Will Healthier Life Style Practices Prevent Prostate Cancer?

There is not sure way to prevent prostate cancer, but you can lower your risk by making some lifestyle changes. Even if you have eaten junk food all your life, and you are past 50 years of age, it is never too late to make lifestyle changes. Statistics show that men who are obese are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as men with a normal BMI (body mass index). It is believed that obesity in men causes prostates to become inflamed. Chronic inflammation in the prostate can induce the growth of cancer cells.

Obesity

If you are obese or overweight, losing weight will help to decrease your likelihood of developing prostate cancer. Studies have shown that more overweight and obese men die of prostate cancer than men of normal weight. Most men who are overweight and obese might say that losing weight is easier to be said than done. However, you can make it a habit to eat more of the healthier foods and less of the not so healthy foods. Losing weight isn’t rocket science; it is done by making good food choices and portion control.

Maintaining healthy weight

Part of maintaining a healthy weight has to do with what you think, another part is what you eat, and the final part is what you do. You have to believe in yourself, that you can lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. You also need to make healthy food choices and watch the size of your portion. Most people think a portion size is the amount of food you put on your plate. You may have 2 or 3 portions on your plate, instead of just one. An apple is good for you, and 1 serving of apple may be a small apple. If you eat a very big apple, you may have eaten 2 or 3 portions of apple. The final part of losing weight and keeping it off has to do with what you do. You need to get up off your feet and start moving. Many people spend lots of money on treadmills and workout equipment. That is fine if you want to do that, but it isn’t necessary; you can get outside and walk. If you have a dog, you can take your dog out for a walk two or three times per day. Since maintaining a normal BMI is important to reducing your risk of prostate cancer, it makes sense to make your mind up on a plan of action and stick to it.

Sexually transmitted infections

It is believed that sexual practices are connected to prostate cancer. Studies have shown that men with a history of sexually transmitted infections (STI) have a 50 percent higher risk of developing prostate cancer than men who have no history of STI. There is some controversy over the studies involving men with a history of sexually transmitted infections, because the studies are generally quite small. It is believed that sexually transmitted infections can increase your risk of prostate cancer because STI’s can cause inflammation of the prostate. As a result, prolonged inflammation of the prostate can possibly lead to cancer. It is also believed that men who have unprotected sex with multiple partners have a slightly higher risk of developing prostate cancer than men who participate in the same sexual practices.

Alternative therapies

Some research has been done on men who have prostate cancer, but didn’t want any of the medical therapies. The participants of one study chose a vegan diet, exercise and meditation as the approach to treat prostate cancer. The people in the vegan diet group ate mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and soy. They also took vitamins and minerals. There was a control group of men who ate meat and anything else they wanted to. The vegan group had lower PSA’s (prostate-specific antigens) than they had the year before, and the control group had higher PSA’s. Many people, who prefer alternative approaches to medical care, believe that the vegan diet and other lifestyle changes can slow down or halt the progression of prostate cancer. If you are interested in ways to help your body fight off prostate cancer, speak to your doctor and nutritionist.

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