Myths About Nutrition And Cancer
Dispelling some myths:
- Coffee does not increase your risk of cancer
- Lycopene, selenium, vitamin E supplements do not lower the risk of prostate cancer
- It’s not as simple as “sugar feeds cancer”Insulin is the key factor.
To control insulin levels in your body, choose minimally processed grains and include healthy fats exercise nearly everyday keep your body fat, especially belly fat low.
Foods That Help Fight Prostate Cancer
If you are looking for information about the best foods to fight prostate cancer, you’ve come to the right place. This section of HealWithFood.org’s Guide to Preventing Prostate Cancer presents 15 awesome prostate cancer fighting foods that may help reduce your risk of developing this dangerous disease which affects millions of men around the world .
Is There A Prostate Cancer Diet
WebMD expert and urologist Sheldon Marks, MD, shares his thought on how men can help prevent prostate cancer through nutrition.
When you’re being treated for cancer, it’s more important than ever to eat right and get adequate nutrition — but it can also be more difficult than ever to adhere to a balanced cancer diet. Your body is working overtime to fight the cancer, while it’s also doing extra duty to repair healthy cells that may have been damaged as a side effect of treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. At the same time, many cancer treatments — especially chemotherapy — come with side effects that drain your strength and sap your appetite. So how can you make sure you’re getting all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you need to keep a balanced cancer diet?
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Can Certain Foods Kill Prostate Cancer
There is no particular food or recipe that can directly kill prostate cancer cells. Research is underway to discover the foods that may help prevent prostate cancer and aid the complete recovery of prostate cancer patients. It must be noted that the scientifically proven therapies for prostate cancer are crucial for treatment and should not be replaced by other means, including dietary supplements. Some of the foods that are suggested by studies to help in recovery or prevent prostate cancer relapse include
A balanced diet that includes these foods may promote an overall sense of well-being and help limit prostate cancer. Drinking plenty of water helps to flush out the wastes and toxins from the body and keep the metabolism at optimum levels. Avoid sugary drinks and foods, red meat, barbecued or deep-fried foods and processed foods , get ample rest and perform regular physical activities as per the doctors advice.
Reducing Prostate Cancer Risk Through Diet
Getting enough vitamins and minerals with a healthy, balanced diet may be one of the keys to warding off prostate cancer.
And using nutrition to your advantage may prove very useful when fighting prostate cancer too. Diet can be a powerful tool, according to Roberta Anding, a registered dietitian, instructor at the Baylor College of Medicine, and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
So whether your goal is to rid your body of prostate cancer already diagnosed, or to prevent yourself or your loved one from ever getting that diagnosis, some specific foods that are known to protect the body from cancer-causing carcinogens include:
“The bottom line on prevention is a plant-based diet with nuts and soy,” recommends Anding.
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Questions And Answers About Pomegranate
The pomegranate is a fruit grown in Asia and in the Mediterranean, East Indies, Africa, and the United States. Pomegranate has been used as medicine for hundreds of years.
The pomegranate is made up of the following:
Pomegranate fruit and juice may be taken as food, drink, or a dietary supplement.
See the Laboratory/Animal/Preclinical Studies section of the health professional version of Prostate Cancer, Nutrition, and Dietary Supplements for information on laboratory and animal studies done using pomegranate.
In a 2015 study, 183 men with recurrentprostate cancer were randomly assigned to receive either pomegranate juice, pomegranate extract, or a placebo. The study found no difference in how fast the prostate-specific antigen level rose between the 3 groups. There is not enough evidence to know whether pomegranate can prevent or treat prostate cancer.
No serious side effects have been reported from the use of pomegranate.
Epigallocatechin Gallate Green Tea
Epigallocatechin gallate is an anti-angiogenesis found in green tea and white tea. Angiogenesis is the process by which cancer cells produce blood vessels that tap into the blood supply to collect nutrients needed to help the tumor grow. EGCG limits angiogenesis by blocking the tumor’s ability to make blood vessels, thus lessening its growth potential.
In a sense, EGCG is a weapon to help starve the cancer, Woodward says.
Green and white tea are the least processed variety of teas from the Camellia Sinensis plant and contain a high amount of ECGC. Woodward says studies have shown that men who consume ECGC in elevated amounts lower risk of prostate cancer. I recommend green tea to almost all my cancer patients, he says.
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Five Foods To Protect Your Prostate
Good news if youre worried about your prostate health: What you eat can make a difference. There is plenty of strong evidence that good nutrition and an active lifestyle can reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer and slow its progression, says Mitchell Sokoloff M.D., Chair of the Department of Urology and Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
There are a few categorical changes you can make to your diet that make a big difference in overall health, as well as prostate health. What you eat can potentially disadvantage your prostate health e.g. foods you might want to avoid or protect the prostate in various ways. The Science of Living Well, Beyond Cancer recommends a diet that is high in colorful vegetables, low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, and moderate in animal-based protein . Some might refer to this as a version of the Mediterranean Diet. PCF-funded epidemiologist Lorelei Mucci, M.P.H., Sc.D., at Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health notes that people in Mediterranean countries not only eat more vegetables and fruits they also eat less fatty foods, processed food, and red meat categories that can increase insulin resistance, increase inflammation, raise cardiovascular risk and be a part of a dietary pattern that may increase obesity, as well.
Foods That Fight Prostate Cancer
There is strong evidence that eating certain foods can significantly cut a mans risk of prostate cancer. Heres a list of ten powerful prostate protectors:
Cruciferous Vegetables Eating three or more servings of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts per week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by almost half.
Pomegranate Juice Research shows that pomegranate juice slows the growth of prostate cancer in mice.
Turmeric Studies show that turmeric may prevent prostate cancer and slow its progress, especially when eaten with cauliflower.
Flaxseeds Studies in mice indicate that flaxseeds may prevent and slow the spread of prostate cancer.
Green Tea In several studies, green tea has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Brazil Nuts Brazil nuts are one of the best natural sources of selenium, a mineral that is strongly preventative against prostate cancer. Experts say that taking an extra 200mcg of selenium per day will reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 50 percent. Just a handful of Brazil nuts per day will meet this requirement.
GarlicGarlic has been shown in several studies to cut the risk of prostate cancer by as much as 53 percent. Garlic also contains a good amount of selenium.
Scallions One study showed that eating just 1/10 an ounce of scallions per day cut mens risk of prostate cancer by as much as 70 percent.
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What Is Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer refers to the uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate gland. The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system. It is a small gland located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum , surrounding the urethra . The prostate has two main functions: producing and storing fluid that helps make semen and regulating bladder control.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in males in the US . Certain conditions increase the risk for prostate cancer. These include
- Age: The chances of getting prostate cancer increase with age. Most experts recommend considering screening when a man is 50 years old.
- Race: African-American men are at a greater risk of developing prostate cancer.
- Family history: There is a higher risk of prostate cancer in men who have a close family member diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age .
- Heredity: Certain genetic conditions may increase the risk of prostate cancer.
- Diet and lifestyle: Men who have a diet rich in animal fat and low in fruits and vegetables may have greater chances of getting prostate cancer. Being obese or having a sedentary lifestyle also raises prostate cancer risk.
- Smoking: It increases oxidative stress in the body, causing an increased risk of several cancers, including prostate cancer.
How To Add More Pomegranate Juice To Your Diet
You can buy pomegranate juice at most grocery stores. If drinking the juice plain is too intense, consider diluting it with plain water or adding some sparkling water.
You can also add pomegranate seeds to homemade salad dressing to sweeten up your favorite salad.
Summary
Pomegranates are high in antioxidants. Animal and test-tube studies have shown that pomegranate juice could inhibit the production of some prostate cancer cells.
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Lycopene Tomatoes Red Fruits Veggies
Lycopene is a nutrient found in many red fruits and vegetables, including watermelons, radishes, red bell peppers, and tomatoes especially cooked tomatoes. This anti-oxidant carries prostate health-specific benefits, as it can modulate some of the male hormones that can contribute to prostate cancer, Woodward says.
Some studies have suggested when excess amounts of testosterone are metabolized, or broken down and eliminated in the body, the resulting metabolites can lead to prostate growth thus heightening the risk of prostate cancer, he says. Lycopene curbs this risk by interacting with the metabolized testosterone.
Questions To Ask Your Health Care Provider About Cam
When considering complementary and alternative therapies, patients should ask their health care provider the following questions:
- What side effects can be expected?
- What are the risks related to this therapy?
- What benefits can be expected from this therapy?
- Do the known benefits outweigh the risks?
- Will the therapy affect conventional treatment?
- Is this therapy part of a clinical trial?
- If so, who is the sponsor of the trial?
- Will the therapy be covered by health insurance?
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Prostate Cancer Nutrition And Dietary Supplements Patient Version
On This Page
Men in the United States get prostate cancer more than any other type of cancer except skin cancer. It occurs mainly in older men. In the United States, about 1 in every 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. Most men with prostate cancer do not die of it.
Complementary and alternative medicine is a form of treatment used in addition to or instead of standard treatments.
CAM use among men with prostate cancer is common. Studies of why men with prostate cancer decide to use CAM show that their choice is based on medical history, beliefs about the safety and side effects of CAM compared to standard treatments, and a need to feel in control of their treatment.
CAM treatments used by men with prostate cancer include certain foods, dietary supplements, herbs, vitamins, and minerals.
Different types of research have been done to study the use of CAM in prostate cancer. These study types include the following:
This PDQ summary has sections about the use of specific foods and dietary supplements to prevent or treat prostate cancer:
Each section includes the following information for each food or dietary supplement:
- How it is given or taken.
- Results of studies done in people.
- Side effects or risks.
Lifestyle And Diet May Stop Or Reverse Prostate Cancer Progression
- Date:
- University of California – San Francisco
- Summary:
- Men with early stage prostate cancer who make intensive changes in diet and lifestyle may stop or perhaps even reverse the progression of their illness, according to a new study. The research is the first randomized, controlled trial showing that lifestyle changes may affect the progression of any type of cancer. Study findings are published in the September issue of the Journal of Urology.
Men with early stage prostate cancer who make intensive changes in dietand lifestyle may stop or perhaps even reverse the progression of theirillness, according to a new study.
The research is the first randomized, controlled trial showing thatlifestyle changes may affect the progression of any type of cancer.Study findings are published in the September issue of the Journal of Urology.
The study was directed by Dean Ornish, MD, clinical professor,and Peter Carroll, MD, chair of the Department of Urology, both of theUniversity of California, San Francisco, and the late William Fair, MD,chief of urologic surgery and chair of urologic oncology, MemorialSloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
The research team studied 93 men with biopsy-proven prostatecancer who had elected not to undergo conventional treatment forreasons unrelated to this study. The participants were randomly dividedinto either a group who were asked to make comprehensive changes indiet and lifestyle or a comparison group who were not asked to do so.
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Consume Foods That Deliver I3c
Crucifrous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts have long been touted for their anti-cancer properties. These properties are mainly attributed to indole-3-carbinol , a compound found in cruciferous vegetables when their cell walls are broken through chopping, crushing, or chewing. When I3C is digested, it is converted into diindolylmethane . DIM appears to be a strong anti-androgen that has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of prostate cancer cells in culture tests.
Diet & Exercise Tips For Prostate Health
“What can I eat to reduce my risk of developing prostate cancer?” This is one of the most common questions physicians hear from men concerned about prostate health. Undoubtedly, many hope that their doctor will rattle off a list of foods guaranteed to shield them from disease. Although some foods have been linked with reduced risk of prostate cancer, proof that they really work is lacking, at least for now.
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Low In Red And Processed Meat Saturated Fat And Salt
- Avoid or reduce processed meats in your diet such as ham, bacon, sausages, salami and pepperoni.
- Limit the amount of red and processed meat to between 700 to 750 grams raw meat per week, this is the same as 500 grams of cooked meat per week or about 70 grams of cooked meat per day.
- For example, 2 sausages are about 60 grams of cooked meat.
- Choose chicken or fish instead.
- Choose lean meat.
- Limit saturated fats found in foods such as fatty meat, biscuits, crisps, cheese, cream and butter.
- Use healthier unsaturated fats like vegetable, olive and sunflower oil and use small amounts.
What Does The Research Say
The impact of diet on prostate cancer is actively being researched. Several studies indicate that a plant-based eating plan may be the best choice for men with prostate cancer.
Red meat, processed meats, and foods high in fat appear to be bad for those with prostate cancer.
Plant-based foods, such as soy, fruits, and vegetables, could have the opposite effect. Consuming these types of foods may help slow down the growth of prostate cancer in men who have it.
A federally funded Mens Eating and Living study looked at how a diet high in plant-based foods might slow down the progression of prostate cancer.
In phase III of the clinical trial, 478 participants with prostate cancer ate seven or more servings of vegetables, with an emphasis on lycopenes and carotenoids e.g. tomatoes and carrots every day.
About half the group received dietary coaching over the phone, while the other half, a control group, followed dietary advice from the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
While both groups had similar progression of their cancer after two years, researchers are optimistic that large-scale dietary changes in people with prostate cancer are possible. More studies are needed for longer-term effects on plant-based diets.
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