The Prostate

What’s the most common health complaint for middle-aged and older men?

THE PROSTATE! (Technically known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

If you fall into this category then read this! Statistics confirm that you have a one in three chance of developing a prostate problem at some stage in your life.

Here’s the good news. Most serious prostate problems are avoidable! New findings published recently, report that there is a link between consuming a greater amount of folate with a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.

Promising findings aren’t they?

In 1999 it was revealed that almost 25,000 men were diagnosed as having prostate cancer and this number is expected to continue increasing.

Reduce the risk by over a third! Folate is the form of the B vitamin folic acid that naturally occurs in leafy green vegetables like spinach. Folic acid is essential for the proper synthesis and repair of DNA and therefore for cell division.

Although commonly referred to as an essential vitamin for pregnant women, new findings have found that folic acid is as important for men.In a case-control study of prostate cancer over a period of 11 years researchers in Italy analysed data from almost 1300 patients.

All diagnosed with prostate cancer!

This was compared to 1,451 patients with growths (but not associated with tumours or cancer) who were admitted to the same hospital. Researchers then evaluated over 78 different foods that had been eaten by these patients up to two years prior to their diagnosis or hospital admission.

It was found that Folate intake was directly related to prostate cancer risk! A 34% LOWER risk of prostate cancer was found in men who included a lot of folate in their diets. This was compared to men whose intake of folate was considerably lower and based on these findings it was concluded that there is a very strong relationship between a high intake of folate and lower levels of cancer.

So mum was right all those years ago - Eat your greens because they’re good for you" Another Product known to benefit the prostate issue is Saw Palmetto, a product used as a treatment of its symptoms. Many men regularly use both products. Studies have shown that it is effective in reducing symptoms associated with BPH. Saw Palmetto appears to have efficiency similar to that of medications like Finasteride.

It is also believed to be easier for the body to tolerate and of course it is much cheaper. There are no known drug interactions with Saw Palmetto, and reported side effects are minor and rare. No data on its long-term usage are available however. Today, Saw Palmetto remains the leading selling of natural prostate remedies, out selling all other herbal products combined. The conclusion? Protect your prostate by increasing your intake of folate and seriously consider adding Saw Palmetto to your daily supplement intake.

Food information! Foods high in folate include: Dark green leafy vegetables like greens, spinach, broccoli, eggs, orange juice, fortified breakfast cereals and vitamin supplements (in the form of folic acid).The recommended dose for folic acid is 400 micrograms daily, and 320mg of Saw Palmetto, both preferably taken at mealtimes.

We hope this article helps you to take care of your prostate and please contact us for further information on this and other health issues for both men and women. Please free to use/publish/sell this article, the only condition being that you must include the resource box below.

Peter Charalambos is a contributing writer to health and health information sites such as Vitaminfo.co.uk and My Health Articles.co.uk He strives to uncover biased research which tries to undermine natural products in favour of drugs.

7 Common Prostate Symptoms That Should Not Be Ignored

Prostate problems will develop in the vast majority of men as they grow older, commonly starting at around 50 years of age. By 60 about half of all men will be affected and by the age of 80 nine out of every ten men will be experiencing some sort of prostate symptoms.

In many cases prostate symptoms will be quite mild and, because at this time in life most of us are starting to develop a range of medical problems, we tend to ignore prostate symptoms as being nothing more than a normal part of the ageing process. In many cases this is fine as most of the problems seen with the prostate are not serious and, as long as the symptoms don't bother you too much you can live with them quite happily, they won't do you any harm.

Unfortunately, however, in all too many cases prostate cancer is present which, if ignored, will eventually spread and probably kill you. Indeed, prostate cancer accounts for the second highest cancer death toll in the United States today.

So, what should you be on the lookout for?

There are a range of different prostate symptoms that might point to developing problems and, as with most things, these symptoms can also be caused by a whole range of other problems. In most cases however if the symptoms are not being caused by problems with the prostate they will tend to be short lived, arising perhaps from a bacterial infection which clears up in a week or two without the need for treatment. If however any of these symptoms appear on a regular basis, or appear and stay with you, then there it is likely that they will originate in the prostate gland. The symptoms are:

• Difficulty in starting to urinate and a need to strain in order to start urinating.
• A weak flow of urine.
• A tendency for the flow of urine to stop and start.
• A feeling that you have not emptied your bladder even after you've just been to the bathroom.
• A feeling that you need to visit the bathroom urgently and difficulty in "holding on".
• The need for more frequent visits to the bathroom and, in particular, a need to get up during the night.
• A tendency to continue to dribble urine after you have finished in the bathroom.

These prostate symptoms are the body's warning signs that problems may be starting to develop and, whilst in most cases, this is not serious and nothing to be worried about, for all too many men these are the warning signs of a serious and in many cases fatal disease.

The only way to find out whether you fall into the former or the latter category is get yourself checked out and that means not ignoring the warning signs but talking to your doctor without delay.

Please visit ProstateCancerExplained.com for more information about prostate symptoms or for more information about prostate cancer in general and a prostate cancer cure in particular.

Surgery For Prostate Cancer: Risks And Complications

Your doctor may recommend surgery as a prosate cancer treatment. Operation is likely to be a less complicated if your prostate cancer is in its early stages of development. In this case, your surgeon may just remove the cancerous section of your prostate gland. However, there are cases where prostate cancer surgery treatment does not go according to plan. As with every type of surgery, there is always the possibility of complications.

One possible complication is that if the nerves that control the penis become damaged during prostate cancer treatment. If this complication happens, you may develop impotence. You should discuss this possibility with your doctor. Be sure that your partner is also aware of the risks as you will need to talk over this issue with her.

Two other possible consequences of surgery for prostate cancer may also develop. They include incontinence and urinary leakage. Incontinence is when you do not have much control over passing urine. Urinary leakage is where you have some control but not totally. So you dribble a little either before or after voiding your bladder. These two symptoms often disappear after a few weeks; however, there are cases where they may not.

Surgery for prostate cancer is a painful procedure. You are likely to experience a great deal of discomfort after the operation. You need to be prepared that you will need to have the help of nurses and loved ones with toileting. However, you should not get overly distressed with this as it is really a very small price to pay for becoming cancer-free.

There are a number of surgery options for prostate cancer treatment available and the one you choose will be specific to your case. You need to discuss them over carefully with your oncologist before choosing a one.

More often than not, your entire prostate gland will be removed so that there is little chance of the cancer returning some time later. The surrounding lymph nodes will also be removed as this is the first place that the cancer would have spread to. Removing your prostate gland can help to reduce or stop the spread of cancerous cells throughout your body.

A radical prostatectomy removes the entire prostate gland. However, your surgeon can enter the body through the abdomen or through an incision made between the scrotum and the anus. In some cases, where the cancer is confined to a specific area of the prostate gland, he may suggest key-hole surgery or laparoscopy for removing only affected sections of the gland.

Going through surgery for prosate cancer treatment can cause you much emotional as well as physical pain. You should try to focus your energies on getting better and to be positive in the light of your experience.

Early detection helps in your recovery and your prostate cancer treatment. For more information, please visit the site at http://www.Prostate-Cancer-Treatment-Hub.com

Prostate Cancer Treatment With Radiation Therapy

There are several prostate cancer treatment options that are available. Radiation therapy, more commonly known as radiotherapy, is the most often prescribed prostate cancer treatment. Radiation therapy kills off your cancerous cells with high energy radiation beams. Although the technology now is already far more advanced as compared to many years ago; still, some normal body cells are inevitably get killed during the treatment process. A loss in your normal cells result in some of the side effects that you experience.

Radiation therapy for prostate cancer treatment can be used for all stages of the disease. If you are diagnosed as having early stage prostate cancer then radiation therapy can be used on its own. In this case, there is no need for surgery. Advanced stage cancers may require surgery followed by a course of radiation therapy for relief of pain associated with the disease.

There are two main ways in which radiation can be used as a prostate cancer treatment; internally and externally. The type of radiotherapy that will be recommended to you will be based on your circumstances and the extent of your cancer. You should get more information about the treatments and how they work from your oncologist.

The prostate cancer treatment known as brachytherapy, or internal radiation, works by implanting microbeads of radioactive material directly into your cancerous tissue. These microbeads kill the cancerous cells in the immediate vicinity. A very small number of normal body cells also become damaged in the process. You may also suffer from minor side effects such as urinary leakage and/or penile dysfunction.

Having internal radiotherapy as a prostate cancer treatment will mean you have to undergo keyhole surgery. This is a one-time procedure and involves a short stay in hospital. It is relatively expensive, however. Thus, your doctor will usually recommend this option where cure is still highly possible; in the instance where the cancerous cells have not spread to other parts of your body.

External radiation is the more commonly prescribed prostate cancer treatment. You may need to go to the hospital as often as five times per week. In this case the radiation beam penetrates through the skin, muscle and fat before it reaches the cancerous tissue of the prostate. Many normal body cells can be damaged. Thus with this form of treatment you tend to experience more severe and varied side effects than with the previous option.

In the course of this prostate cancer treatment, you may lose some of your pubic hair permanently. You may feel sore and dry in the area being treated. You may also suffer from incontinence, urinary and bowel discomfort. There is also a chance of impotence as the tissues around the prostate gland are affected. Hopefully, medical advancements can be made one day so that fewer normal body cells get damaged in the process.

Radiation therapy can be an exhausting process to go through. During this period, you are advised to take plenty of rest and to set all your worries aside.

Early detection helps in your recovery and your prostate cancer treatment. For more information, please visit the site at http://www.Prostate-Cancer-Treatment-Hub.com

How To Have Great Prostate Health

When you are young, you should have great prostate health. Even after the age of 50 you should also not be suffering from cancerous conditions because your body is designed to stop most cases of cancer before they even start i.e. mutated cells are killed by the immune system before even the smallest of tumours can form.

The above holds particularly true if you eat healthily and have healthy habits. Unfortunately it is hardly the case nowadays. Continued prostate health is not possible if you do not make certain necessary changes.

Firstly, your weight. It is important that you try to maintain your overall health and a sensible weight because obesity is one of the leading risk factors associated with bad prostate health and in particular prostate cancer. Obesity is often caused by a bad diet i.e. one containing large amounts of saturated fat and dairy products, in combination with a general lack of exercise.

Exercise strengthens the body and makes it harder for infections to take hold. Exercise does not have to involve an expensive gym; you can go for a jog or join in with an exercise video. Anything that increases your heart rate and burns excess fat will ultimately help to ensure continued prostate health.

Consuming a diet that comprises of plenty of fruit and fresh vegetables will help to keep the body?s immune system at its peak. Many of the produce contain antioxidants which are thought to get eliminate potentially harmful free radicals from the body.

You should also stop smoking. Your prostate health is likely to be affected if you smoking cigarettes or any nicotine containing product. Nicotine is a known carcinogenic i.e. cancer-causing chemical, and ingesting it on a daily basis can have severe effects on both your immune system and many of the systems that make up your body. While nicotine affects the respiratory system more than the rest of the body, prostate health can also suffer as a result of smoking.

You should also make an effort to learn the signs and symptoms commonly associated with bad prostate health such as urinary problems and penile dysfunction. By knowing what symptoms to look out for, you can be aware of any potential problems at their early stages. Getting yourself treated will be a much easier process.

Maintaining good prostate health is entirely up to you. Making a few small changes to your lifestyle can greatly reduce the chances of you developing a potentially lethal prostate condition. You should always go for regular medical check-ups, especially if you are over 50 years of age. Do not be embarrassed about seeking for medical help if you should experience symptoms of poor prostate health.

Early detection helps in your recovery and your prostate cancer treatment. For more information, please visit the site at http://www.Prostate-Cancer-Treatment-Hub.com