Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. It is cancer that affects the prostate due to the abnormal formation and development of cells in the prostate gland. The prostate is small muscular gland of a walnut size responsible for the production of seminal fluid which helps to nourish and transport sperm. At a certain point in time in the life of every man, the question of how to prevent prostate cancer pops up.
Prostate cancer together with its treatment has so many side effects on men who suffer this condition. Some of these complications include urinary problems, infertility problems, erectile dysfunction, bowel problems and many more.
Read about the effects of prostate cancer here.
However, the good news is that there are certain things that could be done to prevent prostate cancer. Even though it is known exactly what causes prostate cancer, there are certain things that increase the risk of developing the condition. This is known as risk factors.
Read about the factors that increase the risk developing prostate cancer here.
Ways to Prevent Prostate Cancer.
Once there are some factors that increase the risk, then tackling and minimizing these risk factors could be a perfect tool for preventing prostate cancer. Below are some of the ways by which prostate cancer can be prevented.
- Talk to the doctor about your risk of prostate cancer. Some people have high risk of prostate cancer. If you are one of them then you may want to discuss this with the doctor. You may want to consider medications and other treatments that could help reduce the risk.
- Eat a healthy diet with more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins that can improve your overall health. Research is still on-going to conclusively prove whether fruits and vegetables can prevent prostate cancer, but the results gotten so far are encouraging. Eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains can contribute to your health.
- Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight. – Exercising most days of the week is good for your overall health. Regular exercise may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Having a higher weight can increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. If you have a heavy weight, work out to reduce it to normal levels. If possible, cut down on the number of calories you consume each day and exercise more to maintain a healthy weight.
- Learn how to lose weight naturally here.
- Eat more fish. – Fish contains omega-3 fatty acid which can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel contain high amount of these omega-3 fatty acids.
- Reduce animal fat in diet. Studies have shown that there is a link between animal fat consumption and the increased risk of prostate cancer. Animal fat such as meat, cheese and butter should be reduced in the diet.
- Consume more tomatoes and other red foods. Red foods such as tomatoes contain a very powerful antioxidant called lycopene which forms an important part of cancer prevention diet.
- Drink coffee. Some studies have shown that drinking four or five cups of coffee a day can significantly lower the risk of prostate cancer. Note however that an overdose of caffeine can cause an irregular heartbeat and seizures. Hence seek advice from your doctor to tell you how much coffee is good for you. Thats if you want to use coffee to reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.
It is important therefore to note that having your prostate checked once in a while will go long way to help one escape the dangers of this condition.
