Try to limit your consumption of red meat – like beef, pork, lamb, and goat – and processed meats, like hot dogs and bologna. You can replace these with healthier sources of protein, such as skinless poultry, fish, beans, and eggs.

In addition to meat, animal fats are found in lard, cheese, and butter. Saturated fats and trans fats are also found in many fast foods, packaged goods, and sweets such as cakes, pastries, and candies. It is also best to cut down on sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and many fruit juices.

You should also avoid alcohol, which can cause unhealthy inflammation in your body. Also, please let go of smoking if you currently do so. In addition to damaging the respiratory system, studies have found that smokers have an 80% increased risk of dying from prostate cancer.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise that makes you break a sweat is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy prostate. Many studies show that moderate or vigorous exercise reduces risk of BPH and helps with prostatitis. Staying active also helps to manage stress levels, which can also be a factor in prostate growth.

More exercise combined with a healthy diet also reduces the risk of obesity, one of the main risk factors for BPH and prostate cancer. Losing weight can also help reduce your prostate size and alleviate urinary problems.

If you find it difficult to exercise regularly, start with something simple such as walking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes every day. Research shows that even low-intensity physical activity can make a huge difference.

Prioritize Mental Health

As with many different illnesses, stress can be a major influence on prostate health. Men who have difficulty dealing with pressure and anxiety produce hormones that encourage prostate growth over time.

Moreover, some men unknowingly tighten their pelvic muscles when stressed, which can create pelvic floor muscle problems and can lead to chronic prostatitis. Stress can also worsen symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequency, and pain, thus negatively affecting men with BPH.

That is why it’s extremely important to take care of your mental health and manage your stress level. Some effective ways of releasing tension include exercising, meditation, deep breathing, yoga, therapy, and spending time with loved ones.

Regular Checkups

Regular checkups for prostate disease become more important with age – men over the age of 40 should be screened every 1 to 5 years depending on family history, ethnicity, PSA level, and prostate symptoms.

It is recommended that screening for prostate cancer began at age 40 with a digital rectal exam (DRE) and PSA. In the DRE, a doctor’s gloved finger is inserted into the rectum to physically feel around the prostate for any abnormality.

The PSA blood test determines if your PSA levels are within normal ranges, and is often recommended for men between the ages of 55 to 69 who are at high risk for prostate cancer. Because of family history or at a certain baseline value, PSA testing may happen yearly.

There is some controversy about the efficacy of early diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer. Each patient should discuss the benefits and risks of prostate disease screening with his personal physician.

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment

If your doctor detects an abnormality in your screening, diagnosing prostate cancer requires a transrectal ultrasound. In this biopsy, a small probe is inserted into the rectum to create a picture of the prostate gland through sound waves. In some situations, your doctor may also recommend an MRI or collecting a sample of prostate tissue.

Men with prostate cancer have multiple treatment options. When deciding the best treatment to offer, doctors will consider the size of the prostate gland, stage, and location of the cancer, as well as the overall health of the patient. Several specialists are involved in treating prostate cancer, including urologist, radiation oncologist, and medical oncologist.

For men with early stage prostate cancer, currently clinical research trials aren’t available for patients who’d like to participate; however, there are several treatment options, including active surveillance, surgery, and hormone therapy.

Men with advanced prostate cancer have multiple options as well. Promising new therapies are being developed that can offer a better quality of life, and many clinical trials are available for patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Treatment for advanced prostate cancer is focused on stopping or slowing the growth of the cancer, and relieving painful symptoms.These may include chemotherapy, bone metastasis and pain management therapy.

Research into less invasive techniques for diagnosis is ongoing. New tools are also being developed to provide additional information to help patients and their physicians make the best decisions about repeat biopsies and treatment options.

Conclusion

Though certain factors are outside of your control, there are certainly effective changes you can make today to promote your prostate and overall health. You can focus on following the five guidelines we outlined here, to properly equip your body against prostate diseases and lower your risk.

Improving your diet to include whole-foods and lean protein – and reducing foods high in unhealthy fats, sugar, or sodium – can make an immense difference for a healthy prostate. And certain lifestyle changes, such as regularly exercising and finding ways to reduce stress, will not only help your prostate, but your overall physical and mental health.

Finally, please ensure you schedule regular checkups with your doctor to monitor your prostate, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you experience any urinary problems or pain in your pelvis, hips, or back.

Wishing you continued health and wellness always,

Clarence Ellis, MD

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