Prostate cancer is one of the top diseases that affect men from all over the world. There are many different forms of traditional and holistic treatments that clinic health practitioners will surely recommend to help reduce or eliminate the risk of developing prostate cancer. Today, there are more and more men who are beginning to change their diet in an attempt to eradicate the disease or even prevent prostate cancer from ever forming in their bodies.
With more studies coming out about the ways to prevent cancer and the benefits from a healthy diet for prostate cancer patients, even for those who may have a history of prostate cancer or benign prostate hyperplasia, natural elements from our environment are quickly changing many men’s lifestyles in an attempt to protect themselves from diseases and improve their overall quality of life.
Even if a patient is undergoing other treatments or including medication like taking finasteride for BPH or prostate cancer, changing to a healthier diet can help boost the progress and effectiveness for a better outcome in the end.
Diet for Prostate Cancer Recovery
Once diagnosed with Prostate cancer, there are many things that the body is working hard to fight and rebuild, especially when undergoing aggressive treatment like chemotherapy and radiation. Along with the array of side effects that you have to face, it’s important to maintain a healthy intake of nutrients, minerals and vitamins, regardless of whether you have an appetite or not.
Studies have shown significant ties between cancer tumor growth and diet, which is why there are many books and resources that talk about Prostate cancer and diet choices and Prostate cancer diet treatments that are available today. One diet that has taken storm and has many people following for cancer treatment is the Imus Diet.
Imus Diet for Prostate Cancer
Many people may have heard of the remarkable Imus Diet for prostate cancer as being a tried and tested cure, but in reality it’s simply a lifestyle change that resorts to an organic vegan diet that eliminates meats and concentrates mostly on fruits and vegetables. While it is a healthy option for many different health issues like cancer, it’s not conclusive to be a “cancer cure”.
Diet and Prostate Cancer
While there is yet to be a Prostate cancer prevention diet or the ever sought after Prostate cancer diet cure that can work with everyone’s individual physiological makeup, there are several cancer prevention plans that incorporate particular dietary items that should be included regularly while others should be excluded.
Research has shown many promising signs from specialized diets in regards to the risk factors for developing prostate and how they can be eliminated to promote healthy cell growth and even prevent prostate tumors from developing.
In order to create a diet for prostate cancer prevention, there are a few key items that should be avoided, since they are suspected to aid tumor growth and help cancer cells to metastasize.
Things to Avoid:
- Oils: corn, canola or soybean
- Saturated fats
- Red meat
- Pickled or preserved foods
- High animal fat
- Highly salted foods
- High dairy fat
- High intake of calcium
- Zinc in high doses
- Heterocyclic Amines (from burnt or charred meats)
On the other hand, there are also a number of things that should be increased or added into a healthy diet for prostate cancer treatment since they are suspected of decreasing tumor cell growth and highly reduce chances of cancer to metastasize in the body.
Things to Include:
- Essential fatty acids
- Lycopene
- Selenium
- Vitamins
- Polyphenols
- Isoflavones
Essential fatty acids
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) like omega 3 and omega 6 have many different benefits to the body and have been studied for their positive effects on cancer patients. EFAs can be gained from cold water fish, shellfish along with some nuts and seeds like walnuts and sunflower seeds and flax seeds, which are the highest source of omega 3.
Lycopene
Although it may sound unusual, lycopene found in tomatoes is known to make its way directly to the prostate compared to many other nutrients and seems to be a factor in minimizing prostate cancer tumors. Fresh tomatoes and tomato paste are great sources of lycopene and should be included in a healthy daily diet.
Selenium
Selenium is known to be a very important part of a healthy immune system because it’s an essential component of an enzyme known as glutathione peroxidase, which helps fight dangerous foreign bodies in the system. Selenium is found in antioxidant rich foods like Brazil nuts, grains, fresh fish, mushrooms, oats and wheat germ.
Vitamins
Vitamins always play an important role for the development of a healthy body and when it comes to prostate cancer, there are a few major vitamins that should always be included in a daily diet.
Vitamin B Complex
The B complex vitamins are known to help boost the immune system and promote healthy cell growth while also inhibiting cancer cell growth. Some of the best sources of B complex vitamins are:
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Black beans
- Black-eyed peas
- Broccoli
- Chinese cabbage
- Eggs
- Pinto beans
- Red kidney beans
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a well-known source that helps boost the immune system and has a wonderful antioxidant function to help promote a healthy body. It’s one of the top requirements for a good Prostate cancer diet and should be eaten in a raw state since heat will destroy some of the vitamin c in the foods.
Some of the top sources are:
- Berries: strawberries, cranberries, blueberries
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupes
- Citrus fruits: kiwis, oranges, lemon, lime, grapefruit, bell peppers
- Collard greens
- Green peas
- Kale
- Mango
- Papaya
- Spinach
- Turnip
- Watermelon
Vitamin D
Although not conclusive, there have been several research studies showing vitamin D as a cancer cell inhibitor, which is why choosing foods rich in Vitamin D along with adequate sun exposure is recommended to a healthy body.
Some sourced include:
- Catfish
- Eggs
- Halibut
- Mackerel
- Mushrooms
- Rockfish
- Sardines
- Sockeye salmon
- Swordfish
- Trout
- Tuna
- Yeast
Polyphenols
They are said to inhibit tumor cell growth among other positive health benefits for anyone suffering from prostate cancer. While there is still much debate about polyphenols, they are highly regarded in many countries for healing and promoting healthy development in the body.
Some of the main sources of polyphenols are:
- Algae
- Green tea
- Red grapes
- Red grape juice
- Red wine
Isoflavones
Many isoflavones are considered to me phytoestrogens, which are plant-based chemicals that are known to behave like human estrogen in humans. They are considered an important part of a prostate cancer diet since phytoestrogen is thought to be a tumor growth inhibitor.
Some nutritional sources of isoflavones are:
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Chick peas
- Green beans
- Miso
- Peanuts
- Red clover blossom and sprout
- Soybeans
- Tofu
Creating a diet for prostate cancer will not fully cure the disease; however it will greatly improve overall health and ability to fight off several side effects from certain cancer treatments. Making sure there is a good balance of nutrients, minerals and vitamins is one of the ways to prevent prostate cancer and fight the disease head on for a happier and stronger life.
