September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, so if you’re male and 45-50 years old, it’s a good time to explore ways to support prostate health for you and/or those you care for.
- Get your prostate checked regularly, and pay attention to changes in urinary color, flow and comfort. Please don’t put off getting checked!
- Stay well hydrated, and pee when you need to. Urinary tract infections can trigger or worsen prostate inflammation (prostatitis).
- Always practice safe sex, and get checked regularly for STI. Infections affecting the prostate and pelvic region can cause cellular and tissue damage, increasing inflammation and the development of BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) over time.
- Move regularly: exercise improves all aspects of prostate health. If you’re an avid cyclist, make sure your seat angle and type are adjusted to put the least pressure on your soft tissues. Adding Kegel exercises into your regular routine can also enhance pelvic circulation and help maintain sexual, prostate and overall genitourinary health.
- Eat your zinc (nuts and seeds, legumes, poultry) selenium (eggs, brown rice, fish), and cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts): these nutrients are essential for healthy prostate function.
- Control inflammation with diet and herbs. Get omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, antioxidants from berries, green tea, dark chocolate, and leafy greens. Cooked tomatoes are a great source of lycopene (a polyphenol known for supporting prostate health), so eat your pasta sauce! Herbs are potent sources of antioxidants, so spice your food freely and incorporate herbal teas into your daily routine.
- There is a correlation between high dairy milk consumption (1 cup and above) and prostate cancer risk (possibly due to either innate or added growth hormones), so if you’re over 50, you may want to keep cow’s milk to a minimum.
- Limit red, cured and smoked meat, saturated fats, and ultraprocessed foods. These increase the production of LPS (lipopolysaccharide, a toxic by-product of bacteria), which encourages harmful gut bacteria. This leads to increased inflammation throughout the body, including the prostate gland.
Aside from getting checked regularly, the most important thing is to control inflammation as much as possible. A diet high in fresh, antioxidant-rich foods is your best defense, helping to prevent damage to DNA and tissues and keep your prostate as healthy as it can be throughout your life.