The Facts about Enlarged Prostate: What To Do If And When It Happens

We can’t stop it…like gray hair and wrinkles. If it is going to happen… then it happens…

No clever metaphors. No sugar coating. This is what you need to know if you’re concerned about an enlarged prostate, or the threat of prostate cancer.

Today, we are going to talk about a topic that no one really wants to talk about…prostate health.

Admittedly, I was a bit…uncomfortable…when Cheryl – my good friend and editor – presented this hush-hush, yet all-too-common health concern for boys as this month’s Home Cures That Work topic. But after I began researching and breaking down the skinny, my discomfort transformed into curiosity. My curiosity blossomed into interest (and then fright), which set me on the path toward uncovering the best natural methods for keeping your prostate (or one belonging to someone you know and love) healthy and functioning to a “T”…or is it a “P”?

What I am going to share with you today is the fruit of my investigative labor. Today, I have some terrific all-natural foods and beverages to keep Mr. Prostate the right size and cancer-free – for life!

But, I must warn you up front. This is a mature discussion and you may find some of the information here a little “off color,” but only because of the subject matter: where the prostate is and what it does. So, if you are okay with that – then let’s get started…

What is a prostate…Where is it…Why does my dad call it “prostrate?”

If you know all there is to know about the prostate gland, then by all means skip to the next section. If not, let’s roll up our sleeves and dig in. Okay? Bad choice of words…

First, the word prostate comes from the Greek “prostates,” which translates exactly to “protector.” Simply put, the modern prostate is a gland found in most mammals. But today, we will focus on the male prostate and how to keep it from going from protector to widow-maker.

The prostate is an exocrine gland in the reproductive system, which is roughly the size of a golf ball and resides at the neck of the urethra and bladder. If it becomes enlarged with age or through neglect, it can make urination problematic by interrupting the flow. This can be discouraging and painful at best – and life-threatening at worst – but more on that in just a moment.

The sole responsibility of the prostate is to secrete the liquid that transports sperm. It is the fluid part of semen. In fact, it accounts for about 25% of the total volume of semen. The rest is spermatozoa and seminal vesicle fluid.

It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as “prostrate,” which means to throw oneself down in “submission or adoration.” So, if you or someone you know says “prostrate cancer” or “enlarged prostrate”  – stop them!

The problem with the prostate is not its function, nor its mere presence. The problem is that it can become enlarged and effect its owner very negatively. As it grows, it puts pressure on the bladder – making you feel like you have to urinate – as well as undue pressure on the urethra, preventing you from effectively answering the “call.” Urination becomes a dreaded task, sporadic, often painful and in extreme cases – downright impossible. An enlarged prostate also dramatically increases the risk of cancer in the gland… and that is where it gets ugly.

Now that I know what it is and what it does (and how to pronounce it), why does the prostate enlarge and how does it become a health threat?

The prostate needs adequate supplies of testosterone to work and regulate. As men age, their testosterone levels drop and they then jump into the higher risk category for enlarged prostate and prostatic cancer. In other words, if testosterone is not there to regulate and “babysit” the prostate, it runs amok and becomes like the honey badger – it just doesn’t care. Cells in the prostate gland begin to multiply causing it to grow and when it does, it causes stress on the surrounding organs. This is where the problems begin – as you will soon see.

Other effects of lowered testosterone levels are fatigue, lack of confidence and diminishing libido. If you experience any of these symptoms, then you are on your way to “growing” your prostate.

Although a growing prostate is a natural occurrence as men get older, the National Kidney and Urological Disease Information Clearinghouse says the problem becomes all too common in men over 50. “By age 60, over one-half men have [it]; by age 85, the number climbs to 90%.”

Not all enlarged prostates lead to cancer – some are benign. However, the risk of cancer skyrockets because what causes the prostate to enlarge is a blow-out in cell production. Whenever there’s increased cell production in tissues, our old enemy “Big C” likes to step in and take over. When that happens, your life takes a downturn from which you may not recover.

Here are a few symptoms of an enlarged prostate. If you have them, then you will want to finish this article – for sure!

• 

  • Pinterest

  Weak, slow, or interrupted urine stream

• The feeling that you just didn’t complete your bathroom mission
• Slow start – it takes a minute to get “going?”
• Going more than normal – you see a change in the frequency of your bathroom visits, especially at night
• Urgent need to go – like if you couldn’t make it through a meeting or a commute
• Stop and go – your stream is off and on
• You have to push and strain to get it out
• Only dripping…like a leaky faucet
• Having to go just a few minutes after you thought you were done

Even if no cancer develops from an enlarged prostate, the fact that the urination process has been so dramatically impacted by the freakish growth factor brings on other health problems. If it is not addressed, these health problems will only recur and possibly lead to greater, more serious ailments.

If the bladder fails to be completely evacuated, the risk for developing urinary tract infections skyrockets. You can also suffer bladder stones and bloody urine (if you can urinate at all – if not, you have Acute Urinary Retention). Acute Urinary Retention (AUR) constitutes a medical emergency. If this happens, you need to go an emergency room to seek immediate treatment. Ignoring it leads to bladder and kidney damage.

Great news! No need to lie down and wait it out…you can take care of your prostate naturally!

Okay – now that the un-pleasantries are out of the way, here are some tasty ideas that will serve to help regulate and preserve the proper performance of your prostate! First, the juice…

About 30,000 guys die every year from prostate cancer. This is the second leading cause of cancerous death in men. But, here is a tasty beverage that may serve to slow that cancer growth down to a crawl and render it powerless to take your life.

Ready? It’s pomegranate juice.

Pomegranate juice has been credited for everything from immunity boosting to weight loss and now, there is evidence that it may work to hold back cancerous cell development.

In a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin, Madison, researchers pitted an aggressive form of prostate cancer against pomegranate fruit extract. Findings? The higher the concentrate of fruit, the slower the development of the cells! They also studied 46 men who had undergone prostate cancer surgery but were still experiencing a discomforting rise in antigens associated with a rising chance of a cancer reprise.

These men were given a treatment of one 8-ounce bottle of pomegranate juice a day. Their finding was that, “antigen concentrations decreased in about a third of the study participants” and that, “4 men exhibited declines in the cancer indicator of more than 50% while taking the juice. One man’s [cancer indicator] dropped a whopping 85%.”

While we are on the juice and we have seen such favorable results, why not use pomegranate for a naturally delicious vegetarian dish?

Grilled Eggplant with Pomegranate Sauce*

Serves 6

What you’ll need:

• 

  • Pinterest
  1 large eggplant
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 to 3 pomegranates, or 1 cup juice
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Garnish:

• Minced parsley
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

What to do:

Cut eggplant into 1/4-inch slices and place them on paper towels. Sprinkle slices with salt and weight them down with heavy plates or a board for 30 minutes. Then pat them dry with paper towels.

Prepare pomegranate syrup by cutting 2 or 3 pomegranates in half and juice using a citrus reamer or juicer until you have 1 cup of liquid. Or, use 1 cup of commercial pomegranate juice. Combine juice and 3/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes until reduced to 1/2 cup, stirring frequently.

Lightly brush eggplant slices with olive oil and place them on grill. Grill them for 3 minutes on each side or until they are lightly browned on both sides. Remove from grill. Arrange the eggplant by overlapping the slices on a serving dish.

In a mortar, crush garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons salt to a paste. In a non-metallic bowl, combine the garlic paste and pomegranate syrup. Spread a little of the mixture on each eggplant slice. Sprinkle the slices with minced parley and pomegranate seeds for garnish and chill covered.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 239, Protein 1g, Fat 2g, Calories from Fat 27%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrate 55g, Fiber 2g, Sodium 397mg.

Proving the way to a man’s prostate is through his stomach…

Who is the next Food Star?

Not who – what! Organic tomatoes (organic tomatoes have more lycopene than non-organic) – with their lycopene packed, antioxidant power – have the ability to help prevent prostate cancer. Since lycopene is fat soluble, cooking them is the best way to absorb all their cancer pounding goodness. Here is a natural tasty treat you can make for yourself…and your health.

Ratatouille**

• Pinterest

What you’ll need:

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 1/2 cups small diced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 cups medium diced eggplant, skin on
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup diced green bell peppers
• 1 cup diced red bell peppers
• 1 cup diced zucchini squash
• 1 cup diced yellow squash
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

What to do:

Set a large 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers, zucchini, and squash and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.

Table Tip: this would be a terrific dish to serve over a nice broiled snapper or milk-poached piece of salmon.

Here are a few other food ideas that serve to support and regulate your prostate – even if you are short a few CCs of testosterone.***

• Lower the fat – raise the fruits and veggies. Knock out the red meat, nuts, fats and oils. Dairy products also serve to aggravate the prostate.
• Eat with the fishes…Salmon, sardines, tuna and trout are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. There is a proven link to a reduction in the risk of prostate cancer if you take in your omega-3s.
• Drink green tea…Or, take the extract in a supplement, but get some! It reduces your risk of prostate cancer.
• Get soy-eld. Edamame beans – which produce tofu – has a special nutrient: isoflavones. So, have some tofurkey or “fake” bacon, sausage and cold cuts. They taste great and are much more healthy than nitrate laden packaged meats. Don’t like tofu? Try some kidney beans, chickpeas, or lentils for the isoflavones power punch.
• Limit or eliminate your alcohol consumption. This is really just common sense. If you want to be healthy, have one or 2 drinks a day. But, if you want to be really healthy – knock it off altogether! Men who consumed several drinks a day showed an increased risk of prostate cancer.
• Keep your weight in check. Cancer loves fat. If your body mass index is 30 or more – you are just what cancer wants. Reduce your caloric intake and increase the amount of exercise you do. Most important – maintain a healthy weight with fruits, veggies and whole grains.
• Exercise and keep the blood flowing. When you are sedentary, cancer cells have a better environment in which to grow. Studies on exercise and prostate cancer show the risk drops in guys who hit the trails, the gym or are active in some kind of sports a couple times a week. Additionally, as mentioned above, exercise is essential for losing weight and maintaining your healthy weight. If you are just starting out, go slow and gradually work up to where you and your doctor want you to be.

Drawing conclusions

Having an enlarged prostate is just part of getting older. Like gray hair and wrinkles, it will most likely happen to all us guys. But, what we do about it could mean the difference between discomfort, pain urination, agony or even death. So, talk to your doctor and see if you are in good enough shape to take matters into your own hands by eating right, keeping a healthy weight and taking in the powerful antioxidants, such as pomegranate juice, and lycopene from tomatoes, that can naturally help reduce the risk of your growing prostate gland getting out of control.

We all have a lot to live for. Let’s pragmatically practice the preservation of our prostate, live long and…prosper.

Cheers!

P.S. This article brought to you by the letter “P.”

There is no doubt whatsoever that diet has a major role in allowing – or stopping – prostate cancer. An especially good diet and appropriately generous use of supplements may positively influence your prostate health. What are you going to start – or stop – eating to save your prostate?

 

*Courtesy Pomegranate Council
**Courtesy Emeril Legasse
***Courtesy The Mayo Clinic