From a western nutritional perspective, we know that including an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats helps to strengthen our overall health, improve cardiovascular health, and create strong immunity systems.

A Chinese nutritional perspective embraces those ideals and expands the role of food as medicine in acknowledging that certain types of food have specific resonances with the energies of the immunity system and our abilities to release carcinogenic pathogens, and give support to the body to recover from surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Turnips

This remarkable yet common healing food has an impact on all 12 meridians (energy pathways in the body) to help us move out pathogens and detoxify the body.

Turnips in the diet can provide support to people who are going through chemotherapy or radiation therapies or for those who need to detoxify stress chemicals that form as we respond to everyday life.

In Asian countries, soups are made of turnip, carrots and cabbage to help strengthen the immunity system and heal from viruses, bacterial infections and other pathogens. A cup or two of this type of soup 4-7 times a week, can strengthen the internal organs and promote a vibrant flow of energy throughout the body. When our energy flows smoothly and without obstructions, disease cannot exist.

You can make this soup easily by using a base of 4 cups of organic chicken broth (low sodium or organic vegetable broth), 3 large turnips diced, 3 large carrots diced, and 1/2 cup of white cabbage. Add in 1-2 tsp of toasted garlic, 1 small purple onion, 2 tsp of fennel seed, and 2 stalks of finely chopped organic celery for flavor.

Bring to boil, then simmer for one hour.

Lycopene Rich Foods

Lycopene is similar to beta carotene, a powerful anti-oxidant that helps to prevent cancer. Lycopene occurs naturally in the prostate and declines with age. However, we can help to support healthy levels of lycopene through diet.

Foods rich in lycopene include red vegetables and fruit, especially cooked or processed tomatoes. Other foods include pink grapefruit (check for interactions with certain cancer and other medications), watermelons, apricots, and pink guava.

However, before you rush out to buy lycopene supplements, you should also be aware that the efficacy of supplements of lycopene and high consumption of lycopene rich foods has been questioned by the FDA after examining data from 107 observational studies and 23 studies that included blood analysis.

The FDA stated that consuming lycopene supplements or high amounts of lycopene rich foods does not have a significant impact on prostate health and cancer. The FDA’s position on this issue was reported in the Journal of Cancer Institute (July 10, 2007) issue.

Yet, anecdotal clinical evidence exists of clients improving their PSA levels (levels that indicate the health of the prostate) by adding lycopene rich foods to their diets.

From a Chinese nutritional perspective, lycopene and other anti-oxidants are not magic bullets. Instead, it is thought that the presence of anti-oxidants such as lycopene, in combination with other nutritional and energetic properties of foods, can be a powerful tool in helping the body to detoxify and protect against cancer. This is why it is important to take a balanced approach and integrate a wide variety of foods in the diet.

Similarly, the American Cancer Society advocates a diet comprised of a wide variety of foods as opposed to being excessive with any one food or taking high levels of anti-oxidant supplements.

Pumpkin Seeds

This simple food appears to diminish the triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT (dihydrotestosterone-a conversion product of testosterone). As a result, pumpkin seeds may help to prevent enlargement of the prostate gland.

Pumpkin seeds help to create healthier cholesterol levels, and protect bones by providing a source of zinc (low levels are associated with more hip fractures and osteoporosis) .

Sprinkle raw pumpkin seeds over salads, into soups and over other favorite foods. For added flavor, you might wish to toast the seeds but the nutritional value is higher when eaten raw.

Organic Chicken

In the Chinese nutritional system, chicken helps to strengthen the internal organs of the kidneys, said to rule our reproductive organs on an energy level. Organic chicken is free of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides, and helps to detoxify the body. Chicken is also a lean source of protein.

Include other lean organic meats and fresh produce to further reduce toxins in the diet.

Affordable sources of organic produce and some meats are available at local farmer’s markets. Also, you may wish to join a community garden to obtain the freshest sources economically and help others partake of organic foods.

Drink Healing Beverages

Decaf green tea, chrysanthemum tea, barley tea, red clover, and saw palmetto tea: All of these natural teas are rich in anti-oxidants and have detoxifying properties.

Chrysanthemum has a cooling, detoxifying effect. When combined with a small amount of decaf green tea, cinnamon and ginger, chrysanthemum can help quell nausea from chemotherapy and radiation therapies.

Trained Chinese herbalists often combine chrysanthemum with other herbs to create a decoction or tea that helps to heal prostate cancer.

Foods to Avoid

Decrease the level of sugar, caffeine, and fat in your diet, particularly trans-fatty acids. Read labels. When you see the word” hydrogenated,” that is a clue that trans-fatty acids are present. All of these foods create excessive heat in the body on an energy level. Since the energy of cancer is hot, if we diminish foods that feed heat, we can also protect our bodies against cancer.

Similarly, chemotherapy and radiation are also hot in nature. By reducing hot natured foods in our diet, we can empower ourselves to minimize the side effects of these types of treatments and detoxify the body.

Eliminate sugar substitutes such as sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame (Nutrasweet). Although many studies have produced data which suggest that these sugar substitute sweeteners are safe for regular human consumption, these products do not contain properties that heal the internal organs.

Also eliminate sweeteners which contain saccharin, which studies have found is associated with certain health risks such as birth defects and cancer.

Stevia is an all natural sweetener that is appropriate for diabetics or others who are trying to eliminate sugar. Stevia Rebaudiana is an herb in the chrysanthemum family which provides natural sweetness without raising glucose levels in diabetics, and contains properties which are said to help balance high blood pressure, help balance the pancreas, and reduce stomach acidity.

Please note that information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical conditions. Please consult with your medical physician before implementing any new dietary changes when recovering from prostate health challenges.

Prostate health is one of the most important aspects of a man’s health. It is something that should be treated with a balanced diet your whole life. Prostate cancer is VERY serious and will kill you if not diagnosed early and treated. Prostate cancer is a condition where prostate cells grow exponentially and out of control. It is the most common cancer associated with men, and can lead to many complications, one rather large one being that you die.

Since prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men, every man should consider trying to improve the health of this vital gland naturally through diet and supplements. The idea of eating for a healthy heart is now medically accepted ­ but the concept of eating for a healthy prostate is revolutionary.

Afflictions of the prostate are most commonly found in developed countries whose dietary habits focus on red meat and dairy products. Eastern males eat many more yellow, orange, red and green vegetables (such as red, yellow and green peppers, broccoli, spinach, etc. A recent Harvard study, among others, found that diets high in lycopene-rich tomatoes, tomato products and other lycopene-rich sources have been shown to be associated with a lowered risk of developing prostate cancer.

Dietary fiber derived from beans, lentils and peas in high quantities have been associated with decreasing prostate cancer risks while promoting prostate health. The main component associated with prostate cancer is fat. A diet low in animal meat may decrease your risk for developing prostate and other cancers. Maintaining a healthy prostate is easy enough these days with all of the dietary supplements and herbal pills now available.

Each year thousands of men are treated for inflamed prostates, in most cases those cases of prostatitis could have been prevented with the help of supplements for prostate health. They are not meant to cure disorders, but they can help strengthen a man’s resistance against these conditions. Most supplements for prostate health are found in ordinary natural foods that people can easily get their hands on. Herbal remedies have long been found effective as supplements for prostate health.

In the past few years, supplements have been made available to help men minimize their chances of developing any of these disorders. Even though these supplements cannot cure cancer, they can help in developing the defenses of men against prostate disorders. In fact, a range of dietary supplements and herbal medicines offers new ways to prevent or treat prostate disease, and cancer in general.

Prostate health is simply nothing to ignore and finally… you don’t have to. For it is one of the most important concerns for men, and each man should have a yearly check of their prostate health after a certain age. Natural prostate health is the best choice that many men are making today to ensure their health, since natural health is about taking care of your body as a whole. Prostacet is a super prostate formula and the best supplement to give your body all that it needs to help you in reducing your risk for prostate cancer.

According to the United Kingdom National Health Service, the risk factors for prostate cancer are:

1. Age

More than 60 per cent of cases occur in men over 70, with the largest number being diagnosed in those aged 70 to 79.

2. Family history

Risk increases two to three times for men with a family history of prostate cancer in a first-degree relative, especially a brother.

3. Ethnicity

It is twice as possible for an African American to develop prostate cancer than a Caucasian man. The incidence of prostate cancer is lowest in Asian men.

4. Diet

A diet high in animal fats and proteins may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Studies have shown that agricultural pesticides increase the risk of having prostate cancer. For these reason, farmers who use certain pesticides have greater risk of developing this disease. According to the United States National Cancer Institute, methyl bromide is directly associated with the increase of risk of developing prostate cancer. Among the persons studied, this type of pesticide is linked risk of the prostate cancer of the entire group. Methyl bromide is used as a soil sterilant and as a general purpose fumigant. There are also other types of pesticide that were associated to the risk of prostate cancer but the studies show that is only to those with a family history of having prostate cancer.

A nine year study involving 16,000 Australian men shows that there is no link between the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption and the risk of developing prostate cancer. However, there is evidence to suggest that men who drink alcohol in moderation may have a lower risk of having an aggressive type of prostate cancer and also dying from this cancer.

It is important to find out if moderate alcohol consumption protects against aggressive and fatal prostate cancer, the researches at the University of Melbourne pointed out, because currently “there are no established modifiable risk factors for this common type of cancer.”

Studies have shown an inverse relationship between the ingestion of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and pizza with the development of prostate cancer. Tomatoes and tomato sauce contain high amounts of lycopene, a carotenoid. Other cartenoids are a-carotene, lutein, and b-cryptoxanthin; however, lycopene is the most efficient scavenger of singlet oxygen among the common carotenoids

Just how effective is lycopene as prostate cancer prevention? In a six-year study involving 47,894 men, those who ingested 10 or more servings of tomatoes in several forms (sauce, juice, raw or on pizza) had a 41% reduction in prostate cancer while those who ate four to seven servings per week had a 22% reduction.

Among all countries, the United States is known to be the country that has the most number of people afflicted with prostate cancer. Statistics show that the African-Americans have the highest rate of prostate cancer, among the population in the US. The next highest incidence goes to the Caucasians, then the Hispanics. The Asians and Pacific Islanders come next. Among the African-Americans, the most fatal among among the cancers is prostate cancer.

It has been said that if prostate cancer runs in the family, the members of the male members of the family are most likely to develop the disease. It has also been said that the same is the case with breast cancer–it runs in the family. There have been theories that say that diets that vary from region to region, including the genetic make up of a certain race, could be the cause of the high incidence of prostate cancer. Moreover the mortality rate has also something to do with access to health care.

But prostate cancer shouldn’t be something that men should really fear. With proper care and management, prostate cancer can actually be prevented. All you need to do is to have yourself checked up by a doctor. You should do this yearly especially when you reach the age of 40, because at this age, the prostate gland begins to enlarge. Have this annual checkup and you won’t have to worry about prostate cancer just appearing out of the blue.

• Orchiectomy is surgery to remove the testicles. Because the testicles make most of the body’s testosterone, after orchiectomy testosterone levels drop. Now the prostate not only lacks the testosterone stimulus to produce DHT, but also it does not have enough testosterone to transform into DHT.
• Antiandrogens are medications such as flutamide, bicalutamide, nilutamide, and cyproterone acetate which directly block the actions of testosterone and DHT within prostate cancer cells.
• Medications which block the production of adrenal androgens such as DHEA include ketoconazole and aminoglutethimide. Because the adrenal glands only make about 5% of the body’s androgens, these medications are generally used only in combination with other methods that can block the 95% of androgens made by the testicles. These combined methods are called total androgen blockade (TAB). TAB can also be achieved using antiandrogens.

Image source here.