Prostate Implosion – The Anatomy of A Plague

Prostate cancer is set to become the largest killer of Australian men by the end of this decade – yet the vast majority of men have no idea what function this little gland performs in our bodies, let alone how to look after it! This article is designed to correct that situation and will attempt to answer several questions, including the following:

• Why do 95% of us go to our graves with a compromised prostate (even if it didn’t put us there)?
• Why do we meekly suffer the urinary disruption and sexual malfunction associated with prostate problems with barely a whimper of discontent?
• and Why has the health and longevity of this little sex gland deteriorated so dramatically during the past ten decades?

In the pages that follow I will provide you with the recipe to successfully reclaim responsibility for the health of the prostate and I will strive to help you reduce your reliance upon pharmaceuticals and intrusive medical procedures.

The Prostate’s Role

Sperm moves from its production site in the testicles to the prostate gland, where extra fluid containing protective and supportive nutrients is added. This walnut-sized donut wraps around the urethra (urine transporting tube) and serves as both a gland and a muscle to contract and propel the sperm toward its destination. However, the prostate is more than a tool to nourish and deliver sperm. The prostate is a vital centre from which men derive their vitality, creative energy and sexual energy. It is even called “the male G spot” in some circles. From a mind/body perspective, the prostate, as the centre point of male sexuality, is uniquely vulnerable.

Emotional stress can fuel prostate problems, particularly if that stress is linked to guilt or bitterness, the two most destructive of human emotions. Similarly, disappointments, feelings of inadequacy and insecurity and similar unreleased emotions can store in the prostate and manifest as physical prostate problems.

Eastern cultures have always seen the prostate as an essential component of male vitality, creativity and drive and there is far greater resistance to prostate removal as a treatment option, for fear of “losing the spark”.

Research associated with the science of psychoneuroimmunology is revealing a compelling picture of the potent link between emotions and illness. It has been shown that unreleased or “stuck” emotions, often termed “adhesions”, can create energy blockages and eventually physical blockages, largely linked to the restriction of blood and oxygen. Strategies to address these blockages have not yet progressed beyond phamaceutical symptom-treating in conventional medicine, but there has been more promising progress amongst alternative therapists.

The deep tissue body work of Ida Rolf and others, for example, has achieved remarkable results in terms of releasing these adhesions. Stress-induced muscle tension limits blood flow to the prostate and reduces the essential cleansing required for a gland that also serves as a superfine filter to remove toxins. The prostate removes toxins to protect the sperm. Our world features a sea of toxins that has demonstrably overwhelmed this little filter. Part of the reason that prostate problems escalate beyond fifty is the cumulative effect of toxic overload and associated prostate exhaustion.

Masturbate for Prostate Health

A recent Australian study of 2250 subjects found that those who masturbated most between the ages of 20 and 50 were least likely to get prostate cancer. Research leader, Dr. Graham Giles, calls it the “prostate stagnation hypothesis” where flushing the ducts regularly removes accumulated toxins and improves strength and resistance (similar to the effect of breastfeeding on breast cancer rates). Intercourse can have a similar effect, but not in the case of multiple partners, which has been linked to a 40% increase in the likelihood of prostate cancer due to associated STIs.

It’s remarkable to see such a turnaround in relation to masturbation in just a couple of generations. I have graphic memories of my mother surprising me in my bed one morning and pulling back the bed sheets to find her 14-year-old 'exploring himself'. She burst into tears and rushed from the room. She waited, in a heartbroken state of mourning, all day for my dad to come home, whereby he solemnly warned me of the likelihood of insanity (and developing hairy knuckles) if I was to continue with this dangerous practice. How the world has changed. Now, just 40 years later, am I expected to finance a porn subscription for my sons to ensure their future prostate health?

The Scale Of The Problem

200,000 Americans are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in what is now the most common form of cancer in men. 38,000 die each year and 37,000 have their prostates removed. 50% of men over 40 have enlarged prostates and that figure becomes 75% at age 65 and 90% by age 80! In Australia, 3000 men die from prostate cancer each year and 18,700 of us are diagnosed with the disease. 50% of all men will be diagnosed with prostatitis at some point in their lives and prostate cancer will soon overtake heart disease as the largest killer of Australian men.

When Big Is Not Better: Enlarged Prostate

There are three key prostate problems based upon infection, inflammation, hypertrophy and cancer. The most common of these is a condition where the prostate increases in size and presses upon the urethra, causing a series of symptoms. Benign Prostate Enlargement (BPE) is an affliction so common after age 50, that it is now virtually considered “normal”.

The swelling of the donut can occur on either side, but if it squeezes the urethra, then the urination difficulties will occur. As the problem progresses, the bladder muscle becomes irritated and enlarged through contracting against increased resistance. Eventually, the bladder is unable to empty completely and then unable to empty at all. The residual urine can cause more serious kidney malfunction and bladder problems. Ten million American men currently experience any or all of the following:

• Nocturia – Frequent urination (usually during the night).
• Reduced amount and force of urine stream.
• Urinary urgency.
• Leaking or dribbling.
• Urinary retention (inability to pass urine).

Transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP is the principle medical “solution”. Often called “reaming out the prostate” or a “rebore”, this procedure involves cutting away the offending prostate tissue to relieve the pressure. The problem here is that subsequent scar tissue can create the very problem the surgery was trying to solve. It is important to embrace practices that have been shown to reduce prostate size even if you have had a rebore as this will reduce the potential of future problems with scar tissue.

Finasteride (Proscar) is the most popular prescription for enlarged prostate. This drug shuts down an enzyme called 5 alpha-reductase which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The theory is that too much testosterone fuels too much DHT, which causes prostate cells to proliferate. Sexual side-effects of this drug include decreased libido, impotence and ejaculatory disorders and new research suggests that it increases the risk of developing prostate cancer. The problem with the  DHT theory is that testosterone levels decrease with age and yet prostates keep growing. Finasteride decreases DHT by 80% but there is only an 18% reduction in prostate size. Only **38% **of patients experience any symptom reduction after 12 months of treatment so it can be hard to justify the side effects with such mediocre success rates.

Prostatitis – The Root Cause  of BPE

It is now thought that some form of prostatitis is behind BPE, In fact, there appears to be a strong link between all three main prostate disorders and they may be a continuum. There are three forms of prostatitis including:

1. Acute bacterial prostatitis – this condition features painful, urgent, frequent urination and often fever. It is caused by bacteria that have migrated from the urinary tract. It is important to seek immediate attention if fever is present, as there is a potential for serious systemic infection. Six weeks of antibiotics is the standard treatment but this course should always be followed with 6 months of probiotic supplementation to fully replace the beneficial gut organisms killed by the antibiotics. Recent research has revealed that it takes this long term bug replacement therapy just to get back in the game.

2. Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a longer-term condition characterised by vague, persistent lower back and perineal pain. The perineum is the area between the scrotum and anus. Frequency, urgency and pain associated with urination are common with this disorder. The conventional treatment involves 3 months of antibiotics but the cure rate is less than 50% because of limited blood flow to the region, which compromises delivery of the  antibiotics. The offending bacteria also exude a protective biofilm that further limits the impact of the antibiotics. The best strategy here is to adopt an approach that maximises the effect of the antibiotic or natural biocide you have selected for treatment.

3. Chronic non-bacterial prostatitis is more common and is based upon inflammation. Inflammation has now been linked to most degenerative disorders. It is always best to address the root cause of the issue, rather than treating symptoms with anti-inflammatory drugs. One strong link to inflammation is a poor omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. The ratio should be 2 to 1 but is currently 20 to 1 in Australia. Omega-3 fatty acids are the building blocks for anti-inflamatory prostaglandins while omega-6 fatty acids sponsor the inflammatory response.

Prostate Cancer – The Thief in the Night

Unlike the other prostate disorders, prostate cancer is often undetectable in the early stages, so its diagnosis can often come as un unpleasant surprise. Unusually, there is no scientific evidence that early detection, or even treatment, has any marked effect upon the incidence of death from this cancer.

In fact, the converse is often true. Intrusive procedures can be counterproductive and it really represents the failure of the modern medical machine that a strategy called “watchful waiting” is outperforming the interventionist approach. There is particular concern with the procedure of biopsy, where some prostate tissue is surgically removed for further analysis. I have been approached by numerous men during my prostate presentations around the world who have experienced serious complications associated with what seems a fairly basic procedure. The most common problem is serious systemic infection, which can kick in 1 – 3 days after the biopsy.

Prostate cancer is the most common form of malignancy found in men. Autopsy reports involving deaths  from other causes show that  at 50 years of age 30% of all men had undetected prostate cancer and after 90 virtually everyone has developed the disease. While short-term survival rates are as high as 90%, 35% of patients require more treatment within 5 years and 78% within 10 years. While this plague disease is the slowest of the cancer killers, it is apparent that the prevailing treatment of symptoms is only slowing the flow and we need to address the root cause.

The Seven Secrets of Prostate Health

If we acknowledge that a more holistic approach is required, then we should be addressing seven factors to achieve prostate health. These include the following:

1. Improving hormonal balance.
2. Neutralising microbial infections.
3. Addressing toxicity from within and without.
4. Correcting mineral balance.
5. Amending diet.
6. Reducing stress.
7. Recognising the sexual link .

The Delicate Dance of The Hormones

Research suggests that hormone balance is a major player in prostate health. The delicate interplay between testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and cortisol is as important for the prostate as it is for heart health. US specialist, Dr John Lee, dedicated his later years to driving home the critical importance of progesterone in battling both breast and prostate cancer. It is now understood that excess estrogen, usually as estradiol, does not just increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer, it can cause both diseases. Progesterone balances out the many estrogen negatives. In a remarkable balancing act that is replicated with many nutrients and biochemicals throughout the body, progesterone compensates for estrogen excess.

Men make about half the progesterone produced by women and this hormone is used to inhibit the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase, which converts testosterone to the undesirable di-hydro testosterone (DHT). The drug Proscar and the herb Saw Palmetto also inhibit this enzyme, but much less effectively than progesterone. Prostate enlargement and prostate cancer are both directly related to estradiol running rampant in the absence of a balancing mechanism. 10 mg per day of a natural progesterone cream applied to the skin can neutralise estrogen negatives and has even reversed metastatic prostate cancers in many cases.

Apoptosis is orderly, pre-programmed cell death which is part of the normal cell replacement process. Deregulation of apoptosis is linked to disorders ranging from cancer and neurodegeneration to autoimmunity and heart disease. Genetic research has identified two genes responsible for regulating apoptosis called p53 and bc12. If bc12 dominates, it will push cells to cancer. If p53 rules, the opposite occurs. One of the hopes for a cancer cure is to find agents that turn on p53 and turn off bc12. The exciting news is that estradiol activates bc12 while progesterone turns on the anti-cancer gene p53. Dr Lee’s research shows that breast cancer cells stop multiplying when a woman is taking progesterone.

Death By Gut Fat

Why is it that hormone imbalance has virtually become part of the journey when we pass 40? Why do testosterone, progesterone and DHEA levels decline while estrogen and cortisol rise? There are several reasons involving lifestyle toxins and nutrition, but a potent contributor is the increased abdominal fat that is so common in males from 40 years on. This “beer gut”, which is normally accompanied by a loss of muscle, often has more to do with declining testosterone than consumption of beer. Erection problems and mild depression are other symptoms of this hormonal change. The massive popularity of viagra is testimony to the scale of the problem!

Gut fat is now virtually regarded as an organ in its own right except that, unlike other organs, it does nothing positive. In fact the best way to dramatically increase your odds of surviving the top ten degenerative killers is to lose the gut (a 500% better chance!)

Abdominal fat cells produce estrogen but they also produce aromatase, an enzyme that converts your testosterone into estrogen. These fat cells release biochemicals that interfere with leptin, a hormone that normally dampens appetite after food, and they produce a hormone called adiponectin, which increases insulin resistance. They also release cytokines called tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6, which increase the inflammation linked to most diseases, including prostate problems.

The Candida Connection

At a recent prostate conference a South American researcher stated that he had found candida infections in 13% of the patients he had checked. Candida is a yeast that is present in all of us but it is normally kept in check by beneficial gut organisms. Unfortunately, our probiotic organisms are assaulted on a daily basis with antibiotics, food stabilisers, stress, drugs and the contraceptive pill. Consequently, candida overgrowths are very common. Some researchers claim that candida is negatively affecting over 50% of the population!

This may be a major issue in light of recent controversial claims linking candida to cancer. Candida may be a player in your prostatitis if you have had no response from antibiotics. The first step is to determine the presence and scale of the overgrowth and the best way to achieve this is with live blood testing. If the live blood on the slide is left to die (usually involving 15 minutes) and then observed under the microscope, the  presence of a systemic infestation is determined by popcorn-like shapes that appear between the red blood cells. Interestingly, live blood practitioners confirm that every cancer patient, without exception, looks like a bag of popcorn has been poured into their blood.

I had personally suffered from prostatitis for two years and was unable to beat it with antibiotics (natural or conventional). A live blood practitioner confirmed that candida was my issue and I was eventually able to solve my problem by killing the candida. However, this is notoriously difficult to achieve and I literally utilised the complete program listed below to combat the invaders.

The starting point is to adopt an anti-candida diet for at least four weeks. It is critically important to remove sugar and carbohydrates from your diet as these creatures feed on sugar and you need to starve them out. Any food containing yeast must also be avoided. This means no bread, potatoes, beer, fruit, cereal, soft drinks, baked goods etc etc. Steroidal painkillers are also a food for candida. Then you need to hit them with a combination of anti-fungal herbs, immune stimulants and probiotics. This 3-pronged attack combined with the restrictive diet usually works. You can monitor your progress with a follow-up, live blood analysis.

The Top Twelve Candida Killers

1. Garlic – eat 2 cloves per day, which is roughly equivalent to 6 kyolic tablets and more effective. However you must bruise the garlic with a meat tenderiser, or similar, and wait  for 11 minutes before consuming the cloves. There are two ingredients that must be oxidized before they can bond together to create the powerhouse biochemical allicin. This is the active ingredient that is largely responsible for the protective qualities of garlic. If you want to remove the garlic odour from your breath, then consume a combination of freshly squeezed orange juice and a couple of sprigs of parsley.

2. Oregano oil – this is a powerful fungicide, which is included in most anti-candida formulas.

3. Bio-Bubble™ – this broad spectrum probiotic, taken in high doses, can help restore the balance of beneficial gut organisms, as candida is a classic symptom of dysbiosis (unbalanced gut flora). Two x 2 L bottles per week has proven effective.

4. Horopito – this NZ herb is a very promising fungicide and is readily available in Australia.

5. Caprylic acid – this fatty acid derived from coconuts and found in breast milk offers powerful candida control.

6. Olive leaf extract – Oleuropein kills both fungi and bacterial pathogens and is also a powerful antioxidant.

7. Wormwood – this herb, which is highly effective against internal parasites, is also fungicidal.

8. Pau D’arco bark –the bark of this South American rainforest tree contains luxury levels of napthaquinones, which are powerful immune stimulants and also have anti-fungal properties.

9. Black walnut hulls – this is another parasite killer and fungicide in one.

10. Xylitol – If you are addicted to the most addictive substance known to man, then you can still indulge your sweet tooth with the only sugar that kills rather than feeds candida.

11. Ganaderma – This is a mushroom extract that may prove to be the most powerful of all immune stimulants. The immune system must be firing on all cylinders to beat this insidious overgrowth.

12. Stabilised oxygen – Candida do not do well in a highly oxygenated environment.

Cadmium Kills

The heavy metal, cadmium is a major, often unrecognised player in prostate cancer.

Researchers trigger a tumor to develop on a lab rat’s prostate by simply adding a specific dose of cadmium based on the weight of each rat. It takes just 2 months for the prostate tumour to form! The biggest source of cadmium contamination comes from cigarettes, which contain 3 mcg per cigarette. The body can manage just 3 mcg per day. Welding rods also contain cadmium, as does paint and diesel. Metal workers have 4 times more prostate cancer than any other profession.

Cadmium, like zinc, hangs out in the prostate and it does so more readily when zinc levels are low. Zinc can also displace cadmium from the prostate. Coriander pesto is a powerful chelator of both mercury and cadmium. However, you should not use this coriander concentrate if you have a mouthful of amalgams as it can sponsor an increased leaching of toxic methyl mercury from the fillings.

Mouth Health and Prostate Health

There appears to be a direct link between infections in the mouth and problems in the prostate. Leading biological dentist, Dr Harold Ravens, states that “we have not been able to locate a man with prostate problems who had a clean mouth”. Researchers at The University of Southern California have shown that the same bacteria that reside in prostate patient’s mouths also reside in their prostate glands.

There are four steps to a healthy mouth, including the following:

1. Have your root canals checked – checking your root canals is important, as there are two miles of tubules in every tooth and it is very difficult to guarantee that any infection has been completely removed. Lingering infections can spread to the jawbone and very often end up in the prostate. This is most likely when no pain is felt due to the removal of a nerve.

2. Treat gum diseases immediately – bleeding or sore gums should be addressed urgently, as they reflect poor immunity and nutrient deficiencies and have been linked to both cancer and heart disease. The most common cause is vitamin C deficiency, as bleeding gums is a feature of scurvy. The antioxidants vitamins A, C, D and E are all important and activated oxygen.

3. Have your amalgams removed – mercury is the most toxic metal on earth and there is no safe level in the human body. Amalgams comprise 56% mercury, which leaches as methyl mercury at 3 mcg to 17 mcg per day according to WHO. Cleaning teeth, eating food and chewing gum can all sponsor release of methyl mercury. Mercury has been shown to interfere with cellular communication, damage the heart and kidneys, negatively affect hormone balance and function, damage the central nervous system and sponsor depression. It is also impossible to get rid of candida if you have amalgams and, once again, you should never try any form of mercury chelation while you still have amalgams as it will pull mercury from your mouth into your body.

4. Find a good biological dentist – the removal of amalgams can be dangerous unless it is done correctly. Dr Eric Davis in Brisbane and Dr Ron Ehrlich from Sydney are two Australian leaders in this field.

Think Zinc For Prostate Protection

Eight key nutrients are proven prostate supporters and several of these are deficient in most men. They include zinc, selenium, vitamin E, lycopene, omega-3 fatty acids, specific amino acids, magnesium and vitamin K.

Zinc is the single most important prostate nutrient and yet 80% – 90% of Australian men are deficient in this mineral. Healthy prostate tissue should contain more zinc than any other tissue in the body. Numerous researchers have found a link between zinc deficiency, enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. For example, Zaicheick et al found 7 times more zinc in healthy prostates than those with cancer.

Costello et al found a fascinating correlation between citrate metabolism, zinc accumulation and prostate cancer. They found that a healthy prostate accumulates and secretes exceptional levels of citrate from the prostate epithelial cells. They found that the secretion dropped in the absence of zinc and that the accumulation of zinc inhibits an enzyme that causes citrate oxidation. They also found that testosterone regulates accumulation of zinc in the prostate epithelial cells that produce citrate.

Two of the biggest players in prostate cancer are cadmium and excess estrogen. Zinc is intimately linked to both. The likelihood of cadmium entering the prostate is governed by zinc. Just like low calcium encourages lead absorption, low zinc encourages cadmium absorption. If cadmium has already gained a foothold in the prostate (often through smoking) then zinc is even more important, as it can displace cadmium from the prostate.

Abdominal fat cells produce an enzyme called aromatase, which converts your testosterone into estrogen (which feeds cancer cells). This is why some obese men grow breasts and can become impotent. Zinc is a very powerful aromatase inhibitor. 30 to 50 mg of chelated zinc should be taken last thing before bed each night, as it otherwise tends to lock up with phytic acid, a natural acid found in cereal grains.

The Selenium Secret

In 6 months of food testing in South Australia by the CSIRO in 2005, researchers were unable to detect a single ppm of selenium in any food tested. We all need to be supplementing with this protective antioxidant mineral at 200 mcg per day

In a small study published in JAMA in 1996, 200 mcg of selenium as yeast was linked to a marked reduction in prostate cancer occurrence over a 4.5 year period. i.e. 35 in the control group vs. just 13 in the treated group. Selenium is both a detox agent and an immune supporter.

Anti-inflammator-E

Vitamin E is both an antioxidant and selenium synergist, and it is an anti-inflammatory in its own right. In a large randomised study involving smokers, those supplementing with 50 mg of s-tocopherol had 32% less incidence of prostate cancer and 41% less deaths, but there have been mixed results with other studies. High doses can give a negative result.

Part of the reason for the mixed results is the fact that there are 8 forms of vitamin E, four tocopherols and four tocotrienals and they appear to work in concert (just like the carotenes and the B vitamins). All of the research has only looked at one of the tocopherols. Recent findings suggest that the tocotrienals may be 40 times more potent as anti-oxidants than the tocopherols. Red palm oil contains the highest known food source of all four tocotrienals and it contains 7 of the 8 forms of vitamin E. This remarkable oil is also the highest source of carotenes!

Red Medicine

Lycopene is a carotene (found in tomatoes, red paw paw, watermelon etc) that is a powerful antioxidant and is involved in cellular communication. A Harvard study found that a diet rich in lycopene was responsible for a 21 – 42% reduction in prostate cancer. The research to this point suggests you are better to source this nutrient from foods rather than supplements, probably because it needs the other carotenes.

It is most effective when tomatoes are cooked, as this breaks the cell walls to release the goodies. It is also fat soluble, so spaghetti sauce with oil added is perfect. Just pay the extra 20% for organic!

The Good Oil

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are required to maintain the health of every cell in the body. Classic deficiency signs include: depression, mood disorders, memory loss, hyperactivity, anxiety, dry flaking skin, arthritis, muscle spasms, food allergies, fatigue, hypoglycemia and increased body fat. EFAs aid in maintaining the fluidity of the cell membrane, they help produce and balance hormones and they play an essential role in managing inflammation.

Prostaglandins are produced from EFAs. Interestingly, these products of fatty acid metabolism were first discovered in the prostate gland i.e prost-a-gland-in. The EFAs most missing are omega-3 fats, as the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio should ideally be 2 to 1. However,  through overconsumption of the wrong fats this ratio is now 20 to 1 in Australia (in favour of omega-6 fats).

This is a huge problem in relation to the inflammatory effect. Omega-6 fatty acids are the building blocks for inflammatory prostaglandins, while omega-3 fatty acids are used to construct anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. Our bodies are overproducing inflammatory prostaglandins as a result and inflammation has now been linked to all of the leading degenerative diseases, including the prostate disorders.

A landmark South Korean study measured omega-3 levels in subjects ranging on the continuum from healthy gland to advanced prostate cancer and found that omega-3 levels consistently decreased as the problems worsened. Fish oil capsules (six per day) or a tablespoon of cod liver oil each day (combined with lemon juice to make sure there is no repeating aftertaste) is the best way to build omega-3 levels. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna should be included in the diet and flaxseed oil (with 57% omega-3) should be the salad oil of choice. Note: Remember that fish oil supplements should always be taken with a fat soluble antioxidant like vitamin E as they are so easily oxidised.

Another good strategy to reclaim your omega-6 to omega-3 balance is to add chia seed to your morning smoothie. Chia is a South American grain that forms a tasteless gel when combined with water. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and several other nutrients.

Super Active Aminos

In 1958, Feinblatt and Gant conducted research that demonstrated the therapeutic potential of three amino acids in treating enlarged prostate. These aminos, including alanine, glutamine and glycine, reduced nightime urinary frequency by 95%.

Damrau confirmed their work in 1967 and it was confirmed again by Cuervo et al in 1978. In Japan, this group of aminos is marketed as “Paraprost” and has been successfully trialed against several drugs to confirm efficacy. If you would like to trial it yourself, the rates are 500 mg of each amino each day.

Magnesium – The Master Mineral

Magnesium is directly required for over 350 enzymes, including detox enzymes, and it is needed with ATP to create the energy for the detox process. The prostate filter is always removing toxins with associated detox requirements. It is estimated that over 80% of Australians are magnesium deficient and yet it is arguably the most important mineral for robust health!

Magnesium also builds free testosterone levels. Several studies have shown that 450 mg of Mg and 30 mg of zinc can lift testosterone by 30%. 27% of magnesium is found in muscle tissue. This part muscle, part gland will malfunction without magnesium. A Mg deficit worsens the cal/mag ratio and increases the amount of calcium within the cell. Calcium has been linked to prostate cancer. Mg is also involved in the absorption and metabolism of vitamin C and vitamin E, both important for prostate health.

Eat Fermented Foods

A recent European study involving 11,000 men found that regular intake of vitamin K2 (menaquinone) could reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 35%. In this study, vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) intake did not offer any prostate benefits. There has been considerable research on synthetic vitamin K3 and it is currently used to boost the efficiency of chemotherapy drugs.

Vitamin K1 comes from green plants like spinach, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, but K2 comes from bacteria. The beneficial bacteria in our gut produce vitamin K2, along with a suite of other beneficial nutrients. The chief external source is from lacto-fermented food. It is no wonder that all of the cultures that have enjoyed longevity have included lacto-fermented food in their diet. This superfood features multiple benefits and the microbial pre-digesion makes the medicinal compounds within the food several times more effective.

Helpful Herbs

Saw palmetto, stinging nettle root and pygeum are three well researched medicinal herbs with considerable prostate benefits. Saw palmetto is a fan palm from North America that has saw-like leaves notorious for tearing clothing (hence the name). This herb is of value for all three prostate problems and it boosts sex drive in men. The key actives are phytosterols and flavanoids. There are several mechanisms of action. It is a calcium antagonist that can relieve urinary urgency by reducing smooth muscle contractions of the bladder sphincter. It inhibits the binding of DHT to androgen receptor sites. It inhibits prolactin-induced prostate growth. It inhibits the binding of growth stimulating receptor sites. It inhibits the arachadonic acid cascade (anti-inflammatory) and it inhibits 5-alpha reductase.

The stinging nettle (urtica dioica) is a nitrate-loving weed with a very high lignan content, which has been used as a source of fibre. Sex Hormone Binding Globulins (SHBG) increase with age and so does the associated capacity to bind the estrogen and testosterone which can cause cell proliferation. Stinging nettle root has a strong capacity to bind to SHBG, thereby reducing the potential of estrogen and testosterone to promote cell proliferation. Numerous trials have been conducted in Germany where this root is very popular. Using a dose of 600 mg per day for three months, several studies have found a significant increase in urinary flow and a significant decrease in SHBG levels. This herb has also been trialed against proscar with favourable results and none of the negative side effects.

The bark of pygeum, an African plum tree, has been traditionally prescribed for urinary/genital issues for centuries and has also been used as an aphrodisiac. Now researchers are finding it has huge potential for treating the symptoms of BPE. It contains three types of phytosterols and some long chain fatty acids that are responsible for most of the benefits. Many European studies have reported persistent therapeutic activity usually involving decreased bladder hyperactivity and reduced prostate inflammation.

Ten Medicinal Foods For The Prostate

1. Tomatoes, watermelon and red pawpaw  for their lycopene.

2. Salmon, mackerel and sardines for their omega-3.

3. Pumpkin seeds for their omega-3, magnesium, iron and zinc. (These seeds contain the highest plant source of zinc).

4. Brassicas for their sulforaphane and indole-3 carbinol.

5. Coconut oil and red palm oil for protective medium chain saturated fats.

6. Also flaxseed and chia for omega-3 fatty acids.

7. Fruit and vegetable juices for their concentrated antioxidant power.

8. Make your plate a rainbow for the protection of pigments. The more intense the colour, the more potent the antioxidant protection.

9. Brazil nuts for selenium and vitamin E (these nuts are the best natural source of selenium containing around 25 mcg of selenium in each nut).

10. Garlic and spring onions – one study showed that regular consumption of garlic cut the cancer risk by 53% and the figure was 71% for the spring onions (scallions).

Food to Avoid:

Dairy products – dairy consumption has been linked to prostate cancer in at least 16 published studies. One Harvard study found that two and a half servings of dairy a day was linked to a 30% increased risk of prostate cancer.

High GI foods – these empty calories help build blood insulin levels. High insulin has been linked to many degenerative diseases including prostate problems.

Caffeine in coffee and soft drinks is a prostate irritant that should be minimised. It also decreases the production of killer T-cells, which is a serious issue if you suffer from any form of cancer or immune challenge.

Margarine, hydrogenated vegetable oils and fast foods. Margarine is the ultimate man-made abomination and has been linked to a variety of illnesses.

Sex and the Prostate

It is always a win/win when a wellness strategy also delivers pleasure. I have already mentioned the research on masturbation and regular single partner sex as a means to maintain prostate health, but there is another win/win that offers more potent protection and more pleasure. Prostate massage is making a major comeback as a therapeutic tool, but it is also now more widely recognised as a sex-enhancing strategy as it is claimed that the prostate is the male “G spot”. If you have ever felt envy at your lovers capacity for multiple orgasms, then envy no more because you too have that capacity.

Urologists often stroke the prostate to get a sample of prostatic fluid, a practice which must surely have the potential to generate a “life crisis” in the homophobics amongst us who suddenly find themselves experiencing multiple, involuntary orgasms from a male doctor’s gloved touch!

Prostate massage appears in the "Kama Sutra" and it has also been a part of Asian and ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Japanese wives will often massage their husbands prostate to boost both prostate health and sexual pleasure. The Japanese suffer far fewer prostate problems than their American counterparts.

European Urologists use prostate massage widely to increase blood flow to the gland and to magnify the efficacy of antibiotics and herbal preparations for prostatitis.

The massage alone appears to be remarkably effective for both prostatitis and enlarged prostate and this is largely based on increased delivery of blood and oxygen to the affected organ. Prostate massage was widely used 30 years ago but was replaced with antibiotics as a treatment for prostatitis. Now researchers are revisiting the concept and finding that it can be a problem-solver on several fronts including improved sexual performance (premature ejaculation, better erections and a greater sense of fulfillment).

You can do it yourself, your partner can do it for you (but in both cases it must be gentle stroking rather than vigorous) or you can purchase a popular device that is inserted in  the anus and activated by flexing the buttocks. There are several of these devices on the market but the Aneros prostate massage device seems to attract the best reviews.

In Conclusion

The walnut sized prostate gland is integral to male health and sexuality but in it’s role as a toxin filter it has been assaulted on all fronts in recent decades. The end result is a plague of prostate problems that can seriously impact your happiness, sexual pleasure and longevity. A proactive approach to prostate health is long overdue and I trust that you have now been given some guidelines to embark upon a protective program for yourself..

I hope that you can now appreciate that these problems are both avoidable and manageable, if we understand their root cause and move beyond the reactive treatment of symptoms.

NTS have developed a remarkable prostate health product called ProGlow™. Click here for more details, or to order online.