According to statistics, one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at one point in their lives. And the older a man gets, the higher the risk becomes. Prostate cancer is a deadly disease and is in fact the most common type of cancer among American men.
That’s why it’s important to find ways to keep your prostate healthy. That way, you’re lowering the risk of having prostate cancer as you age.
What does your prostate do?
The prostate is located right in front of your rectum, a little below your bladder. The main purpose of the prostate is to produce semen, which carries the sperm from your testicles. It’s a tiny organ, about the size of a walnut, but as a person grows older, it becomes larger.
For the most part, having a larger prostate is normal. It can cause some problems such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), where a patient might have some difficulty urinating. This isn’t a serious concern and isn’t cancerous.
Prostatitis, or an infection of the prostate, is another condition that some men can have. It usually happens to young and middle-aged men and can be easily treated by a doctor.
Prostate cancer is the most harmful of the conditions that can affect a man’s prostate. It’s by far the most common type of cancer in men, and the risk of having it goes up as a man grows older. That’s why regular checkups are recommended by doctors for men above 50.
It’s also important to note that while we don’t know the exact cause of prostate cancer, we do know a few things that contribute to it. Old age, obesity, diet, and family history are all connected to your risk of having prostate cancer.
Ways to keep your prostate healthy
While there are no sure-fire ways to completely prevent yourself from having prostate problems, there are some steps to lower the risk. Knowing the ways to keep your prostate healthy is important so that you can live a normal and healthy life as you grow older.
1. Have more sex
Yes, having sex is good for your prostate. That’s because frequent ejaculation has been found to improve the health of a man’s prostate.
The belief is that frequent ejaculation helps flush out any harmful stuff that builds up in a man’s semen. And since semen is created in the prostate, ejaculation helps “clean up” a man’s prostate.
However, this isn’t limited to simply having sex. Masturbating more often could also have the same effect. But make sure to not overdo it!
2. Be more active
Exercise can do a lot of good things for your body, including lowering the risk of prostate diseases. That’s because being obese or overweight can increase your risk of having prostate cancer as you grow older.
Having an active lifestyle can help prevent this from happening and reduce the possibility of having symptoms and problems related to prostate cancer.
Aside from regular exercise, kegel exercises have also been linked to a lower risk of prostate problems. Kegel exercises strengthen your pelvic muscles and help control incontinence and other prostate and urinary problems that occur as you grow older.
3. Stop getting stressed out
Stress is a big problem for a lot of men. It can cause heart and mental health problems and affect your prostate.
This happens because stress can weaken your immune system and cause problems with your hormonal balance, both of which can potentially affect your prostate.
That’s why it’s important to take the time to relax, go on a vacation, or just nap from time to time. That way, you can lower your stress levels and your risk for disease.
4. Sit down when peeing
Yes, you read that right. Peeing while sitting down might sound pretty weird, but for older men, sitting down while peeing is generally better.
That’s because sitting down when you pee reduces the amount of residual volume in your bladder. This means that you pee faster and drain your bladder better when you sit down. This prevents problems such as BPH and other urinary problems.
5. Eat more fruits and vegetables
One of the ways to keep your prostate healthy is by eating more fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables do a lot of good to your body. Aside from being tasty, fruits and veggies are chock full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory compounds. These help strengthen your body and lower your risk for prostate cancer.
It’s always a good idea to eat less meat and incorporate more veggies and fruits into your diet.
6. Focus on eating healthy fats
Not all fats are bad for you. Omega-3 fats, found in certain fish, help fight inflammation that can cause prostate problems and also strengthen your body. A good way to get more healthy fats into your system is by eating more seeds.
Seeds are a great snack and provide you with a good energy boost, especially when you’re working out. They’re also full of vitamins, minerals, and plant proteins, which help keep your body healthy.
7. Drink green tea
One of the best ways to keep your prostate healthy is to drink tea, green tea, specifically. Green tea is full of catechins, which are antioxidants that can significantly slow down the growth of cancer cells. Drinking green tea can lower your risk of having prostate cancer by as much as 70 percent compared to those who don’t drink green tea.
Green tea also helps lower stress, a risk factor for prostate cancer and other lifestyle diseases.
8. Drink a lot of water
We’re composed of up to 70 percent water, so it’s important for us to always be hydrated. Water helps flush toxins out of our body, and drinking it is one of the best ways to keep your prostate healthy.
It’s always a good idea to drink water until your pee turns clear. That way, you can be sure that you’re not dehydrated.
9. Stop smoking, drink less
Lastly, smoking and drinking pose a big risk to your health. While not directly related to your prostate, smoking can potentially cause hormonal imbalances and introduce carcinogens to your body. Both of these things can increase your risk for prostate cancer.
Heavy drinking can also cause problems to your prostate. Studies have found that men who drink more are at a higher risk of developing prostate cancer when they grow older.
That’s why it’s a good idea to quit smoking and cut back on your drinking if you’re a heavy drinker.
