A Problem for Most Men: The Issues of an Enlarged Prostate

As a man, your prostate gland is an essential part of your sexual health, as it is a key component in your reproductive system. Therefore, it’s important to know everything you can about your prostate, as knowing what’s normal can help you to protect your wellbeing when something goes wrong. So let’s take a closer look – figuratively speaking – at your prostate gland, and how it has an impact on your overall wellness.

 

While it’s commonly known as the prostate gland, it is not really a gland at all, but rather an organ that is made up of about 70% glandular tissue and 30% fibromuscular tissue. If you’re a male adult, your prostate gland will be about the size and shape of a walnut and weigh roughly 20 grams. You’ll find your prostate gland directly beneath your bladder and in front of your rectum, surrounded by a thick fibrous capsule. This glandular tissue of your prostate will secrete a fluid that will contribute to 20 to 30% of your overall volume of seminal fluid. While your prostate is always generating this fluid, it will really up its production when you’re sexually excited.

 

Your semen is made of a combination of spermatozoa, seminal vesicle fluid and prostatic fluid, as well as a tiny amount of fluid from some minor glands. The fluid created by your prostate gland is a thin, milky substance that gives your semen its characteristic colour and odour. In these secretions, there will be concentrations of calcium, zinc, citric acid, acid phosphatase, albumin, and prostatic specific antigen. Not only do these substances help to lubricate your urethra, but they also protect, nourish and mobilise your sperm when they get into the usually acidic environment of the female vagina.

 

Your prostate will grow very little when you’re a kid, but once you hit puberty it will undergo a growth spurt, increasing in weight and doubling its size. After this, the size of your prostate will more or less remain the same for another 30 years or more. Some men, in fact, find that their prostate never grows after puberty. This is healthy, but the unfortunate truth is that most men will experience prostate growth later in life, which is a real wellness issue. Some form of non-malignant enlargement of the prostate, medically known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a likely thing for you to experience. The American Foundation for Urologic Disease estimates that more than half of men aged 50 and above have enlarged prostates, which is a number that steadily increases with age. While you may escape the over-50 bracket, by age 80 it is estimated that 80% of men have prostatic enlargement. So why is an enlarged prostate such a wellness concern?

 

If your prostate gland becomes enlarged, it can get in the way of the flow of urine through your ureters. If this happens, the blockage can cause a backpressure in your kidney which, if left untreated, can lead to chronic kidney disease. The good news is, however, that there are more and more medical and nutritional treatment approaches to this common male disorder that ever before, so the problem shouldn’t threaten your wellbeing as long as you get your prostate checked and treated. Aside from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), other conditions of the prostate include prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and prostate cancer. Again, as prostate cancer is currently the second leading cause of death from cancer in men (the first being lung cancer) the American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association currently recommend that healthy you begin an annual habit of rectal examination after the age of 40 and a rectal exam and a simple blood test to monitor prostate-specific antigen levels (called PSA) once you turn 50.

Categories: benign prostatic, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), Enlarged Prostate, gland, glandular tissue, prostate, prostate cancer, prostate gland, prostatic hyperplasia, specific antigen

Natural Ways to Improve the Health of Your Prostate

If you are amongst the many millions of men who suffer from an enlarged prostate, you could look to more than just medication to improve your sexual wellness and wellbeing. There are other ways to help boost your health and treat an enlarged prostate, including foods, supplements and herbs.

 

Red clover, for example, is rich in something called isoflavones, which are a type of protein also found in soya beans which can be used to treat a wide range of conditions. It is believed that isoflavones can prevent the development of cancers of the prostate and other cancerous growths, and this protein may also treat an enlarged prostate.

 

Linked to this, soy can also be used to help treat an enlarged prostate. In Japan, men follow a diet that is high in soy, and there are very low incidences of prostate cancer. Some believe that this may be directly linked, and that the isoflavones in the soy are responsible for this. Soy can be a great overall health booster, anyway, so it’s a good idea to make sure you include plenty in your diet.

 

Something that you probably don’t include a lot of in your diet is African tree bark. Some studies have shown that pygeum africanum (the tree bark) can help to decrease inflammation, reduce the swelling of the prostate and block the growth factors that are responsible for prostate tumours and enlarged prostates. Many people in Europe and Asia swear by this treatment – so much so that the tree has been overharvested and is now on the Endangered Species list!

 

Lycopene is another thing to try. It is a type of antioxidant typically found in foods such as watermelon, grapefruit and tomatoes. Many studies have shown that by eating a diet high in fruit and veg, you can increase your intake of lycopene and reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.

Categories: diet, enlarge, enlarged, Enlarged Prostate, health, nbsp, prostate, prostate cancer, treat, tree bark

How to Prevent the Three Major Prostate Health Concerns

Prostate cancer is becoming more and more common, which is why it’s more important than ever to have regular check ups if you’re a man over 50. However, this isn’t the only health concern related to prostate, so let’s take a look at how yours might be affected, and what you can do to relieve or prevent the symptoms.

 

1. Enlarged Prostate. In this condition, your gland grows so big that it reduces the flow of urine through the urethra. You know this affects your wellness if you take frequent trips to the bathroom, have an increased sensation to urinate or experience a reduced urine flow. An enlarged prostate also leads to lower testosterone levels, which hinders your well-being with depression, fatigue and vascular diseases. However, you can find out if your testosterone levels are too low with a simple blood test done by your doctor.

 

2. Prostate Infections. For a variety of reasons, you can contract an infection in your prostate. You may experience such symptoms as pain or burning during urination, as well as pain in the pelvic area. If this happens, go get it checked out straight away so that your doctor can give you the treatment you need to clear up the infection.

 

3. Prostate Cancer. This is the most common type of cancer in men, but its severity varies in different patients. You may have no symptoms, and only discover you have the cancer as a result of your regular prostate examination – which is why regular checkups are so important if you’re over the age of 50. If your prostate is enlarged, you have low testosterone levels or there’s a history of prostate cancer in your family, you’re at a greater risk of prostate cancer. The symptoms are the same as prostate enlargement, which is why you should visit your physician ASAP.

 

If you have one of the above health concerns, or you want to prevent them, you can do a lot with your diet. You should reduce your intake of red meat, dairy products and fried food, and consume more soya, fruits, vegetables, Omega 3 fatty acids and fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Plus, you can find relief from your frequent need to urinate by using the following supplements:

 

• Zinc


• Saw Palmetto


• Beta-sitosterol


• Lycopene


• Green tea


• Vitamin E


• Selenium


• Pomegranate juice

Categories: Enlarged Prostate, health concerns, prevent, prostate, prostate cancer, Prostate Infections, testosterone levels