The Foods to Eat for a Healthy Prostate

The cells around the prostate gland are likely to start multiplying

after men reach the age of thirty. An enlarged prostate strangulates

the urethra that creates problems during the urination process.

The extent to which this affects your overall prostate health

depends entirely upon you.

Changes in your diet can help in restricting the enlargement to a

great degree. The prostate is actually controlled by hormones. In

the prostate cells, the male hormone, testosterone is changed into

a more powerful hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone). It is DHT

that causes enlargement of the prostate. It is observed that certain

foods enhance this conversion whereas others block it. If you change

over to a diet that maintains testosterone levels to the minimum

required and also helps in reducing the conversion of testosterone to

DHT, you can effectively save your prostate from enlarging to dangerous

levels and reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Herbs for controlling prostate enlargement form an integral part of

the diet recommendations for a healthy prostate. Saw palmetto is

extracted from a palm-like tree and helps in preventing the conversion

of testosterone to DHT. Natural foods like garlic and some other herbs

and natural products have cancer-inhibiting properties.

The following foods contain a powerful antioxidant agent, lycopene.

This phytochemical gives them their color and is very effective in

restricting the enlargement of the prostate gland.

Tomatoes

Tomato-based products like puree and pastes - Ensure they are organic

and do not contain additives.

Guava

Watermelon

Pink grapefruit

The calcium in milk is instrumental in inhibiting the synthesis of a

form of vitamin D that reduces the chances of malignancy in prostate

growth. On the other hand, fructose, the sugar in fruit, stimulates

production of that form of Vitamin D and inhibits tumors. Avoiding foods

that contain calcium and a high intake of fruits can help manage the

prostate gland effectively.

Sometimes it is a matter of simply enhancing or reducing the trace

nutrient that is lacking in diet. The prostate gland uses zinc much

more than any other part of the body. Zinc alters the metabolism of

steroid hormones to restrict enlargement. It may surprise some of us,

but pumpkin seeds are one of the richest sources of natural zinc. Barley,

wheat, oysters, chicken and crab are some of the other foods rich in zinc.

The prostate will enlarge on its own with age. It is, however, in your

own hands to control its growth so that it does not enlarge to an extent

that it starts showing clinical symptoms. Studies conducted all around

the world have established with a reasonable degree of certainty that

diet plays an important part in the health of the prostate. It is

essentially a matter of restricting red meat and dairy products and

switching to a prominently plant-based diet. Once the enlargement is

noticeable enough to necessitate prostate medication , you may have

to deal with it through out your life.