A summary of medical studies about Prostate cancer and recommendations on diet and herbs
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men after the age of 50. According to American Cancer Society, there are more than 180,000 new cases of prostate cancer and 31,000 men die from it. However, most medical professionals believe that all men will eventually develop prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime, if they lived long enough.
Prostate cancer is a slow-growing cancer and the symptoms can range from burning sensation or pain during urination, blood in urine, inability to urine and frequent urination.
Prostate cancer is more common in married men than unmarried ones. The risk of prostate cancer is also higher in men with history of venereal disease, prostate infections and men who have taken testosterone.
Also, a diet high in fat and low in fiber and exposure to cancer-causing chemicals can increase the chance of prostate cancer. Consumption of saturated fat can also raise testosterone level and stimulate the growth of cancer cells.
Useful Herbs:
- Herbs such as goldenseal, echinacea, buchu and suma have anti-cancerous properties. Research shows that saw palmetto and pygeum can also prevent prostate cancer.
- Milk thistle, black radish, dandelion and red clover are great for liver cleansing.
- Licorice and dementia can balance hormones and glandular function.
- Drinking organic green tea can significantly lower the risk of prostate cancer.
- Turmeric has great powerful antioxidants and can fight cancer cells.
Diet and other Recommendation:
- Diet and nutrition aren’t only for prevention but also treatment. Eat plenty of raw vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, pumpkins, squash and fruits like apples, cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes and plums. In fact, fresh cabbage and carrot juice are used as an alternative in cancer therapy. Raw organic diet kills cancer cells and can effectively lower the risk of all cancers including prostate cancer. Besides, raw foods you can also have small servings of organic brown rice (high in fiber), wild salmon (vitamin B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids) and olive or sesame oil (do not heat olive oil and here is why: http://seattleorganicrestaurants.com/vegan-whole-foods/question-comments/).
- A diet high in fat and low in fiber is linked to heart disease and prostate cancer. The chemical reaction of fat in body can increase free radicals and growth of cancer cells.
- Drink green raw smoothie everyday and use fruits and vegetables in your juices. You can also add raw nuts and seeds for protein. A research by University of California shows that the tumors in mice reduced by 50% after they were fed by walnut. Besides preventing prostate cancer, walnuts are great for lowering the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease by reducing bad cholesterol level (LDL) and increasing good cholesterol (HDL).
- Zinc can nourish prostate gland and boost the body’s immune system. Include foods high in zinc in your diet such as seafood, spinach, sunflower, mushroom and pumpkin seeds.
- Omega 3 fatty acid can significantly lower the risk of prostate cancer, so eat freshly caught wild salmon on a regular basis. Don’t take omega 3 fatty acids supplements instead of eating fish: click here to find out why. You can also use cold-pressed organic oils such as olive oil or sesame for omega 3 fatty acids.
- Reduce your meat consumption and cut down the red meat. There is a high correlation between red meat consumption and prostate cancer. A study by California Collaborative Prostate Cancer shows that frying red meat can increase the chances of prostate cancer by 40%. The leader of the study, Dr. Mariana Stern stated "We found that men who ate more than 1.5 servings of pan-fried red meat per week increased their risk of advanced prostate cancer by 30 percent... in addition, men who ate more than 2.5 servings of red meat cooked at high temperatures were 40 percent more likely to have advanced prostate cancer."
- Eliminate your caffeine intake, alcoholic beverages, coffee and sodas except organic herbal and green tea.
- Eat organic foods only and avoid other carcinogens and toxins, smoking and polluted air or water.
Additional Scientific studies about treatment and prevention of prostate cancer:
- Vitamin D can kill cancer cells and excessive calcium in diet can reduce the level of vitamin D. So cut down your dairy intake. In fact, high intake of animal fat and protein can significantly increase the risk of prostate cancer. According to a study by European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPICN), consumption of protein and calcium from milk, cheese, yogurt and other animal products can significantly increase the risk of prostate cancer.
- Protein from wild salmon can lower the risk of prostate cancer. According to a study by University of Maryland School of Medicine, researchers discovered that protein from wild fish can significantly lower the chances of prostate cancer.
- According to a study conducted by researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the powerful antioxidants in grapeseed extract can lower high blood pressure; kill cancer cells especially prostate cancer. The long-term six-year study showed that men who regularly took grapeseed extract had significantly reduced their chances of cancer by 62%.
- Based on a study by researchers at University of California-Davis, University of Texas-San Antonio, a natural extract made from shiitake mushrooms and soybeans can increase the life expectancy of patients who have severe form of prostate cancer. In fact, the natural soybean-mushroom extract called genistein-combined polysaccharide (GCP) can prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells and could reduce the length of hormone therapy that can have severe side effect on prostate cancer patients.
- Ginger is known for centuries for its anti-inflammatory and powerful antioxidant properties. The British Journal of Nutrition published a study on how ginger extract can kill prostate cancer cells. Researchers discovered that eating 100 grams of fresh ginger a day or taking ginger extract on a daily basis can significantly lower the growth of cancer cells. Besides treating cancer, ginger root can ease travel sickness and improve nausea, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, menstrual cramps, gastrointestinal problems, heartburn, joint problems, fever, headaches, cold, coughs, bronchitis, osteoarthritis, high cholesterol, high blood-pressure, rheumatoid arthritis and tendonitis.
-According to a study by University of Lund in Sweden, drinking one normal size of sodas a day can increase the chances of most aggressive form of prostate cancer by 40%. Dr. Isabel Drake, the leader of the study says that "Among the men who drank a lot of soft drinks or other drinks with added sugar, we saw an increased risk of prostate cancer of around 40 percent."
- Based on a study by University of California, Riverside, pomegranate can help to fight prostate cancer cells by reducing growth and spread of cancer cells in the body.
