Prostate Health

Optimum Nutrition and Lifestyle for Fighting Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is a modern disease, much more common now than it was 50 years ago, and largely caused by what we eat, and how we live. By optimizing health, and reversing the conditions, which lead to the development of prostate cancer, we would expect to see a slowing of the cancer, or improved cancer control.

Everybody with prostate cancer can follow this plan, with individual modifications. Sometimes it can be followed on its own in a watchful waiting program, but more often it would be employed along with standard treatments to maximize the effectiveness of the conventional therapy. It can also be used if a conventional treatment did not cure or control the cancer. Patients who are malnourished, or have a reduced appetite and weight loss should not follow this exact plan. They need a diet with more emphasis on extra calories and protein.

Dietary Recommendations

• Eat more natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (beans). The closer a food is to its natural state, the healthier it is for you. Avoid heavily processed foods.
• Everyday, aim for 5-10 or more servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit, and two or more servings of legumes (beans)including tofu or other soy products. Fruit is a good component for lunch or dinner, or even as a snack.
• Eat a moderately reduced fat diet. Avoid adding butter, margarine, oils, or other fats to your foods, except small quantities of olive oil or cold-pressed sesame oil. Eliminate trans-fatty acids and hydrogenated oils, such as are found in margarine. Many vegetable oils like corn oil, and saturated animal fats can worsen prostate cancer. Omega-3 oils found in some fish and flaxseed can be beneficial.
• Reduce the amount of sugar. Avoid cakes, donuts, candy bars, sodas, and other ''simple carbohydrate'' sweet foods. Sugar is one of the preferred fuels of cancer cells.
• Reduce the amount of refined white wheat and other refined carbohydrates. These are quickly converted to sugar in the body, and wheat may also be a source of food allergies.
• Avoid dairy products. Dairy fat is very bad for prostate cancer. Fat free dairy products may be fine for some, but can be harmful to those with dairy allergies, and possibly may increase IGF-1 levels, which is bad for prostate cancer.
• Reduce (or eliminate) the meat in your diet. Instead of eating meat 10-20 times per week, eat meat 0-7 times per week. Eat smaller portions. Organic free-range lean meat is the best, to avoid unhealthy fat, steroids, and pesticides, but it is also expensive and harder to find. Try soy based meat substitutes. A vegetarian diet is a healthy option.
• Fish can be healthy, especially cold-water dark-fleshed fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, and pickerel. Soy and fish are good sources of protein.
• Reduce your intake of egg yokes because of the saturated fat. If you do eat eggs, free-range organic eggs are best.
• Eat lots of cooked tomato products. The lycopenes in tomatoes are proven prostate cancer fighters.
• Beverages: do not drink diet or regular soft drinks. Diluted real fruit juice is okay, but should not exceed two glasses per day. Several glasses a day of purified or filtered water are always the best option. Organic coffee in moderation appears to be okay. Green tea is a great drink for its anticancer and antioxidant effects. Reduce alcohol intake to 0-2 drinks per day, preferably red wine which is the healthiest form of alcohol.
• Eat soy. Soy contains cancer-fighting isoflavones like genistein, and is a great source of vegetarian protein. Eat soy based veggie burgers, hot dogs, and fake ground meat, instead of the real thing. Blend soy protein powder with fruit, juice or soy yogurt, and ice for a breakfast or snack. You can also add soy protein powder to hot cereals such as oatmeal. Experiment with stir-frying firm tofu. Use soft silken tofu in sauces and dips.
• If you are overweight, consider restricting daily calorie intake to 1750-2000 calories. Moderate calorie restriction can have several health benefits.
• Some will benefit from avoiding certain foods based on other individual factors such as food allergies.

Lifestyle Changes

• Exercises at least 3 times a week for at least 20-30 minutes at a time. Briskly walking 2 miles four times a week would be an example. Exercise stimulates the immune system, strengthens the cardiovascular system and helps you maintain a good weight, which is beneficial for your overall health.
• If you are overweight, strive to reach your optimal weight through healthy eating and exercise.
• If you smoke, you should quit because your immune system will not work optimally while you continue smoking.
• Reduce your stress. Practice relaxation techniques and limit your caffeine intake. Stress will suppress your immune system.