About the prostate

The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that wraps around the urethra, the tube that urine flows out of. The prostate is part of the male reproductive system. The prostate gland starts out small and has two main phases of growth. It doubles in size during the teenage years, then continues to grow again after the age of 25 throughout the rest of a man’s life.

An excessively enlarged prostate results in a disease known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Eventually, an enlarged prostate can clamp down on the urethra and restrict the flow of urine from the bladder.

This leads to problems such as:

frequent urination

difficulty in voiding

urinary leakage

urinary tract infection

 

BPH impacts men of at least 40 years of age, but most common are those 50 years of age and older. As men grow older, their hormone levels change, especially levels of testosterone, estrogen, and a by-product of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

A few studies have shown that changes in the balance of these hormones may trigger some prostate cells to abnormally grow and divide.

What are the 5 warning signs of prostate cancer?

 

These include:

A Noticeable burning while urinating or during ejaculation.

A frequent need to urinate.

Blood in urine or semen.

Pain in the bones.

Erectile dysfunction.

Difficulty starting or stopping a stream of urine.

 

Best Foods for Prostate Health

Green tea can help reduce PSA levels. Mushrooms can help reduce prostate tumors. Pomegranates can help slow prostate cancer growth. Pumpkin seeds help reduce an enlarged prostate. Salmon has powerful cancer fighting antioxidants.Tomatoes help reduce prostate cancer risk. Turmeric is the #1 cancer fighting spice.

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Enlarged prostate treatments

There are several treatment options for an enlarged prostate. You can take alpha-blockers such as terazosin (Hytrin) or tamsulosin (Flomax) to help relax the prostate and bladder muscles.

You can also take dutasteride (Avodart) or finasteride (Proscar), a different kind of medication for reducing BPH symptoms. These block the hormones that cause the prostate to grow.

Combinations of these two different types of medications may also be recommended. Your doctor might also recommend surgery to remove the extra prostate tissue. One common surgical procedure for BPH is known as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

There are also natural remedies that may work to combat enlarged prostate symptoms. If you do want to try any of these natural remedies, it is always a good idea to work with a skilled practitioner trained in herbal medicine working along the side of your doctor.

Saw palmetto

Saw palmetto is an herbal remedy that comes from the fruit of a type of palm tree. It’s been used in alternative medicine for centuries to relieve urinary symptoms, including those caused by an enlarged prostate. Saw palmetto is safe to use, but minor side effects can be upset stomach and headache.

 

Stinging nettle

You’ll know if you’ve accidentally touched the common European stinging nettle: The hairs on its leaves can cause a sharp jolt of intense pain. But stinging nettle may have some benefits when used as a medicine. Nettle root is thought to improve some BPH symptoms, and is commonly used in Europe. However, a 2007 review concluded that more studies were needed. Sometimes nettle is used in combination with other natural BPH treatments, such as saw palmetto. Side effects from nettle are usually mild, including upset stomach and skin rash.

 

Foods to treat BPH

The role of diet in the prevention of BPH and in treating its symptoms continues to be explored. A recent study in China looked at the effects of diet on BPH symptoms. Researchers found that men with diets high in fruits and vegetables, especially leafy, dark vegetables and tomatoes had less BPH, less symptoms of BPH, and were less likely to have worsening of their BPH. Researchers believe it’s not just one nutrient, but rather the combinations found in a healthful diet and lifestyle, that are beneficial.

 

Going the natural route

It’s important to remember that just because a supplement is labeled “natural” doesn’t always mean it’s safe, healthy, or effective. Remember that the FDA doesn’t regulate herbal remedies like it does prescription and over-the-counter drugs. That means you can’t be totally sure that what’s listed on the label is inside the bottle. This is why it is important to work with a skilled practitioner and to be very cautious when buying on line or in a store.

If you are like most men looking for ways to shrink your prostate, you probably have symptoms of an enlarged prostate, otherwise known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Symptoms of BPH can include nocturia (nighttime urination), urinary hesitation, a urine stream that stops and goes, a weaker urine stream, and not being able to empty your bladder completely. While these symptoms do not threaten your health (besides risk of infection from not emptying your bladder), they do greatly affect your quality of life and can indicate that your prostate health is not optimized.

Before you run out in search of ways to shrink your prostate, be aware that size itself doesn’t necessarily matter. You can have an enlarged prostate without the symptoms of BPH, while another man with a normal size prostate may experience advanced urinary symptoms. Whatever your case, your goal should be to improve your prostate health through natural methods, and this in turn will help you to make positive changes in your prostate and urinary health.

The best plan for maximizing your prostate health involves eating the right foods, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising daily, and managing your hormones. It is also important to manage your stress level and take steps to fight inflammation. You can improve your prostate health and prevent other prostate health problems (such as prostatitis or even prostate cancer) down the road.

A Mediterranean style diet is one of the best diets for prostate health. It includes eating oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon, tuna, herring, and anchovies). This diet also allows you to indulge in other healthy fats like the ones found in seeds, nuts, olives, and avocados. You should eat a lot of vegetables, because men who eat a lot of vegetables have a decreased risk for BPH. Look for cruciferous vegetables (think broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage) as well as vegetables with a high vitamin C content.

Avoid or limit foods that harm the prostate like spicy foods (which can exacerbate pain and other symptoms of prostatitis), fried foods, processed foods, white bread products, sugar, artificial sweeteners, dairy foods, and red meat. Cut out salty foods and limit your alcohol intake. You also should limit caffeinated beverages like coffee, and soda, which can worsen your urinary symptoms.

The American Cancer Society classifies prostate cancer as the most common form of cancer among U.S. men. According to recent projections, of the 232,090 new cases to be diagnosed, about 30,350 men will die from prostate cancer. If you are a man over the age of 40 and prostate cancer runs in your family, it is extremely advisable to monitor your Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. A PSA blood test measures the level of a protein released by prostate cells. This reveals the possibility of prostate growth (hyperplasia), but it does not always mean that cancer is present. Since PSA levels may fluctuate with infection and lab errors, usually more than one test over a period of time is done to confirm your PSA level. Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and ultrasound are other ways to evaluate the prostate. However, only biopsies can truly determine whether the growth in the prostate is benign or malignant.

The prostate gland lies at the base of the bladder surrounding the urethra (urinary tract from bladder to penis). The swelling of the prostate puts pressure against the bladder and urethra, thereby affecting the smooth flow of urine. Abnormal patterns of urination such as higher frequency at night, burning sensation, difficulty, blockage and dribbling are common symptoms and signs of prostate enlargement.

 

Asian Medicine approach to Prostate Care

Hyperplasia of the prostate is known as kidney deficiency. After the age of 40, one’s vital energy in the kidney system decreases, resulting in the disturbance of sex hormones. This process also decreases one’s sexual energy, which affects the function of the prostate and the circulation in this region. Throughout the ages, in order to compensate for the decline of prostate function, men in China have used regular acupuncture treatments to improve the circulation and energy in the prostate.

To enhance the effect of acupuncture, they have also used Chinese Formulas to replenish the kidney essence. In fact, we have had many successful cases of normalizing elevated PSA levels in patients with prostate conditions. Kidney essence nurtures the prostate. As the prostate is revitalized, it is capable of self-regulating toward normal functioning and maintaining a balance of growth and non-growth. This is the balancing property of Chinese medicine.

Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations

Nutrition experts have expressed concern that pesticides and herbicides in animal products may trigger cancer growth. This may be another good reason for you to eat more fruits and vegetables that are organic and avoid saturated, high-fat animal products and snacks that contain hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils. These diet and lifestyle recommendations may help prevent this pervasive cancer and help invigorate your body.