Prostate cancer has raised very serious concern amongst men
approximately fifty years of age or more, in most countries the world
over. The simple reason is that research shows there has been increased
disclosure of the disease amongst men of all races due mainly to
composition of diet and lack or absence of very important foods.
The
prostate gland in men encompasses the part of the urethra located
underneath the urinary bladder. When sperm is produced in the testicles
it travels through two tubes to the Prostate Gland. From there the tubes
connect to the urethra, which is the organ through which urine flows
from the bladder and out of the body. This fluid secreted by the
Prostate Gland mixes with the spermatozoa, nourishes and facilitate its
ejection from the body through the urethra.
This secretion
increases the mortality and fertility of spermatozoa. Research shows
that the Prostate Gland often enlarges in old age and obstructs the
urethra and often makes surgical removal a procedure called
Prostatectomy an option for life. Cancer of the Prostate Gland has been
found amongst a significant percentage of adult males autopsied
worldwide.
Cancer of the prostate is stimulated by the male
hormone testosterone, which is produced by the testicles. It is believed
that when and if the cancer spreads doctors can treat it with female
hormones or by removal of the testicles surgically. If the cancer has
not spread beyond the prostate the diseased tissue can be removed.
It
is estimated that 241,740 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in
2012 (850 more than in 2011) An estimated 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed
with prostate cancer during their lifetime, but only 1 in 36 men will
die from the disease. In addition it is believed that there are more
than 2.5 million American men for example who have been diagnosed with
prostate cancer and are continue to live. Further it is said that about 2
out of 3 prostate cancers are found in men older than fifty years of
age. Health Experts believe that Prostate Cancer is the second leading
cause of death due to cancer in men. It has been forecasted that an
estimate twenty eight thousand, one hundred and seventy men (28,170)
will die from Prostate Cancer in 2012.Source: American Cancer Society.
Nutritional
and Medical Research have discovered that a change in diet and
availability of nutritional supplements can assist in the prevention and
cure of Prostate Cancer. If men are aware of what is required in caring
for their health then there is hope. The first major step is education
and dissemination of information on the disease. It is believed that if
some basic information on the cause and prevention of Prostate Cancer is
made available to men especially those approaching fifty years of age
the first step to reducing the number of cases would have been achieved.
It
is very important to consult a Doctor on any issue relating to Prostate
Cancer. However the matter of personal diet is very vital. Whilst it is
true that most prostate problems are benign and readily treatable the
importance of proper diet must be taken into consideration. Vitamin
supplements are vital to prevention and treatment. The following are
recommended: vitamin A which has antioxidant qualities; Vitamin B6 helps
to regulate the level of sex hormones; Vitamins C is a powerful
antioxidant; Vitamin E boost the immune system to fight infection.
Minerals
too are also very important in the diet. Manganese is needed to produce
sex hormones. Selenium is a key antioxidant. Zinc controls the
prostate's sensitivity to hormones. Other very important nutrients
includes:Omega-3 oils needed to make Prostaglandin, which is important
for prostate health. Omega 6 oils; Evening Primrose Oil which regulates
hormone levels and reduce swellings and Bioflavonoid which increases the
potency of vitamin C.
In addition to these minerals and vitamins
that can be taken as supplements the experts in the field have
discovered that foods such as tomatoes and soy are very important. It is
generally accepted that Soy consumption also reduces the risk of
various types of cancer particularly prostate cancer. Eating a daily
serving of soy for a few months is enough to produce beneficial effects.
Green Soy or Mung Bean is originally from India and is gaining in
popularity because of its pleasant taste and its digestability. It is
eaten boiled after being soaked. Soy is very rich in phosphorus,
magnesium and potassium. One hundred grams provide for most of the daily
requirements of these minerals. It is also very rich in calcium. In
addition soy has the advantage of containing virtually no sodium a
mineral that causes fluid retention in the tissues. Isoflavones
constitutes Soy's most important non-nutretitive component, which is
responsible for most of its therapeutic properties. They are a type of
Phytoestrogen/vegetable based female hormone with a similar effect as
estrogen but without its undesirable side effects.
Nutritional
experts have also discovered that the tomato is very important in the
diet in treating and preventing Prostate Cancer. The healing power that
the tomato exercises on a variety of disorders as well as its
preventative effects on certain types of cancer particularly that of the
Prostate makes the vegetable a universally recognized medicinal food.
Fresh tomatoes contain a great deal of water 4% of their weight. They
contain small amounts of carbohydrates 3.54% proteins 0.85% and fats
0.33%. Its carbohydrates are formed primarily from glucose and fructose.
Together these two nutrients provide 21Kilo Calories/100g one of the
lowest amount of any plant based food lower than asparagus 23 K
cal/100g.However the tomato's nutritional and therapeutic values is in
its rich vitamin and mineral content as well as its non-nutritive
substances. In terms of vitamins the most abundant is vitamins C
19.1mg/100g an amount that is less than the orange 53.2mg/100g but
enough to make the tomato effective against scurvy. It is estimated that
a 100g tomato supplies a third of adult daily need for their vitamin.
The
non-nutritive components found in tomatoes are substances present in
the food, which although not considered in the traditional sense play an
important role within the body. The most note worthy in the tomatoes
are as follows: vegetable fiber contain a small amount 1.1% of soluble
fiber in their pulp particularly in the mucilage surrounding the seeds.
This fiber contributes to the tomatoes cholesterol reducing and laxative
effect. Organic acid: particularly malic and oxalic which contributes
to the tomatoes unique flavour. As the tomato ripens the concentration
of these acids diminishes and the sugar content increases. In spite of
the acidic taste, which results from the presence of these acid
substances, the tomato has the same effect as the lemon. It has an
alkalizing effect on the blood organic tissue and urine. This is because
it contains many more alkalizing substances [mineral salts] than acids.
Lycopene: this vegetable pigment belongs to the group of carotenoids
that gives tomato their typical red coloring contrast to beta-carotene.
Lycopene was thought to be of no physiological importance.
New
evidence however, is coming to light that emphasizes Lycopene's
importance within the body. At the Heinrich-Heine University in
Dusseidorf/Germany a center of tomato Lycopene research the following
conclusions have been reached: it is present in human blood. Together
with beta-carotene it is the most abundant carotenoid in the human body.
Lycopene is also found in the testicles, the prostate and suprarenal
glands. It is an extremely potent antioxidant preventing the
deterioration that free radicals produce in the DNA of the cells.
Lycopene intervenes in the mechanisms the controls cellular growth.
Without its presence cells reproduce in a more disorderly manner.
Because of its composition tomatoes are important to prevention and
treatment of the following prostate conditions.
It must be
mentioned also that numerous studies conducted at Harvard University/USA
shows that men who regularly eat fresh tomatoes as well as tomato sauce
or juice are at a much lower risk of Prostate Cancer than others. This
fact is easily explained bearing in mind that the tomato is the richest
food source of lycopene the carotenoid that protects the cells of the
prostate from oxidation and abnormal growth. Regular tomato consumption
in any form has been shown to be an important factor in the prevention
of prostate cancer one of the most prevalent cancers amongst men.
Men
fifty years and over need to consider the following foods in their
daily diet and these foods include: tomatoes, oysters, fresh fruits,
green or yellow vegetables/broccoli and Chinese leaves, whole grains,
pumpkin seeds, nuts, pulses and garlic. Vitamin B1, B2, B6 Niacin and
Foliates are all present in significant amounts. Pro Vitamin A is
present 62 mg/100g including 0.45 mg/100g magnesium and phosphorus.
They
are also many foods, which have to be avoided to ensure great health.
These are listed as follows: milk and meat because of their hormone
content.
Written By Peter Fevrier
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