Prostate Cancer Diet A prostate cancer diet is extremely important if you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer — medical treatment is of course absolutely essential, but at the same your diet has substantial impact on the progression of the disease and should be modified appropriately.
Prostate cancer does not commonly cause death, but this is primarily because it usually occurs later in life and progresses relatively slowly. It is certainly a dangerous disease, and if detected early and treated promptly, along with diet and lifestyle modification, it can be managed quite well.
Diet and prostate cancer
Prostate cancer and nutrition have a definite and proven link. There are certain dietary excesses that can increase the risk of developing prostate cancer, while certain foods are able to actually decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer by 30 percent, or in fact any cancer.
Deficiencies of these foods can on the other hand increase the risk. Even if the disease has already set in, the same dietary rules apply — certain foods fight the disease, while others tend to speed up its progress. Substances that help fight prostate cancer include vitamins and selenium, a kind of mineral.
In extremely small amounts, selenium is an essential nutrient, and a deficiency of selenium seems to be a common factor among men who develop prostate cancer. Selenium can be obtained from meat, fish, eggs, and nuts. Fish and nuts provide the most benefits with the least associated risks. A good prostate cancer diet would be one that regularly provides you with a variety of fruits and vegetables, so as to ensure that you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Certain plant sources of food, such as soy and broccoli, are particularly beneficial, as they contain phytoestrogens and other phytochemicals that seem to have a therapeutic effect against prostate cancer. Lycopene is one phytochemical that has received attention recently, as preliminary research suggests that it may prevent prostate cancer. Lycopene is best obtained from tomatoes, so you should eat at least a cup of tomatoes or tomato products a week. Vitamin E and vitamin D also seem to be beneficial, and can be obtained from nuts, leafy vegetables, and fish. Green tea should also be a regular part of any diet for prostate cancer, as the polyphenols in the tea are thought to have a therapeutic effect.
If you are suffering from prostate cancer, these dietary guidelines will serve you well. In addition, like any other diet, a prostate cancer diet must be accompanied by a healthy lifestyle, with regular exercise and minimal stress. |
