Improve Prostate Health Naturally

The prostate is a small gland that is about as big as a walnut. It is below the bladder and is an important part of the male reproductive system. The prostate has two periods of growth in the course of a man's life. The first period is in early puberty and the second period occurs during the mid twenties.

Prostate problems affect nearly 12% of men at some point in their lives, but the good news is that there are several very effective and natural ways to improve the condition of the prostate.

During the first period of growth, the prostate doubles in size. It is during the second growth period that men often develop an enlarged prostate. As the prostate grows, the tissues that surround it will stop it from expanding at a certain point. If this happens, the prostate will begin to press against the urethra.

There is some disagreement about this, but the general consensus is that most men over age 45 have some degree of prostate enlargement. This condition is often free of symptoms, however, and is usually harmless. Problems urinating may develop later in life.

Approximately 80% of men over sixty experience some difficulties with urination due to an enlarged prostate. It is important to understand that this is not a cancerous condition, but this pressure on the urethra may lead to urinary difficulties such as urinary urgency, frequent urination, a reduction in the force of the urine stream, difficulty starting urination, incomplete bladder emptying, and possibly even the inability to urinate.

If a benign prostate enlargement is not corrected there can be serious health ramifications over time. This includes urinary tract infections, kidney and bladder damage, bladder stones, and incontinence.
The conventional treatment for an enlarged prostate is surgery to remove all or part of the prostate. Obviously, this would correct most urinary symptoms, but impotency may be a lasting result of this surgery. For this reason, surgery should be considered a last resort.

Men who are suffering prostate problems will want to supplement with saw palmetto berry. Saw palmetto is very effective for relieving inflammation and enlargement of the prostate. Saw palmetto also helps to control the hormones that cause prostate enlargement in the first place.

Saw palmetto is a shrub that grows in Florida and Georgia. There are no known side effects. Contrast using saw palmetto with using the prescription drug Proscar and there is no question about the fact that saw palmetto is the safer option.

In addition, "Pygeum africanum" is another herb that has been shown to reduce prostate enlargement and prostate inflammation.

Zinc is also effective at relieving enlarged prostates and inflamed prostates. It has been shown that suffering a zinc deficiency often results in prostate enlargement. Infection and stress lowers blood serum zinc levels in general and specifically lowers prostate levels. Many men do not consume enough zinc each day from their diet. Often a daily zinc supplement in the amount of 50 to 100 milligrams is recommended to help shrink an enlarged prostate.

Kegel exercises are performed by tightening the muscles surrounding the scrotum and anus. By repeating Kegel exercises ten times, 4-5 times per day, the blood circulation to these tissues will be enhanced. This is a simple exercise that can be performed anywhere while doing virtually anything.

Lastly, a Harvard study performed in 2003 of 47,000 men found that men who ate ten servings of tomatoes each week had a 50% less chance of developing serious prostate cancer. This is thought to be due to the lycopene that is present in tomatoes. This is the pigment that makes tomatoes red. Lycopene is known to be a powerful carotene that is actually much more powerful than even beta carotene.