Prostrate Problems Can Be Avoided
If you're over 40, you've got a ticking time bomb in your
backside. It's called benign prostatic hyperplasia...or BPH for
short. This is the number one problem in older men.
Your prostate is normally about the size and shape of a walnut
and is located at the base of your penis. It surrounds your
urethra - the tube your urine flows through - and that's exactly
why it's likely to cause you problems.
As you get older, your prostate grows and begins to squeeze the
urethra and obstruct normal flow. Most men's prostates begin
enlarging after 40. If you make it to eighty, you have an 80%
chance of having BPH.
So, what are the symptoms of BPH?
* Constant urge to urinate * Frequent nighttime urination *
Dribbling or leaking after urination * Difficulty starting
urination * A weak stream * Never feeling the bladder is empty
Factors that increase your risk
The major factors that increase your risk of developing BPH
include: * Your medical history * Family history * Diet *
Hormone levels
Prevention strategies
It's never too early to start preventing BPH...You can save
yourself a lot of problems later. And if you already have the
symptoms - you can keep them from getting worse.
Here are some simple and easy precautions you can take right now:
1. Get enough Omega-3 fatty acids: These are the essential fatty
acids in fish, eggs, nuts and flax seed oil. You can get them by
eating one of these foods every day...remember most fish that
provide Omega-3 are contaminated with mercury...or by taking a
supplement.
Studies have shown Omega-3 seems to stop the conversion of the
chemical that triggers prostate growth. The recommended dose is
between 3 and 6 grams a day.
2. Eat healthy: Basically, cut down on the crap ... sugars,
hydrogenated oils...the things that tend to cause inflammation.
Get plenty of protein and veggies. And, to be safe, add a good,
natural food base, multivitamin.
3. Watch your DHT levels: Most doctors will tell you that
testosterone is the cause of prostate enlargement and give you
treatments to reduce it. Now that's great! The very thing that
makes you male and gives you your virility is being taken away
from you. Dr. Al Sears wrote, "Testosterone is one of many
related steroid hormones. Several are interconverted.
Testosterone, for instance, can be converted into estrogens. But
testosterone can also be converted into DHT. DHT is 9 times more
powerful at stimulating growth of prostate tissue than
testosterone is.
Testosterone maintains normal health of your prostate but DHT
stimulates an overgrowth. DHT sends signals to the prostate
tissue, making it swell. As the tissue swells, it impinges on
the surrounding urinary and reproductive systems. (DHT is also
the chemical that causes men to develop male pattern baldness.)
Your body converts testosterone to DHT with an enzyme called
5-alpha reductase. Exposure to stress and steroid related toxins
in the environment appear to increase the activity of 5-alpha
reductase. This deals a double blow to your manhood. It robs you
of testosterone and it increases DHT.
But, without the presence of 5-alpha reductase, testosterone
will not convert into DHT. And this is the concept behind
well-designed BPH treatments. If you can block the action of the
5-alpha reductase, you can prevent and treat prostate
enlargement while increasing, not lowering your testosterone.
Dr. Sears goes on to say, "You can stop 5-alpha reductase from
making DHT with natural supplements. The best inhibitors of
5-alpha reductase come to us in the form of plant sterols. I've
talked about some of these supplements before. Saw palmetto,
pygeum, and pumpkinseed are the "big three".
4. Get a regular exam: BPH and the worst case, prostate cancer
aren't something to fool around with. Especially if you're over
40, you should see your doctor for a prostate check-up once a
year. Include hormone blood tests, physical exam, and a
comprehensive PSA test in your routine.