Prostate Health
Prostate, What?!: The prostate is a walnut-size gland that wraps around the tube (urethra) that moves urine from the bladder & out through the penis. The prostate makes the fluid part of semen. As men age, the prostate tends to enlarge & if it enlarges too much, it becomes difficult to urinate. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) & Prostate Cancer are the diagnoses associated with an enlarged prostate. Report changes in urination (e.g., frequency, dribble, amount, flow) to your doctor & if you are approaching the age of 50, request an annual prostate exam & PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) blood test. The health of your prostate is depending on you.
Prostate Problems: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) & Prostate Cancer have similar symptoms. Some of these symptoms are urgency (sudden need to urinate), frequent urge to urinate, trouble starting to urinate, pushing to release urine, weak/dribbling urine flow, urination that starts & stops and a feeling like the bladder is never empty. In general, BPH symptoms will appear sooner than Prostate Cancer symptoms. That’s why it is important to get an annual physical exam & PSA blood test. Other symptoms are painful or burning urination, blood in urine, trouble getting an erection, painful ejaculations &/or less ejaculation fluid. Stay alert to all these symptoms & report them to your doctor. Diagnosing BPH & Prostate Cancer early is the best way to address these diagnoses.
BPH, Because: Although the exact cause of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is unknown, we do know that multiple factors are associated with it. 50 to 60% of males in their 60s and 80 to 90% of males over 70 are diagnosed with BPH. Some BPH risk factors are poor nutrition/diet (e.g., Standard American Diet, excessive alcohol, heavy caffeine, high vitamin C supplements), lack of exercise, family history, obesity, diabetes, bladder muscle inflammation, low grade/chronic prostatic duct compression, autoimmune disorders, high estrogen levels & metabolic syndrome (e.g., hypertension, glucose intolerance/insulin resistance, generalized inflammation). Nutrition, exercise & stress reduction are the best ways to care for one’s prostate.
BPH Treatments: There are many ways to treat BPH. Treatment choices are determined by a person’s age, prostate size, overall health, symptom severity, potential side effects & individual preference. Depending on the extent of the symptoms, a ‘wait & see’ approach with periodic check-ups may be a first option. Medications can be used to shrink the prostate and/or relax the muscles of the urethra (tube for urine flow). There are many procedure types & each comes with its own list of pros/cons. Current procedures are TURP, TUIP, TUNA, TUMT, laser therapy, prostatic lift, water vapor thermal therapy (steam), robotic waterjet ablation therapy, robotic/traditional prostatectomies, prostatic artery embolization (PAE). Discuss the best treatment options with your doctor.
Prostate Cancer Treatments: Prostate Cancer treatments will vary by age, health & the cancer’s progression. Some common ways to treat prostate cancer are observation/active surveillance, surgery/radiation therapy, cryotherapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound, ablative treatments, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immune therapy & target drug therapy. Treatments are usually tried one at a time & may vary if the cancer spreads to the bones. Providers who address prostate cancer could be urologists, radiation oncologists and/or medical oncologists. Discussing various treatment options should include personal feelings, life circumstance, potential side effects, co-morbidities, life expectancy and stage/grade of cancer. Include your loved ones in the discussions & decisions made with your doctor.
Lifestyle Changes: Involving a medical team early in a BPH or Prostate Cancer diagnosis is most important. In conjunction with a medical team, explore the impact of lifestyle changes to prevent or promote the healing needed to support medical interventions. Healthy lifestyles, including good overall nutrition, exercise & relaxation, will help. Studies, highlighted on NutritionFacts.org & by Dr. Dean Ornish, have shown positive impact on prostate health. Foods such as pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, cranberry powder & those containing lycopene (e.g., tomato sauce, tomato paste) contribute to a healthy prostate. Help yourself & your doctor to deliver the best prostate care possible by learning how plant-based nutrition, routine exercise & reducing stress positively impacts prostate health.